Equinties - bearish for Ben

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Gm Equinauts 

I’m not sure if it was just me, but yesterday did NOT feel like it was the day England were about to kick start the first game of their football World Cup campaign. Quite sad really given it’s once every 4 years. 

The 1pm kickoff on a Monday is obviously a bit bearish but that’s no bother (in fact for most, being in a pub at obscure times to watch England play adds to the whole World Cup experience) but I do feel the fact the competition is being played in a country where societal norms are quite far removed our own, it’s blunted the excitement for most. It’s almost like this World Cup isn’t real. 

That said, despite England looking very good yesterday, it was the Wales match that whet the appetite, the closeness of it really getting that World Cup fever going. 

Should matches not all be like the Wales match, I’m going to start putting ridiculous lunch money acca’s on. 

I don’t bet on much outside of horses but placing some speccy football bets will defo force some interest in this tournament. I wanna be like this guy: 

Headline Roundup

The Galloping bearish

The trophy of Ben Clarke’s biggest career win has been ripped off his mantelpiece by the BHA leaving the trainer upset and embarrassed … and reaching for the old ‘cross contamination’ card. Classic. 

Last season’s Grade 3 Grand National Trial winner THE GALLOPING BEAR was disqualified from the race yesterday due to a positive post-race sample of a prohibited raceday substance.  

The nine-year-old son of SHANTOU, who cost connections £16,000 in 2017, became Ben Clarke’s biggest win of his training career back in the February of this year when he beat BRISTOL DE MAI by seven lengths. BDM, the legendary grey has now been promoted to the winner and TIME TO GET UP, the only other finisher of the 11-strong field, is now deemed the runner-up. 

THE GALLOPING BEAR tested positive for dantrolene, an orally administered paste that is used to treat muscle stiffness and tightness, in his post-race A-sample – his B-sample also came back the same to provide a definite result. 

Devastated by the news, Clarke said: “It’s been some of the toughest months of my life to deal with this. It’s been absolutely heartbreaking and it will take us an awful long time to get over it. We’re a small team and it was a huge triumph for us.”

Cross-contamination of tack between horses has been posed as the reason behind the positive result. 

“We’ve made sure every horse has their own bridle and headcollar to ensure we can eliminate this from happening again - we’re a really conscientious and diligent team, which is why this hurts even more, as we take this awfully seriously.” 

More: 

Fighting Fifth confirmations 

Six have been confirmed for Saturday’s Grade 1 Fighting Fifth at Newcastle and the Seven Barrows pair of EPATANTE and CONSTITUTION HILL still remain in the contest. 

With the ground currently Soft, Good to soft in places up at Newcastle and rain is expected to hit the track today, both runners from Lambourn could start their season in the Grade 1 contest, however, this is Nicky Henderson we are talking about. 

The market seems to suggest that last season’s Supreme winner is doubtful for the weekend as he is the 7/4 second favourite behind the JP McManus-owned mare who is odds-on. 

More: 

The sales are back! 

The December Yearling Sales kicked off the week at Park Paddocks yesterday, a day that saw a son of SEA THE STARS sell for 260,000 guineas as the top lot. 

Being a sister to the Gr1-winning FIFTY STARS and the 143-rated Willie Mullins hurdler WHISKEY SOUR, Alex Elliott of Sunderland Holding battled hard with Tom Goff of Blanford Bloodstock to get the daughter out of SWIZZLE STICK onto his books.

Elsewhere, DUBAWI continued his stronghold on the sales division as the most-expensive sire in Europe saw a colt by him sell for 180,000 guineas. 

David O’Callaghan of Yeomanstown Stud, the buyers,  made no secret of what he was planning to do with his new purchase, as he said:  “We bought him to reoffer him at the breeze-ups - we liked him a lot and thought he was very fast looking. 

“Obviously he’s by a top stallion and out of a very good mare and we don’t get too many opportunities to buy this type so we said if he didn’t make a silly price we’d step in.” 

More from the sales: 

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Risk on

15.35 APPLE ROCK 2/1

 Was a plot last year but didn’t manage to win. Pauling yard of fire now and he’s so well in. Soft ground well in his favour.