Equinties - different man's gain

Gm Equinauts

If someone calls themself ‘Acid Man’, you’d be inclined to think it was some weird hippy dropping tabs and loving everyone. I mean, unless you wanted to do an Ozzy Osbourne and end up having a conversation with a horse for an hour, acid probably isn’t the best thing to do at a race track but at least everyone would be chilled out and happy (also, imagine the perms you’d place on it). We’d have been all for that ‘Acid Man’.

But right now there is an ‘Acid Man’ making racing headlines for all the wrong reasons.

This guy must be racking up the L’s daily.

Imagine being so bad at gambling and so emotionally volatile you threaten poor old Nicky Henderson with acid to the face. Such a weak and beta thing to do.

We hope all this nonsense is resolved soon and the guy ends up in prison - if anything, just to stop the poor sod gambling.

Anyway, let’s dive in.

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HEADLINE ROUND UP

DIFFERENT MAN’S GAIN 

The big news that broke early yesterday was that BRAVEMANSGAME is being lined up for Saturday’s Grade 1 Betfair Chase and if he turns up (ground permitting), Daryl Jacob will ride him and not Harry Cobden. 

This came as a huge shock for three reasons. Firstly, it will only be 21 days since his Charlie Hall second, secondly, many people had him earmarked for the King George on Boxing Day and thought he would go fresh to the race, and thirdly, Cobden has been onboard for all 17 races of his rules career.

A few got their tin foil hats out to cause speculation between Nicholls and Cobden, yet the boss of Ditcheat laughed these off in an interview with Racing TV later in the day. 

And you can understand why he brushed off the claims. Currently, Nicholls has PIC D’ORHY, BLUEKING D’OROUX, and SABRINA entered at Ascot and a team of BRAVEMANSGAME and HUGOS NEW HORSE at Haydock, one of which is still only 50/50 to go on ground reasons. He may as well ride out the Ascot-bound horses in work this week and it may even turn out that BRAVEMANSGAME won’t go to the race. 

That being said, BRAVEMANSGAME is the best horse in the yard and he is going for a Grade 1, so to not have your stable jockey there is unusual. Let’s see how the week develops to see if he runs. 

IROK-OH

IROKO, a general 10/1-shot for the Turners Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, is out for the season due to a foot injury, joint-trainer Oliver Greenall confirmed.

The JP McManus-owned five-year-old bolted up on chase debut at Warwick in a stylish fashion and had plenty of people talking about him for some big winter and spring targets. However, due to a foot issue that he has been suffering with since Warwick, connections have drawn stumps on the season. 

So, how does this set-up the novice chase division for JP McManus? Starting with the Turners, INTHEPOCKET started his chasing season off on the weekend when second to FACILE VEGA – many people thought he should be stepped up in trip last year and his action suggests that, so he could be the one to take over.

As for the three-mile division, although he was disappointing when we saw him this season, all hope should not be lost on CORBETTS CROSS who was highly progressive over hurdles last season and will come on for the run.

WATHNAN CONTINUE TO SPEND 

The ever-spending Wathnan Racing continued to splash the bucks on day one of the Arqana Autumn Sale as BESHTANI of the Aga Khan and MAKE ME KING of Haras Voltaire joined the growing ownership. 

The blue, red, and gold silks parted way with €380,000 and €340,000 for MAKE ME KING and BESHTANI respectively, two horses that were only separated by a short-neck at Chantilly in the Prix de Montleveque on October 31st. 

Richard Brown was the one at the helm of the buying on behalf of Wathnan Racing and he revealed where they are heading, as he said: "They’ve both been bought for Wathnan and they are both going to go to Qatar. When the catalogue came out I sent those numbers and profiles over to Olly Tait straight away and he spoke to the team in Qatar. Both horses ticked the boxes for what we’re looking for for Qatar.

“You saw Wathnan were very successful with Bolthole and we’ve bought a couple of smart horses at the horses-in-training sales so all options are open. They are both progressive horses and I don’t see any reason why they might not appear back in Europe next year, having run the season in Qatar."

YOUNG BLOOD

FAKENHAM BUMPER 

Only three horses run in this bumper and on pedigree, it’s Olly Murphy’s to lose.

Verdict: TRAMUNTANA should just win this one. 

HEREFORD BUMPER

There’s something up with this bumper. It’s full of moderately bred National Hunt horses with only one stand out, the Nicholls horse but he’s such a big price. 

RUE ST DENIS is nicely bred both sides. Looks the absolute part on paper, so it’s surprising he’s 3’s. That said, Willies went off 4’s last Saturday so who knows. 

OF COURSE YOU CAN is out of a nice bumper winner but she’s yet to show anything in two runs. Place chances. 

Mel Rowley got a king mention in a bumper preview the other week. She always has them ready for these races. Pedigree let’s the side down with her runner HIGHLY RECOMMENDED and probably only being backed because of the weak nature of the race.

DANTE’S INFERNO ran well in a bad race lto. Owned by Paul, trained by his ex-wife and ridden by his daughter, it’s a family affair and they’ll be out to win it.

Place chances. 

JJ won this race last year with the impressive MAGIC SEVEN. Nothing wrong with this one’s ped, you’d want to see some money for it. 

Last one worth a mention is JUMPAMIDTHESTARS. A half to trainers bumper winner POP THE CHAMPAGNE. Defo had a chance in a race like this. 

VERDICT: Loathe to go with the fave again but Nicholls’ RUE ST DENIS should be, on pedigree, the best horse in this race.

RISK ON

Tools down for two days, there are a few we like today:

12.55 BERTIE ROOSTER

Played him before last year where he was a good ew bet but got chinned into 2nd. Today should be the day, he’s the best bred in this race - fit after a run and yard in form. 5/2.

12.00 ILLICO DE COTTE, 13.45 GIT MAKER & 15.35 TRAMUNTANA

Small treble on these three shorties who should be the best horses in their respective races. 9/1.

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