Equinties - Milton gone

Gm Equinauts

The dec’s are coming in hot and fast for the DRF this weekend, it should really be named the Willie Mullins festival:

One horse missing a dec and his highly anticipated clash with MARINE NATIONALE is GAELIC WARRIOR. That would have annoyed DRF goers…

Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUNDUP

MILT-OFF II

As we alluded to yesterday, news broke that Milton Harris was found “not a fit and proper person to hold a license” by a licensing committee on Wednesday. 

Looking further into the details, it does not paint a very good picture, a bit of a weird one actually.

Amidst the juvenile behaviour such as offering his own neighbour, Simon Earle, a fight under ‘Queensbury rules’, the report has highlighted a chronic pattern of behaviour suggestive of a man with a distinct lack of emotional intelligence.

The committee labelled him as ‘dishonest and manipulative’, as well as ‘having little or no awareness of what appropriate safeguarding behaviour is’, particularly concerning young people, proved in one part by adding one girl on his phone as ‘Lovely Young Girl’ and repeatedly directing private conversation towards a sexual nature.

Further news about the future of the yard, horses, and staff will most likely come out in the proceeding future but it certainly looks like Milton won’t be training again.

DATING FRANKEL

We love ALCOHOL FREE. Not drinks (shout out to those who successfully did Dry Jan, it’s over now),

we mean the wonder-mare we have followed for the whole of her career. 

She left our shores for Australia at the end of 2022 when she was sold for a massive 5,400,000gns at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale and raced five times…and amazingly, didn’t place once!

She is now back in the UK to start a new chapter of her life as a broodmare, and her first visit is to the GOAT - FRANKEL. 

Looking at her career, she won a Group 1 in every year of her racing career in the UK. Two of which were over six furlongs and two were over a mile.

She will now be covered by FRANKEL who, as we all know, did most of his winning at a mile but did win twice over 10 furlongs and in all honesty, could have remained unbeaten over further.

This pairing looks like a very good one and we can’t wait to see some baby ALCOHOL FREE’s on the track.

BUMPER CHAT

There’s been a distinct lack of bumper chat recently, well, since Sunday anyway when we landed the Pauling gamble (follow him). 

But fear not, there is one to close the Wincanton card today, but what about the futures markets?

It’s probably fair to say that this year’s crop of bumper horses is different from previous years. Bear in mind the DRF is just around the corner, there still really is no standout horse that has got Racing X stupidly excited for Cheltenham.

Last year we had A DREAM TO SHARE after the DRF, the year before it was FACILE VEGA, and before that it was KILCRUIT. This won’t necessarily change anytime soon, but there are a few to keep an eye on. 

The eagerly awaited TEESHAN is set to run at Sandown on Saturday for Paul Nicholls. 

In the ownership of Johnny de la Hey, he was sourced by Tom Malone and was apparently the talk of Ireland after this success. However, de la Hey has deep pockets, as shown by his six-figure purchases of WRAPPEDUPINMAY, CAPTAIN BELLAMY, and CAPTAIN TEAGUE, and he was able to snap him up. 

However, in a recent podcast with Betfair Racing, he suggested that if he does what he should be doing at Sandown on Saturday, his price of 25/1 could be a distant memory. After all, he said that he had never seen a horse do what he did in a PtP after 15 years in the game. 

Admittedly, he is a bloodstock agent and a few people were quick to make a few jokes… 

But if any words that Tom has said turn out to be true, we could be ready to see a good one.

YOUNG BLOOD

WINCANTON BUMPER

As always when Nicholls’ yard saddle one, big Paul heads the market with JUBILEE ALPHA. We’re not enamoured by the sire FLEMENSFIRTH, it’s the dam who brings the heat. She her self was a bumper and flat winner and has produced a bumper winner. Nicholls training is a bonus.

Hendo’s NOTORIOUS PINK is drifting which might be telling as on blood, arguably has an equally good, or better pedigree than Pauls. She’s by a brilliant sire for producing bumper horses and the dam, a bumper winner herself, has produced several winners including bumper winners.

Pauling’s I’VE MADEUPMYMIND is next in the market at 7’s demonstrating the strength of the top two in the race. She is 4yo so gets an allowance vs the top two 5yo’s and has a good pedigree. Pauling yard in great form.

Honeyball’s (badly named) GETAWAYS GIFT reps a yard who used to clean up in bumpers. Related to a few bumper winners on the dam side. Place chances.

Big Nige Twiston Davies has had a good time of it this year and he likes to win a bumper. PORTOBELLO GIRL is a half to a bumper winner. Place chances again repping owners who target these races.

The only other pedigree of note is Fergal’s NAN BRADY just because she’s by CHAMPS ELYSEES who love a 2mile flat race… price says useless though!

Verdict: Nicholls’ JUBILEE ALPHA has been gambled but this section is about blood over price and the pick is Hendo’s NOTORIOUS PINK at 9/2.

RISK ON

A frustrating day yesterday as we opened up with a good winner courtesy of Paulings yard but then gave it back when bumping into a nice Hendo prospect. That’s gambling though and the key is waiting for the right bet and not speculatively chasing.

No bets today as of yet, keep an eye out for our X account @equinties.

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