Equinties - whip rules

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Gm Equinauts 

Something tickled me but concerned me in equal measure this morning.

In short, Lorcan Williams is in the spotlight for the wrong reasons today as the first big headline case centred around the BHA’s new whip rules which became effective from Feb 13th.

Lorcan used the whip 9 times vs the permitted 7 on Saturday onboard the winning MAKIN’YOURMINDUP.

Whether you think the whip rules are harsh or not, the fact of the matter is they are now THE RULES.

The idiocy of Lorcan’s response is genuinely mind-blowing and I can’t believe the people close to him have let him say it tbh.

He’d have been better of saying he struggles to count to 10… well 7! I’d believe that too.

Just don’t admit you had to win at all costs because it’s the equivalent of McNally saying ‘well I had to cheat a mark to win’ or Baffert saying ‘well without all the drugs we wouldn’t have won’.

Mental.

As always, Racing Twitter is clearly divided on the matter with Matt Chapman siding with Lorcan.

After the recent backlash from ‘that’ poster of Rachael Blackmore, the whip is (sadly) racings biggest talking point atm and it’ll be interesting to see if the BHA continue down this left leaning road of woke appeasement.

Now, there’s a gamble in the bumper so let’s dive in.

Headline roundup

Bristol good bye

In what had seemed likely after a few disappointing runs, the legendary BRISTOL DE MAI was retired by connections yesterday. 

Three Betfair Chases. Five Grade 1s. One Grand National Trial. One Charlie Hall Chase. One Bristol De Mai.

The grey 12-year-old finished 11th of 14 in the recent Grand National Trial off his lowest mark for six years (he won off 154 in the 2017 Peter Marsh Handicap Chase).

Recently, trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies told Ash Symonds of Gloucestershire Live prior to his run on Saturday: “We’ve always said that the horses tell us. I’m not going to say how long we are going to carry on. If he’s not enjoying it, we’ll stop, but if he’s enjoying it, we’ll carry on.”

And well, it seems Bristol told him on Saturday. 

He’s been a brilliant horse, a true great and pleasure to watch, so from everyone here at BGP, we wish you a happy retirement. 

Brandy Love is back

Having not been seen on the track since her Punchestown Festival win in April, Willie Mullins’ BRANDY LOVE, now sporting the colours of the Donnelly’s, has been declared  for the Grade 3 Quevega Mares’ Hurdle at Punchestown on Wednesday. 

She joins a field of QUEENS BROOK, last year’s Mares’ Novice Hurdle runner-up, ANNA BUNINA, and REVEL IVY.

Looking ahead to the Festival in three weeks, Willie Mullins’ seven-year-old is a general 9/2 shot for the Mares’ Hurdle having not even jumped a hurdle in public for 10 months - Mullins also has ECHOES IN RAIN and SHEWEARSITWELL as potentially runners. 

Wednesday is a must watch race! 

Oisin of fire 

Oisin continued his comeback with a win on FLAMING RIB in the Group 3 Dukhan Sprint at Doha on the weekend (also giving Hugo Palmer his first winner outside Europe). 

FLAMING RIB was a talented 2yo for Tom Dascombe, winning 5 times the last of which was in Listed Class. Switched to Palmers for his 3yo career, the highlight when 2nd in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot to Perfect Power. 

A £35,000 purchase at Tattersalls Book 2 yearling sales in 2020. 

He is the first foal out of SUDDENLY who was unraced, and bred in Germany. Although unraced, Suddenly is a sister to SAVOIR VIVRE who was 2nd in the German Derby. Importantly, SUDDENLY’s dam (mother) is a full sister (sharing the same dad) to a good horse SIMOUN who won a brace of Group 2 races in Germany. SIMOUN is a sister to SOIGNEE, who is the dam of Champion 3yo STACELITA who in turn is the dam of Champion 2yo and Champion 3yo SOUL STIRRING. 

Question marks on RIBCHESTER as a sire at the time and an unraced mare would have been noted but he is from a deep German family. It always had potential. 

FLAMING RIB as a yearling:

Further news 

Halford x Collins

Group 1-winning trainer Michael Halford will air out a joint training license with Tracy Collins from the beginning of March. 

Halford has over 1000 winners to his name, a Gr1 Racing Post Trophy, and an established relationship with the Aga Khan to his name and he now joins Collins who has a family established in Racing, as both her Grandfather, MC, and father, Con, have trained Classic winners.

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Bumper preview 

Market Rasen 

The money is talking… it’s shouting. Olly Murphy’s BORODALE has been slammed in the market and looks a similar gamble to that of (still unbeaten) CHASING FIRE’s debut at Wetherby for same connections. 

The horses family is littered with more bumpers winners on the dam side than I care to type out (todays newsletter already long enough) so if he’s anything like his family, he’ll take all the beating today. 

Dangers? SMP’s, Skeltons and JJ’s all have nice enough ped’s but they money says BORODALE wins. 

Stats

No qualifiers today. 

Risk on

NOT THAT FUISSE in the Hunter Chase should be good lev for any other single on a tough days racing.