Football seemed to be more exciting than the racing this weekend. Lots of draws and lots of funny scores. Sadly my team managed to let in a very weak goal in the last few minutes to avoid us beating Manchester United at home for who knows how many years, writes Joey Ramsden.
The Manchester United team look like eleven players who have never seen each other before. I don’t see them being much of a threat to anyone in the near future. For once there was a smile on the dial of my ever gloomy attorney, Tommy V, as Chelsea drew 7 points clear. They could be 27 points clear and he would still tell me they are a moderate team. Oh, to be a West Ham fan!
We did not have much success at the weekend. But then we did not have many that we fancied – but it was nice to see our first proper two year olds run really well. There is hope for the future.
For some reason, we have ended up with about 8 or 9 Warm White Night’s and quite a few Visionaire’s. As everyone says, no trainer ever commits suicide whilst having unraced two year olds in the yard. Thankfully both these first season sire’s progeny seem to catch the eye when out on the track. We had our first 1200m baby race this weekend so the game is now on to find out exactly what we have on the two year old front.
I am happy to say that I am more than pleased with my lot at the moment.
Less Is More
Milnerton training track
As usual, it is extremely dry down here. Whilst they try and water the tracks as much as possible, it does not make too much difference. It is quite difficult as, the drier they get, the heavier they get. One then has to adjust the horse’s work accordingly. Every morning one has to put one’s thinking cap on and work out how much or how little to work each horse. As I always like to drum into my own head: less is more.
The treadmill is always a great help when the tracks are a bit dodgy as you can give them a good, hard and firm work out. Kenilworth in particular looks to be running fairly quick but it is not surprising as I cannot remember the last time we had rain. Poor old Dean Diedericks has to keep enough water in his dams that they last until the winter rains come along. We keep getting promised bad weather but it is yet to appear.
I Don’t Like Cricket
Vaughan Marshall – my good ex-boss
The cricket world cup starts and I have to say it was something that really used to catch my eye. I remember, whilst working for Vaughan Marshall in PE, watching the very first one with that famous picture of the scoreboard coming up. I don’t think I missed a game and Vaughan was an exceptional employer in that he allowed me to sit at home and vegetate while I watched the game.
This time around, for some reason, I have very little interest but I expect I will be cheering the Proteas on and of course, England. But as long as they continue to play Ravi Bopara, my enthusiasm wanes by the second.
For the life of me, I cannot understand what they see in him. They have had ten years to look at him and see if he is good enough and I certainly made my mind up about 9 years and 363 days ago. Anyway, here is to a good and exciting tournament. It certainly was last time it was held Down Under.
Feature race time is slowing down for a few weeks but we have a couple of nice ones still to come in the always competitive Prix du Cap and the Chairman’s Handicap. Sadly, staying horses down here are as rare as the rain is at the moment. I wonder if the race is actually going to stand up. I really hope it does. This is definitely something that needs to be looked into.
Stuck
One gets a nice youngster coming through the ranks and they get stuck on a certain mark. They then either become extremely difficult to win with or there are no races for them. They end up having to carry 52kg’s – and a few kg’s under sufferance – in the handicaps or carry 64 or 65 kg’s in the mediocre races. It becomes a real problem for them to progress. I am sure that is one of the reasons there is such a paucity of good stayers around and why we are battling to fill a race like the Chairman’s Handicap.
The NHA’s Manager of Handicapping, Roger Smith
Poor old Manx Missile – who has now done a tendon and has been forced to retire – tried his heart out when running under sufferance in the feature races and was handicapped out of it in his grade. There was nothing middle of the road for him along the way. He subsequently ended up running places in the features, getting penalties and ultimately ending up with a handicap mark he was incapable of winning off.
Could this be the reason we are not filling races like the Chairman’s?
Well, a quiet week ahead. Not too many runners and only a few on the weekend but still it is not time to put one’s slippers on as it is now time to get stuck into the 2 year olds and see if the Warm White Night’s and Visionaire’s are as nice as I think they are.
www.joeyramsden.com
