Zoom Tiger is marginally ‘best-in’ for an unbelievably competitive Maiden Stakes over ten furlongs of ‘good to soft’ Ripon today when Tom Marquand becomes the third jockey in as many outings to partner the Andrew Balding-trained Zoffany colt; ‘Kingsclere’ is enjoying a wonderful spell and stable-companion Nymphadora landed our 13/2 nap on Friday afternoon.
Watching the No Nay Never colt ‘hit the gate’ and make all in the prestigious listed Marygate Fillies’ Stakes, over five furlongs of the York Knavesmire, was immensely satisfying; hopefully readers enjoyed a similar ‘rush’ as Nymphadora stormed clear under Jason Watson to become yet another winner from the prodigous Newmarket form of Desert Dreamer last month, when I advised punters to follow the first NINE!
Of course the comment stemmed from my computation of the race-time; to an experienced time-handicapper it’s obvious when a ‘big run’ presents itself as a license to print money and my whole racing life is/has been all about unearthing similar gold nuggets, in juvenile sprints especially. Desert Dreamer scored at Newmarket a few hours earlier, Thursday evening.
Balding is proving phenomenal, his whole operation impressive to say the least; remember our nap, Berkshire Rocco, in the St Leger last September, beaten a neck at 25/1?
Nymphadora provided a springboard for a Balding treble and in a perfect world I’d probably be a property dealer, funded from backing Andrew’s winners!
Zoom Tiger has two rivals, Roger Varian-trained Fiftyshadesofred and First Light from the neighbouring Newmarket Clarehaven stable of John and Thady Gosden; all three meet median criteria of ability and experience with two runs under their belts and similar TH marks.
I’m swayed by Zoom Tiger having form over a similar distance when beaten half a length and two lengths by heavily-backed duo, Al Waqidi and Scope, at the World famous group one Cambridgeshire course last month; what beats ‘Tiger’ will win!
Incidentally they are racing for prize-money (before deductions!) of £3078, yes you’ve read it right.
No wonder racecourses don’t really care whether crowds come back; apparently, despite what you may read, they are being paid £1000 for every 48-hour declaration, even non-runners are included!
Now you must understand why there is so much racing at so many venues, there are seventy-four ‘decs’ for the North Yorkshire course spread over eight races. You do the maths.
I’d like a few spare acres!
Both tips from a Stratford jumping fixture, Drakes Well and Blue Collar Glory, look solid.
Selections, Stratford, 2.17 Drakes Well; 5.17 Blue Collar Glory; Ripon, 4.35 Zoom Tiger.
Jeffrey Ross, horse-racing correspondent for WMN since 1983 when winning the most prestigious racing journalist award, Sporting Life Naps Table, before winning it a record number of six times collectively in the Racing Post, the current ‘trade’ paper, including 2019