Tadita Twitch has a gilt-edged opportunity of putting considerable experience to effect in a Maiden Fillies’ Stakes over six furlongs of ‘good’ ground at Brighton this afternoon when there are two other flat meetings and a jumping fixture scheduled.
Rated 76, on the back of several useful efforts, this Siyouni juvenile comes out clear ‘best-in’ on my time-handicap from twice-raced Godolphin-owned Summers Day, mount of William Buick, an infrequent visitor to this popular South coast venue which is ‘punter-friendly’ due to excellent programming. As an owner I do indeed speak from experience.
Two visits yielded a couple of winners, the other was second and winning jockeys in my colours on Bassett Boy and Red Zulu were, respectively, Lester Piggott and Greville Starkey!
That was way back in the 1980’s when my concentrated spell of ownership was in full throttle; buying/selling was the key to success and considerable profit. Nowadays it wouldn’t be possible to energise myself at such an advanced age with traffic problems a ‘no-go’ area and in any case I’m better off watching home TV and spending those ‘travelling hours’ studying and researching. Last Thursday yielded a 300/1 ‘trixie/daily patent for readers/punters.
To be honest contact was so important, sidling up to trainers/jockeys and quietly, unobtrusively, discussing the English racing scene was part of my modus operandi, the ‘whole’ was a jigsaw which one pieced together. They were interested in my time computations which evolved from the accuracy of trusted stop-watches.
Amazing to think I was the only one ‘clocking’ and of course this unique angle provided a edge and resulted in eight press naps table championships (the supreme award of racing journalism!) in the now defunct publications of the Sporting Chronicle/Sporting Life and Racing Post which is still being produced despite a cost of £4 a day.
Given that equates to at least £1500 a year it was cancelled and now I’m happy to open this computer and ‘browse’ necessary data on-line. Newspapers will be ‘yesterday’ in the not too distant future when, hopefully, you will appreciate what I was able to achieve on your behalf.
Ed Dunlop-trained Tadita Switch is advantaged by Saffie Osbourne’s 5lbs apprentice claim; Jamie’s talented daughter was aboard three times before giving way to Hollie Doyle and Rav Havlin.
Summer’s Day will doubtless be ‘on the premises’ but Charles Hills has a clutch of useful two-year-olds ready to win and I’ll have an each-way ‘saver’ on No More Tiers, by Hot Streak, which has been working well with recent winners.
Selections, Brighton, 1.45 Tadita Twitch (e.w); Chepstow, 2.00 Rani Of Jhansi; Stratford, 3.55 Percy’s Word.
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