Benzema, by virtue of an actual ‘career-best’ time-figure mark seventeen days ago, justifies support at ‘good to firm’ Thirsk this afternoon when faced by nineteen rivals in a nursery which, at first glance looked competitive.
Following fastidious scrutiny it became apparent this David O’Meara-trained Invincible Spirit colt is ‘thrown-in’ and a replication should be good enough to register a first success at the sixth attempt, ridden by stable jockey, Danny Tudhope, a real plus.
Jockeyship figures high with my modus operandi, ‘Tuddy’ is definitely among an elite ‘top five’ on the English racing scene and has been for several years; the annual computer jockey championship, produced by John Whitley in Racing Research, are proof positive of his consistency.
Danny did nowt wrong aboard stable-companion Ever Given at Doncaster last week, when caught close home by the invincible Oisin Murphy and Harrow for a neck verdict and neither did Wayne Lordan, on our speculative St Leger selection The Mediterranean, third at 28/1, which left me feeling vindicated given Aiden O’Brien’s charge came out best of the Ballydoyle ‘four!’
Although no match for Hurricane Lane in the closing stages it occurred The Mediterranean was ridden differently to York when Wayne, doubtless on instructions from O’Brien, made the running in the ‘Voltigeur’ and didn’t flinch one iota in the final furlong; I’d like to have seen him in front and reckon this progressive colt could prove a major challenger in the Royal Ascot Gold Cup next year. Once again he stayed on strongly.
At this time of year I’ll probably give more losers than winners and so a level stakes policy makes good sense; by all means play trixies/daily patents but don’t miss out on good-priced winners. Autumn is usually my harvest and I intend to make hay ‘weather’ the sun shines or it rains heavily on bookmakers.
Winning is all about prices, ‘shorties’ make no sense whatsoever and I’ll always go the ‘extra minute’ to unearth ‘beauts’ which readers need to feel confident about my submissions; even at this late stage of the day ‘you’ are the reason for my continued obsession with the ‘Sport Of Kings!’
For what it’s worth John Gosden’s winner, Free Wind, impressed most during the fabulous Doncaster meeting with a scintillating seven lengths success under Frankie Dettori in the ‘Park Hill’ (the fillies’ St Leger!) and I’ll be interested to follow this magnificent Galileo three-year-old avidly.
Do you know what I’d love to do if it were possible to ‘come back’ again?
Buy a micrololite (and another camper van!) to ‘drop in’ at race-meetings all over the United Kingdom; alas you can’t live in the past but, we did!
Time to stop this dreaming and go back to sleep!
Selections, Thirsk, 1.00 Wee Poppy (e.w); 1.30 Benzema (e.w); Brighton, 2.45 Zain Zibras (e.w).
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