Firebomb has a new jockey in the nine-runner Nursery Handicap over five furlongs of Newcastle tapeta tonight when trainer Brian Smart plays a ‘trump card’ by booking Gianluca Sanna, an outstanding apprentice find, claiming full allowance of 7lbs!
This represents a real departure from the norm because Graham Lee has ridden the consistent hitherto luckless Swiss Spirit gelding in five races on the trot, finishing second four times!
Last time, significantly, was a career-best when Firebomb led at a fierce pace and collared in the last strides at Redcar by heavily-backed favourite Le Beau Garcon; the dash was run in less than a minute!
Several rivals are bound to be ‘on the premises’ and are fancied but if Gianluca hits the gate this should be all about weight. A really fascinating juvenile sprint; time-figures are right at the fore.
Two-year-old handicaps (nurseries) are the ultimate challenge of my modus operandi, solving them is a real challenge but I’ll never venture against the official BHA
handicapping system without good reason; this, after all, is a serious business and concerns your ‘ard earned money.
Earlier, just down the road at ‘soft’ Redcar, two divisions of a Novice Stakes over seven furlongs look solvable; in the first leg experience could well be key for Barneys Gift over once-raced Fourth Time Lucky and half an hour later Charles Hills’ thrice-raced Dream Show looks imperious and a must for favourite backers.
Sunday was a strange day!
My nap Flat White was a late non-runner but the other two were placed at 7/1 and 100/30; this meant all place singles/doubles and the treble yielded profit of NINE POINTS!
A fine end to a successful October, thus achieving my objective, monthly profit.
By virtue of continuing a policy of selecting tasty priced selections moderate days can be swallowed up and don’t forget we went so close when Bayside Boy, a close third, would probably have contributed to more than a hundred points with a clear run at Donny; next year we’ll take on Luxembourg again with Roger Varian’s charge.
Stick to the trixie/patent bets, rigidly.
November here we come!
Selections, Redcar, 12.05 Barneys Gift (e.w); 12.40 Dream Show (e.w); Newcastle, 4.30 Firebomb (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