Last Ammo (5/2) was a dramatic last stride winner on Wolverhampton tapeta and enabled ‘Super-Saturday’ to be profitable with a 6/1 double into Ree Okka, my 11/10 nap; James Doyle was simply magnificent and deserves tremendous praise for persistence because it looked a lost cause when John Gosden-trained Yummylicious forged ahead approaching the final furlong.
In a thrilling set-to, Last Ammo, off the bridle for at least three furlongs, ‘dobbed’ his rival on the line and I thought afterwards, this is my life; such excitement is part of horse-racing and supersedes all other emotion in the split seconds of enthralment. It’s not often I become completely wrapped up, personal gain isn’t at issue, it’s you who counts; my whole existence has become dedicated to this column and results for readers are my prime consideration.
It has been a privileged existence writing about magnificent thoroughbreds, studying them and computing their capabilities into a time-handicap; no other angle could possibly be as devastating, the mark of every one is definitive and its accuracy my sole obsession.
Results, achievements and current high position in the Racing Post Naps Table are yet again proof positive I’m doing something right. I’m more fastidious in close study, probably on account of the time available, no travelling and no newspapers.
All my data is ‘on-line’ and whatever appears in the Racing Post and Sporting Life is 100% reliable; to think all those years ago I’d drive thirty or forty thousand miles a year to clock, watch, examine (in paddocks!) and bet on racehorses by virtue of visiting racetracks more than two hundred and fifty times annually. Incredible to think back and realise such dedication to a purpose.
My modus operandi continues today when Bibulous attempts to supplement recent Kempton gains in the Novice Stakes over seven furlongs of Wolverhampton tapeta; unless ex-Irish trained, 88-rated, Arctician is able to finally end a vexing run on his first all-weather venture it should be plain sailing for the Henry Candy’s Camacho gelding, again mount of Rob Hornby. Irish ratings are often misleading!
There are also jumping fixtures scheduled for Ludlow and Musselburgh where recent winner Thunder Rock faces an easy task in the NH Novices’ Hurdle over two and a half miles of a forecast ‘good to soft’ surface following the late withdrawal of market rival A Distant Place; perhaps you”ll do better price-wise playing Everyday Champagne each-way with three places on offer against shallow rivals.
Not an easy day by any means!
Selections, Musselburgh, 12.15 Everyday Champagne (e.w); 12.45 Skycutter; Wolverhampton, 5.30 Bibulous.
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