Vintage Choice ticks every box imaginable in a seven-runner Maiden Stakes over seven furlongs of ‘good’ ground Redcar this afternoon despite meeting a previous winner which will not be carrying penalty; my selection is trained by a ‘placing genius’, mount of current champion apprentice, clear ‘best-in’ on the time-handicap and scope for considerable improvement, which I’m anticipating.
William Haggas is married to Maureen, daughter of another genius, Lester Piggott, and his father was a hugely, wealthy and successful, driven Yorkshire business-man, who owned many profile winners and a font of knowledge. Are there any other boxes left?
Perhaps it’s best no serious punter reads this column otherwise I’ll be causing a price reduction before betting commences in earnest.
As it happens disqualified ‘winners’ are invariably targetted and Out From Under is unlikely to be an exception, especially as the decision by Ffos Las racecourse stewards was somewhat controversial even though inevitable given a precedent was set which, ironically, gave them little ‘Choice!’
Last month Vintage Choice debuted during York’s August meeting in just about the hottest ‘Convivial’ there has been for a long time; this Lope De Vega colt, drawn hopelessly wide, ran on strongly into third place behind Andrew Balding’s Hoo Ya Mal and highly-regarded Dawn Of Liberation from Richard Hannon’s in-form yard.
Distances were two and a half and three-and three-quarters, they were really spread out and Hoo Ya Mal is a serious ‘Dewhurst’ contender next month.
Even a replication will be good enough for Cieren Fallon-ridden Vintage Choice and the market promises a fascinating scenario. What’s not to like about juveniles, from high-profile racing stables, in competition on acceptable, fair galloping tracks?
Two nurseries kick-off an eight-race card but they are too difficult and so focus is switched to ‘good to firm’ Goodwood and Kempton’s all-weather circuit where twice-raced War Horse and Golden Warrior, respectively, should win on my time-figures which highlighted 4/1 winner, Carbon, at Leicester, Monday and ‘headlined Silky Wilkie yesterday.
I’ll have my betting boots on again today and look forward to the next six weeks with relish.
Selections, Goodwood, 1.15 War Horse; Redcar, 2.00 Vintage Choice; Kempton, 6.15 Golden Warrior.
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