A conversation was overheard recently in a bookmakers where two men were standing watching the Scilly Isles Novices Chase won by Bristol De Mai from As De Mee and Tea For Two.
“What do you think of Lizzie Kelly?” said one. “Hmm, if it was a bloke he’d be favourite,” was the reply. A few minutes later the principals were heading for the final fence with Bristol De Mai in the lead and Tea For Two coming under pressure from Kelly. “This is when you’re in trouble, when she has to push it,” came the comment.
There’s still a long way to go for general acceptance that a female rider does not lessen the chance of the horse you backed.
A line in a recent episode of the TV series Madam Secretary on Sky Atlantic stuck in the mind.
“There is plenty of room in the world for mediocre men, there is no room for mediocre women.”
That’s the problem in racing. You can probably get enough rides to make a reasonable living as a mediocre jockey if you are male, but females have to be that much better.
But you don’t think Lizzie Kelly intends to be mediocre.
Young hurdlers
The first four home in the Betfair Hurdle last week were five-year-olds although the winner Agrapart is a first season novice. It follows a trend of big handicap winners in Britain all year. Greatwood Hurdle - Old Guard, Sandown’s December Hurdle - Lil Rockefeller, Ladbrokes Hurdle - Sternrubin.
It’s strange that the best of the crop last year, Peace And Co, has been the most disappointing.
Risky business
Betway’s post injury quote of Faugheen at 5/2 for Champion Hurdle 2017 looked rather crazy given this season’s woes for four of last year’s big Grade 1 festival winners - Faugheen, Uxizandre, Coneygree and Dodging Bullets. Why would anyone risk it 13 months away?
Strange coincidences
There was something a bit symmetrical in a week where the last mare to win the Champion Hurdle, Flakey Dove died, another mare suddenly jumped into favouritism for the championship race. And the two mares demonstrated the changing face of National Hunt racing. Flakey Dove in 1994 was a family-owned horse and humbly-bred, indeed she was called “hairy heeled” in places. Twenty years on Annie Power represents the modern owner with a huge string of expensive horses.
A Good Morning
There have been many complaints of Irish horses being badly treated in British handicaps in recent years but looking at the Grand National weights, you would have to think Phil Smith has been quite lenient in giving Morning Assembly 10st 9lb.
Barring injury, Many Clouds is a definite runner keeping things just as they are. Morning Assembly beat Don Cossack half a length in the Grade 2 Florida Pearl Novices at Punchestown in November 2013 and was third to O’Faolains Boy and Smad Place in the RSA Chase two years ago. He is also a Grade 1-winning novice hudler. If he stays, he must have a terrific chance.
Twitter trends
Who says we’re not interested in racing. At two o’clock on Wednesday the top three trends in Ireland were Faugheen, Annie Power, Joan Collins (that’s the new one!)
ON TWITTER
Roy Curtis @RoyCurtis68
Faugheen gone from Cheltenham. Equine eqivalent of Messi missing World Cup. Disaster for Willie Mullins and for racing.
Declan Meagher @declanmeagher76
Despite Faugheen’s injury, if Willie decided to run just one horse in Champion Hurdle, he has 6 different horses who would start favourite.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
What we have seen here is absolutely Shakesperian but Shakespere got it wrong. It wasn’t King Lear, it was King Lionel.
Messi’s penalty - Stewie Bolis YouTube