SADLY for the connections of the promising Castlebrook it was announced last weekend that the gelding had suffered a setback and would not race again this season.
The Jimmy Mangan-trained eight-year-old had shaped up nicely in three runs over fences so far and with a step up to three miles promising to suit him very well he was many people’s long term fancy for Gowran’s biggest race of the year, the Thyestes.
Unfortunately, he was ruled out of the race this day last week and the trainer’s daughter, Jane, helpfully posted on Twitter last Saturday evening that he would miss the race and also the rest of this season.
In terms of communicating this news to the general public and those with a particular interest in the betting for the Thyestes at that stage, the Mangan team deserve full credit for this timely update.
This news was posted by Jane Mangan at 6.28pm and what followed was perhaps no more than curious coincidence but within 20 minutes of this post appearing on Twitter there were some interesting developments on the price comparison website Oddschecker, which relays prices from a range of 26 different betting operators.
Shortened up
Within half an hour of Jane Mangan’s post eight of these companies had shortened up Castlebrook for the Thyestes while a further two introduced him into their market for the race having had no price listed at the close of play the previous day.
Maybe this is just a coincidence and not everyone with an interest in the ante-post betting for the race would have become immediately aware of the news that Castlebrook was set to miss the race.
Nonetheless, it seems a little strange that the news concerning his absence from the race was followed by a contraction in his odds for the race.
Quite possibly this might have been a case of some support coming in for the horse from a certain quarter and other firms following suit and if this is the case it still represents a disappointing lack of independent thought on the part of some operators.
ON an entirely different note, one couldn’t but be impressed with Defi Du Seuil’s victory in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot last weekend and he is a worthy favourite for the Queen Mother at this stage.
For the last two years Altior has had this division to himself but the challengers to his crown this time around are looking quite formidable. Indeed, at this risk of looking quite foolish in just over six weeks’ time, there are only two horses who can defeat Defi Du Seuil and neither of them is Altior.
Chacun Pour Soi may have met with defeat on his comeback at Leopardstown over Christmas but still ran a fine race against a quality rival in A Plus Tard, and it should be remembered that this was only his third outing over fences.
His intended reappearance at Leopardstown next weekend is eagerly awaited and he can confirm his position as one of the foremost contenders for the Queen Mother.
The other horse is another Willie Mullins inmate who has also run just three times over fences, Cilaos Emery. He has yet to test his mettle in the surrounds of Grade 1 company over two miles as a chaser but the evidence of his Grade 3 and Grade 2 wins this season would suggest that he will not be found wanting when the time comes.