Alverton
Marshall's Blog, October 4
Pontefract, Warwick & Windsor
It is going to gruelling at all three meetings this afternoon and though there has been a golden highway against the far rail late summer when they took down the temporary rail at Pontefract, the usual route for jockeys when it is soft is wide and wider still. Although he looks the likely winner, Ullswater, in the opening juvenile maiden, over ten furlongs on soft ground, I don’t think he should be odds on. After such a successful season in 2009, Darley Sun would have to rank as one of the major disappointments this summer, he just hasn’t cut it so far and though this is his easiest task to date. I will take him on with Ajaan, who is guaranteed to handle conditions.
The racing at Warwick tends to turn into a sprint when turning in, all heading stands side, in the prevailing conditions there is more doubt that any jockey will commit earlier so a tactical afternoon looks certain. The far rail is likely to be favoured at Windsor ,ironically only two of the races are on the sprint course and one of those has just six runners. An outsider to consider in the opening mile handicap is Flipping, who is at least proven on the ground, there could be quite a few big priced winners this afternoon.
Congatulations to all the team associated with Workforce on his victory in yesterday’s Arc. I for one had no qualms about the build up to the race of whether he would run or not, in fact I find it enthralling whenever Sir Michael is interviewed, you always get the impression he is itching to get away. He is a brilliant trainer and that is his profession, why can’t it be accepted, the real racing fans understand this and the media big brother type circus has no bearing on the sport, because it is the animals who are the real stars, and the trainers job is to get them there to perform to the best of their ability, of which Sir Michael Stoute is one of the best in my lifetime. It must be frustating for connections of the winners to see their pride and joy not in the full picture as they passed the winning post. It wasn’t just the big race that the cameraman failed to capture the winner and we must be grateful over here for the splendid camera work of our guys.
