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Tanya Stevenson

Captain’s Blog October 8

A day off for me today, before a busy weekend on Racing UK. I am hoping to use my day as constructively as possible with a trip to the Gym being on the agenda as well as having something of a sort out in the garden. I really do need to get the lawn cut but it has been far too wet to undertake that particular project of late but I am hopeful that it will be dry enough for me to get the mower out for the final time this afternoon. Then this evening we are going out to meet some mates for a curry, by the time I get to this point with all my projects complete I will feel as if I deserved a couple of beers as well. Only a couple though because I need to focus my attention on Mark Your Card on Saturday morning and with plenty of previews planned for the show I need to be on the ball as I am sure my guest Dave Nevison will be!

It is a shame that Richard Hughes has failed in his appeal to overturn the six day ban that he received from the Wolverhampton Stewards. This ban has surely ended his title hopes and has handed the trophy to Paul Hanagan. For what it is worth I believe Hughes transgressed the rules at Wolverhampton but did not deserve a six day ban. This seems harsh in the extreme. On appeal I did not expect the beaks to change the decision, they hardly ever do and this is largely due to the fact that they want to present a united front and do not want local Stewards to feel that they are being undermined.  I certainly did not expect them to make their decision based on the jockey’s title but I wonder whether their rules would have allowed them to have differed the ban until the start of next flat season. This would have allowed the jockeys title race to have run its course which is what we all wanted to see. Racing for Racing’s sake does not make the news for obvious reasons, but a closely fought Jockeys championship would, and it is a shame that this will now not happen. Of course Hughes may still make a fight of it, there is no guarantee that Hanagan will ride a shed load of winners while Hughes is banned but the likelihood is that he will ride enough to win the title.

The National Hunt Season is really starting to get into gear now and as I watched the action at Exeter yesterday I decided to pick out one horse that I could put forward as one to back next time. As far as jumping is concerned I prefer backing hurdlers than chasers but yesterday Prophete de Guye in the three mile chase struck me as a horse to have a good bet on when and if he is dropped in trip. He finished third yesterday but was travelling all over them throughout most of the final circuit. His jockey Felix De Giles seemed anxious to ride him very patiently and quite rightly kept taking a pull. Try as he might though he could not preserve enough for the finish. This horse needs dropping in trip and if they do and if they continue to ride him patiently he will be something to bet on. The trouble is he has won at three miles in the past which may have convinced connections that he stays well. The way he travelled yesterday suggested that he could go well over two miles let alone three. I will keep an eye out for him and will be backing him if he is dropped in trip.

Enjoy your day

Today’s Selections

3.20 York – Mastership (each way 8/1 Skybet)

4.30 York – Mango Music (each way 13/2 Skybet)

4.05 Musselburgh – Chookie Hamilton (each way 6/1 Betfred)

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