Angus Mcnae
Captain’s Blog, March 10
Trans Sonic was a welcome 4/1 winner here on the Blog yesterday and I hope you got on board with this in-form handicapper. His win at Southwell was his third in a row. It is an interesting time on the all-weather at the moment with some interesting results.
My colleague Eddie Fremantle told me a week ago that horses coming to the all-weather fresh after a break are starting to win as some of those that have been knocking round and competing all winter begin to tire and lose their form. Results recently have shown him to be absolutely spot-on with this observation and it is something to bear in mind over the next couple of weeks.
We are hopefully covering Catterick on Racing UK today, the meeting is subject to a second Inspection at 9.30am. They are hopeful though that temperatures will rise rapidly, so all should be fine. Once I have finished here I will be getting on the bike and heading to Teddington. If the meeting is cancelled at least I will have done some decent exercise and if it is on I will be there and ready to man the booth for the afternoon.
It will be my second day of exercise in a row which will be a bit of a shock to the system, but I just need to keep it up because the dreaded half marathon in Reading is looming up just 10 days away. A further drastic consequence of competing in this form of torture is that I am off the beer until the run is done, but believe me a week on Sunday I will make up for it big time. It will do me no harm to stay off the hard stuff for 10 days even if in my case it takes more will power to do that than actually get the damn run itself done. I remember last year that at about the eight-mile mark you run past a pub full of cheering drinkers who were very supportive and who offer you plastic cups full of John Smith’s bitter. I was tempted to stop and join them, but plodded on in pain for another five miles. No doubt they will be there again this year and the temptation to stop will be just about overwhelming, but I guess with just 5 miles to go I am only 50 minutes or so away from a proper pint.
Festival fever is beginning to grab hold of many and I would like to recommend to you the Noel Meade feature that is currently on Racing UK. Meade is expertly interviewed by Nick Luck who manages to tease a lot out of a man who is inherently a shy human being. His honest responses to Nick’s questioning are revealing and refreshing.
I particularly liked his assertion that one of the hardest jobs as a trainer is giving owners bad news. That he finds it hard to disappoint anyone shows a caring and thoughtful side to a man who is an expert in his field and someone with whom it would be a pleasure to have a horse with. I am sure you will be able to watch this enthralling interview again on Racing UK and I recommend you do.
The Daffodils are very late this year, it has been too cold for them and it looks as if spring is about three weeks late. Normally by now my garden looks as if it is coming to life again, but there is little sign of life at the moment and there will be plenty of mothers wondering where their Daffs are this Sunday. I know where I will be this Sunday and that will be at the Stoop watching the Harlequins play Salford and of course I will not be having a beer!!
Right time to get on my bike and get to work. Stay hard, stay hungry and stay alive out there!
Today’s Selections
9.00 Wolverhampton – Ninth House (each way 14/1 Betfred)
2.50 Catterick – Mardood (each way 15/2 Skybet)
2.00 Lingfield – Stags Leap (5/2 Skybet)
