Good bank holiday? Yes? No? Indifferent?
Listen, not everything is grim. You might be back to work on Tuesday, and your mother in law might still be your mother-in-law, but there’s racing on all year ‘round.
And sure, isn’t that the main thing?
Here’s three to keep an eye on for Tuesday’s action.
Wetherby – 16:25
This 7f Class 4 handicap for 3yos may not jump out at you as a high-end affair when you’re flicking through your cards, but you’d struggle to find a more competitive race all day.
Artistic Rifles will likely be the favourite here, mainly because the Hills and Murphy combination will always attract attention. But in reality, the four-pound hike is probably about capping this charge’s ability now.
Yes, a four-pound hike for a win seems lenient in most cases, but the previous run in Catterick back in October was one of two things: a leader going too soon, or the likely SP favourite here needing to produce at exactly the right moment to win that race. Either way, it’s enough to put me off.
Mr Diamond looks to be correctly handicapped, as does Fastman and their prices will reflect that, so the focus turns to Two Blondes for Mick Channon and Ben Curtis.
This represents a drop in trip for the selection – an unwise decision to put him up in trip in the first place as he looked so progressive over this distance. Forgiving his final run of last season which was one too many in the first place, he nearly won off a mark 86 in Epsom and this represents a weaker race, now down to 85.
Wetherby – 17:25
How they bet here will be fascinating, but most will be drawn to hat-trick-seeking hero Mr Coco Bean. He’s only up three pounds for his length victory over Champagne Rules in Redcar, but he’s well-raced now and that schedule could easily catch up to him.
Michael Dods always sees improvement from his young horses in their second year on the track and Move In Faster fits that very profile, you know.
He has always struck me as a horse who needs further and this extension to 10 furlongs is ideal.
When last seen in August, he was well beaten at Pontefract but he did travel well into the race, suggesting there’s ability there and an opening mark of 65 is enough for me to roll the dice on him.
Ballinrobe – 18:40
Willie Mullins, Noel Meade and Gordon Elliott facing off against each other on a Tuesday evening in Ballinrobe. There’s nothing more quintessentially Irish than that, and we love it.
That is, of course, unless Denis Hogan’s charge can get involved here and I suspect he just might.
The pedigree of Hell or High Water should enthuse anyone. The son of Robin Des Champs comes from a family who usually don’t need the benefit of racetrack experience first time out and can compete early on.
He wouldn’t need a whole lot to beat Castle North, who will surely be changing stables after this one doesn’t work out for him as Willie Mullins has more to be at. He’s turned out again very quickly and I suspect the tough race he had behind Trappist Monk last time out has him measured.
So the attention turns to Gordon Elliott’s yard for opposition, but nope. Gordon might be an anagram of Drogon, and to Game of Thrones fans, you’ll understand that it means he’s absolute fire – but this one is more of a Theon Greyjoy sort. Yes, he’s been gelded too.
If this horse was in any other yard, he’d be a 33/1 shot.
All aboard Noel Meade’s hopeful.
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