Juliette's weekly frolic
The prospect of Captain Ryan
Price securing his fifth Schweppes. Gold Trophy has been exercising the pens of the press — and the pockets of the public — for the past month or more, so when his young protege, Moonlight Bay, flopped at Kempton, it was as though the star of the production had been struck down on the opening night. Fortunately, there was still time to summon up the understudies, pick over their credentials, and thrust some new name into the spotlight. Sunday saw Zarib getting the treatment — suddenly everyone remembered he'd won last year's Triumph Hurdle, had been beaten only once in four starts this season and best of all, had sneaked into the handicap with a mere 11.2. By Tuesday a rival had emerged — 'More Money for Kelanne ' screamed the headlines and it would certainly make a nice, neat ending if Bill Marshall, Captain Price's leading rival for training honours on the flat, should walk off w
' his' race over the sticks.
However, amid all this frenzied activity the mystery of Moonlight Bay remained unsolved. Was he or was he not ever intended to run in the Schweppes? His trainer was quoted in the Sunday papers as saying, "he has a ridiculous weight for a four-year-old, if .1 had my way I would keep him for Cheltenham." Well ' the weights have been on show for several weeks now, and though Captain Price may never have actually committed himself in so many words, he had done nothing to disillusion the army of admirers who were shoWering money and publicity on his
horse. Still, given a downpour, the long-time favourite may still run and would certainly represent the most interesting and, possibly, most profitable selection. As for the rest, I can't claim to be worked up about any of the temptingly-priced outsiders, but should Horatio take the field, Fred Winter's name would fit very well into the records of this amazing race. Forgetting his last effort, the horse has been running consistently well and on one occasion gave 41b and an eightlength whipping to Helmsman — who pricked Moonlight Bay's bubble last Saturday.
Nothing can match the Schweppes in the advance publicity stakes, but on the day itself it will be the prospect of Pendil taking on t he ex Americans, Inkslinger and Tingle Creek, in the Spring Handicap 'Chase that will draw the crowds. Newbury has an uncanny knack of turning some horses on and Tingle Creek is one of them. Two visits have brought two spectacular wins, and I very much doubt whether Pendil can give him 111b on this, his favourite course.
Proud Stone ran on strongly into second place behind Supermaster last weekend and can take Catterick's Tony Nicholson 'National' Trial — named after the Yorkshire cricketer who will distribute the spoils. Straight Vulgan who failed by only half a length to give 91b to t. more experienced Haldon Hill, has a choice of novice engagements this weekend and is worth following anywhere.
Assets: £87.08, £3 to win Tingle Creek, Proud Stone & Straight Vulgan el ew Horatio.
Five to follow assets: E13.52.
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