Juliette's Weekly Frolic
It's a sad fact that my more inspired betting coups rarely make the Frolic. Last week, for instance, of two eachway, ante-post splashes, the published one Spanish Steps, failed to win his second Hennessy, while the one I kept to myself, Miss Jamaica, romped in third of 53 runners for the Miss World Stakes. At 40-1 and a quarter the odds, that was a highly satisfactory result, which more than made up for the curious glances received in the betting shop on Friday afternoon. It's apparently considered perfectly correct for men to treat a beauty contest like a horse race, but a shocking display of disloyalty to her sex for a woman to do likewise. Still the frivolities of Friday night palled beside the action at Newbury next day, where an ill-timed toss of the head cost Red Rum the ' Hennessy ' but won him the undying !devotion of a massive car-driving crowd, clearly undeterred by the fuel chaos. For once I left richer than 1 came and though that's little consolation to followers of Spanish Steps, you did, I hope, pile it on that polished Wolverhampton scorer, Swift Shadow. Since opportunities for two-mile chasers to earn decent money are limited, it seemed a trifle inappropriate for Newcastle to stage its new £6,000 Brown Ale 'Chase the very Saturday before the Benson and Hedges. Both races offer a similar prize, are run over a similar distance and, not surprisingly, attracted a markedly similar entry. Sadly for Newcastle, but fortunately for Sandown, the northern course fell victim to gale-force winds and it thus
seems more than likely that last Saturday's principal competitors, Tingle Creek, The Benign Bishop and London Express will fetch up at Esher instead. Tingle Creek won in record time on his last visit a month ago, but with 17Ib more and a miserable price I'm inclined to chance my luck with Lord Petersham's Khan. Regularly ridden by his younger brother, Stephen Stanhope, the combination receive 25Ib from the favourite and might well spring a surprise. Though on second thoughts a Saturday winner for Fred winter could hardly be called that.
Majority opinion believed Old Man Dimplex would have waltzed off with Ascot's Black and White Hurdle but for ,keeling over at the second last. Saturday's Benson and Hedges Hurdle is twice as valuable, and with 10Ib less on his back, the 'Old Man' would be very tempting were I not strongly drawn towards Carrick Bend. Plumb bottomweight, he was quietly expected to give a good account of himself when third to Swift Shadow on his seasonal debut and should be a nice, juicy price.
Mocharabuice has been tying knots in commentators' vocal chords for what seems a very long time now but in fact he is only ten years old and ran some good races last season. Friday's Ewell Chase at Sandown sees Tim Forster's gelding no less than 191b better off with Foxtor who beat him around six lengths last week.
Assets: £78,95. Outlay: £3 to win Khan and Mocharabuice; £2 ew Carrick Bend.
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