Juliette's Weekly Frolic
Sponsoring horseraces has far more to do with outgunning rivals, entertaining clients and dispensing goodwill than with a direct sell to the racegoer. Still, every little response helps, and the fact that I'd never heard of Scaffolding of Great Britain before my first visit to an SGB Steeplechase, but now find those initials emblazoned over every other construction job in town should warm some advertising man's heart.
So much for what makes the sponsor tick, the race itself (Ascot, Saturday) is a far more interesting subject, though with the big guns having been fired at Cheltenham last weekend, this year's contest is unlikely to throw up another winner in the Arkle, or even Glencaraig Lady, class. In their absence one or other of Edward Courage's duo, Royal Relief and Spanish Steps, is likely to be leading out the field. I seem to have been tipping the latter for every major 'chase over the past three years and though he's had his share of successes in this period, we've never once r..anaged to hit the jackpot together. With 51b less than his winning weight of 1971, Saturday could yet be Spanish Steps's day, but I really must widen my repertoire, and to this end have plucked out two of Fred Winter's entries, Noble Neptune and Midnight Fury. Both have collected a couple of three-mile 'chases already this season, both are blessed with lightish weights and, just supposing both run, the fact that Midnight Fury was much fancied for the '
Hennessy' before a last-minute withdrawal; just tips the scales in his favour.
Saturday is a day for memories, some happy, some sad. At illscot the opening Moonshine Novices' Chase has been renamed to commemorate last year's winner, the ill-fated Killiney, while up at Nottingham exactly two years after Ouzo gave him his 1000th winner at the meeting, Stan Mellor will be honoured in he Ton Up Selling Hurdle, two divisions of the Ouzo Novice Chase and the Stan Mellor Cup. A glance at the entry for this last race shows trainers all out in support of this event, and if you'll excuse my flagging originality. I'd like to stick with Tom Jones's Foreman. Tipped last week, highly thought of the week before, he's not been seen since October 26 and if not here, must surely appear at Worcester on Wednesday instead.
Sea Tale was at the very top of the novice hurdling charts last season and lost no marks when beaten a neck on his reappearance. Whether he goes for the 31-mile Long Walk Hurdle or the far shorter, but equally lucrative, SGB, his white tail should be floating merrily over the Ascot hurdles this Saturday.
Assets; £75.95. Outlay £3 to win Midnight Fury or Noble Neptune; Foreman and Sea Tale.
Previous page
