Juliette's Weekly Frolic
Three seconds and a light blanket of fog over the far side of the course were the only faults to be found on an otherwise perfect Saturday at Kempton and yet a large percentage of my racing acquaintances raise their eyebrows in affected disdain at the very mention of that racecourse. A number of professed addicts have appeared to suffer considerably from its that have appear to suffer considerably from its suburban situation and the quality and size of its crowd. Less than half-an-hour from Notting Hill Gate, with a management more friendly to female correspondents than most. It could be said to be biased in its favour, but few could find fault with the chases run here at Christmas and last weekend.
The disparagers of Kempton invariably turn out to be excellent PROs for Newbury although the newly-opened door-to-door M4 may swell the crowds too large for their liking. However, the Berkshire course takes a rare backseat this Saturday when the £3,000 Geoffrey Gilbey 'Chase cannot compete with the lush pickings of Lancashire. Haydock's £4,000 Victor Ludorum 'is out to attract the young hurdling ; stars not on view in Kempton's ' Yellow Pages and just as Official redeemed an inexplicable Newcastle defeat in that race, so North Pole can do likewise in this one. Twice an impressive fluent winner before ignominiously trailing home in the Stroud Green Hurdle, he meets Salviati on 51b better terms and deserves another chance. Earlier, the £5,000 Greenall Whitley 'Chase may attract three proven course specialists in Rouge Autumn, The Otter and Swan Shot. The latter took January's 'Tobacco Trial' and the first two virtually dead-heated here three weeks ago. The Otter received 4Ib that day and as the rivals now meet at level weights it seems reasonable to assume Rouge Autumn will get the best of it once again. Should six-year-old Sir Roger be declared for Saturday's Kings Own Scottish Borderers Cup at his local Kelso course, he could make amends for a narrow defeat in the Eider Chase closely followed by an unlucky fall shortly after hitting the front in the Welsh National.
Assets: £125.45. Outlay:£3 to win North Pole, Rouge Autumn and Sir Roger.
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