The turf
I should have plunged
Robin Oakley
Some things in life give one a special, familiar pleasure: slipping into a slightly battered old pair of suede shoes, eating baked beans on toast after a week of restaurant meals, or getting halfway through a Dick Francis novel and realising that, although you've read it before under a different cover, you still can't remember the ending. One such pleasure that comes round regularly is getting back to race on the July course at Newmarket. On Saturday the sausages and onion gravy were a point, the hanging baskets were gorgeously in bloom, and the straw hats were out in force around the friendly little winners' enclosure.
I had just a single bet in mind. George Margarson's My Only Sunshine had run well to come second in a big field first time this season at headquarters. He had then flopped at Lingfield, handicapped by a bad draw, and looked good value at 12-1 for the Moulton Rated Stakes handicap. But that was later on the card.
In the opener, with most of the entrants unraced, I was disinclined to plunge. It often pays in such events to follow the market. but I ignored the money which forced Margarson's Our Teddy in from 8-1 to 9-2. More fool me. On his one previous run, at Goodwood, Our Teddy had finished sixth after losing ground at the start and this time he ran a cracker under Jamie Mackay, winning the race in near record time. George revealed afterwards that Our Teddy had been doing solid work with older horses. He reckons him the best twoyear-old he's seen since Barathea Guest, 'I think he'll go on to big things. He's got to do it in better company than this but he's proved he's tough and this should make a man of him.' Two-year-old speedsters are two a penny at this time of year but what I liked about Our Teddy was the resolution he showed, lengthening and running on again when Hollywood Henry and Laggan Bay came at him. Mark him down on your list, even though he's likely to try Listed company now.
Nineteen-year-old Jamie Mackay, who had handled Our Teddy so well, is at that crucial stage poised between the hall of fame and the graveyard. Too many talented ex-apprentices suffer for a season or two then slip into obscurity once they have lost the riding allowance, which encourages trainers to put them up. Jamie lost his right to claim three weeks ago, but is surely one who will make the grade after the way he handled Atavus, again for George Margarson, in the day's big event. the £35,000 Criterion Stakes. Atavus likes to lead but Jamie slowed the pace from the front with the result that the hot favourite, Tillerman, who has to be saved for a late burst, wore himself out fighting Richard Hughes for his head at the back of the field. King of Happiness came at the leader in the last furlong but, riding to instructions, Mackay had saved a little for the end and had enough in the tank to see him off. 'A brilliant bit of riding. He'd listened,' enthused his trainer afterwards, bounding about the unsaddling enclosure in panama, camel jacket and the broadest of grins.
Atavus had finished last in the Lockinge at Royal Ascot over a mile, a fact which had the stewards call in George to explain his improved form. But there was no real mystery as he explained: 'There aren't many seven-furlong specialists and he is one. He got taken wide in the Lockinge from a bad draw and to get a mile he really needs a soft lead. This has been his aim for the season. The pity is that there are so few group races for seven-furlong horses, there are some in France and Italy but they water so heavily and he hates that.' The breeding industry, he pointed out, could do with more good seven-furlong races because they are run fast and horses which win them can get milers with a real touch of speed.
After taking it slowly through the wet spring the Margarson horses have been running well. He does not believe in having them ready too early. 'Most of my owners say, okay, we'll leave it to you.' he says. 'But they add, "If they're no better by the end of the year then we'll shoot you".' Last year I wrote that owners were being slow to recognise his achievements and increase the yard's horsepower despite good results. Things have clearly changed, George had a big clearout last year, including a number of decent horses who weren't getting a chance from the handicapper. Now he has 24 two-year-olds. Only three have run so far and if Our Teddy is anything to go by the others will be worth waiting for.
My selfish fear, after two winners for the yard, was that racing luck offered little chance then of My Only Sunshine obliging too. But it was nearly a Mackay/Margarson treble. Jamie had him behind the leaders coming into the final furlong and then went for a gap which took some time to open. My Only Sunshine was squeezed for room when forced to commit. But though they managed to finish second the leader, Tim Easterby's Fayr Jag, was gone beyond catching. 'If he was fast enough, the gap was there,' said George afterwards. 'He was a bit tapped for toe. Maybe he needs a bit further.' Realism about your losers is as important in a trainer any day as enthusiasm about the winners. But I regard my money as only lent until My Only Sunshine is tried over the seven.
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