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Tanya's Blog - 27th May 2011

Not often do we get a gift horse but yesterday the price of Workforce was just that, lengthened courtesy of Sir Michael Stoute stating his Derby winner would need the race, he still went off evens. What a price, Poet ran a cracker and should be supported next time. Eleven lengths back to the remainder – what were they doing? Explanations please! Rain softened ground trip too short, or simply not good enough? One thing is for sure the result proved the race was priced up wrong. A legacy of betting rings now without the characters standing on pitches with a solid opinion, or an idea of what horse is value to take on at the price! Just one line of bookmakers stood at Sandown on what would be their fourth best meeting of the year. The weather didn’t help, however I can’t help thinking a bit more advertising would have clicked the turnstiles a few more times. If you can’t get a big crowd for a returning reigning Derby winner, then we still have a very long way to go into attracting those who don’t know about the sport to enjoy. Last night’s crowd was a travesty, like a football game behind closed doors, something has to be done!

There I am banging on about the crowd at Sandown and there’ll be less people at Newmarket today, we don’t help ourselves, take yesterday’s first few races to be streamed into the betting shops, two runners, three runners, three runners, the customers' attention has been lost already and they are leaning towards concentrating on virtual racing, FOBTs, greyhound racing, cricket and the golf. All too late to secure their monies come the fourth race of the day. It gets me so cross, can you tell?

Back to Newmarket so I can calm down. In the 4.05 PRIMAEVAL could have been closer than third on his last visit to HQ but for being crowded out in his run. I should know better than to select an unlucky horse, but he is drawn well. There might even be a dabble in the forecasts with GOURAY GIRL and NO HUBRIS combined with the selection.

Forgive me, I must have had my eyes closed when making some of my selections for Newmarket’s racecard today, the betting suggests I have more chance than some of the picks, which are 2:20 REGAL REALM, 2:55 FRECKENHAM, 3:30 SEMMSU, 4:05 PRIMAEVAL, 4:40 AUDACIOUS, 5:15 ABOVE ALL and 5:50 GAMEDOR.

POINTERS

Dr Richard Newland has had four winners, a second and a third from his last seven runners, he has one runner at Stratford

Sir Michael Stoute has had four winners from his last five runners, he has just one runner at Newmarket this afternoon

Tom Dascombe has had six winners and three seconds from his last fifteen runners

Luca Cumani has had five winners and four seconds from his last eighteen runners

Mark Johnston has won Pontefract’s 8.05 four times in the last ten years