Tweet

racing news / tanya's blog /

Tanya's Blog - Thursday 18th October

What a few days for family Hughes, after Dessie won the Munster National on Sunday at Limerick with Raz De Maree and son Richard monopolised the winners' enclosure at Windsor on Monday. It was fabulous to watch, and seems the whole industry has been rooting for him to win a much-deserved and long-time-coming jockeys' title. Monday was just an added bonus, allowing us to celebrate a wonderful season which didn’t start so great for the rider after the 50-day ban incurred in India.

Bookmakers escaped relatively unscathed, thanks due to one of his mounts meeting defeat, it being what they call a ‘quiet’ Monday and the final one of his seven winners being a late stand-in for Ryan Moore.

Tuesday’s three winners for Richard Hughes at Leicester could have been just as hurtful for bookmakers as the awareness of his feat to all and sundry gave cause for placement of many multiples.

Michael Hills' retirement gives me cause to reminisce and thank him for some happy punting memories. Further Flight is one all of us must share. The horse which stands out for me, however, is Rebecca Sharp winning the 1997 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot at 25-1. I was clerking at the time in the main Tattersalls Enclosure, yes with pen and paper, in a field book! Remember them? However I committed the cardinal sin in allowing myself a few wagers at the start of the day. (It’s not the done or ethical thing to stand behind the pitch and cheer home horses!) Rebecca Sharp was the outsider of the field, while Sleepytime, the odds-on favourite generally thrived in being held up, it was a great ride by Michael Hills as he guided Rebecca Sharp to victory, meantime my screeching and cheering gained plenty of disapproving looks.

On the subject of Ascot I was sat just by the two-furlong marker in the HQ of the RCA yesterday for a Racegoers Club Committee meeting and I can report up until 2pm it was dry and windy. Yet all indications, tweets and reports, after I left are that there has been plenty of rain. Wizz Kid comes to mind for the Champions’ Sprint with Olivier Peslier on board.

After the meeting at Ascot and giving my two penneth across the table, I kicked on to Lingfield Park to take in a few races on the new surface. A big thumbs up from me watching the action, plus there was a healthy crowd. There was a lovely warm welcome from the car-park boys, who offered up a couple of winners. Then I had a bit of friendly banter from those at the main entrance - they remember me from working for SIS in the late 80s, but it was excellent to see all those going through the gates receive such a warm greeting, it sets up the day and incentivises you to go again. Other courses can learn a lesson here. Even the ladies serving the beverages and snacks under the stand were keen to get into conversation and make sure everyone was happy; racing needs more people like these.

Today sees jumping push itself even harder to the fore – that’s what I like, with Uttoxeter and Wincanton giving further pointers to stables to follow at Cheltenham this weekend. Lucy Alexander on Knockara Beau on Saturday is an eyecatcher but I mustn’t get ahead of myself and back to today. Jason Maguire and Donald McCain have only teamed up for one winning favourite from their last six, but looking at today’s Uttoxeter card could they do a ‘Richard Hughes’ and have multiple visits to the winners' enclosure?

Today's tips:

3.40 Uttoxeter Grouse Lodge

5.10 Uttoxeter Murfreesboro

Tanya's Pointers:

Six of the last nine favourites have won Uttoxeter’s 2.40

Seven of the last nine winners of Uttoxeter’s 4.40 came from the first three in the betting

Eight of the last nine winners of Wincanton’s 3.20 came from the first three in the betting

AP McCoy has a 36% strike rate on hurdlers at Wincanton

From eight rides on Goring One, Andrew Thorton has claimed two wins, three seconds and a third

Kielan Woods has a great strike rate at Uttoxeter having ridden four winners from his last 11 rides at the course

Chris Wall has had six winners from his last 17 runners

Richard Hughes and Richard Hannon have teamed up for four winners from their last seven runners