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Tanya Stevenson's Racing UK Blog |
| Saturday 29th November 2014 |
Doll In Milan will have me watching intently from the Newbury grandstand
Destination Newbury this Saturday for a great card complementing the Hennessy Gold Cup, which should provide top-class entertainment and plenty of clues for future winners for the remainder of the season.
I was at Lingfield on a really murky, miserable day when A Doll In Milan simply strolled round and won by eleven lengths. There is simply no way of gauging her ability, as she was never once put under pressure. She just carried herself with authority and jumped well enough and she went straight into my NagMe account. At 12.20 I’ll be on the grandstand terraces at Newbury watching intently.
Hammersley Lake had an entry in the Greatwood Hurdle and probably would not have been far away had he been allowed to run. He is a French import who has only run twice since coming here in November 2012. When we saw him in October at Cheltenham he ran Roman Flight very close. He was perhaps beaten by his inexperience. He looks ready to jump a bigger obstacle, but it is silly wasting the way he travels just yet. Newbury will suit much better than Cheltenham.
The money came for Monetaire at Cheltenham, and many will be queuing up to be on him on Saturday as he ran pretty well behind Bold Henry. Newbury’s 3.35pm appears to be the right opportunity to visit the winners’ enclosure.
I find that enjoyment of a certain occasion can be measured by the deflation one feels after the event is over.
9/1 on Djakadam to win the Hennessy Gold Cup
+ Money Back If You Lose
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Betting Shop Manager of the Year across Sunday and Monday had the desired effect. As a judge you reach considerable highs, and the whole process draws every ounce of energy from you.
On the Sunday I was sat in a boardroom from midday to 6pm having to be on my game throughout with the same enthusiastic energy on display for every one of the eight managers. It certainly examined my stamina.
The managers themselves enter full of nerves, and to some extent its how they harness their feelings and at the same time project themselves. Their understanding of regulations, rules, products and also how they convey day-to-day occurrences and their customers.
All eight exceptional ambassadors, yet there has to be a victor in 2014 that is Adam Hurley from Ladbrokes. He marshals a few shops in Cheltenham as he comes under the umbrella of a ‘market place’ manager. The shop he represented for the competition is in Winchcombe Street, which might be worth a visit if you are ever in the vicinity of Cheltenham.
The whole week is tinged with sadness and disbelief - it was not so long ago that I sat at Lord’s watching Phillip Hughes play for Middlesex and latterly I would watch him play for Australia.
In my household there is hardly a day that goes by that cricket isn’t on my television. Like racing it is part and parcel of my life so to lose one of my heroes is devastating for me, but of course the sport, for his teammates and it is impossible to quantify the pain, grief and sorrow his friends and family are going through. Condolences to them all.
Tanya Stevenson’s Saturday tips:
12.20 Newbury: A Doll In Milan
1.50 Newbury: Hammersley Lake
3.35 Newbury: Monetaire
in the Hennessy Gold Cup
Day of the race only. Standard terms apply.
Tanya Stevenson’s Saturday pointers:
3.00 Newbury - Hennessey Gold Cup:
Eight of the last ten winners of the Hennessy were priced no bigger than 10-1.
Fifteen of the last 20 winners came from the first five in the betting.
Only four of the last 20 winners had previously run in the race.
Seven of the last ten winners were having their seasonal debut.
Seventeen of the last 20 winners finished no worse than third on their most recent run.
Seven of the last ten winners had run at that year’s Cheltenham Festival.
Only four of the last ten winners had run at that year’s Aintree Grand National Festival.
Six winners since 1994 had run in the RSA Chase at Cheltenham that year.
Eleven of the last 16 winners had run no more than seven times over fences.
From 77 runners over the last ten years eight of the last ten winners were aged seven or younger.
From 94 runners over the last ten years only two of the last ten winners were aged eight or over.
The horses to carry top weight to victory in recent years are Burrough Hill Lad in 1984, Trabolgan in 2005 and Denman 2007 & 2009.
2.25 Newbury – Bet365 Long Distance Hurdle:
Eight of the last ten favourites have won, six of them were odds-on.
Seven of the last ten winners went on to run in the World Hurdle, five won.
Six of the last ten winners had won that season’s World Hurdle.
Six of the last ten winners had previously won the race.
Seven of the last ten winners were making their seasonal debut.
Paul Nicholls has won the last five runnings.
3.35 Newbury - bet365 Handicap Chase:
Paul Nicholls last ten runners have resulted in four winners
Nine of the last ten winners were priced no bigger than 7-1
2.05 Newcastle – StanJames.com Fighting Fifth Hurdle:
Nine of the last ten winners came from the first two in the betting
Nine of the last ten winners finished no worse than second on their most recent run.
Katchit in 2007 (3rd), Punjabi in 2008 (won) & Binocular 2009 (5th) all ran in the Fighting Fifth before going on to win the Champion Hurdle that season.
All of the last ten winners went on to run in the Champion Hurdle only Punjabi won, however four finished second and one third.
Eight of the last ten winners went on to run in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton. Three won, 2004 Harchibald, 2009 Go Native & 2013 My Tent Or Yours.
Seven of the last ten winners had finished no worse than third at the Cheltenham Festival earlier in the year (Arctic Fire 2nd in the County Hurdle).
