Newcastle Saturday 27th Feb 2016…..Eider Chase Day
Surely it was a two horse race. Bun Doran was rated 138 and had shown enough in previous races for the bookmakers to mark him up as a hot favourite at 5/4.
But yours truly was firmly of the opinion that Delusionofgrandeurs form at Musselburgh when he got within 2 lengths of Nicky Hendersons OO Seven..rated 145, and a Gordon Elliott talking horse named Fagan, was more than good enough for him to put Tom Georges horse in its place.
Form statisticians could also point out that horses that have beaten Delboy this season, Shantou Village, Ballydine and OO Seven are ALL Cheltenham bound, and most horses we beat have come out and won since. As for the rest, TomnGerry`s form figures were impressive, but surely this was too much of an ask for him.
The other two were readily dismissed….so it had to be a two horse race……..hadn`t it ??
OR, as the Honourable member for Easingwold put it so well, this Newcastle race was surely just a “penalty kick” for him……wasn`t it ??
Alas all logic was blown out of the water big style, as myself and members stood and witnessed a lacklustre performance from Delboy who came home a well beaten 4th of 5, with the favourite finishing LAST !!
The Inquest.
Over the last few months our fella has gone from strength to strength, with progressively impressive performances from race to race.
After dismounting, Danny Cook shook his head and told us…” just not the same horse today….from the off he never gave me the same feeling as he`s done in his other races…..never travelled a yard…..maybe it was a race too soon”
Therefore on the day, something was not right. We can all speculate, with the most offered explanation from those involved in agreement with DC that the race had come too soon after his hard race at Musselburgh.
But we`ll never know…we can`t get inside the horses head for an explanation….so we can only take the disappointment on the chin, write off his latest performance, and move on.
Delboy was ok the following morning, fast asleep in his box when Sue phoned to tell me, and in the short discussion that followed, Sue said our fella will be taking things easy for the next couple of weeks or so, and we`ll see how he is then, before making any decision about whether or not he will race again this season.
The prospect of him going Novice Chasing next season has got Sue , Danny Cook and all of us guys very excited.
That is the aim, and whether he runs again over hurdles this season becomes of secondary consequence. He will tell us if and when he`s ready to race again this season, and, one way or the other, Sue will make the decision.
One final point of irony
I met PJ (Phil) Martin at Newcastle who had two runners in his own colours, ZAIDIYN and FIVE IN A ROW…as well as his 50% share in Delboy..in our colours of course.
He told me with his pessimistic hat on he didn`t think he had much chance of a winner, and thought his best chance was Delusionofgrandeur.
The records will show that BOTH ZAIDIYN and FIVE IN A ROW WON, and to add insult to injury, the horse that beat Delboy was TOMnGERRY ….. owned by a certain Mrs Julie Martin………Phils wife !!
Thanks Phil….you owe me a lunch.
