Page 18 - May 2009 The Game
P. 18

18 The Game, May 2009 Get Tied On
Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper
Outside the Borders with Nigel Griffiths
with Chaplain Shawn
It has always been a race to get the whole nation involved in. There’s a mix of experts and ‘one a year punters’, families and work places, all making their selections with anticipation of  nding a winner in the forty horses that line up annually for the historic Grand National, over 4m 4f to take on the formidable and unique Aintree fences.
win. Despite the lean economic times, a 14,000 attendance paying an average of C$32.00 brought a positive response from the Sandown executive.
Transitions
This, (April in Ontario), is a weird time on the calendar. In fact, spring and fall are both weird times on the calendar. You never know what to expect and talk about the weather dominates the conversation. “Cold today...” “Yeah, but it’s supposed to warm up for the weekend.” Because we’re involved in an outdoor industry, we are at the mercy of the elements and we feel them more than the average bank teller. Come to think of it, we seem to be in a constant state of surprise regarding the weather when we really shouldn’t be. One day of double-digits temps in April doesn’t mean
a coming heat wave. A few cold days of rain, (and possible  urries), doesn’t mean the new ice age. Spring and fall are the transition seasons - they merely prep us for what is to come: very hot or very cold weather. Some people love spring and fall because they can handle change - most of us can’t.
I think God invented weather to give us something to talk about when we can’t think of anything else to say - when those embarrassing silences make us scramble internally for something, anything, to break the ice. “How ‘bout
them (insert favourite team)” doesn’t work because, well, (favourite team), doesn’t work. “Who do you like in the Derby?” only works once, because after you’ve made your pick, unless they’re off the Derby trail, you stick with your pick - unless you’re a total weenie.
People that like transitional seasons like spring know the weather will get warmer, gradually for the most part, until summer blossoms in all its radiant glory. People who don’t like transitional seasons like spring know that the weather will get warmer, gradually for the most part, until summer blossoms in all its muggy, bug-infested glory. The same applies for fall. We don’t like transitions because we don’t like change - we’re creatures of habit. I have to admit that
I put on the same outer and inner clothes every day after January 1 until I realize that I’m standing in the barn area, ignoring 20+ temps, sweat oozing from every pore and  nally coming to grips that it’s high time I retired the winter jacket and long johns. (And wash them whether they need it or not!)
Jesus was all about transition. He talked about the Kingdom of Heaven being now, not some far-away place
or thought. He talked to His disciples about leaving them, a mere week after being welcomed into Jerusalem like rock stars. In the 14th chapter of John, Jesus tells His closest friends: 1”Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4You know the way to the place where I am going.” But they didn’t know and wouldn’t know until much later.
The game of horse racing is one constant transition - superstars don’t stay around very long (see Zarkava- if you don’t know who she is, you need to get a life). Jockeys rise and fall and some rise again (see Valenzuela, Patrick). Trainers and owners can be a steady lot, but there are no guarantees. Employees at race tracks come and go - but some can be counted on (look under “R” for Radar). Like it or not, transition is normal. It was normal for Jesus, it is normal for us. But no one lives forever. R.I.P. John Henry Westcott.
The ante post betting for this race is long and strong and on the morning of the race the betting shops are lined up onto the streets with people eagerly waiting to get their bets on.
Also in the jumps news is that the well known owner and gambler, 58 year old J.P McManus recently returned from treatment in the US for prostate cancer. J.P has put a lot into steeplechasing and hopefully this modest unassuming man in the sport will make a complete recovery.
Favouritism for the race changes, but on the day it was the heavily backed Jonjo O’Neil, Tony McCoy, J.P McManus combination with Butlers Cabin that were made the 7/1 favourites. Even with the substantial punters support, that elusive victory in the Grand National was not to be for the champion jockey as he could only manage a commendable seventh place  nish. The honours for the race went to Mon Mome at an amazing 100/1 for trainer Venetia Williams, owner Vida Bingham and jockey Liam Treadwell, beating last years winner Comply or Die and collecting C$902,000 in the process. Venetia became
only the second female trainer to win the race following Jenny Pitman’s victories on 1983 and 1995 with Corbiere and Royal Athlete and Mon Mome also dispelled doubts that French bred horses ‘can’t’ win the National. The horse is
33/1 to win the race in 2010 and Tony McCoy
is 16/1 to  nally get his name on the trophy. Unfortunately the Mouse Morris trained 8yo Hear The Echo collapsed and died 100 yds from the  nish and news came out later that Cerium who  nished a gallant  fth to defy his 100/1 odds, actually completed with a fractured skull after making contact with the hooves of a falling Zabenz during the race.
Ireland will host the  nal big meeting of the steeplechasing calendar with the Punchestown Festival at the end of April. Expected to line up are recent Cheltenham conquerors Mikael D’Haguenet, very impressive when taking
There was also disappointing news from the Irish National with the loss of top weight Wichita Lineman who took a fatal fall at the  rst fence. The winner of the William Hill Chase at the Cheltenham Festival on his previous outing, a victory attributed solely to a typical Tony McCoy ride after he galvanized him for a last gasp victory from a seemingly impossible position, he was apparently knocked by another horse while jumping the fence which resulted in the fatal fall. The loss of this very good horse is a particularly hard blow for the stable as they also lost their top class chaser Exotic Dancer in the Totesport Bowl at Aintree recently.
All focus in England will now shift to the
 at and the  rst of the Classics. After a number of the trials have been completed, the Brian Meehan trained Delegator and Ballydoyle’s pair Rip van Winkle and Mastercraftsman now vie
for favouritism in the 2000 Guineas. Delgator was quite impressive in his Craven Stakes win, but there are question marks about the depth
of the performance. Mastercraftsman remains unraced since his disappointing fourth in the Group One Grand Criterium at Longchamp last October, where his unbeaten four race career, including two Group One victories stumbled.
Rip Van Winkle is an interesting contender. As with Mastercraftsman, he put up a disappointing  nal performance in his 2yo career, but has
been showing all the right signs at home after an overreach during the winter months . Whatever he does in the Guineas, this son of Galileo will be a notable prospect if he lines up for the Derby in the  rst week of June.
George Strawbridge holds all the aces in the 1000 Guineas as his two  llies Ranbow View and Fantasia share  rst and second favouritism. The latter may now head for the French Guineas after winning the Nell Gwyn, but regardless, the money would have to be on Rainbow View, a daughter of Dynaformer who looked decidedly useful when completing her 2yo season unbeaten by winning the Meon Valley Stud Fillies´Mile very impressively at Ascot in September.
The  nal big chase of the mainland season was the bet365 Gold Cup (formerly the Whitbread) at Sandown over 3m 5f, where the Irish trained Church Island again tried to make all in a big race and led the  eld to the second last only to be relegated by the challenging Lacdoudal two out, but that was short-lived as Briary Fox took it up, only have another ‘never say die’ ride from McCoy get Hennessy up on the line for a neck
the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle, Cooldine
and the useful mare Quevega. Also slated to make an appearance is another Willie Mullins representative Hurricane Fly. This horse looked top-drawer material after impressive novice
wins early in the season, but has been off
since December and has the Evening Herald Novices’ Hurdle as his return target. A good run here should put him high in the betting for the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham next season. Irish racing fans will be treated to one of the best 2m chasers in recent decades if Master Minded lines up, as he has been supplemented at a cost of C$32,000 for the Kerrygold Chase, but rain will dictate his participation.
Attfield First and Second in Keeneland Stake
Roger Att eld was the trainer of the  rst and second place  nishers in the G2 $200,000 Fifth Third Elkhorn Stakes on the  nal day of the Keeneland Spring meet, April 24.
Co-owned with Harlequin Ranches and Ralph Johnson, Spice Route (GB) was a two-length winner in front of the Johanna Louise Glen-
Teven owned Musketier (GER), who stalked the pace and ran on well to  nish second in the 12 furlong turf event.
Spice Route, who won the Tropical Park Turf Handicap (G3) in December, raised his career earnings to $719,947.


































































































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