4.15 Carlisle Tip, Wednesday, September

The Andersons “Quality for Your Home” Handicap (4.15), over 5 furlongs 193 yards, at Carlisle on Wednesday features 17 runners and looks just the race for a midweek tilt at the ring.

Conversant has raced just three times on soft going, on his racecourse debut last September, on his seasonal debut at Ripon in April and, most notably, when winning comfortably in this grade, off a 5lb lower mark, at Doncaster nine days later. Two non-descript runs on the Tapeta surface at Wolverhampton and on good ground at Ayr in recent months have seen David O’Meara’s 3-year-old dropped 4lb from his career-high handicap mark of 73. He’s by smart juvenile sprinter Zebedee out of a Danehill Dancer mare and still has time on his side after just five starts for the North Yorkshire trainer, so it’ll be disappointing if we’ve seen the best of him already.

With underfoot conditions in his favour, he may well be capable of much better. Of course, he needs to be, after finishing only eighth of nine, beaten 15 lengths, in a similar race at Ayr last time, but the doubts about him should be reflected in his price and he can give us a decent run for our money at potentially lucrative odds. His draw, in stall 14 of 17, is ideal on soft going at Carlisle, where runners tend to tacks across to the stands’ side and stable jockey Daniel Tudhope has a fair, if unspectacular, 8-46 (17%) strike rate on 3-year-olds for the yard this season.

Selection: Carlisle 4.15 Conversant to win 16/1

Horse Profile: Golden Miller

Introduction

The world of horse racing is full of legendary names, and few are more classic and legendary than the fantastically famous Golden Miller. As regal as the name suggests, this incredible Irish-bred racehorse is one of the most famous of its generation by far. The most famous racehorse at the Cheltenham Gold Cup of all-time, winning it five years in a row from 1932-36!
 

Such feats alone, though, were not the only reason that Golden Miller gathered such love and attention. It’s also the only horse in history to win the premier steeplechase races – the Gold Cup and the Grand National – in a single year. Doing so in 1934, this horse set a precedent that even with all the science and assistance given to horses today we cannot replicate. 

 

Career Summary

Bred by Laurence Geraghty, it was sired by Goldcourt, and was part of a successful line of horses. Trained by Basil Briscoe and owned by Dorothy Paget, Miller soon became a horse of genuine repute in 1931 when it made its debut. Coming first at the Newbury Racecourse, it was sadly disqualified due to weight-based discrepancies.

The first Gold Cup visit, in 1933, ended in failure as it fell at the Canal Turn despite being the favourite. By 1934, it had won its first of five Grad Nationals and also added to the two Gold Cups won. It set a course record in 1934 at the Grand National for a course time, with a time of 9m20.4s at Aintree!

By 1939, it had retired with a stellar record of 29 wins from 52 races. 

 

Achievements & Highlights

Wins – Cheltenham Gold Cup (1932-1936), Grand National (1934).

Associations – Laurence Geraghty, Basil Briscoe, Dorothy Paget, Owen Anthony. 

 

Horse Profile: Badsworth Boy

Introduction

An apt name for a tough old horse, Badsworth Boy was a powerful and well-respected British thoroughbred. Having been a popular name in local horse racing circuits, Badsworth Boy went on to claim an incredible Queen Mother Championship Chase hat-trick. This occurred from 1983 until 1985, with three incredible wins that put it as one of the most respected and beloved horses in the country.

Impressively, it all occurred under the tutelage of the one family – the Dickinson family. Michael, Tony and Monica all trained the horse when their chance came along. Indeed, their combined teamwork must have done the job – Badsworth Boy was the 12^th horse of all-time in jumping history to claim more than £100,000 in money earned.

While that sounds paltry today, compared to the times then it was an incredible experience. 

 

Career Summary

Badsworth Boy won eight of its eighteen races on the faces. Known for being electric yet somewhat erratic, it’s rapid jumping style could put BB in a bit of trouble at times. It’s three major career wins, though, are some of the most impressive in QMCC history. It won it’s first by claiming massive victories over the likes of Artifice and Rathgorman, who were all favourites over the hat-trick winner.

In 1984, it’s second, it won with more than tenth lengths to spare over the impressive Little Bay. By 1985, it won the hat-trick of wins by defeating Far Bridge by a similarly dominant margin. Sadly, this was to be the second last win of a brief career, with an 87 Winner’s Circle trip being his last. 

 

Achievements & Highlights

The horse gathered an incredible hat-trick, putting it up there within the pantheon of great horses which are sure to be admired. Sadly, the horse died in 2002 after suffering a heart attack at the age of 27. Long gone now, the horse will always be remembered as a fleeting but important part of horse racing. 

 

Wins – Queen Mother Champion Chase 1983, 1984, 1985.

Associations – The Dickinson Family, Doug Armitage, Maurice Gibson and Ronald Howe.

3.50 Lingfield Outsider Tip, Monday, July 30

The vagaries of the British summer have even affected the Polytrack at Lingfield, where the going is currently standard to slow, but that shouldn’t unduly hinder Dorian Gray, who looks poised for a bold bid in the Exclusive Spread Betting Starspreads.com Handicap (3.50) at the Surrey course during horse racing today. The son of Coral-Eclipse winner So You Think could find no extra in the closing stages when only third of six, beaten 7¼ lengths, behind Comrade In Arms at Wolverhampton four weeks ago, but that was in 0-80 company, so he should appreciate easing back in grade off a 1lb lower mark.

He should enjoy the return to Polytrack, too, having just been touched off, off a 1lb lower mark, in a 0-60 contest over course and distance on his last visit to Lingfield in April. The winner that day, Sauciehall Street, reopposes on 2lb worse terms for a neck and, in any case, has hardly covered himself in glory by beating just one of 18 rivals in two subsequent efforts on turf.

Dorian Gray is entitled to improve a little for his Wolverhampton run – his first for 79 days – and, even if he doesn’t, he looks handicapped well enough to take what is, at best, a modest contest by the scruff of the neck. Lingfield isn’t, generally, a course where horses who like to force the pace excel, but with no obvious front runner in opposition Dorian Gray could be gifted a soft lead and, if so, should be a tough nut to crack.

Selection: Lingfield 3.50 Dorian Gray to win 14/1