Punting highs and lows

Punting Low 1: Zaarito. Again. I think I have now backed Zaarito more often than he has run. It was all going swimmingly, he settled well, he jumped really well, he moved through his field well, he moved easily up just behind long-time leader Citizen Vic going to the last, looking by far the most likely winner, hold your breath. (We know how this one ends, it is a Punting Low after all.) Down. Of course, when a horse falls it is easy to look back at the tape and point out something that the jockey might have done differently. Davy Condon allowed him go in and pop, obviously happy that all he had to do was land on the far side of the fence upright, he didn’t have to make ground at the obstacle, the rider went for the safe option, but he just got in a little tight. If Davy had asked him for a long one, he might have made it, who knows? I got a text from a friend after the race: What price did he trade in-running?

Punting Low 2: Red Moloney. Poor Red Moloney. I thought he had a lot in his favour in a two-mile handicap hurdle at Musselburgh today, he was giving away plenty of weight, but he is a classy individual – he was rated 110 on the flat when he was with Kevin Prendergast – who had travelled as well as Zaynar and Karabak into the home straight in the Ascot Hurdle on his latest run before his stamina ran out. He was going to be well suited to dropping back down in trip to two miles. Also, Musselburgh is a track at which it is not difficult to carry heavy weights, a flat track at which is rarely gets too soft. Eight of the previous 10 winners of this race had carried 11st or more, three of them had carried 11st 10lb or more. Red Moloney was three for three at Musselburgh, and the not-too-soft ground was ideal. Alas, Red Moloney was slightly unsighted at the second flight and he came down. It didn’t look good when the runners had to by-pass the flight on the second circuit with the screens up around the horse. Inevitably, it was later confirmed that the horse had broken a shoulder in the fall and had to be put down. Poor Red Moloney.

Punting Low 3: Whodoyouthink finishing fourth, just where you don’t want an ante post each-way bet to finish. (Wasn’t Dunguib awesome?)

Punting Low 4: Joncol – Delighted for the horse, and for Paul Nolan and Alain Cawley, but I chickened out of it.

Punting Low 5: Staying with the poultry theme, I thought my pet duck needed to stretch his legs this evening, so I brought him down for a dip in the canal. He didn’t make it to the far side. (Okay, that one I made up, but it was that kind of day.)

Some solace: Weapon’s Amnesty and Captain Cee Bee ante post.

Punting High: [Please insert text]

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Categories: Horse racing Irish Racing