Rather Be could be the one to follow in Caspian Gold Cup
THE Caspian Caviar Gold Cup is Cheltenham’s big race on Saturday. The first three from last month’s BetVictor Gold Cup reoppose – Baron Alco, Frodon and Guitar Pete.
Baron Alco will be three pounds worse off with Frodon as a result of his two-length triumph. There were several casualties in the BetVictor and one of them, Rather Be, has been made favourite to gain compensation. He was brought down four out when going well.
The New One has won the International Hurdle three times, but mediocre performances in his last two outings have led Nigel Twiston-Davies to say that the ten-year-old will be retired if he doesn’t show some improvement in this weekend’s race. If Willie Mullins sends his mare Laurina to compete, she will be a hot favourite on the basis of her 18-length cakewalk in the Mares Hurdle at the Festival. Victory would consolidate her position as second in the Champion Hurdle betting behind Buveur D’Air.
Cheltenham isn’t normally associated with flat racing, but local jockey Tom Marquand completed a century of winners earlier this month. It’s the first time he has reached this milestone, and it’s a fine achievement for someone aged 20. His first ride was four years ago. He managed one winner near the end of 2014 but his annual totals since then are 67 (when he was champion apprentice), 63, 86 and 105. Leaving the all-weather tracks to one side, Chepstow has been his second happiest hunting ground with 22 winners.
Marquand had his final ride of the season on Monday and is now off to Australia for a six-week stay with Sydney trainer John O’Shea.
He’s looking forward to Christmas dinner on the beach, but is likely to be back in the UK before the start of the turf season in order to begin the hunt for another 100 domestic winners.
Bath racecourse staff have arranged some free gifts for Facebook users, for every day until Christmas Eve they are giving away a pair of tickets to their most popular 2019 fixtures. These include Good Friday, Ladies’ Day, Britpop Racenight and the Cider Raceday featuring The Wurzels. Each evening on their Facebook page, people will be asked to comment on a post and enter the competition to win tickets to each event they unwrap.
With the Severn Bridge tolls about to be abolished it will be quicker and cheaper to get to Chepstow races in future. The Welsh Grand National meeting is on the 27th and, as usual, advance bookings are at a discounted price.