We fall, and still we rise

I am a bit of a geek. I know a fair bit of trivia. And I am the sort of annoying person who can find connections between things, no matter how tenuous.

I could be watching a film and notice that the actors playing minor characters have been in something else together. It must drive my Helen mad as I cannot, not mention it, while the film is still on.

Well I have found similarities between a young chaser and a legend of the turf.

I wrote last week that I was concerned that Master Tommytucker was a suspect jumper having fallen twice in his first five starts. Well that is now three from six and more alarming is that all three have been in his four chase starts. He was going so well too.

Had he stayed on his feet he would surely have gone close. But every cloud has a silver lining if you look hard enough.

In October 2001 a horse fell on his chasing debut. He fell again four runs later. He unseated four runs after that and again unseated in his fourth race after that. And yet again four runs later he unseated.

Pattern

So a pattern was emerging. Every fourth run this horse was to be avoided. Although the runs in between would have been profitable. He won every completed start.

Moscow Flyer’s record in his first twenty-four chases was nineteen wins and five non completions. Ten were Grade Ones, including two Champion Chases and, the unforgettable Tingle Creek of 2004 which is still my favourite two mile race ever.

So connections of Master Tommytucker can take some heart from the career of Jessica Harrington’s brilliant chaser. Even the best of the best can make mistakes.

Quietly confident

When Master Tommytucker departed the race I was quietly confident that Southfield Stone would land the odds for me. But I had totally dismissed the chances of Who Dares Wins, a horse I have followed on the flat in the big handicaps.

There was some post watershed language flying around the house at the end of that race.

Master Tommytucker was to have made a quick reappearance at Newbury so the possibility of further expletives will have to wait.