BACK IN THE DAY.......

Those of us who become dispirited by what we view as needless changes in the fixture list, by original non-commercial race titles being dropped by sponsors, and by new racedays designed to have a quick hit effect, will have been surprised and pleased by the boost the Middle Park Stakes received over the weekend.

While this is an event with a purposeful role in the calendar of being a source of future pretenders to champion sprinter status, gone seemed the days when it was a stop off on the journey to the top mile events of the following season. In that sense it had gone out of fashion.

Since the Brigadier took the race in 1970, only two winners have gone on to be triumphant in the 2,000 Guineas, Known Fact by fortune of Nureyev's disqualification in 1980, and Rodrigo de Triano in 1992.

Irrespective of the reason why an exciting field of potential top class milers came here instead of the Dewhurst, it was refreshing to build up the race as one that could turn out to be a genuine Guineas trial. In fact the last time I can remember such a buzzing run up to this event was the renewal that Diesis won in 1982, where he also faced rivals with potential to be top class milers.

Diesis followed up in the Dewhurst in the race more famous for the crumbling of the Gorytus hype. He did not train on like his famous full brother Kris but did prove his equal at stud.

Racing fans tend to be guilty of becoming too cute with recent trends. And when such a long established race like the Middle Park confounds those who had become dismissive of its importance, it can only be a positive for the sport and is armoury for supporters of keeping the present programme intact without any further meddling.

Ironically,  in the spirit of London buses, if Earthlight trains on and is allowed to make another journey over to Newmarket, his biggest obstacle to success is likely to come in the form of a Woodcote Stakes winner, an ancient event long considered outside the boundaries for potential classic horses.

It would nice too for the Gimcrack to receive a similar fillip. Only Nebbiolo and Rock Of Gibraltar have won both the York race and Newmarket Guineas in the past fifty years but don't get too blase about it never happening again, though the odds will be stacked against another Mill Reef (in picture) appearing in the race.

Mind you, once we reached the late eighties most had consigned to history the times when a future Derby winner ran in the Coventry. Mill Reef would be the last of them, some opined. Even the days of future classic winners appearing early in their juvenile career were considered gone for ever.

Then, making fools of most, two future winners of the Epsom showpiece, Generous and Dr Devious, both ran in the Coventry in the early 1990's. The race continues to throw up animals who are able to train on into classic contenders, three Newmarket Guineas having run in it since the turn of the millenium.

Of the events for the classic generation, one race that seemed dead and buried as a serious event of consequence is Epsom's Blue Riband Trial , which from nowhere was given a massive boost when Cracksman took the race two years back.

Certainly, those who hate to see races that had a role in the calendar rendered  insignificant were quite chuffed that John Gosden chose the race for his three year old reappearance. In fact, the decision to run him there cast doubt in some eyes on the level of consideration connections had for the colt.

Gosden had won the race the previous year with the future high class filly So Mi Dar, though her eligibility for the race, as with Midday a few years earlier, had been due to the authorities calling time on the matching Oaks trial, the Princess Elizabeth Stakes, which was firstly switched to Kempton, then discontinued, before the title was adopted for a new event run at the Epsom June meeting.

If they would have held firm it was an event that held out hopes of coming back into fashion, though the last Epsom Oaks winner to be successful in the event was Homeward Bound in 1964.

Returning to the Blue Riband Trial; founded in the 1930's, the race has only thrown up one Epsom Derby winner in Blue Peter but right up into the 1970's was still deemed as a respectable trial.

In 1976, when the meeting was covered on ITV racing in the three channel era, Oats was trained by Peter Walwyn to win the event and was to be Seven Barrow's leading Derby hope, a race he would finish third in.

Then, the following year, Be My Guest looked visually sublime when quickening smartly and leaving an impression, along with a staminia doubt too. He would finish an also ran in the Derby behind stable companion The Minstrel, but would successfully drop back in trip and went on to outshine his more illustrious stable companion at stud.

One year later the Duncan Sasse trained Roland Gardens took the Blue Riband Trail before causing a mini shock in winning the 2,000 Guineas a couple of weeks later.

In 1979 Henry Cecil ran Jim Joel's Main Reef, who had been highly considered in the early stages of his two year old career. He was beaten but to be fair his career was already at a point were his limits appeared exposed.

Two years later it was a last chance saloon for another hyped up colt to fulfil it's potential. Michael Stoute's Centurious was a half brother to Grundy and was still quoted at twentysomething for the 1981 Derby, not everyone sure whether he or a certain Shergar would be the better three year old.

After the Futurity winner Count Pahlen won in 1982, before his career went downhill, the race then became something far removed from its original intended purpose - it was even taken off the calendar for a few years in the 1990's.

It returned and within a few years was won by two horses of note in Daliapour and Storming Home, but much time elapsed between those two taking in the race to Cracksman using the race to kick start his three year old career.

The Derby runner up Dee Ex Bee was placed in the event last year, while this year's Ballydoyle trained winner, Cape Of Good Hope, now promises to carve out a lucrative career Stateside, judged on his latest run at Saratoga.

These examples beg the question ; which of the races lying in purgoratory could suddenly rediscover their mojo ? Aside the conditions, listed and group contests, there are a handful of long established handicaps that retain their original titles, that were of a significant status in days long gone, some from as far back as the century before last, but have fallen behind by not attracting the sponsorship they might deserve.

We know which races these are, as if you asked racing fans to make a list of a dozen events fitting the description, the same names would crop up. It is not being syrupy to suggest that these races are in a sense institutions, forming a link with the past, while standing as a testament to the longevity of the sport.

It would be warming for these contest to experience a resurgence. Sponsors would surely benefit from adding their name to the original title as opposed to swallowing it up, as what happened with a bunch of races at one major recent meeting.

In the meantime, those who wish renewed vigour and buoyancy to the race titles that have become relics, hope that Godolphin allow what would be a fascinating clash over the Rowley Mile next May between a winner of the Middle Park, and a winner of the Woodcote. Doesn't that sound surreal ?

image owner Karen Nutini reproduced under CC license

HOPE BUT NO EXPECTATION

It feels like we've been here many times before. An English St Leger winner who has too much pace and class to be pigeonholed as having a future in the Cup events or a mere support act in the showcase middle distance races.

That, however, is how it normally unfolds and will probably do so again with Logician, despite the glass half full brigade predicting differently. Not that no one with racing's interest at heart would wish this.

And while the blessings must be counted that the Doncaster event has not had its soul taken by being modernised into an all aged event, it still has to compete with an increasingly competitive autumn fixture list both here and throughout the rest of  Europe.

While one must never say never, with the future of the sport hard to predict, particularly with the blase attitude to making changes to the calendar, Nijinsky (in picture) may still prove to be the last English Triple Crown winner in the sport, even with the present Ballydoyle having a bash out of the blue at it in recent years with Camelot, in addition to eyeing it up when Saxon Warrior looked set to dominate.

In a way it would be fitting for Nijinsky to be the final horse to achieve the feat.  For let us not kid ourselves that the purists amongst us really wanted Camelot to join that elusive list. Sounds harsh on a top class juvenile who trained on well and was unbeaten at the point he made the journey to South Yorkshire.

But he was no Nijinsky. He beat a substandard Guineas field, won the Derby most decisively but the runner up needed the benefit of Lasix to later run up a Group 1 tally of wins in the States. There was not much for Camelot to do to win at the Curragh then, unfortunately, not one of the summer all age events were contended.

His defeat in the St Leger by an inferior animal who is so forgetful we may as well just call him thingyo, and who was trained by the soon to be disgraced Mahmood Al Zarooni, is rarely touched upon.

Admittedly it's unsporting to knock a horse whose connections were attempting a feat that we'd given up hope would ever be achieved again, but it would feel right and proper to have this accomplishment achieved by an animal who would be labelled outstanding.

In the aftermath of the defeat, Camelot was well beaten at Longchamp then disappointed when kept in training, although the weights and measures brigade will point out the figures had him reproducing his best form on his first two starts.  And despite siring last year's Irish Derby winner he, like some other sons of Montjieu, may fail to truly make the grade as a stallion in the flat sphere.

That again would be unfortunate as it would buck the trend if a horse ran well in the Leger who had been a top class juvenile and turned into a top notch progenitor on the level. Just like Nijinsky did in fact, with his three Epsom Derby winners but plenty of high class animals over shorter.

Another animal who could have emulated Nijinsky proved a huge let down in his limited spell at stud. It's not fanciful to believe that if Reference Point had been trained for the 1987 2,000 Guineas, he would have put in a bold front running performance and went close to winning.

Returning to Logician, if you go back over the past fifty years, you have to go back to the first decade to find the animal that promised to have the most exciting future out of the St Leger winners that remained in training beyond their three year old careers.

That was the grey colt Bruni, who won the Doncaster classic by ten lengths, a memory that was not blighted by his subsequent disappointing performance in the Arc.

Trained by Captain Ryan Price and owned by Charles St George, Bruni received an Annual Timeform rating of 132 , the Halifax organisation billing him as , " one of the most exciting prospects for 1976."

History tells us the he went close to hitting it big in the King George Queen Elizabeth Stakes, despite being handicapped by his newly acquired habit of looking like he wanted to down tools in the early stages. Ten lengths off the pace entering the straight, he made relentless headway to finish a one length runner up to the Wildenstein filly Pawneeese.

That was the highlight of his career beyond three. Connections did revert to the norm when, after keeping Bruni on in training as a five year old, they targeted the Ascot Gold Cup where he ran disappointingly behind the mighty French stayer Sagaro.

Bruni did win Group races at four and five but never fulfilled what many hoped for and some expected. He is perhaps the best example to consider before digesting hopes and hype for winners of the race.

Eight years later Willie Carson drove out the wide margin Epsom Oaks winner and King George third Sun Princess to win the concluding classic. The highest hopes were held for her when she was kept in training but she was a let down.

Maybe we should be judging Logician by looking to two positive examples. When Luca Cumani kept the 1984 winner Commanche Run in training as a four year old he was under no illusion of the potential of Ivan Allan's colt had to shine in the top grade over shorter distances. Remarkably, he even gave him a Lockinge entry, which would be something for true racing eggheads, if they still exist, to touch upon over a pint.

Despite throwing in some below par performances, Commanche Run won the Brigadier Gerard by a wide margin, then later inflicted a famous defeat upon Oh So Sharp in the Benson and Hedges Gold Cup, then notched up his second Group 1 win of the season in the Phoenix Park Irish Champion Stakes.

In more recent times Conduit was also kept on  for another year and succeeded where Bruni failed by winning the King George Queen Elizabeth Stakes, albeit in an era when the race was taking a hit quality wise. He also won his second Breeders Cup Turf but his two respectable runs behind Sea The Stars showed him a likeable high class colt, but not an outstanding one.

Let's hope the race is kept in its present format and in the same spot in the calendar but that, from somewhere, it gets a massive boost in kudos. Just maybe, Logician will defy all us miserable put downers and become the dominant middle distance colt of 2020.

image in public domain

ONE SPORT IS THRIVING, THE OTHER WITHERING

Whenever those within cricket circles self -scrutinise the health of their own sport, then conclude that there are aspects to worry about, it's hard not be be a little tickled by their negativity.

You feel like telling them they should thank their lucky stars that, compared to the sport of horse racing, everything is in rude health and their house is in order with a bright future ahead.

When I purchased a ticket for day one of the Old Trafford Ashes match, it was in the lap of the Gods how kind the weather would be. Then, being the fourth test, the series may already be dead, taking the edge of it. Being wishfully picky, I was also hoping both Jimmy Anderson and Steve Smith would be fit to play with Australia batting first.

As things turned out, going into that first day the series could not of been at a more finely balanced point. Smith was able to play with the Aussies batting first. But Anderson was crocked and the rain interfered resulting in a few hours lost play.

It also provided an excellent opportunity to observe how the attending audience related to the game itself. I went with an expectation that they would be more attuned and in sync with their sport, than the horse racing crowds are with theirs.

I came away left in no doubt that here was a sport with a vastly more knowledgeable mass of attendees than those who waste space at our racecourses at weekends and evenings.

Admittedly, just like at the racecourse, large volumes of alcohol are consumed, but the behaviour that it influences, while often boisterous, tends to fall on the right side of acceptability - though I did have some fast drinking slow thinking character, with a member's badge, seated nearby who opened a giant fishing size brolly rather carelessly, causing someone on the row behind to caution, " careful mate you nearly took my eye out, " to which the brolly man replied, " Sorry, I thought you were Steve Smith". He then made a thrusting motion with the umbrella in the direction of the players, uttering,  " Up Steve Smith's arse !"

Surprisingly, from listening to his conversations he seemed a knowledgeable cricket fan. I could not imagine a Wetherby racegoer with an annual membership, stood around the paddock carrying binoculars and Raceform loose leaf acting in the same manner. Then again, racegoers fitting this description have almost died out.

In fact most within earshot at Old Trafford sounded learned disciples of the game, sharp eyed in noticing changes in field positions and predicting the tactical angle in the bowling what would follow, and offering insightful thoughts on what changes will or should be made.

It's pleasing to witness yet at the same time makes you realise what a mess horse racing is in. It is only horse racing where at certain meetings the courses could get away with changing the sport at late notice.

Make no mistake, at the calvacade of wimsey that is the overpriced Chester, or the rough and gruff Haydock Park, and at some other venues too, a sizezable chunk of the evening or weekend audiences would not bat an eyelid if motor bike or rally car racing replaced the equine sport. Not all of them, but enough to realise that a problem exists in their engagement level with the sport.

The traditional cricket fans have mixed views on the shortened versions of the game, particularly the Twenty 20. Comparisons have been drawn with concert nights at racecourses. They are chalk and cheese, the so called racing audiences are there only for the concert and would not be there otherwise, while the cricket crowds, who will drink just as much, have come to watch the game play out before them. For many, it will also lead to a lifelong interest in the longer, more traditional forms of the game.

Interestingly, in his book Over But Not Out, Richie Benaud welcomed the additional arm of the twenty over format, hailing its popularity and opining that it is easier for someone who had made his name in this version to adapt to the four and five day game than vice versa.

Gambling and related match fixing are another that those within cricket are embarrassed about, believing it's harmed the image of the game. Well, they should consider themselves damn lucky for in racing, horses are prevented from running on their merits on a daily basis.

In fact, cricket needs gambling less than bookmakers need cricket. By contrast, horse racing could not survive without gambling.

Then, there is the matter of the sparse crowds that attend English county cricket matches during weekdays. Lets face it, it's been the case for a long, long time but should not be used as a barometer.  Given normal modern day committments, how many cricket fans are readily available to attend during the week, all day starting at 11am ? Probably only Ballard ' Boycott made a century ' Berkely, types from Fawlty.

Another area in which cricket can be proud of is the general quality at local league level. I suppose in trying to draw a racing comparison, local league cricket would be racing's flapping circuit, which is almost non existent. The minor counties cricket could be racing's point-to-point.

There are some incredibly strong local leagues all over the UK. The most famous has hit hard times, the Lancashire League, the one where all the clubs seem to be within a twenty mile radius of Blackburn. In the 1970's and the first half of the 1980's it was held in such high esteem that Australian cricketers use to play in it to keep favour in the eye of their test selectors.

It's the equivalent of Neymar being advised it would not do him any harm to play for the likes of Droylsden, Marine, Winsford United or Runcorn !

While cricket's Lancashire League is going through a quiet spell, with some clubs struggling financially, other leagues are thriving. The Liverpool & District League which now has clubs as far apart as Colwyn Bay and Lytham, has county regulars and has had it's fair share of test players down the years such as Grant Flower, Neil Wagner and Sherwin Campbell. There was also a certain Curtly Ambrose who played a season for Chester Boughton Hall as he rose to fame. Chester Boughton Hall have since moved to the Cheshire Counties League, another competition that is thriving at the moment.

In these leagues some players receive a wage, many are full amateur. So when Curtly Ambrose was turning out for Chester Boughton Hall in the Liverpool & District League, there would be anxious players in nine to five day jobs, anticipating having to duck for their lives at the weekend.

This quality level of local league competition does not exist in the tarnished but worshipped world of top level football. As for racing, point-to -points fly the flag but when compared to the number of regional cricket leagues all around the country, they are few and far between with their future threatened by those who pull the strings at the top end of racing, who threaten to withdraw support and sacrifice them to the modernists.

Cricket has no such concerns. It's future is safe, assured and rosy. Racing should be very jealous indeed for it cannot boast of any such guarantees.

image taken by author