Peter Naughton caught up with Jim Goldie who explained Call Me Ginger's poor showing at Goodwood, with the Ayr Silver Cup a likely target now.
I didn't think I'd ever write these words but last week I had my heart broken by a Teddy Boy. Clients on my Tipping Line had been advised four horses in singles and a four-timer. The first three won at 7-1, 5-1 & 7-2 and Teddy Boy (advised at 4-1) was the last leg of the bet.
Running in a lowly 45-65 handicap at Naas, the gelding, who entered the Notebook when short of room at a crucial stage over course and distance last month, endured the most wretched luck this time.
Ridden very confidently, he was travelling extremely sweetly behind the leaders but simply couldn't find a gap and finished on the bridle in third. Success would have produced winning odds over 1000-1 for the win-part of the accumulator. Character building...
Connections go in search of compensation over a suitably stiff 5f at the Curragh on Sunday.
Having been fully expectant of a huge run from Call Me Ginger in the Stewards' Cup, it was disappointing to see such a moderate display. I caught up with trainer Jim Goldie afterwards and he revealed: "I think he put his back out when bumped leaving the stalls, so the chiropractor is looking at him on Monday afternoon.
"Kevin (Stott) said he raced with the choke out after the bump but now we look ahead at the Ayr Silver Cup."
Sprints are won and lost on small margins with no room for error and Goldie explained: "A horse is like a Stradivarius violin. If one of the strings is strained you can still play a tune on it but it plays a sweeter tune when all the strings are aligned."
The Scotsman retains the utmost faith in Call Me Ginger, who endured a 20-hour round trip on Saturday. He added: "The journey wasn't a problem and nor was the ground - good or good to firm is fine for him.
"The chiropractor will tweak his back and get him right and I'll be confident of having him right for Ayr."
My final question to the Paisley trainer was very straightforward: "Aside from Call Me Ginger, which is the one horse punters should follow from your stable from now right through the autumn?"
He instantly and confidently replied: "Sound Of Iona ran well over 5f at Musselburgh on Thursday and kept on well, so I'm looking for a 6f race at a flat track like Haydock very soon. She's progressive and well worth following off a mark of 73."
True to his word, the Scotsman has entered this well handicapped filly over 6f at Haydock on Saturday.
The Qatar Goodwood Festival is often a great source of material for the Notebook and this observer likes to pay particularly attention to Mark Johnston's horses at this high-profile fixture.
Meeras ran a huge race for a long way in the Stewards' Cup and remains a very exciting progressive three-year-old.
Facing seasoned handicappers in one of the most competitive handicaps of the year, Johnston's speedy gelding showed good pace to lead his group on the far side and did plenty of running during the middle of the race before being passed by the main pack on the stands' side.
He looked a potential Group horse when winning at Hamilton last time and has plenty of time to fulfil his potential. He coped well with a 6lb rise in this hotter race.
Good ground, or faster seems ideal for this son of Oasis Dream.
Stablemate Mountain Brave faced a stiff task from stall 19 in the 7f handicap on Wednesday. This quality filly deserves credit for running so well for so long.
The daughter of Sepoy, who was receiving weight from older geldings, tracked the leaders and led going easily over two-out.
She edged right when ridden and was headed before the furlong pole before weakening into tenth. This was a fine effort and there are races to be won with the talented front-runner, who has plenty of pace for 6f too.
The form of her Windsor success was franked when runner-up Theotherside won at Newmarket last weekend and Mountain Brave could soon be winning.
