THEY say a week is a long time in politics.
It must have felt all that and more for Team Crisford after Algiers’ agonising defeat in the £10million Dubai World Cup last Saturday.
Today the excellent father and son duo Simon and Ed regroup to try and land the first big prize of the Flat season.
They saddle Awaal and Croupier in the Lincoln, the traditional curtain-raiser to Britain’s Flat campaign live on ITV.
Lying in wait for the pair is another double-handed trainer who just goes from strength to strength.
I am, of course, talking about William Haggas, who has Al Mubhir and Montassib. More about the master of Somerville Lodge later.
Back to last Saturday first.
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For all but 100 yards of the World Cup at Meydan the Crisfords must have thought the money was in the bank. The defeat was ridiculously harsh, with Algiers mowed down late on by the Japanese stretch runner Ushba Tesoro.
Simon took it all as a gentleman — but, in his heart, he must have been inconsolable — despite picking up a couple of mill for second.
As Sheikh Mohammed’s former racing manager, to train the winner of the Dubai World Cup would have been an incredible achievement.
James Doyle rode Algiers to perfection, and he’s on Awaal today, who could have bundles of improvement to come from stall 17.
The gelded son of Lope de Vega, who cost £350,000 as a two-year-old, has only raced four times, but made a big impression on his handicap debut at Redcar in October.
He was slammed up from a mark of 93 to 102 for that success and could be a Group performer masquerading as a lesser animal.
Juice in the ground holds no fears.
Croupier is a little bit more exposed, but has still only had nine races, winning three, including at Chelmsford in October. He is a much bigger price, but not to be ignored.
Matt Chapman’s Saturday ITV Racing tips
DONCASTER
1.50 Loaded Gun
2.25 Titian each-way
3.00 King's Lynn each-way
3.35 Montassib each-way (NAP)
KEMPTON
2.05 Secret State
2.40 My Mate Ted each-way
3.15 Aztec Empire
Haggas plays a strong hand and may well stop the Crisfords from gaining any much deserved compensation.
The handler has made a blistering start to 2023 and, just the other day, his Dubai Honour won a Group 1 in Australia.
Ironically Haggas’ last Lincoln winner — he’s had four — was with the Doyle-handled Addeybb in 2018.
On paper his main hope is Al Mubhir, who ploughed through the mud at Haydock in October to win nicely. Andrea Atzeni takes the mount, and should get a good spin.
However, I’m hoping for a huge run from Montassib, who has a fifth in the Buckingham Palace and a Bunbury Cup-fourth to his name.
Young Cieren Fallon takes the mount and I’ve always felt this horse has more to offer. Trip and ground are no issue. Montassib has only raced seven times so should still improve. He just has to hope a high draw is not a disadvantage.
Other leading Lincoln types are Wanees, who goes for Charlie Hills, Baradar for George Boughey and Atrium for Charlie Fellowes.
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Wanees beat my hope Montassib at Haydock and might well have more to come, while Baradar could easily be very well handicapped.
He was once rated 110 and gets in here off 97 despite having scored well at Doncaster in November. The trip might be a slight issue as, up until now, he’s looked best at seven furlongs.
Atrium ended last season in great form but is now 8lb higher than when winning at Newbury. Kieran Shoemark is a fine booking. I suspect the jockey will have a decent season.
Speaking of jockeys, such is the insane nature of this sport, the jockeys’ championship is not allowed to get under way until the Guineas fixture next month.
The two main protagonists in the race to be top dog go to Kempton this afternoon in defending champion William Buick and former victor Oisin Murphy.
Buick has the might of Godolphin behind him but Murphy has come back from his ban as good as ever.
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Some felt he should have been suspended when Buick was denied a title two seasons ago. No love is lost between the pair. It should be a ding-dong battle. Bring it on.
At Doncaster today, though, I’m just hoping Montassib puts it all in and remembers Abraham Lincoln’s words: “I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true.”
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