With farmers outraged, the nation’s biggest employers warning the Budget will bring increased prices and lost jobs and growth out of sight, Rachel Reeves has certainly confirmed that economics is the dismal science. It hasn’t got any easier either finding winners. For the previous two Flat seasons this column’s Twelve To Follow showed profits of £59 and £157 to a £10 level stake. The jumpers last winter rewarded us with a handsome £246. But currently I’m like a US senator unseated at an election. He called in his staff and declared: ‘That was an unmitigated disaster: so get out there and mitigate.’
Soaking wet gallops and soggy tracks didn’t help. King of Steel and Classical Song were injured and didn’t see a racecourse. Richard Hannon’s Voyage unseated at the start in the Derby, and although Mickley won at Royal Ascot, he was then sold to race in Hong Kong. Kikkuli was rated good enough for the USA Breeders Cup but stumbled under Frankie Dettori and Chic Colombine, a Listed winner at Saint Cloud in March, finished eighth of nine when sent back there in October. Yes, Mickley and English Oak each won twice, and Azure Blue and Sea Just In Time also scored but overall the prices were poor. The 42 runs left us with a loss of £220. Apologies.
Climate change has messed too with selecting this winter’s Twelve. Half a ton of horse rests on potentially fragile legs and throughout an unusually dry October and November, trainers have been reluctant to risk their better horses on excessively firm ground.
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