It’s always pleasing when the good guys do well in any aspect of life and in the racing world one man who is definitely falls into that category is Lambourn handler Jonny Portman. A friend of mine, who was a house guest at the trainer’s home for just one night a few years ago, observed Portman’s dedication to his horses.
At dinner, the host’s chair was vacant for much of the evening as he made a last tour of his 45-strong string, presumably doing the equivalent of tucking his horses up in bed and reading them a bedtime story. Early the next morning, Portman took my friend on to the gallops and talked through the characteristics and quirks of all of his horses as if they were his children. Just to be clear though, Portman is a devoted family man as well as a talented trainer.
Earlier this week Portman matched his best-ever seasonal total of 33 winners and that comes with an impressive strike rate of 17 per cent. He puts down his success to having healthy horses, great staff, supportive owners as well as ‘hopefully placing some of the horses in the right races and a big dollop of good luck too’.
His highest-rated horse is Rumstar who has won two Group 3 sprints this season and was a fast-finishing fifth in the Group 1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes at York a week ago. Rumstar is likely to run next in a Group 3 contest at Newbury next month.
Another money-spinner for the yard for the past two seasons has been TWO TEMPTING who will tomorrow attempt to win the Virgin Bet Supports Safe Gambling Handicap (3.15 p.m.) at Chester over seven and a half furlongs.
Not only did Two Tempting win the equivalent race at the track last year off an official mark of just one point lower (95) but he is two wins from two runs over Chester’s unique twists and turns. Jockey Rob Hornby, who Portman rates highly and uses whenever possible, has been booked for the ride and he has won on six-year-old gelding twice before.
Two Tempting would prefer the ground to be on the fast side of good but he can handle good to soft ground if necessary because there may be some rain at Chester between now and the off. A draw in stall ten is not ideal but back him two points win at 7-1 with Paddy Power in the hope that Two Tempting can resume winning ways after four fairly moderate runs off higher marks.
Another trainer with his string in good form is Michael Dods. His horse GLENFINNAN is not one for the mortgage as he puts in plenty of poor runs among the good ones. Glenfinnan lines up tomorrow at Sandown for the Download The BetMGM App Handicap (1.50 p.m.) once again, like Two Tempting, having won the equivalent race on the card a year ago.
That was off an official rating of 93 yet, after a series of uninspiring runs since then, he can race of a mark of just 82 tomorrow. In short, if – admittedly a big if – Glenfinnan can recapture his best form, this five-year-old gelding is very well handicapped to win again. Back him one point each way at 11-1 with Sky Bet – that’s a point shorter than other bookies but with five places, not four.
There is plenty of other competitive racing at Sandown tomorrow where heavy rain over the past 24 hours means the ground is now riding on the soft side of good. In the Group 3 BetMGM Atalanta Stakes (2.25 p.m.) over one mile, AMERICAN GAL could outrun her odds.
Lambourn handler Ed Walker rates this three-year-old filly highly and she has won three of her six starts. Back her 1 point each way at 11-1 with Sky Bet – once again, that’s a point shorter than some other bookies but with five places, not four, in this competitive 14-runner contest.
Today I can’t resist backing an old favourite of mine, NORTHERN EXPRESS, in the Constant Security Services Handicap (4.08 p.m.) at Thirsk. Michael Dods’ seven-year-old gelding was fifth last time in a much hotter handicap than this, the Clipper Handicap at York, when his regular pilot was riding elsewhere that day. Paul Mulrennan is back in the saddle today and I can see Northern Express running a big race off an official mark of 98. Back him two points win at 5-1 with bet365, William Hill, Ladbrokes or Coral.
Last but not least, looking ahead to the Group 1 Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock a week tomorrow, I am keen to back a horse at huge odds even though there will be more places available from bookies in eight days’ time.
NIGHTEYES, a four-year-old filly, is a course and distance winner who ran well when fourth in a Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot at odds of 100-1. In a recent attheraces.com stable tour, her trainer David O’Meara revealed that the Sprint Cup is her next target ‘ideally with a bit of cut in the ground’.
With plenty of rain forecast over the next week, his wishes look likely to come true so back Nighteyes one point each way at 66-1 with William Hill, Sky Bet, Paddy Power or Betfair, all paying three places. Incidentally, this means I will be going into this race double-handed as I put up No Half Measures for this race two weeks ago.
This column’s winning run came to an abrupt halt at York last week but that was inevitable at some point. Next week I will be taking a look at the so-called ‘autumn double’: the bet365 Cambridgeshire and the Godolphin Cesarewitch, both run at Newmarket. The latter race is my favourite flat handicap of the year.
Pending:
2 points win Northern Express at 5-1 for the Constant Security Services Handicap.
1 point each way Glenfinnan at 11-1 for the Download The BetMGM App Handicap, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places.
1 point each way American Gal at 11-1 for the BetMGM Atalanta Stakes, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places.
2 points win Two Tempting at 7-1 for the Virgin Bet Supports Safe Gambling Handicap.
1 point each way No Half Measures at 12-1 for the Sprint Cup, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Nighteyes at 66-1 for the Sprint Cup, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
Last weekend: – 11.8 points.
1 point each way Celandine at 22-1 for the Nunthorpe, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Ya Mo Be There at 6-1 for the Ebor Handicap, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Talismans Time at 10-1 for the Melrose Handicap, paying 1/5th odds, 4 places. Unplaced – 2 points.
1 point each way Sea of Kings at 6-1 for the Melrose Handicap, paying 1/5th odds, 4 places. 4th. + 0.2 points.
1 point each way Twilight Calls at 12-1 in the Sky Bet Constantine Handicap, paying 1/5th odds, 6 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Plage De Havre at 16-1 for the Ebor Handicap, paying ¼ odds, 4 places. Non Runner – 2 points.
1 point each way Majestic Warrior at 25-1 for the Ebor Handicap, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
2025 flat season running total: + 91.63 points.
2024-5 jump season: – 47.61 points on all tips.
2024 flat season: + 41.4 points on all tips.
2023-4 jump season: + 42.01 points on all tips.
2023 flat season: – 48.22 points on all tips.
2022-3 jump season: + 54.3 points on all tips.
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