Mother of Parliaments? More like the Ugly Sister of Parliaments these days. But without an expenses system like a roulette wheel permanently fixed to pay up, how can the rest of us find the money to have our moats cleared and our helipad hedges trimmed? As usual the Twelve to Follow relies on a scientific mix of racecourse bar gossip, blind hope and Timeform’s Racehorses of 2008 (£75 from Portway Press, Halifax, West Yorkshire WF2 9LP).
Sir Michael Stoute’s yard is stuffed with distinguished animals like Conduit and Patkai. We might get better prices though on Confront, a one-time Classic hope who made an impressive seasonal debut winning a Newmarket handicap under 9st 10lb. He’ll be weighted out of handicaps now but should still win races. Ask delivered the goods at Newbury last weekend so I will add his brother Kensington Oval, who disappointed last year after suffering on firm ground.
The most improved horse this year is Luca Cumani’s Presvis. Although beaten by the extraordinary Gladiatorus on Dubai World Cup night he went on to beat local hero Viva Pataca in Hong Kong. We won’t see much of him in Britain — Luca enjoys his international campaigning — but he should collect more foreign prizes.
South Africa’s Mike de Kock, who wins so many races in Dubai, plans to campaign more in Britain this year. Eagle Mountain will win more big middle-distance races for him, but there might be better value from JJ the Jet Plane over shorter.
It is nice to have a few good sprinters in the hand. William Haggas’s King’s Apostle made a pleasing seasonal debut under a big weight then ran second at York. He should pay his way. So will the canny Henry Candy’s Amour Propre who won at Newmarket and will go for the sprint classics.
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