A seven-race jumps card comes from Wetherby on Wednesday afternoon, Oct 18th, between 13.53 – 17.15.
It’s a dual-purpose course these days, but it’s hard for us firmly over-21s to associate Wetherby with anything but the Charlie Hall, Michael Dickinson and his Mum and Dad, and thrilling National Hunt action in general.
I’ve been lucky enough to have attended so, so many times down the years, and what a lovely track it is. Jonjo Jr is among the top jocks present – Brian Hughes, too. Should be a brilliant afternoon.
13.53 – Bob Bob Ricard @ 2/1
A good-looking novice hurdle, and our selection is an O’Neill family affair. Jonjo Snr and Jonjo Jr combine with Bob Bob Ricard, a 5-yr-old gelding who’s faced the starter 3 times so far and run with distinction on each occasion.
Three nice bumpers, placed every time, and always within 4l of the victor. One or two from the stable are running well, and on hurdling debut he’s extremely likely to know his job.
It’s that time of the season when young horses will put their hooves up and show they’re ready to run. Improve. Skip through the ranks. Only time will tell if Bob Bob is such a horse, but he starts from a firm foundation and let’s keep our fingers crossed that he could just turn out to be a useful recruit.
A fascinating contest that should throw up plenty of future winners.
17.15 – Any News @ 5/4
A two-horse race for the lucky last, and as I write my selection is very much the second-favourite – one of the main reasons I’m backing him. THE main reason however is that it’s Harry Cobden’s only mount on the card.
Any News is trained by the extremely-useful Neil Mulholland and didn’t appear to enjoy the soft ground last time at Uttoxeter, under today’s jockey. A couple of weeks earlier he’d won well at Worcester, again with Cobden in the plate, and my thought process is that the jockey, one of our very best, considers a trip up the A1 to be well worth his while for this one opportunity, reunited with an old equine pal.
His solitary rival Hometown Boy has a massive absence of 921 days to overcome, so it’s frankly more than a bit of a surprise to me at least that the betting isn’t the other way around.
I shan’t complain however if we can take this, and at a better price than one might have thought. Only two line up then but what an intriguing little contest it is. Both horses are eight, and are no strangers to the winners’ enclosure. Let’s hope Harry’s trip is hugely worthwhile.
