ONE of the great truisms of punting is that even when you get it right, you can get it hopelessly wrong. How many times has the old adage about always following a trainer who only has one runner at a meeting been heard, and for those who went down that route at Perth yesterday, it turned out to be sound advice. For some, at least.
Norfolk-based Matt Gingell set the tone for a one-man- band afternoon when sending Present on the long haul north to land the opener and for once, Nicky Richards wasn't mobhanded at Scone Palace, the Greystoke handler content to allow Premier Dane t
o fly the flag for his yard.
This he did with a battling victory in the novices' chase, a success that also saw recently appointed stable jockey Davy Condon land a first win for his new boss, on his first ride at that, since taking over from the recently retired Tony Dobbin.
Nigel Twiston-Davies began the card with an amazing 35 per cent strike-rate at the course and the way his sole raider Apollo Creed was backed for the main event of the day, the Ness Motors Handicap, suggested those impressive figures were about to get better. That they did with Paddy Brennan always sitting pretty on the favourite before notching a comfortable success.
Which brings us to the point where the 'one runner theory' went pear shaped. Our supposed banker bet Notre Cyborg was indeed the only representative of trainer Donald McCain on the day, but the curse of The Scotsman nap is a difficult one to get the better of and he and jockey Jason Maguire opted to go their separate ways at the water jump. His departure made the task of Brave Broncho slightly easier but full marks to the winner's handler Peter Monteith, and jockey Wilson Renwick, for taking the race by the scruff of the neck from the outset.
At the 17th time of asking, Peter Beaumont's Classic Harry won his first race with Tranos and Irish raider Bauhaus completing the set although it wasn't all good news as both Professor Hegarty and Russian Sky lost their lives in the big race.
Tranos's handler Micky Hammond is responsible for one of today's major touches at Perth, with Tucker going in the opener. Later on, Ferdy Murphy's Water Taxi is an even stronger fancy but for the nap we turn to this evening's card at Newbury.
On Derby Day last month, West With The Wind was charged with landing the best bet but never looked comfortable round the tight turns of Musselburgh. For all that, he still battled on well to finish a not too distant fifth and Micky Fenton's mount should find tonight's track more to his liking.
The full article contains 468 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
