It can't be easy to go through life in the knowledge that no matter how talented you might be, there's always someone out there slightly more talented so spare a thought for Jonjo O'Neill's charge in today's Betfair Chase at Haydock. To date, h
e's crossed swords with the mighty Kauto Star no less than seven times and it's been a case of miserable rather than magnificent for Exotic Dancer, who probably goes to sleep at night and has nightmares about his great rival's rear end. He has, after all, seen it often enough.
Fair play, however, he's back for more on Merseyside this afternoon and even although the form book says he's once again destined to be bridesmaid at best, no-one surely would quibble if Exotic Dancer finally put one over on the former Gold Cup winner.
"It's a big day for us," admitted Barry Simpson, racing manager to the gelding's owner Sir Robert Ogden. "We're not poles apart and we've accepted the fact Kauto Star is a better horse than us and that he's achieved more than we have but we'll keep having a go and might beat him one day. To do that, however, we've got to perform to our very best and he probably has to under perform.
"Exotic Dancer is up against his old rival for the eighth time and I have to say eight is my lucky number." It might have to be very lucky indeed because no matter that the heart may say it would be great if Exotic Dancer could finally grab the big race he deserves, it takes a bit more substance to convince the head.
Kauto Star is rated a very long odds-on shot to land his third Betfair Chase on the spin and while his seasonal debut at Down Royal was hardly the toughest assignment he's ever faced, it didn't tell us a lot more than we already knew and he did all that was asked of him.
Whether or not he's the same force of old is a fascinating question but until we get a definitive answer, stick with the Star.
As for the rest of today's action, I may be the only person in Christendom who won't be having a go at winning the Scoop6, years of punting having made me somewhat cynical as to my prospects of managing to bet six winners.
These days, yours truly is more into finding just the one who is worth risking the family silver on, and that's a difficult enough task, believe me.
Osako d'Airy might just fit the bill though as Paul Nicholls' new inmate showed more than enough on his debut for the champion trainer at Haydock last time out to offer hope that he might be up to landing the nap in the Timeform Betfair Racing Club Handicap Chase at 2.45pm.
The best bet's performance that day was certainly a big step up on his previous start where he was beaten a country mile at Kelso. Mention of the Borders venue leads us nicely to yesterday's action there, the highlight of which was a treble for the increasingly impressive Ryan Mania. The youngster from Galashiels kicked off a memorable day when steering Signalman to success for his guv'nor Peter Monteith, doubled up for the Rosewell handler with the David Johnson-owned Doc Row and then completed his hat-trick with an easy victory in the finale aboard the Rayson Nixon-trained Political Paddy.
Palomar (9-4) made a winning debut over fences in the John Merry Beginners' Chase. The smart handicap hurdler, also owned by Ogden, got off the mark over the bigger obstacles in promising fashion.
Despite trainer Nicky Richard's cautious "We'll try and get a bit of experience into him in the north before we get too ambitious", Palomar was nonetheless introduced by Cashmans at odds of 33-1 for the Arkle Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival.
Ferdy Murphy's Ockey De Neulliac (9-1) got off the mark with Graham Lee aboard, at the first time of asking in the Lilburn Estate Introduction Hurdle.
The full article contains 709 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
