O’Brien hard pressed
The first classic of the season for colts doesn’t take place until May 5 and so much can happen over the next few weeks.
But between now and then the press, every chance they get, will try to corner O’Brien and attempt one more time to squeeze it out of the man.
It is, of course, all a complete waste of time. Aidan, in his own inimitable way, will tell them Camelot is “obviously a possible, but not a definite”.
Alternatively he may well be regarded as “a definite possible, but possibly not a definite.’ It’s Aidan-speak for “God’s sake, give me a break”.
And so it will go on for days and weeks, with rumour after rumour and little or no substance to most of what will be in the air.
Why does the press, or at least some sections of it, get so animated about something over which they have absolutely no control? When Aidan is good and ready he will tell us what we need to know, perhaps his wife, Annemarie, will use twitter, and won’t that do us all just fine? Mind you, if Camelot starts to come in for some inspired support in the days leading up to the race then we can take it that a nod is as good as a wink to a blind man.
Last week Betfred claimed they laid a bet of 3-1 to £100,000 Camelot for the 2000 Guineas. There is no reason to doubt them.
But then, with Aidan refusing to confirm the horse to Newmarket, a spokesman for the firm was quoted as saying: “If you have had £100,000 at 3-1 it (O’Brien’s comment) wouldn’t fill you with confidence”. Perhaps not. But I’ll tell you one thing the person who invested didn’t just fall out of the bed, shove his hand under the mattress, grab a wad and suddenly decide to back the horse. I’ll bet my bottom dollar that the “punter” who had that wager is a million miles from being a mug. Whenever you’re ready Aidan!
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Oh Willie, Willie why did you do it to us? Last Saturday at Gowran Park, Willie Mullins saddled Tango Banbou to win a seven-runner novice hurdle at 50-1.
Any analysis of the contest would tell you that this was essentially a three-horse war between Savello, Touch Back and Maggie Neary.
Tango Banbou and Ludo Et Emergo were impossible to fancy and the ground was far too testing for Laganbank and Absolutelyfantastic.
Saturday morning revealed that Touch Back was a 6-1 shot and it looked serious each-way value, a quarter the odds.
Tango Banbou’s two runs in Ireland — he came from France — had indicated that he was essentially worthless.
He started at Clonmel in February, partnered by Paul Townend to finish thirty two and three quarter lengths fourth of four finishers behind Bishopsfurze.
Ruby Walsh then took over at Thurles earlier this month and Tango Banbou never really went a yard and was miles behind when pulled up before the fourth last in a contest won by Saludos.
Both of those races were over fences and so Mullins had nothing to lose by giving the horse a spin over flights.
He opened at 33-1, soon galloped out to 50’s, then trotted onto the course and galloped the opposition silly.
Touch Back beat all of the others out of the gate, but could never get in a blow at Tango Banbou. It would nearly tempt one to take up bingo.
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There were three horses at the Curragh last Sunday which didn’t half catch the eye, starting with John Oxx’s Royal Visit, third in a six-furlong maiden.
No less than 30 left the gate and victory went to Redoubtable, drawn in two, who beat Rigoletta, who came out of stall four.
By contrast Royal Visit had to make the best of being drawn in twenty nine and was noted doing all of her best work at the end.
The other two horses are Speaking Of Which and Silk Kimono, who are both Dermot Weld inmates.
They finished second and fifth respectively behind the impressive 14-1 winner of a maiden, David Wachman’s Amira’s Prince.
Speaking Of Which ran prominently throughout and kept going all of the way to the line. He has to be a winner in waiting.
Silk Kimono is less obvious, but no less interesting. She was going on nicely near the line and it was a promising debut.
