Hardly being a gambling influencer personally, modern statistics loom with the English Derby at Epsom and Royal Randwick’s Bob Charley AO Stakes on Saturday.
The stride of a colt, Maltese Cross, has been measured regarding his prospects in the English Classic while pursuing the winner of the local sprint, a good seat for the Swans at Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday hangs in the balance.
Evaluate the prospects of Accredited correctly at Randwick – be wrong and end up on ground level behind a pole instead of the prime viewing position – is the predicament.
Thus the age-old instinct, gleaned from the long-gone “Sportsman”, the major form guide of formative years, will be applied in contrast to the latest technology about Maltese Cross.
“His average stride frequency was 2.15 strides per second and his average stride length was 24.1 feet,” Charlie Brooks, a former trainer in the United Kingdom, divulged concerning Maltese Cross in “The Spectator”.
“When the favourite for this year’s Derby, Benvenuto Cellini, won his trial at Chester, his numbers were 2.06 and 26; last year’s Derby winner Lambourn’s stats were 2.14 and 24.9 at Epsom …
“A rough rule of thumb is that a slow stride frequently and a long stride are good over a mile and a half at Epsom.”
Calves liver gives me twinges of gout while the plonk mentioned, in the opinion of Winedot Michael, sommelier for Punt-Drunks Protective Association, of which I am chairman and treasurer, is a good cooking wine.
So the taste of Brooks could be questioned.
Maltese Cross, though, has an Aussie connection. Jockey Tom Marquand, with the exception of Lester Piggot, is possibly the best from the U.K. riding under our conditions. Marquand is good over there too.
Maltese Cross launches from the one gate, noted as “coffin box”. Still, it has produced two winners in the recent seasons.
Back in the 1960’s Aussie jockeys dominated the English Derby: Neville Sellwood (Larkspur 1962), Scobie Breasley (Santa Claus 1964), Pat Glennon (1965) and George Moore (1967).
The memory of being present for old Scobie and Santa Claus still delights. Breasley had hair as white as snow, the few strands he had of it anyway, and beautiful hands, the like of which I saw from only Bill Cook and his son, Peter.
Of course, this was long before the age of gambling influencers now under review by some administrations for their popularity on social media.
High-profile punter Benny Scarf has a huge following on a formula described as “winning tickets, big collects, race-day excitement and the promise that anyone can come along for the ride.”
Hopefully the trend continues for his 15,000 supporters, a figure confirming the popularity of racing even if the punt is a major factor.
No doubt it will diminish by at least one if I get Accredited, by All Too Hard out of Well Credentialled, wrong in a sprint of many chances.
A Proven Thoroughbreds syndication, the six-year-old is prepared by Joe Pride, and is resuming after a spell with his usual two barrier trials foundation.
The trials have not been as flash as previously but he’s getting older. Under Nash Rawiller the gelding did as much as his partner desired. Accredited is good fresh but drew 12, not a casket case but capable navigation is required.
No, I cannot supply the stride length of Accredited nor its application rate but the gelding has Rawiller who doesn’t have the hands of Breasley but a special power ingredient that should be long remembered.
Accredited on Friday was $5.50, a good gamble. The main dangers are first reserve Wanaruah and Infancy with stablemate Brudenell, prepared by Kris Lees, another chance with the assistance of the outstanding bush hoop Aaron Bullock, who honed his skill around bush circuits like Muswellbrook, a far vision from Epsom which has history going back to 1665.
When I was there it was somewhat decayed. Near the winning post the ground was pock-marked, where ashes of the deceased had been laid.
Anyway, I would rather be at Randwick on Saturday. Should Accredited score I will not be chasing calves liver washed down with Nuits but, on Sunday at the SCG, a meat pie and schooner of Resches in the Member’s Bar will suffice.
