Injury setback for Godolphin 1000 Guineas hope Wuheida Tafaakhor has been handed a ‘penalty-kick’ in his vexing quest to make it tenth time lucky at Brighton today, when ‘good’ ground is forecast; they have ‘Watered!’
Less than a fortnight into our 2017 turf-flat season, during a month which is associated with ‘April showers’ (it’s raining as this is being penned), clerk of the course, Ed Arkell, has ordered an irrigation programme to be effected on this undulating track which has a hill throughout the last quarter mile.
How are such courses watered equally?
Bane of my life are disadvantageous draws at all-weather tracks and indiscriminate watering which confuses the issue for punters whose interests are far too often overlooked.
Fortunately I’m continually ‘on the case’ and ever-mindful of ‘minefields’ which confront us; I’m aware of pitfalls but will be surprised if Tafaakhor doesn’t carry champion jockey, Jim Crowley, into the winners’ enclosure after an ‘aged’ eight-runner Maiden Stakes over seven furlongs.
This is another major problem. constant withdrawals in ‘eight-runner’ races, a practice initiated by the off-bookmaking profession to save it millions when three places become two and unsuspecting bettors suffer, repeatedly.
As mentioned in previous articles we knew a man, working as a course representative for a major firm, who paid cash to trainers/owners willing to effect this underhanded scheme.
Why doesn’t the BHA act?
‘The Lord works in mysterious ways’ and with that thought in mind I’m wondering why trainer Richard Hannon would want to race stable-companion Second Page against Hamdan Al Maktoum-owned Tafaakhor!
Hamdan is desperate to win with Tafaakhor and earlier this week instructed Charles Hills not to declare Farook for this particular race.
Godolphin’s promising filly Wuheida will miss the 1000 Guineas and Oaks after suffering an injury setback.
The unbeaten daughter of Dubawi followed up her Newmarket maiden triumph with victory in the Group One Prix Marcel Boussac at Chantilly and had been expected to play a bit part in the Classic picture in 2017.
However, she is set for an extended spell on the sidelines after sustaining a stress fracture to her right hind leg.
It is very disappointing for all of us at Godolphin,” trainer Charlie Appleby said on godolphin.com.
“She had been doing so well in her work at home, and we were really looking forward to the Guineas.
“The recuperation period is six to eight weeks, so she misses some important races. But if she progresses well in her recovery, we should be looking to having her back, running again, in the second half of the season.
“She is a high-class filly, as she showed so impressively at Chantilly last Autumn.”