Halcon value for minor honours at 50-1?

By Ian Carnaby

One of the safest bets you could make at the moment concerns the Donald McCain stable. For years and years Ginger presided over a modest yard with only a handful of horses capable of adding to the great man’s record elsewhere. All of that has changed, with Donald running one of the most powerful establishments in the north. There may well be a hundred inmates there before long and challenges south of the Trent are becoming the norm.

Remarkably, Whiteoak was allowed to start at 5 to 2 in the mares only novices hurdle at Ascot the other Saturday. True, Nicky Henderson saddled a worthy rival in even-money hotpot Doubly Guest, and the booking of Ruby Walsh probably meant that many people looked no further. But rather more relevant was the fact that Tazbar had just won very easily at Haydock, whereas he was all-out to hold Whiteoak at Doncaster the time before. This is very good form and should be followed.

When Mohayer finished fourth in the Totesport Trophy at Newbury the other day, McCain wanted to use young Paul Benson’s 7lb claim. It worked and also meant that Jason Maguire, now stable jockey and likely to ride a shoal of winners, was free to go to Ayr where he landed a treble. I thought at the time that Cloudy Lane did well to defy 11st 12lb in testing ground and he should go on the short-list for the John Smith’s Grand National - indeed, he disputes favouritism in some lists.

I sat next to Beryl McCain, Ginger’s wife, at the Grand National Weights lunch and she was saying that Stephen Craine had acted far too hastily in leaving the yard for Heater Dalton’s. “Obviously Jason arriving had something to do with it, but he’d still have ridden a lot of winners for us, you know”, she said. “There will be days when Jason is at the big meetings and Stephen would have had opportunities elsewhere”. It struck me as I listened to this that Beryl, in her own charmingly modest way, was indicating that there will be winners across the board. I’m not saying you heard it here first, but follow Donald McCain very closely from now on.

Mind you, it will take all of his skill and more to win a good handicap chase with Idle Talk. I went to Haydock wondering if completing the course at Doncaster after all those ‘unseated rider’ efforts might have boosted his confidence in time for the Red Square Vodka Gold Cup. “Do you know why he unseats?” Beryl asked. “He takes off and then swings his backside around for no apparent reason. No jockey on earth could stay on when that happens”

Well, he didn’t do it at Haydock and got round again. Unfortunately, the handicapper seems to have well and truly fettled him anyway because he finished a moderate seventh. It’s probably the only thing the McCains have got wrong lately, because I certainly gained the impression they fancied him for Aintree.

The Red Square Gold Cup gives a pointer to Halcon Genelardais

The Red Square race was truly fascinating. I am not into the exchanges (though the world and its wife has told me I should be, and the world and its wife are right), but I suppose I’d have offered a shade over the odds about the winner Miko de Beauchene.

Robert Alner’s horse won the Welsh National because Halcon Genelardais rather missed the last and it just gave him that vital edge on the run-in. He was receiving 21lb from Alan King’s horse and had been raised 9lb for the Haydock event. What this means is that he was representing Halcon Genelardais with about 13st 4lb. Yes, yes, I know. It was much softer ground at Chepstow, and a longer trip, and you can’t take these things literally. I have been around long enough to realise this.

But even so. Now that the big match in the Gold Cup is back on, thanks to Kauto Star’s prompt recovery, there is still the minor place to aim for. And to be perfectly honest, if The Listener doesn’t quite stay and the race comes too soon for the forgotten Aces Four, who will fill that position? You would have no difficulty at all in finding 50 to 1 at present about Halcon Genelardais, each-way a quarter the odds 1-2-3. And just suppose the Kauto Star worry reasserts itself….

It is hardly a ‘knocking’ bet, of course. Halcon Genelardais was pulled up on drying ground in the Gold Cup last year when King tried him in blinkers for the first time. He has not repeated the experiment and Halcon Genelardais has just been brought along quietly with a similar programme. Global warming can beat us, with everyone assuming it will be fine and warm in mid-March. I’d be the first to admit that all of Halcon Genelardais’ winning form is on ground softer than good. Then again, I was at Cheltenham when there was snow on the hills and The Thinker had to wait and Arthur Stephenson didn’t even make the long journey south. It’s not BOUND to be fast ground.

Anyway, at 50 to 1 to a few coins, do we really care? If I had to say who will be third, I actually make Halcon Genelardais a clear selection. The Miko de Beauchene form-line is quite startling; have another look.