Wrong again but no need to rub it in

By Ian Carnaby

May I take this opportunity to wish you all a happy New Year. I trust we shall survive the credit crunch, even if it means making a few adjustments here and there. From what I saw at Cheltenham and Chepstow over the Christmas holiday, word of impending financial disaster seems to have stayed the other side of Swindon. Well, they need something different now that the great days of steam are no more.

This is the time to admit I was wrong about Kauto Star. I must say I was surprised by the manner of his victory in the King George at Kempton, where he could be named the winner half-way down the back straight. Our Vic had an off day and Imperial Commander cannot have been right in himself. It was a little rash of Nigel Twiston-Davies to describe as ‘b……s’ the suggestion that he is habitually on fire in October and November but goes quiet soon afterwards because that is precisely what happened in 2008.

This takes me on to my first point of the New Year, namely that tipsters and commentators have to be allowed to tip and commentate in the way they choose. I am a big fan of Paul Nicholls and there is no doubt he did a superb job with Kauto Star, but I couldn’t quite see the point of laying into the main Pricewise tipster afterwards. All form is there to be debated and Kauto Star was working hard at Haydock even before his accident at the final fence. On that running, 6 to 4 in the King George was of no interest to me, or indeed to Tom Segal, and I have not changed my mind about that, no matter how easily victory was gained at Kempton.

I am not about to double the pain by making a rash prediction where the Gold Cup is concerned, though I would just point out that the placed horses on Boxing Day were Albertas Run, who had done absolutely nothing this term, and Voy Por Ustedes, who reverts to shorter trips according to trainer Alan King. To me, Kauto Star is clearly better at three miles than three and a quarter, which is what made him vulnerable to a powerful galloper like Denman.

I feel the same this year as I did last: the each-way value can only lie with Halcon Genelardais because there are doubts about the market leaders, he is certain to stay, even on unsuitable ground he is capable of finishing fourth (as we know) and perhaps we’re due a wet March. The way he finished at Chepstow under 11st 12lb was a heart-warming sight and I cannot understand why he is absent from the top ten or twelve in ante-post lists. Listen, I KNOW he’s not quite good enough. But at 50 to 1 or thereabouts again, he is a viable each-way bet.

BBC quietly going its own way

The other thing which niggled away at me for a while over Christmas was the news about the BBC’s possible cutbacks. I applaud the Racing Post’s stance and its willingness to lobby all interested parties, even if I doubt that it will have much effect on the Corporation.

Sorry to be a killjoy, but too many people are missing a basic truth here. Racing is all about betting. That may not be true for everyone but it certainly is for the vast majority of people. The BBC will have noted Channel’s 4’s difficulties over the past few years: midweek racing has been put back further and further to accommodate Countdown and the like, the Morning Line has to go out at 8am instead of 9am to free up airtime for something with wider appeal, certain fixtures have been lost.

The BBC can more or less calculate its (betting) audience for all those meetings where there is no reason for the uncommitted to stay tuned. It will never let go of Royal Ascot because it can put on a show for a much more catholic clientele. It knows that the nation’s love of the Grand National justifies the build-up over three days. It will have monitored the Cheltenham Festival’s soaring popularity and probably regrets losing it. But, in all other respects, it can let racing go, especially with Formula 1 and the Olympic build-up (yawn; oh, all right then, personal yawn) ready to roll over us like some deafening, merciless tide.

It was not always like this and I quite agree with Sir Peter O’Sullevan’s letter to the Racing Post. In fact, you need only go to Sir Peter’s autobiography and look at the chapter dealing with Operatic Society’s November Handicap in the fog, followed by the Hennessy, to know that the people back at base were just as captivated as he was. But, with the greatest respect, he is harking back to a golden age and the Beeb has not looked at racing in that way for quite some time. These days, a typical Saturday slot needs to be fitted in soon after the football preview and just before the major outside broadcast, if the Corporation still holds the rights. It recruits not only well, but cleverly. Clare Balding would fit in anywhere, of course, because she happens to be very talented. But even a foot soldier like Rishi Persad has quickly been groomed for other things - Henman Hill, first reserve on the snooker, etc etc. (No matter how much you wanted to work for the BBC, how would you react to the Henman Hill slot? Be honest, now.)

It is all a great pity but racing has never been the broadest of churches, no matter what we may say. On the other hand, those with an abiding daily interest could hardly be in a better position, with two committed channels screening every single race. How many other leisure activities can claim such comprehensive coverage?

Finally, the point about the loss of sponsorship is simply irrelevant. For a start, it is not the BBC’s job to keep sponsors happy or wonder about their role within a sport. When it lost Test cricket, would its first thought have been: ‘Oh dear, what will happen to cricket if Cornhill drops out?’ Come on. Secondly, if racing bemoans the loss of sponsors such as Victor Chandler (if it happens) it will effectively be admitting that it needs the bookmakers’ shilling more than ever before. Sad but true, of course.

Anyway, all of this is a long-winded way of saying that, as an old, if fairly short-lived BBC hand, I doubt very much that the elephant will pay that much attention to a few gnat bites, loud though the buzzing may be for while. Then again, I was wrong about Kauto Star……

Honest portrait? No, but close

To lighter matters and many congratulations to Chris Platt, who will be my guest at Brighton on Carnaby seller day after identifying the horse which links the late Les Hall, Stockton racecourse and the Monkees as Candid Picture. Les used to win with this old character now and again but lost his licence and Candid Picture went north to be trained by Basil Foster, winning at Stockton at 20 to 1. Davy Jones, lead singer with the Monkees, had ridden as a child and was widely pictured on the old boy on Basil’s gallops. I told you it was hard.