SHARPE MIND: Bargain Winner

In this week’s SHARPE MIND blog, where sports betting PR legend GRAHAM SHARPE aims to bring you a rundown of Sensational, Hard to believe, Amusing, Remarkable, Pertinent & Entertaining events which have happened over the years in the worlds of racing and betting during each specific week of the year, he digs out some of the golden moments from the week between 28 February and 6 March.

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FEB 28, 1844………..BARGAIN WINNER…….After new owner Mr Quartermaine negotiated with seller Mr Payne to buy a horse from him, the name Discount appeared appropriate – and certainly was when Discount went and won the 1844 Grand National as 5/1 co-favourite on this date, sloshing up by 15 lengths against 15 rivals. Wnning jockey, 22 year old John Crickmere was riding in his second National having finished third the previous year. he was twenty-two years old but sadly would have just one further ride in the race before dying of consumption in 1846.

FEB 28, 2009……SAMPLING HEAVENLY SUCCESS……The Reverend won a Kelso chase today – the name was appropriate as the 100/30 shot was owned by 53 year old Reverend Fiona Sample, whose parishes were in several north-east of England towns and villages.

MARCH 1, 1839…….FIRST CHASE?…….Artist, R Ackermann published a set of four prints on this date, depicting the ‘first steeple chace (sic) on record’, allegedly run overnight in 1803 by the 3rd Dragoons, stationed at Ipswich, who raced from their barracks to Nacton Church.

MARCH 1, 1944……IN THE NATIONAL VANGUARD…..For the first time, on this date the fledgling Grand National, aka the Liverpool and National Chase, became a handicap, framed by William Topham who gave top weight Peter Simple a mere 13stone 6lb to carry – unsurprisingly, despite starting 3/1 favourite he didn’t win, refusing at the 15th, and 12/1 shot Vanguard, under Tom Olliver, carrying 11st 10lbs, came home in front.

MARCH 2, 1959….FRANCS A LOT, JOHN……..Born on this date and one of the pioneering female jump jockeys, Lorna Vincent, who won on her debut rides over both hurdles and fences, declared the highlight of her career to be; ‘Beating John Francome in a photo-finish the day before my 21st birthday.’

MARCH 2, 2004……CAUGHT OUT……..15/8 shot Ballinger Ridge charged off in front in a one mile race at Lingfield under Keiren Fallon, going well clear, only to be beaten on the line by 8/11 favourite, Rye, sparking rage from Fallon backers, and an admission from the jockey that ‘I’ve never made a mistake like that, before or since. The Racing Post race comments were: ‘Led, soon 10 lengths clear, shaken up briefly over 1f out, jockey looked round and stopped riding, ridden final 100yds, caught on line.’

MARCH 3, 1974……….KEEPING DEAD-HEAT IN THE FAMILY……..Owner/trainer/breeder John Thorne rode his Woodland Wedding, 10/1, to a dead-heat at Warwick, today in 1974 – with that horse’s sister, 20/1 Flying Timber, who he also bred.

MARCH 3, 2021…NAP HAND FOR LA DOYLER…Hollie Doyle landed a magnificent five-timer at Kempton’s evening meeting, on March 3, 2021, guiding Della Mare, Laos, Highland Avenue, Sir Titan and Madrinho to victory at accumulative odds of 2,521-1, becoming the first female jockey to ride five consecutive winners in Britain.

MARCH 4, 1995……….GOOD NEWS DIDN’T LAST………..Jason Brautigam sponsored the ‘Zoe Hurworth Will You Marry Me? Stakes’ at Lingfield today in 1995. She said ‘Yes’……but poignantly, the wedding never happened.

MARCH 4, 2004……..RATED THE BEST…….Perhaps the first modern handicapper, Dick Whitford, whose ratings appeared daily in the Sporting Life, died on this date in 2004, aged 93. Had also worked with Timeform founder Phil Bull in earlier days.

MARCH 5, 1994……….HUMAN BUMPER RACE……..Irish champion jockey, Mick Kinane, and Arc-winning French rider, Eric Saint-Martin, were ‘warned about their future conduct’ after a weighing room ‘fracas’ at Sha Tin, Hong Kong. The pair were involved in a ‘bumping duel’ during a race won by Kinane.

MARCH 5, 1845………NATIONAL WALK OVER….…Cure-All walked from Grimsby to Aintree to win today’s 1845 Grand National – then walked back, with groom Kathy Crisp to be greeted by church bells on their arrival.

MARCH 6, 2009…….COR, PIP-PIP TONY…….Tony McCoy received a gift from Fakenham racecourse today in 2009 to mark his recent achievement of 3000 winners…..an apple tree.

MARCH 6, 2020…….EMPTY OR FULL, IT’S A LAUGH….….‘What always strikes me is it’s a funny place when empty, stranger still when full’…..trainer Nicky Henderson on the Cheltenham Festival, after admitting on this date that he has a sleeping tablet prescribed by his doctor, to take each night on the run-in to the event.

GRAHAM SHARPE

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