There’s an old joke about a man who goes
to his psychiatrist complaining that he sometimes dreams he’s a humble teepee, but at other times imagines he’s a posh
marquee. “What can this mean?” he pleads. “That’s simple,” says the doc, “you’re
two tents.” Cue much groaning.
There may be a point to this story,
though, so bear with me. Highlight of the show at Huntingdon today appears to
be the third outing over hurdles of the imposing My Tent Or Yours, and he will look a banker to many. If he shows
the form which saw him put the smart Taquin de Seuil to the sword at Ascot in
November, then he will prove hard to beat, but he’s managed to lose 3 races
that he looked sure to win in his short career to date, and it’s fair to say
there’s a touch of the Jekyll & Hyde about him (Two Tents, geddit?). He was
twice beaten in bumpers last year having looked to be cruising on both
occasions, and Tony McCoy was at pains to hold him up for as long as possible
at Newbury last time, which again saw him trade short without quite getting on
terms with the winner. Owner J P McManus
has recently shelled out a huge fee to buy the Supreme Novices’ favourite
Jezki, which is hardly a vote of confidence in this fella, while he has
developed a penchant for aiming one of his best novices at the Betfair Hurdle -
Darlan was an unlucky loser last year, while Get Me Out of Here won in 2010,
suggesting that the plan for My Tent Or
Yours is a crack at that contest. He’s already been allotted a BHA mark of
140, but needs another run in order to meet the qualifying criteria for that
Grade 3 handicap. An impressive win today will enable the handicapper to amend
his rating upwards, and it’s safe to assume there will be no fireworks from
McCoy today. Backing odds-on shots when victory is not a prerequisite is a
risky business, and for that reason My Tent Or Yours cannot be entertained as a
bet. If he wins, it will be by pouncing late, and his tendency to miss the last
hurdle renders that tactic risky. Make no mistake, a fast-finishing second
today is the ideal result for connections, for all an unimpressive win would
fit the bill perfectly well.
What’s the best way to approach the
race, then? I’d be happy to lay the favourite at current odds, but given I’m no
fan of John Ferguson’s Population, either, I’ll also look for something to back
against that pair. The one which jumps off the page is Royal Guardsman, who won a decent bumper at Ascot last season for
Colin Tizzard, and sits between My Tent Or Yours and Population on Timeform’s
list of last season’s top bumper performers. The weight he receives from the
favourite today helps offset that, and he has the physique of one who will do
at least as well over hurdles. In need of his debut over obstacles at Newbury
last month, he showed enough to suggest a move to owner Sue Nock’s small yard
hasn’t seen his potential impaired, and he should be a fair bit shorter in the
betting that he is.
Recommended Bets:
Back Royal Guardsman in the 13:20 Huntingdon
@ [9.0] (NAP)
Lay My Tent Or Yours in the 13:20 Huntingdon
@ [1.57]
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