Who was Sir Henry Cecil?

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At the time of his death, on June 13, 2013, Sir Henry Richard Amherst Cecil was hailed by ‘The Scotsman’ as ‘Britain’s greatest racehorse trainer of the past five decades’. Born in Aberdeen on January 11, 1943, Cecil nevertheless became the epitome of a quintessential English gentleman; calm, polite and softly spoken, he was as a universally popular as he was successful.

Cecil first took out a training licence at Freemason Lodge Stables on Bury Road, Newmarket, where he succeeded his step-father, Sir Cecil Boyd Rochford, in 1968. He saddled his first winner, Celestial Cloud, in an amateur riders’ maiden stakes race at Ripon, on May 17, 1969. By the time Cecil succeeded his father-in-law, Sir Noel Murless, at Warren Place on nearby Moulton Road at the end of the 1976 season, he had already won back-to-back renewals of the 2,000 Guineas, with Bolkonski in 1975 and Wollow in 1976. He sent out both winners from his interim base at Marriot Stables, now Chestnut Tree Stables, on the Hamilton Road, with Wollow also contributing the Eclipse Stakes, Sussex Stakes and Juddmonte International Stakes towards his first trainers’ title.

Cecil was crowned Champion Trainer again in his year at Warren Place, 1978, and would go on to win eight more trainers’ titles in 1979, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990 and 1993. Indeed, between the late seventies and the early nineties, the name ‘H. R.A. Cecil’ on a racecard, alongside those of Joe Mercer, Lester Piggott and Steve Cauthen, who were successive stable jockeys at Warren Place, was guaranteed to quicken the blood of the average racegoer.

However, in 1995, the relationship between Cecil and leading owner Sheikh Mohammed deteriorated and, ultimately, broke down completely after a series of disagreements. The susbequent removal of 40 horses from Warren Place inevitably led to a downturn in the fortunes of the, by then, 10-time Champion Trainer and, for a period, his career looked to be in terminal decline. For a period of just over six years, between July 2000 and October 2006, Cecil failed to saddle a single Group 1 winner and, in 2005, his seasonal tally was just 12 winners, down from a career-best 119 winners back in 1991.

Furthermore, in 2006, it was revealed that Cecil was undergoing treatment for the stomach cancer that would, tragically, end his life on June 11, 1973. Nevertheless, despite constant ill health, it was testament to the courage and competitiveness of the man that, under the auspices of long-standing ally Khaled Abdullah, in particular, Cecil increased his seasonal tally to 25 winners in 2006, 45 in 2007 and, thereafter, saddled 52 or more winners for the next five seasons running.

A truly masterful horseman, particularly adept at training fillies, Cecil won the Oaks eight times – including with Fillies’ Triple Crown winner Oh So Sharp in 1985 – the 1,000 Guineas six times, The Derby and the St. Leger four times apiece and the 2,000 Guineas. Yet, for all his Classic success, it is likely that Sir Henry Cecil will likely always be best remembered for his association with one horse, Frankel, who completed his unbeaten 14-race career on British Champions Day at Ascot on October 21, 2012 and remains the highest-rated Flat horse in history of Timeform, which began shortly after World War II. By that stage, Cecil had become a ‘Sir’, having been knighted by Queen |Elizabeth II the previous year, and it was entirely fitting that he should enjoy a remarkable revival, late in his career, with a horse carrying the famous green, pink and white colours of his loyal supporter.

Why Choose an Independent Bookmaker Over a Chain?

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With online gambling taking preference for many gamblers, the sight of brick-and-mortar bookmakers is becoming less common compared to the heyday of the 1960s when off course gambling was legalised. In fact by the 1970s there were over 15,000 bookmakers in the UK. In recent years, the number of bookmakers has fallen and independent shops have diminished due too buyouts and closures.

In the 1980s we had an independent bookmakers at the top of our road. It was owned by one of the Scotney brothers. A small prefabricated building. I can’t say I ever went inside as I was underage. And by the time I reached eighteen (and the legal age to bet) it has gone by the way. There was no televised racing, just a tannoy which blasted out race commentary and results. Dad used to place a few bets each week. His favourite bet an each-way Yankee. With Dad’s betting slip in hand, we’d eagerly await the results on the radio and tell him the news.

He had a number of big wins.

He wasn’t a favourites man.

In this day of bookmaker restrictions and the Gambling Commission White paper to be announced at any time, it seems those heady days of gambling without complication have disappeared. We didn’t realise we had it so good.

All bookmakers are the same, limiting bets, restricting or closing accounts if someone looks like winning.

However, out of the two, which bookmaker is best: chain or independent?

Here are a few reasons why it might pay to bet with the independents:

  • Personalised Service: Independent bookmakers often give a more personalised customer-centric experience. A long-standing relationship allowed for a more tailored betting and attention.

  • You may get increased betting limits, odds, and payment methods.

  • You may get better value as independent bookmakers have more competitive odds.

  • Often greater emphasis and knowledge which sometimes relates to value in niche markets.

  • They often rely on greater trust and reputation than chains to attract and retain clients.

  • Face-to-Face Interactions: Punters often appreciate the personal interaction that comes with dealing with a local bookmaker.

  • Credit Betting: Independent bookmakers are more likely to offer credit with trusted customers, settle accounts later, and build long-term relationships.

  • Reduced Red Tape: Often have fewer bureaucratic procedures and regulations.

  • Niche Markets: Independent bookmakers have the flexibility to cater for niche markets that may not be viable for larger chains.

  • Community Involvement: Independent bookmakers often have a better relationships and deeply connected with local communities and may sponsor local sports clubs or events.

In the old days, the arrival of bookmaker chains seemed to offer more but in truth the independent bookmakers are sadly missed. You can’t beat the feel, trust and enjoyment of the old-style community interaction. In a world of ultimate manipulation the days of bookmakers taking a bet have sadly disappeared.

Thank the Lord for betting exchanges.

Does A Negative Draw Bias Mean Your Horse Can’t Win?

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It’s interesting how we assume something as a fact. We don’t question it and that is a mistake. I have a feeling so many racing fans do the same when it comes to draw bias when betting or not on a given horse.

I had a conversation with my brother about this very subject. And I am sure to some extent I have fallen foul of this point. For example, when betting on two-year-old horse racing from a wide draw at Kempton, a turning course, perhaps stall 12 would put me off betting. In fact, horses with wide draws are likely to be much bigger price because they are drawn on the extreme. It seems natural that a horse drawn lower has an advantage. Logically that seems the case and it goes unquestioned. To a point this is correct and data would most likely prove it too. The problem with a wide draw on a turning course, where the turn comes after a couple of furlongs, is that the horse may struggle to get to the lead and worse still if it doesn’t get to the lead it will have to run perhaps four or five horses wide. This is a terrible position to find a horse you have backed and it really is a near hopeless position. The chances of winning are negligible.

But is a wide draw quite the death knell is sounds?

It might not be. Is their a positive to a wide draw? On the face of it there doesn’t seem to be one.

However, both a good and bad draw are two sides to the same coin.

You may be thinking what does that mean.

It is important to consider that winning or losing is much to do with intention. That is the intention of the trainer to win a race. This brings hope even from a wide draw. Because if a horse has a wide draw the trainer knows they will be able to negate the draw and turn it into a positive by getting to the lead. So the wide ‘negative’ may help influence the style of running for a given horse.

I’ve seen horses with wide draws do exactly this, they get to the lead as fast as possible.

With two-year-old horse racing there is a proviso that few debutantes are going to have the experience to achieve this. However, if the horse is on its second start it is a possibility. So the next time you look at a horse you fancy and put off by a wide draw consider this. Could it get to the lead?

Quite often the horse can and does because the trainer and jockey know what they have to do to win.

This can turn what seems to be a negative into a positive.

In addition, it often bring much more value to your bet with regard to increased betting odds. Quite often these horses drift markedly in the betting.

This is sometimes viewed as an additional negative.

Watch a few races and make your own mind up. If anything, it will help you appreciate it isn’t a good idea to just accept general opinion as being true.

Quite often what we consider a fact it is false.

Which horses would you recommed for the 2024 Spring Double?

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Although rarely spoken or written about as such, the ‘Spring Double’ remains a time-honoured and potentially lucrative ante-post bet, which involves coupling the winner of the Lincoln Handicap at Doncaster with the winner of the Grand National at Aintree. Traditionally the feature race on the opening day of the British Flat season, on turf at least, the Lincoln Handicap is scheduled for Saturday, March 23, 2024, while the Grand National is due to take place three weeks later on Saturday, April 13, 2024.

At the time of writing, the first leg of the Spring Double, the Lincoln Handicap, is still some months away, but the ante-post markets for both races are taking shape. Indeed, in the unlikely event that the ante-post favourite, or joint-favourite, wins both legs, the current odds of reward are a not-to-be -sneezed-at 128/1, so it’s definitely worth taking a look at the likely contenders, even at the early stage.

The 97-rated 4-year-old Botanical, trained by Roger Varian, currently heads the ante-post market for the Lincoln at odds of 8/1. The Lope De Vega has won two of his five starts so far, both at distances beyond a mile, on good to soft and soft going, on the undulating, testing track at Hamilton. Indeed, on his most recent visit to the South Lanarkshire course, in October 2023, Botanical ran out an easy 6-length winner of a Class 3 handicap, for which he was subsequently raised 10lb in the weights. At that stage, Varian said, ‘…he should be a nice horse next year’, although he did add, ‘…ground is quite important to him’.

Notwithstanding the cancellation of 2020 renewal, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the word ‘soft’ has failed to appear in the going description on Town Moor just three times in the last ten runnings of the Lincoln. Botanical may well have his ideal underfoot conditions, but the 10lb rise obviously makes life more difficult in a race as competitive as this and whether he’s quite as effective over the mainly flat, straight mile at Doncaster remains to be seen.

Obviously, with 97 entries for the Lincoln at this early stage, there are plenty of alternatives. For a recommendation, though, we’re looking to the lightly-raced 6-year-old Chazzesmee, trained by James ‘Fozzy’ Stack in Co. Tipperary. The son of high-class miler Excelebration was an comfortable winner at Naas in March 2023 and, despite a 98-day break, came within a length of defying a 13lb rise in the weights in a valuable handicap at the Curragh the following July. That form makes good reading in the context of this race and, with underfoot conditions unlikely to pose a problem, Chazzesmee makes no little appeal at 16/1.

Notwithstanding the reduction in the number of starters, from 40 to 34, in 2024, the Grand National still presents the thorniest of thorny problems from a punting perspective. Bookmakers currently bet 16/1 the field, which brings in last year’s winner Corach Rambler, trained by Lucinda Russell, Mahler Mission, trained by John McConnell in Co. Meath, and Vanillier, trained by Gavin Cromwell, also in the so-called ‘Royal County’.

Of that trio, despite lacking experience of the idiosyncratic Aintree fences, the second-named makes the most appeal, having finished a gallant, 3¾-length third in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury on his reappearance, despite losing both front shoes in the process. Mahler Mission was arguably an unlucky loser when falling at the second-last fence, when still 4 lengths in front, in the National Hunt Challenge Cup at the Cheltenham Festival last March. His stamina for the extra half a mile or so of the Grand National needs to be taken on trust, but he was keeping on well at the time of his Festival mishap, so looks to have bright prospects.