IF L’Homme Presse and Royale Pagaille make the Gold Cup – who would you get to ride the one Charlie Deutsch ditches?
Indeed, if you were Deutsch who would you partner?
“L’Homme Presse Matt,” I hear you cry. “What a stupid question it’s a no brainer.”
Maybe it is. But it’s an important decision for Deutsch and I’d be surprised if he didn’t give it a thought or two.
Let’s start with the basics. In betting for the Festival showpiece, L’Homme Presse is a 10-1 chance and Royale Pagaille 33-1.
So it does look obvious that of the Venetia Williams-trained pair most of you believe L’Homme Presse is the main man, or gelding.
On ratings it’s a bit more interesting.
L’Homme Presse was on a mark of 170 when scoring at Lingfield on Sunday and I wouldn’t expect him to go up for that performance, as he got 4lb from the 165 Protektorat and beat him just over two lengths.
Royale Pagaille is on 166, and is due to run in the Grade 2 Paddy Power Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham on Saturday.
So we will have to wait and see what he does if The Real Whacker, Stay Away Fay or Ahoy Senor turn up.
Luckily for Deutsche, of course, he doesn’t have to decide now, and if L’Homme Presse – already a Cheltenham Festival hero for his devoted owners – goes for the Ascot Chase he may well have two more pieces of evidence on which to base his decision.
Royale Pagaille has run in three Gold Cups, and it’s reasonable to think at the age of ten his chance might have gone, as he’s finished sixth twice and fifth once.
But he’s currently on his joint highest ever mark, and he did look good in the Betfair Chase.
At this stage it would be L’Homme Presse for me as I’m sure it would be for you, but things might well change.
As for a second rider if they both go for Gold, why not opt for Sean Bowen, who is on the verge of being crowned champion jockey for the first time as soon as he returns from injury.
No one rides more winners than him!
Meanwhile, the other day an outstanding Irish rider sent me this Instagram Story over saunas from Dr James di Nicolantonio.
Remember these are the saunas the BHA and racecourses refuse to allow jockeys to have on track having ripped them all out during Covid.
Now the British Horseracing Authority tell us: “All the medical advice considered by the BHA, and PJA, ahead of the decision to remove saunas, was clear that acute dehydration immediately prior to competition could reach levels where it represents a safety risk to horses and jockeys.”
The word “could” here is of course key.
Dr James, with 2.5m followers and a cardiovascular research scientist, says: “Four to seven sauna sessions per week is associated with a 40 per cent lower risk of death and a 50 per cent lower risk of death from heart disease.
“Ideal sauna session time for these benefits – 20 minutes. Want to live longer? Get in a sauna.”
Of course Dr James could be wrong, and obviously he might say don’t use a sauna before exercise.
But he could be right!
As one Group 1-winning rider said to me: “You have the ridiculous scenario with jockeys running round a track in sweat suits when they could lose a pound or two so easily in a sauna where no one sees them.
“Out on track if you then make a mistake people say – well they were knackered after running round the track. It’s bonkers.”
And finally.
An Instagram picture of Group 1 hero and Westover boy Rob Hornby caught my eye the other day. His message to me was: “Jockey by day cowboy by night!”
I was thinking the opposite! Yeeehaaa!
