I added another to the string recently as the CSH bought a Mizzen Mast filly at Keeneland. The filly is a full sister to Mystery Sail, who beat Lord Peter Flint in her only start at Newbury – that race was only a couple of hours before the Keeneland auction. She was cheap, partly because she had a chip on her knee. We’ve had the chip removed and she’s on her way to the UK as I write.
Chips are normally on the knee, but they can also occur on the shoulder. Six years ago, in the days when Betfair was two men and a dog working from an outside toilet, we had our first piece of negative press €“ a snide dig from RP writer Alex Hankin. Hankin is the RPs exchange expert, but in six years of incessant sniping he has never met with us, which I think is a bit of a give away. The door€™s open Alex if you ever feel the need to search out a balanced perspective.
In yesterday’s piece Hankin tells us that an exchange trading room gives its customers “a massive advantage over other punters” – indeed they can “pick the pockets of the unwary”. Free money for any shark who wants to take it, taking the rabbits to the cleaners. So where€™s the catch??
Unfortunately as any exchange expert would know it’s all a bit of a con. There are already plenty of punters out there with access to the quick pics, all competing aggressively with each other to get to the front of the queue, and the unwary rabbits out there (bless their fluffy little tails) generally get a decent price whether they want it or not. The more punters with fast picture access, the better protected and served the world’s rabbit population.
There is a lot more to this argument, but I€™ll save it for another day. The main point €“ Hankin masquerades as an impartial journo but he is unable to get away from his prejudices. The case against him is, IMO, overwhelming.
On to other things, and Shepherd’s Warning ran well enough in defeat, picking up late on to grab fifth place. She not that big and she may have felt a bit bullied early on in the race. We may yet get a win out of her.