Stat of the Day, 22nd August 2012

Stat of the day
Stat of the Day, 22nd August 2012
Azores is a mule. And I’m an idiot for thinking otherwise. Onwards. Whilst tempted to go with the best stat today (Frankel is 12 out of 12 in his career…!), I’ve decided to look for something at a healthier price, and have sided with an interesting contender from a surreptitious stable, with a familiar pilot.
South Devon for us, and the…
7.00 Newton Abbot
Gary Brown is probably a new (or newish) name to you. He certainly is to me. But, as I’ve just discovered, he’s been around a while. Indeed, he won the Aintree Foxhunters’ on Killeshin for ‘mad’ John Manners, and was training as early as 2001.
Anyway, I digress. Brown has a very good record at Newton Abbot, where four of his eleven runners since 2007 have won. This evening, it will be the turn of another ‘mad’ man, Mad George, to strut his stuff.
This fellow has only run twice, winning a three horse bumper last season, and then making a mistake early in his hurdles debut and given an easy enough time of it thereafter.
That latter race was just six days ago, and he’ll have improved both for the jumping experience and in fitness terms. Tonight’s event is a 2m1f novice hurdle and, whilst it’s possible that connections are planning to head down the handicap route in due course, the booking of AP McCoy looks significant.
McCoy is two from two for Brown at Newton Abbot; and four from eight overall. Small sample, but clearly Brown only buzzes McCoy’s agent when he thinks he has a live one.
Tonight’s distance, going and class won’t be a problem, and with the champ’s urgings, Mad George may well have place prospects at least, behind a very short priced favourite (Marie des Anges). He’s 8/1 BOG with bet365 just now, but that’s the first bookie putting a price up so it’s definitely worth checking for better as the morning wears on.
I’m taking Mad George, each way.
Click here for the latest odds for the 7.00 Newton Abbot.
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