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Katie Hopkins called the show awkward and disturbing, so it can’t be all bad. Married At First Sight is like the racing breeding industry, without the money sloshing around.
Married At First Sight is like the racing breeding industry, without the money sloshing around. So-called experts use pseudo-science and pseudoer-sense to make or mate the perfect match. As the name suggests, in Married At First Sight the introductions are made at the minute of matrimony. What could go wrong?
It’s another boundary-pusher by Channel 4, though a borrowed concept from America where they’ve already had two series, the third in some doubt because, astoundingly, all of the couples from season two have since got divorced, including Ryan De Nino and Jessica Castro who couldn’t resolve a few minor issues, such as De Nino allegedly threatening to kill her and her family.
It’s the arranged marriage element why the Shergar Cup hits a certain suppressed spot. The exotic jockey randomly paired up with the horses we know but they don’t is a recipe for magic, or sometimes mayhem, but the difference is in the mix, and the mix makes the difference.
Here, then, are the top ten match-ups in the 2015 Shergar Cup, for purposes of fun, and possibly finance.
1. MASTER THE WORLD and PAT SMULLEN (14:40)
I knew he was good, but I didn’t know he was that good.
I can’t be alone in thinking that about Pat Smullen this year. It’s my fault for being in a British bubble, but from Free Eagle to Snow Sky and Western Reserve, it’s almost as if he’s been actively and pro-actively teaching a riding masterclass. And the dawn in spreading, with the spread of dawning, and the last two British-trained winners of a Group race in Ireland were ridden by you know who, Stepper Point and Covert Love yet more examples of a right-place, right-time rider who clearly thinks through his races.
That’s an advantage on any track at any meeting, but more so at a Shergar Cup where the key for a jockey is to keep your head when some around are losing theirs. In Master The World, Smullen has a partner who’s in the form of his life, overlooking the traffic hotspot of Goodwood last time, when held up in every sense, but there’s a lead to be grabbed in this race and he has the draw, the style and, above all, the rider to take the initiative.
2. OUR GABRIAL and EMMA-JAYNE WILSON (13:30)
He owes her one.
She lit up the Shergar Cup last year and single-handedly made converts out of cynics with her infectious enthusiasm on and off the track, and it could have been three winners rather than two for Emma-Jayne Wilson but for having the whip knocked out of her hand when losing out by a nose in some say the Classic, most say the 12-furlong 0-95 handicap.
The horse who denied her that landmark day was Our Gabrial. Since then, the careers of the first two have taken different paths, Astronereus carrying his head high with pride and Our Gabrial just carrying his head high. Who’s willing to learn? He’s unwilling as she’s about to learn. Two miles of pushing and shoving is bound to drain even wired Wilson’s energy reserves.
3. GREEN DOOR and ROBERT COWELL (12:55)
These are races for the jockeys, and not – important distinction – jockeys’ races, but they’re just races first and foremost, with normal analytical rules applying, and there are few weightier angles in than a juicy trainer change, which is what we’ve got in the opener.
Even the Married At First Sight team might put together Green Door and Robert Cowell: a sprinter who’s just lost his mojo, and a trainer who specialises in that exact area. The facilitators are a career-low mark, back-form that includes a Flying Childers as a two-year-old, and a lucky lottery win with Jamie Spencer. Former handler Stevens may be Shakin’ at what Green Door could do.
4. TRIPLE DIP and FRONT RUNNING (15:15)
The Smullen sycophancy has been done already, but it’s in play again with Triple Dip, though the main marriage here is the one between a horse who’s done most of her best work when front running and a race where she’s likely to get her own way.
Of the couple of others who’ve made the running recently, My Reward is stepping up in trip and ridden by E-J W, and Quest For Wonder has moved stables, so there’s a doubt that one or both will be messing with Triple Dip, who’s a good bet to clear the field from stall 9…and stay clear of the field.
5. JIM GOLDIE and YUTAKE TAKE (12:55)
You’d pay good money just to eavesdrop, wouldn’t you?
6. MY SPIRIT and HANDICAPS (14:05)
She went from flirting to a full-blown affair in listed company and ended up getting in a bit over her head, but My Spirit is now back in the welcoming embrace of handicaps, and she’ll feel the difference.
Taking on the likes of Covert Love and French Dressing in her last two races has just been too much for her to handle, and there’s every chance she’ll be liberated by the combination of the easier grade and return to 12 furlongs.
7. RYDAN and HEADGEAR (14:05)
If My Spirit has simply been soured by her experience, then maybe another new combo will be blissfully happy together, that of Rydan and a visor. For the headgear to work it needs something to tap into, and Rydan has certainly got that, remembering the strength of his 2014 form for Robert Mills, including two wins, the latter by six lengths at Kempton in September.
There have been reasons behind his subdued efforts so far this year with Gary Moore, as it was testing ground at Chester and listed company at Goodwood, but the refreshing 11-week break and first-time visor are both potential catalysts, making Rydan a big-priced livewire.
8. COMMUNICATOR and ANDREW BALDING (13:30)
They were divorced briefly, but now they’re back together, with a lot of support, including from the handicapper.
Like many relationships, Communicator and hurdling promised plenty but failed to deliver, though all the while handled with tender care by Jonjo O’Neill, and the feeling is that Communicator is now back where he belongs, on the Flat, and with Andrew Balding.
A mark of 90 is 4 lb lower than when third in the 12-furlong event at last year’s Shergar Cup, and this two-mile trip probably suits him better these days. And Jamie Spencer is the best Best Man for this renewing of their vows.
9. SQUATS and ASCOT (15:50)
Ascot isn’t for all riders (even the British-based ones) or all horses, so it can pay to latch onto those with course form, and Squats ran really well on both his starts here last year, too free on the first but smashing it on the second, beating Profitable that day.
After a quiet start to 2015, he has looked to be coming to the boil again lately, challenging briefly against Magical Memory and co in a stronger handicap than this at Newmarket last time, and returning to Ascot could well put an extra edge on him. He’s struck lucky with the draw in two senses, firstly getting Hayley Turner, who’s perfect for his softly, softly style, and then with stall 4 putting him near the pace pushers in Roudee and Acolyte.
10. SHERGAR CUP and BETTING
It’s a novelty event with a gimmicky format, but the base line of the Shergar Cup is six 10-runner handicaps at a useful level for mostly established horses. In other words, the perfect medium for betting, even allowing for the rider conundrums.
Spencer and Smullen have cropped up regularly in this rundown, aboard several likely winners between them, and with the third member of the team being the coolest of cool heads in Graham Lee, I’m investing heavily on a win for Great Britain and Ireland in the overall competition.