“YOU were born to win, but to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, expect to win,” said American author Zig Zigler.
That quote sums up the difference between Thursday’s Racing League winners London & the South and the other six teams in the competition.
Yes, I know, I was the Captain of the heroic victors, so you might think I would say that.
But this is not about me, for all of course I bound together a magnificent group of like-minded thinkers who crave success and live by very high standards.
Quite simply, though, it’s just the truth.
The other teams squabbled and the likes of Jamie Osborne and Charlie Fellowes continually moaned about their trainers and jockeys. Even about me!
My Saturday NAP
Miles ahead on ratings and dropped back to the minimum trip I’m confident of a very big run.
But, of course, as two men who laid out their own horses for the competition they can actually only blame themselves.
The huge win was made possible through meticulous planning, and a knowledge from all my handlers that they could trust my word.
If a trainer was told they would get a spot they got a spot.
And if one was begged to take one for the team and run a horse they might not have expected to, they did so with grace.
That happened on the final evening, when defending champion Manxman was pulled out of the staying race at declaration time.
Eve Johnson Houghton stepped up to the plate and ran Francesco Baracca and was rewarded with a fine third place.
It’s not the first time Johnson Houghton has proved a terrific team player. Thank you.
My trainers and jockeys wanted to win.
But of course it’s the horses who should take centre stage, and London & The South had some real stars.
At Yarmouth Fantasy World showed he would be a useful middle distance beast with juice in the ground (too fast in the Melrose at York), while Jimmy Speaking emerged as a talent for Chris Dwyer and Andaleep scored at the age of nine for the terrific Dan and Claire Kubler team.
He ran in four of the six Racing League fixtures and deserves a medal.
The Kublers took Racing League very seriously and were rewarded.
They took the Zigler words to another level.
They also had another terrific success with the battling Shamrock Bay at Chepstow, a meeting in which Great Acclaim was so game for Johnson Houghton after a Glorious Goodwood romp.
Kodi Fire was given a cracker by young Jack Dace to rally and score for Charlie Hills at Windsor, and this competition certainly gives riders starting out a chance to shine.
I’m so pleased Jack got that opportunity. Jack Doughty was another who impressed me and Hughie Morrison.
Also at Windsor Nicola Currie was superb on Siempre Arturo, another Kubler inmate.
I suspect Currie was going to be given a real chance by the Kublers before they got a Bahrain gig. Someone should snap her up.
It’s not always been easy for her, but there’s real talent in that body.
And finally to Bragbor at Newcastle.
He was plotted up by George Scott weeks before the mile and a quarter race and took the prize under the magnificent Richard Kingscote, who is now in Hong Kong but left as the Racing League top rider with a prize of £20,000.
It’s ironic that Scott and Fellowes are best mates, but the former was very much responsible for the latter’s downfall.
How Fellowes did not have Scott in his team is something none of us will ever understand.
It was a catastrophic mistake.
Thank you Charlie for ditching your super-talented pal.
Not everyone loves Racing League.
Indeed it’s trendy to dislike it and rest assured if you slag it off on social media it’s terrific clickbait.
There is no doubt the team aspect hasn’t caught on as everyone would have liked.
But the action is hardcore competitive. And if punters find it tricky then that’s just because they are too lazy to put the work in.
Racing League betting markets have so many advantages to punters it’s ridiculous. But you do have to study the races and make an effort.
Sadly, most punters just want everything on a plate in the modern era. That’s just the way of the world.
I once nearly helped make Darryll Holland champion jockey. I failed, beaten by Kieren Fallon.
Racing League involves the same skills of diplomacy and determination as being a jockey’s agent.
You make mistakes, get frustrated, but you enjoy the good times.
London & the South this week are best of the best.
Long live the League!
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