Sometimes the road to joy rests on a twist of the knife or the turn of a card
Forest Ranger's win in stark contrast to Southampton's troubles
I think this should probably become a ‘musical’ column. Some boffin can arrange it so that you turn the page and hear Beethoven’s Ode To Joy when things are going well (Forest Ranger winning on Wednesday) or Leonard Cohen’s Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye (anything to do with Southampton FC) when they aren’t.
I thought Forest Ranger was still a colt when I backed him in the Earl of Sefton Stakes on Wednesday but it turns out he is a gelding. Matt Chapman made this abundantly clear on ITV Racing and I wondered if the information would have dented my optimism if available earlier. Probably not. I may have this wrong but I think the much-loved sprinter Borderlescott was back in action a couple of weeks after the operation.
View race replay, result and analysis of Forest Ranger's win
Read the full story
Read award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing, with exclusive news, interviews, columns, investigations, stable tours and subscriber-only emails.
Subscribe to unlock
- Racing Post digital newspaper (worth over £100 per month)
- Award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing
- Expert tips from the likes of Tom Segal and Paul Kealy
- Replays and results analysis from all UK and Irish racecourses
- Form study tools including the Pro Card and Horse Tracker
- Extensive archive of statistics covering horses, trainers, jockeys, owners, pedigree and sales data
Already a subscriber?Log in
Published on inFeatures
Last updated
Copy- Captain Marvel: how a modern master of Cheltenham and a genuine pioneer executed one of the shocks of the year
- 'We’re delighted with how it's going' - joint-trainers prepare for exciting year after Flat string is doubled
- 'We’ve had to work hard this sales season' - Kennet Valley seeking to build on success with biggest string
- Alastair Down's archives: the great writer recalls Coneygree's glorious victory in the 2015 Cheltenham Gold Cup
- Kauto Star: the extraordinary talent who became the benchmark for sheer undiluted quality
- Captain Marvel: how a modern master of Cheltenham and a genuine pioneer executed one of the shocks of the year
- 'We’re delighted with how it's going' - joint-trainers prepare for exciting year after Flat string is doubled
- 'We’ve had to work hard this sales season' - Kennet Valley seeking to build on success with biggest string
- Alastair Down's archives: the great writer recalls Coneygree's glorious victory in the 2015 Cheltenham Gold Cup
- Kauto Star: the extraordinary talent who became the benchmark for sheer undiluted quality