OpinionChris Cook
premium

Racing prepares us for disappointment - but this latest victory for the sport's superpowers is still depressing

author image
Racing Writer of the Year
No ride in The Grand National
Would public interest in the Grand National be affected if one trainer provided most of the field?Credit: Alan Crowhurst

Disappointment is a dreadful thing. You hate to see it on someone else's face and be reminded of that hollowness that comes from having allowed yourself to anticipate some happy thing which then utterly fails to turn up.

Fortunately, I've had 40 years of hanging around horseracing to build up a tolerance for that sinking feeling. Cybrandian couldn't hold on to the lead that time they ran the Gold Cup in the snow and Maljimar got reeled in as well and so did What's Up Boys (in the National, I mean – no, I wasn't on him for the Hennessy or the Coral Cup, but thanks for asking).

And then there are all those times when you spot a great ante-post price about a horse and watch with mounting glee as the weeks pass by and it shortens from 40-1 to 6-4. When your shrewdness has been proved to yourself over such an extended period, victory can begin to seem like a foregone conclusion and the only reasonable outcome. But those horses never win, unless you laid off at 16s, in which case they hack up, leaving you to rue such cowardly behaviour.

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
Subscribe

Already a subscriber?Log in

Published on inChris Cook

Last updated

iconCopy