Mike Cattermole draws on experience in Stewards’ Cup
Everyone loves to pick the winner of the big race but one man has developed an usual knack.
Mike Cattermole, the Channel 4 racing presenter, is the man when it comes to drawing stalls’ positions for the £100,000 bluesq.com Stewards’ Cup, which is run at Goodwood on Saturday.
Four times Cattermole has chosen stalls on behalf of winning trainers, with three for Roger Charlton (Harmonic Way 1999, Patavellian 2003, and Genki last year) and he also picked correctly for Bryan Smart with Bond Boy in 2002. For this year’s draw he was acting again for Charlton and came up with two prime slots taking 22 for Run For The Hills, the first of 28 names drawn, and 25 for Genki, who was the fifth name out of the hat.
“I’ve picked out the stalls for all three of Roger’s winners and also for Bond Boy [2002] on behalf of Reg Bond and Bryan Smart, which is pretty extraordinary,” Cattermole said. “I was a bit worried when Run For The Hills came out first because I wanted to be among some pace. Without knowing where the pace horses are going, it is hard to get the right call. I was glad to see Jonny Mudball going in 24 which should help Genki in the next stall.
“The ground is said to be slightly quicker on the far side, but it may be chewed up there by Saturday which could help those drawn low. As they say, it’s the luck of the draw, but I’ve spoken to Roger and he’s happy.”
The draw gives trainers and owners the chance to nominate stall of their choice for one of the biggest handicaps of the year - usually the draw for races is performed by a computer. The current TurfTrax GoingStick readings for Goodwood’s six-furlongs straight course gave a mark of 8.5 for the far side and 8.2 on the stands’ side, suggesting horses drawn high would gain a minor advantage, although with light rain forecast that could change by Saturday afternoon.
Richard Fahey had five runners but who had to wait until the 18th name was drawn, Castles In The Air (stall 2), before taking a pick. Another Fahey runner, Prime Exhibit, was the last name drawn and left with stall 13, which may or may not be lucky but the trainer remained upbeat. “I didn’t have much choice and had to go low, but it takes a bit of pressure off. We’re happy enough because there is pace low. Good ground would be ideal for all of them.”
Other trainers tried to make the best of what was on offer when their turn came. Tom Dascombe, who has two runners, said: “I arrived just in time to gain stall 24 for Noverre To Go and I’m happy with that, although it turns out a lot of the pace horses are drawn low. Godolphin’s Ancien Regime [23] is alongside and should go on in first-time blinkers, so if the ground stays quick he’s got a chance. Jonny Mudball [19] went up 9lb for his last win, which was ridiculous, and he’s going to struggle, but at least we’re in the top half of the draw.”
Kevin Ryan, represented by a trio in the race, said: “They all came out late and the high stalls I wanted had all gone. Advanced [14] has gained a middle berth which gives him the option to go either way, and when Parisian Pyramid [1] came out I opted to give him the chance of running up the rail. Everymanforhimself [8] came out late so we had no choice but to go low. Because I’m drawn low, I’d be glad to see some rain to even the going out on both sides.”
Local trainer William Knight, whose runner Palace Moon (20), was ninth out of the draw said: “Looking at the Turftrax readings the far side is slightly quicker and that’s where we’ll be, and there is pace and fancied horses around us, so I’m happy. I didn’t want to be first out and I avoided that, and I wouldn’t mind a bit of rain, because he would handle that although he has won on firm.”
Dandy Nicholls, who won the race five years ago with Gift Horse, said: “We’ve got three in there and two, Sonny Red (seven) and Striking Spirit (five), are drawn low, while Evens And Odds (18) is higher. That’s fine, and they are all good horses who will make the best of their way, although we would have liked to be up the middle where there are one or two front-runners.”
In other words, you pays your money and you takes your pick.
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