Racing Post

Comeback on hold after Discko’s spill

RICHARD BIRCH

Since landing a 17-2 touch with En Coeur at Plumpton on January 2, my punting fortunes have gone downhill faster than skiing supremo Franz Klammer in the 1970s and 80s.

Saturday was supposed to launch the climb back to parity for the month, but heartbreak awaited at Uttoxeter’s sixth-last in the 2m4f handicap chase.

Discko Des Plages had been moving as smoothly as Sister Sledge to He’s The Greatest Dancer when he fell three out in a similar race over the Staffordshire course and distance in November.

I watched the replay a million and one times and formed the strong opinion on each occasion that Discko Des Plages would have danced home by a minimum of ten lengths.

Mustard-keen to invest, I placed £160 each-way at 6-1 – split between Hills and Ladbrokes – and was confident of a welcome £1,152 cash injection when my selection galloped on to the second circuit in a handy, stalking fifth.

Discko Des Plages was travelling well, with the 12-runner field beginning to thin out nicely behind him, when he buried rider Paul O’Brien six out.

The horse seemed to jump the fence beautifully, but stumbled on landing and gave his jockey less than no chance of retaining the partnership.

Literally two minutes after that £320 had gone to the bookmakers, I received a mysterious text message from the local doctor’s surgery – which I haven’t visited for well over five years – to confirm an appointment for treatment of my “diabetic foot”.

I must confess that the text – as nonsensical, of course, as Flightline being rated Frankel’s equal – really got on my nerves and, coming so close to the Discko Des Plages debacle, I could have started a fight in a phone box right then.

Fortunately I was home alone – with no phone booths in sight – so the best solution was to sort out the Sunday cards.

After some calm, methodical research, I discovered that Echo Watt was fully 30lb better off with Coolvalla in Fontwell’s 3m3f handicap chase compared to their last meeting.

At best odds of 9-1 and 11-8, it was obvious where my money would go. Hills laid me £1,035-£115 each-way, and a couple of hours later the 9-1 had turned into 9-2.

Echo Watt and Coolvalla were upsides turning for home, with the race between them. I thought my horse was going fractionally better under Jamie Moore, and I knew he’d stay.

Unlike those ghastly YouTubers who film themselves celebrating goals, my throaty “come on Jamie” was 100 per cent genuine and from the heart. Yet as soon as I started to shout, Echo Watt was beaten, and I had to endure the ludicrous situation of having a nearpanic attack on the run-in when he began to tire so dramatically that, in a mad, split-second moment, I even managed to convince myself it was possible he could finish out of the first three. You what?

Fortunately, Echo Watt managed to stagger over the line in third to give me a £92 profit on the bet. Slim pickings from a horrible week.

TRAINER FILE RACING OUTLOOK

en-ie

2023-01-31T08:00:00.0000000Z

2023-01-31T08:00:00.0000000Z

https://racingpost.pressreader.com/article/281925957154085

Racing Post