It is aiming for as high a ratio of winners to runners as possible and this is standing at 28% following Kenilworth on Saturday when Saltire narrowly justified favouritism in the opener.
Manager Craig Carey explained: “We put the trainers under no pressure to run and we make a lot of use of chiropractors and physios [to ensure the horses are right when they do so].”
Talk Of The Town (Liesl King)
To make things simpler for all concerned, and to enable them to monitor the strike rate, all the runners now race under the joint banner of ‘C & R Kieswetter & Ridgemont Racing.’ The fillies race in the dark green, blue sleeve colours while the male horses carry the dark blue, white crosses made famous by Whisky Baron.
Aldo Domeyer, on 37 winners after a Candice Bass-Robinson double, has shorted from 28-1 to 20-1 for the championship but, at the start of yesterday, he was five behind current champion Anthony Delpech (3-1) and seven adrift of leader Lile Hewitson who is a 9-2 chance with World Sports Betting. Gavin Lerena remains favourite at 13-10.
Also in double form were Paul Reeves and wife Charmaine who celebrated their 29th wedding anniversary a day early by winning the last two races with Saint Donan and Sunshine Lady.
The former was winner number 43 for Akshay Balloo who finishes his apprenticeship next month and faces a decision on whether to stay in South Africa or return to his native Mauritius.
Joey Ramsden, the father of three daughters with the arrival of Ruby, struck with Talk Of The Town on whom Bernard Fayd’Herbe scored convincingly in the Betting World Maiden.
Ramsden said: “His first run was smashing but I possibly ran him back a bit quick last time. I thought he did well to shrug off Risky Rambo who never left him alone.”
The stipes ordered a veterinary examination on Know The Ropes after the day’ s supposed good thing finished last but one behind 17-1 rank outsider Wedgwood in the Supabets Handicap. Nothing showed up but the filly lost valuable ground coming out of the pens and never fired.
By Michael Clower
