Champion Jockey race one of the highlights of 2007

General / Wayne Bailey / 03 January 2008 / Leave a Comment

Seb Sanders, Jamie Spencer, Denman, Kauto Star and Alan King amongst the star names of the year just gone, says Wayne Bailey

The turkey is all gone, you've sang the few words of Auld Lang Syne that you know, and all that's left is to take down the Christmas tree. It's goodbye to 2007 and hello to what will hopefully be a great 2008. The year just gone was controversial both on and off track with plenty of highs and lows. Before we start looking for clues for punting success in '08, let's remind ourselves of some of those memorable moments throughout the year:

The flat-jockey championship

Sanders and Spencer provided a gruelling white-knuckle ride for their followers, and clued in traders easily exploited the zigzagging prices available on betfair. In the end, the fairest result of all prevailed as Spencer ensured a draw with an emphatic win on Inchnadamph in the last race of the championship. Sanders will probably be right up there next season, but one gets the impression that Spencer is having seconds thoughts about doing it all over again!

Kauto and Denman

By far the two stars of the year, Nicholls really has two special horses on his hands. Kauto Star is simply an awesome sight to behold, and Denman's Hennessey win should go down as one of the all time greats considering he was carrying more weight than Dawn French's slippers.

The 'Fallon Trial'

Some expected the trial of the decade, but in the end, the cracks quickly appeared in the flimsy case the prosecution had assembled. When one of the key witnesses told the court that he didn't quite understand backing and laying, the writing was on the wall for the Crown's team. Unfortunately, Fallon has a self-destructive streak within him and immediately put his future in question with a failed drugs test.

George Washington

We lost a number of good horses in 2007, but watching Gorgeous George break down Stateside was one of the saddest scenes of the year. The fact that the track condition (basically, a pile of mud) was very questionable doesn't make it any easier.

Alan King
Don't say we didn't warn you! Once again, Alan King paid the Christmas bills with his usual string of December winners. Betfair backers saw a profit of over eleven grand to £100 stakes backing each of his horses (which dwarfs the return of just four grand to official SP). King fired in 28 winners for the month of December, and if the stats are anything to go by, it's worth following him right until the end of January.

So what's in store for 2008?

Here's a few to keep an eye on:

Jockey to follow

I've no doubt that Scott Dobson will be a household name in a few years. He had a one in four win rate his 29 amateur races in 2007, and provided a return of 237% to the backer. He should pick up plenty of rides this year and simply must be put in the notebook.

Trainer to follow

Victor Dartnall has been considerable successful for a number of years now, but 2008 looks set to be one of his best yet. Handicap hurdles are his speciality, and the past three years have shown decent profits following his mounts in such races.

Horse to follow

Confirmation, if needed that Mansony is something special, came in December at Leopardstown with decisive grade one victory over Nickname. His next target is likely to be the Victor Chandler chase on the 19th January, and his current price of 15.5 for Cheltenham's champion chase looks quite tempting. He seems suited to soft or heavy ground and tends to do well over the shorter trips. 2008 looks like a big year for Moore's nine-year-old.

Finally, let me take this opportunity to wish one and all a happy and profitable new year. As usual, feedback is appreciated, so if you think you've spotted a good bet for 2008, make sure to let us know and post a comment!