The horse racing week ahead

In the early hours of Tuesday all eyes will be on the land down under as hot favourite Vauban bids to give Rich Ricci and Willie Mullins their first victory in the Lexus Melbourne Cup. Ryan Moore has made the journey from California and the Breeders Cup to ride last year's Triumph Hurdle winner. I have a couple of mates that are on at fair prices, he ahs been surprisingly short for a race such as this, and I can't be playing at the 3-1 he is now. 

Barring the big meeting down under it is a relatively quiet week, as least as big races are concerned here in the UK, with a couple of Grade Two heats at Wincanton on Saturday the main races over obstacles. The All-Weather season is of course up and running and we have two Listed heats up at Newcastle on Saturday as well to look forward to. 

Sad news off the back of the Breeders Cup that young Cody Dorman has passed away. His and that of Breeders Cup Mile champion Cody;s Wish was one of those truly heart touching tales.  
The young racing fan forged a close bond with a young, at the time unnamed, son of Curlin during a make-a-wish visit to Godolphin's Gainsborough Farm in October 2018 and the Godolphin homebred foal was aptly named Cody's Wish afterwards. A statement from the Dorman family issued by Godolphin said: "We are heartbroken to share the news that our beloved Cody suffered a medical event on our way home to Kentucky yesterday and he has passed away. Cody watched his best friend, Cody's Wish, display his usual perseverance and toughness to win a second Breeders' Cup. Those are the same characteristics that Cody has shown time and again during the 18 years we were blessed to have him. We have been completely amazed to experience the impact that Cody has had on so many people, through the journey that this wonderous racehorse has taken us all on. From Churchill Downs to Keeneland, to Saratoga to Santa Anita this weekend, we could not move more than 20 feet without someone stopping to tell us just that."