Form factors, F-bombs and fair dinkum stitch-ups | Punt Drunk

[Wandering Eyes]

In this Monday’s edition of Punt Drunk, the team discusses a deadset hook job in Canada, a blooper on live tele and the producers who got a bit of a chuckle out of the old boy Flow Meter. The week that was had it all, and all we could really say was ‘wow’.

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FORM FACTORS

If you enjoy your Victorian and South Australian racing, there is a fair chance you watch the action on Racing.com. If that’s the case, you probably know what we mean when we mention ‘form factors’. They’re the boxes with either a green or red outline, highlighting positives and negatives in a horse’s form. It could be green when a horse is fit and ready to win, after a good barrier trial, or if it maps well, while it could be red if the horse lacks experience, has a big weight, or has a bad barrier.

The team at Racing.com clearly had a bit of fun with South Australian fan favourite Flow Meter on Saturday as the old boy stepped out for his 200th and final career start at Morphettville. ‘May need the run’, ‘needs a spell’ and ‘still learning’ were the three form factors they used for the seasoned campaigner. What else can you really say about a horse having his 200th start?

well played @Racing pic.twitter.com/TUauvpS1Kr

— Dean Krongold (@DeanKrongold) July 23, 2022

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HEAD SCRATCHER

Without jumping to conclusions and saying it was a rort – actually, bugger that, it looks like it was a rort. A race at Assiniboia Downs in Canada caught the attention of punters on Wednesday after jockey Sheldon Chickeness seemed to try very hard to lose it. The horse he was on, King Witt, was some five lengths in front at the top of the straight and looked a guaranteed winner. That was until Chickeness had three looks over his shoulder, stopped riding, pulled the horse to the middle of the track and waited for other horses to go past him before making an effort.

The horse lost all momentum but managed to pick himself up again to run second, going down by a long neck. As mind-boggling as it is, there was no steward’s inquiry post-race, so the operator of Assiniboia Downs, the Manitoba Jockey Club, requested a full review of the event. If you were on King Witt, you’d feel pretty hard done by.

Assiniboia asks provincial regulators to conduct a “full and complete review” of race 5 July 20, when King Witt finished second under jockey Sheldon Chickeness after having big lead at top of stretch. pic.twitter.com/GYSgeEDWua

— Ray Paulick (@raypaulick) July 21, 2022

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TELL IT HOW IT IS

The beauty of live television is people can say exactly what they’re thinking and nothing can be done about it. Fortunately for punters, and unfortunately for Sky Racing, that’s what happened at Belmont on Wednesday. Lucy Warwick was doing her post-race interview after winning race eight aboard Dance Of The South and was asked by the presenter what she thought of her chances aboard Semigel in the following event.

The cutaway rail was in play, she had drawn barrier one and thought there was every chance she’d find some luck in running somewhere. We won’t repeat exactly what was said, but you can watch for yourself. At least she was honest.

Sounds like a moral pic.twitter.com/dbHXbKwUf8

— The Sporting Base – Horse Racing (@base_sporting) July 22, 2022

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About Punt Drunk

Welcome to Punt Drunk – our daily column covering all the latest horse racing and punting controversies, dramas and headline news. Have a story or gripe or issue that just grinds your gears? Just hit us up in the comments or contact us page and our jaded, punt hardened Punt Drunk staff will give it the Punt Drunk treatment it deserves. Don’t expect pleasantries or typical racing media fanboy gloss from Punt Drunk – we’re on the punt and we don’t have time to bullshit; the next is about to jump…

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