Time might well prove that in losing to the former David Simcock-trained six-year-old Mahbooba was anything but disgraced, but that won’t help fill the empty pockets of those who followed horse racing tips and rushed in to support the perceived ‘good thing’ based on her previous outing at the track a fortnight earlier when fairly bolting up by four-and-a-half-lengths from Lahjood in the Al Rashadiya Trial.

De Kock has always held Mahbooba in high regard and for much of the mile contest on Friday she appeared to have all bases covered, striding confidently to the lead a furlong-and-half from home and looking to have most of her rivals in trouble. A glance behind however saw First City ( a well backed 10/1 among racing betting tips), racing for the first time for Dubai-based handler Ali Rashid Al Raihe, finishing  with  some purpose under a power-packed Royston Ffrench ride, and as the line approached it was clear there would be little between the pair.

Pulling four-and-a-half-lengths clear of the rest, the result went to the closest of photos which eventually revealed that Ffrench’s mount had just edged out the Christophe Soumillon-ridden favourite by a flared nostril. A fine third to Sir Henry Cecil’s Timepiece in the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket’s July meeting last summer, First City has clearly settled in well to her new surroundings and could come back to Meydan for Super Saturday and later, (together with Mahbooba), for one of the hugely valuable races on Dubai World Cup night, March 31.

The six year old who defied most expectations last season by winning two of the sport’s most prestigious prizes has of course tasted defeat already this term, going down by eight lengths to Kauto Star in the Betfair Chase. Long Run must bounce back from that performance when he meets Kauto Star again in the King George at Kempton Park on Boxing Day but that is likely be a completely different race. Kauto Star of course is a four time winner of the King George and his trainer, Paul Nicholls, will be looking to break the record he shares with Desert Orchid by claiming a fifth win in the race. It is also anticipated that the two will also meet, probably for a final time in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.

There will no doubt be plenty of other chasers who will come to prominence as the season moves forward, however, there are a number of other key races at the Cheltenham Festival and one that is capturing plenty of attention is the RSA Chase.

This race is run over 2m5f and is aimed at producing the best staying novice chaser and is usually contested by horses who have earned big reputations over the smaller obstacles and who are now in their first season as Chasers.

The race this season is looking like a particularly high class affair, due mainly to the many top quality hurdlers from last season who are now chasing and who making a very good job of the transition.

The antepost favourite to win the RSA Chase is the David Pipe trained, Grands Crus, who was a very impressive 10 length winner of his first attempt over fences a fortnight ago at Cheltenham which was run over the RSA course and distance. He followed that up this week by winning the Grade 2 GPG Novices Chase over 3 miles at Newbury where although he had to work hard for the victory, the win was not the most convincing finishing only two lengths clear of the Paul Nicholls trained Sonofvic. Nonetheless a win and a clear round was more than enough to make his handlers happy and it also encouraged most Bookmakers to trim his odds from 4/1 to 3/1 for the RSA. Although there has even been some bold claims that Grands Crus may head straight to the Gold Cup at the 2012 Cheltenham Festival! However, that would be a surprise with the feature event of the Festival a more realistic target in 2013.

The horse most likely to challenge Grands Crus for favouritism in the RSA Chase is Bobs Worth, trained by Nicky Henderson, was the winner of the Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle at the 2011 Cheltenham Festival, which completed an unbeaten record of four wins over hurdles.  A six year old with all the quality in the world, Bobs Worth, has the look of a future Gold Cup contender, particularly if he takes to fences as well as he did with hurdles. His debut run at Newbury last weekend result in victory but wasn’t as emphatic as many would have envisaged, finishing just a short head in front of Cue Card, himself making the transition to bigger obstacles. Much will depend on how he improves for that first experience but as it stands Grands Crus is firmly the one who has looked most impressive thus far.

Donald McCain has been extremely pleased with his Peddlers Cross, who was the runner up to the great Hurricane Fly in the Champion Hurdle back in March. He has had two runs over fences, both at Bangor-On-Dee, which he won easily. However, Peddlers Cross is most likely to head to the two mile Arkle Chase at the Festival for which he is the 5/1 antepost favourite but is still in the betting for the RSA Chase.

The biggest challenger from Ireland for RSA Chase honours is the Mouse Morris trained First Lieutenant, winner at last season’s Festival in the Grade 1 Neptune Investment Management Hurdle. He has already notched up two wins over the bigger obstacles, taking two Grade 3 Novices Chases, latterly at Cork earlier this month and also on his chasing debut at Tipperary in October. He was beaten into second place in between those races in an EBF Novices Chase when he finished a nose down in second place behind Di Valera. However, in all three races he jumped superbly well and he already looks a huge danger to any rival who lines up against him at Cheltenham.

The feature race of the three day meeting is the Grade Thrre Paddy Power Gold Cup, which saw the Pipe family tradition of winning the race continue after son David, saddled Great Endeavour to victory. The win added to the seven previous successes that his father, Martin, enjoyed and also gave owner, David Johnson his seventh.

Although not the feature race, the Steel Plate and Sections Novice Chase which was the final race on the card on Day One, was the one which carried most interest. This of course was entirely due to the fact those two hugely talented hurdlers Grands Crus who was making his debut over the bigger obstacles, and Cue Card who had already impressively won his debut, were going head to head.

It was Grands Crus who went on to win the race by a huge ten lengths and who was immediately installed as the 6/1 favourite to win the Grade 1 RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March. Trainer David Pipe did not get too carried away but was clearly pleased that the six year old made such an emphatic start to his future over fences. His case was helped by Cue Card, who was travelling very well before blundering at the open ditch on the back straight which unceremoniously unseated jockey, Joe Tizzard. His fall was the signal for Tom Scudamore to shake the reins on Grands Crus, who immediately responded going to the front with the Martin Keighley trained, Champion Court and with Zaynar in close pursuit.

Grands Crus almost came to grief himself at the fourth last after standing off the fence, but Scudamore got him through, he then simply just powered away, in great style, winning comfortably to the land the odds for the delighted crowd.

Pipe is considering running Grands Crus as early as the Grade 3 Hennessy Gold Cup at the end of the month.

Meanwhile, Cue Card who lost nothing by falling, will probably be next seen in a 2½ mile Novice Shase at Newbury, also at the Hennessy meeting, where he will have an opportunity to redeem himself and get back on course for the Cheltenham Festival.

Elsewhere on Day One, the Grade 2 Sharp Novice Hurdle over two miles was fought out as expected between Steps To Freedom and Prospect Wells, who had a ding dong battle right up to the line. In the event, it was the 11/8 favourite Steps To Freedom, trained by Jessie Harrington who won by a neck from Prospect Wells who of course is from the Paul Nicholls stable.

The two will undoubtedly meet again but it might not be until the Supreme Novices Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival as Harrington is likely to rest her charge until then. Steps To Freedom in fact has been made the 10/1 favourite for the ‘Supreme’ while Prospect Wells lost a bit of ground in the betting and is now 20/1.

Day Two of the meeting was all about the ‘Paddy Power Gold Cup’, where as mentioned above was won by Great Endeavour who comfortably won by seven lengths leaving the much fancied pair, Wishfull Thinking and Mon Parrain in his wake.

The opener on the Day two card gave many of us a decent glimpse of the highly rated Hinterland from the Paul Nicholls stable, who won the race in great style by 3 lengths from Donald McCain’s Hollow Tree. It was a rock solid performance which proved that this French import has plenty of class and could well be a big star of the future. He is now the 12/1 co-favourite of two for the Triumph Hurdle.

The final day on Sunday saw last season’s Supreme Novice, Al Ferof, from the Nicholls stable, make a successful debut over fences, winning the Grade 2 November Novices Chase over two miles by seven lengths. It was a very impressive victory and one which earned the 6 year old a 5/1 quote and second favouritism behind Peddlers Cross, for the Grade 1 Arkle Challenge Trophy at the Festival in March.

Nicholls was also on the mark in the Grade 3 Greatwood Handicap Hurdle, the most valuable race on Sunday. This time it was 12/1 shot Brampour who made the winners enclosure with 7lb claimer Harry Derham on board. 17 year old Derham, a nephew of Nicholls was having only his 14^th ride under rules, took full advantage of his allowance and powered his charge up the Cheltenham to score by over two lengths from Tom George’s Olofi. It was the second success of the season s for Nicholls and Derham, who combined to win a Listed hurdle on the same horse at Ascot a fortnight ago. The win earned Brampour a 20/1 shout for the Champion Hurdle in March.

Paul Nicholls took the top trainer plaudits with six winners followed by David Pipe with four. Ruby Walsh finished top jockey with five wins, with Tony McCoy on two, these being the only two jockey’s to win more than one race.

This is exactly what happened in the 2011 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe when the Aidan O’Brien trained, Treasure Beach, runner up to Pour Moi in the Epsom Derby and subsequent winner of the Irish Derby trail blazed a path for the clear Ballydoyle number one contender, So You Think around Longchamp in Europe’s richest race on Sunday.

In the event, So You Think, who many believe was naively ridden by jockey, Seamie Heffernan, could only manage fourth place after being held up at the rear of the field for most of the race. Treasure Beach meanwhile unsurprisingly weakened and finished 14th of the 16 runner race, which was won by the German bred filly Danedream, a 20/1 outsider, one that very few would have backed but was good enough to finish a full five lengths clear of her nearest rival.

It was the filly’s in fact who dominated, taking the top three positions, a result that not only defied the odds but totally defied the many so called horse racing experts, who never even mentioned Danedream as a potential winner. Even star filly Sarafina who went off as the 4/1 favourite failed to make the top six in a most unsatisfactory and perplexing result, that paid the Bookmakers handsomely and sent punters home with their “tails tucked firmly between their legs”. Second home was 66/1 outsider Shareta, pacemaker for Sarafina, while third was the ever consistent English Raider, Snow Fairy, for trainer Ed Dunlop.

But who exactly is Danedream? What form did she have to suggest that she could end up in the winners enclosure of Europe’s most prestigious race? She had won twice in Group One company in the two races leading up to the ‘Arc’ but with the best will in the world, neither of those two races would have earmarked her for a win in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Her win at Baden-Baden last month, whilst an emphatic success came on ground that was very soft, hardly suggesting that she would go around the mile and half trip at Longchamp in a record breaking time.

At the end of the day, Danedream was nothing more than a gifted “fun horse” who cost only £9,000 and whose breeding was far from eye-catching. As a three year old running in the race, she received the maximum weight allowances, a particularly unpopular fact of racing life, where it seems that the ‘girls’ get far more favourable treatment than the ‘boys’. The debate remains open as to whether or not she would have won the race at level weights, but in fairness, her five length success, arguably made her the best horse on the day. Whether or not So You Think, who was the ‘best of the boys’ would have adopted different tactics on a level weight basis will never be known but the word from Ballydoyle is that the Australian import will stay in training next year suggesting that the 2012 Arc will be his end of career target.

For most, then the 2011 Arc was an unsatisfactory race which produced an unsatisfactory result. Prices of 20/1, 66/1 and 14/1 were hardly the odds one expected to see for the first three home in such a prestigious race even though the weight for age/sex rules clearly give the fillies and mares a clear advantage. No doubt the arguments will once again re-surface but the days where one could assume that a good colt would always beat a good filly can no longer be applied in a race like the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

The plan for Danedream is yet unknown but there’s every chance she may now take her chance in the Breeders Cup next month or be put away til next season.

That all changed when Wyoming Horse Racing was granted permission by the Wyoming Pari-Mutual Commission to host live horse racing in Rock Springs.

So, on August 20th and 21st as well as September 3rd and 4th Wyoming saw it’s first live horses races.

With the races now over the Natrona County Commission has approved allowing off-track betting in Casper and the surrounding area.

Wyoming Horse racing is the business group that was able to bring live horse racing back into the state.Wyoming Horse Racing won the approval of the commission on Tuesday, September 6th. The business group will no be able to offer simulcast wagering at Sidelines Sports Bar in Casper. Wyoming Horse Racing hopes to have simulcast wagering in Casper operating by the end of September.

My take on this? It’s about damned time.

Why not have horse racing in a state where people race horses on their own? I love Wyoming. I have a friend who owns a dude ranch in Wyoming. He owns horses.

Loves horse racing.

So why not allow him the pleasure of watching and betting on a race if he wants to?

That’s called personal freedom.

I know…a lot of you were on hurricane watch (as was I…I live in Pennsylvania, USA) and it was pretty wild.

But the race was pretty awesome and Stay Thirsty put forth a powerful performance.

Now, he’s probably at the top of the 3 year-old class, don’t you think?

Stay Thirsty took command at the top of the stretch and rolled to a pretty strong 1 ¼-length victory over Rattlesnake Bridge in the 142nd running of the Grade 1, $1 million Travers at Saratoga Race Course.

Leaving from post position 9, Stay Thirsty was on the lead between horses as the field of 10 barreled toward the first turn and through an opening quarter in 23.45 seconds.

Eased back by Javier Castellano into second as Preakness winner Shackleford took over through a half in 47.63 and three-quarters in 1:11.91, Stay Thirsty challenge for the lead on the far turn and spun into the stretch with a lead that was never threatened.

“He gave me a little bit of a hard time for the first part of the race,” said Castellano. “He settled down and I was able to put him outside. I think that was the key to winning the race. I had a lot of horse. At some point, he was going to respond to me. He ran huge today. He showed he’s the best 3-year-old in the country, and I’m so happy with the way he did it.”

Stay Thirsty’s winning time for the 1 ¼ miles was 2:03.03 as he vanquished a field that included not only the Preakness winner, who finished eighth, but Belmont Stakes winner Ruler On Ice, who was fourth.

How about that?

38 U.S. states have para mutuel horse race betting.

Will Georgia, the state where I went to college, be next?

I hope so.

Georgia has the state lottery.

Will more gambling be coming to our state? It’s possible, but probably not for a while.

Here’s why:

Horse racing in Georgia is the topic being explored by a study committee led by Roswell Republican Rep. Harry Geisinger.

The group is holding hearings around the state on pari-mutuel betting on horse racing and will made recommendations to the General Assembly by the end of the year.

But getting the issue on 2012 ballots may be difficult.

The state must have a constitutional amendment on the issue.

That would require a two-thirds vote by state lawmakers to put the matter on the ballot for voters to decide.

Good luck there.

While we think there is support for new revenue sources — such as pari-mutuel betting — to help fund education and other needs, many conservatives will balk at adding more gambling in Georgia.

Some people believe additional gambling opportunities would cut into the state’s lottery revenue.

Others think horse race tracks would soon be followed by casinos.

So far so good, right?

Not for the more conservatives in the legislature.

Advocates of horse racing say it would raise millions in tourism revenue and create new jobs in breeding, training and medical care for horses.

Saratoga’s $500,000, Grade I TVG Alabama Stakes at 1¼ miles today attracted only six entrants, but among them are the 1-2 finishers in the Kentucky Oaks (Plum Pretty, St. John’s River) and a filly who defeated colts in Canada’s $1 million Queen’s Plate (Inglorious).

So it’s shaping up as an excellent field in a good race.

But the 9-5 favorite in the race for 3-year-old fillies is It’s Tricky, who has lost only once in six career starts, demolishing the top-class Turbulent Descent in Belmont’s Acorn and edging Plum Pretty in Saratoga’s Coaching Club American Oaks.

It’s Tricky, trained by Lexington native Kiaran McLaughlin for Godolphin Stable, could become the sixth filly to sweep the Acorn, the CCA Oaks and the Alabama.

The last Philly to sweep was Sky Beauty in 1993.

Plum Pretty, generally based in California with trainer Bob Baffert, has three works over Saratoga’s main track since her narrow CCA Oaks defeat.

“I think it’s kind of hard coming in right off the plane on this track,” said Baffert assistant Jim Barnes. “And she ran huge, she ran a winning race, she ran her eyes out.”

Inglorious is the only horse to have run 1¼ miles, doing so in the Queen’s Place.

One thing to note, though: she is 5 for 5 over Woodbine’s Polytrack, she has one second in two starts on dirt.