What a performance by Suprise Package! Just as importantly: what a performance by Peter Fahey! (Full race video is on the right - starts 30 seconds in)
You may recall from previous blogs that Peter tends to get increasingly pessimistic the closer it gets to race time. I have fallen into the habit of asking him what he thinks a good two or three days in advance so as to get, at least, some gauge. Imagine my surprise when, last Tuesday, after posting this blog and having taken 20/1 E/W, he tells me to go back in again as the (current at the time) 14/1 “will not last long in the morning”. I decided to ignore him, but it appears from subsequent conversations post-race, that he spent much of his drive into the racecourse calling friends and telling them that Suprise Package would win. I don’t think he spoke to Gary O’Brien (Racing TV) but he was notably bullish in the pre-race build up with Ruby Walsh. Ruby had volunteered that he thought Peter’s other horse, Born Patriot, would win but Gary was quick to disavow him of such a notion. In fairness to Ruby, Born Patriot was out of position at the start and was always fighting a losing battle from that point; without that, Peter would likely to have the first two home.
Peter ‘WhatsAppd’ a quick video (I think 4 seconds counts as quick) of Suprise Package walking around the parade ring and said “ there will be lots of pace on so we will sit 6th or 7th and take it from there” As it turned out, Darragh had him pretty prominent when the tapes went up but then did a nice job of easing him into position after the first flight and we were always in the first 9 or 10 throughout. I have watched the race a few (read about 20) times now, but my first impression has not changed: he was always travelling and jumping well and, for once, I was almost able to enjoy it. It’s a long run between the last two hurdles at Punchestown but it was clear that Darragh was going much easier than everyone and had little option but to let the horse go on and lead into the straight. He still never moved on him and pulled away in nice style after the last.
Despite the prior confidence, Peter was in a state of shock after the race (and a couple of days later to be honest). We had had a silly conversation a few weeks before when he had said “he’s a nice horse you know” and I asked what, compared to the 18000 Euros we had paid for him, would he pay for him now. Peter said he could be worth around 50k but, knowing I would have no intention to sell anyway, added “I will win that for you this year”. Little did I know that he meant ‘in one race’! He had better not be thinking that’s the end of his winning this year.
I guess the handicapper will have something to say about that but, in fairness, a mark of 126 is probably fair and now that El Barra won on Friday (who beat us at Fairyhouse) it would be difficult to complain.
Obviously, we have the option of a novice or ‘winners of one’ race as well as some of the better Summer handicaps. We also, given how he travelled on Wednesday, would not be scared to drop him back to two miles or he could go up a little in distance.
To be honest, our first inclination was to give him a short break and that may still be the plan. I will leave it to Peter but it is a little complicated by the fact that there isn’t any jump racing in the last half of June and races from June 7th are restricted to jockeys who didn’t ride more than 15 winners in the 2020/21 season. There are a couple of potential races in May, but it may well be July before he’s back on the course. We will just have to make sure he doesn’t get too fat in the meantime as, according to Peter, all he does is eat and sleep.
They had done a good job of watering at Punchestown and, as a result, the ground was riding a little dead. That’s probably what we should expect through the Summer and he will like that or even slightly better/faster ground. The Racing Post had the race time almost identical to the race before but, interestingly, Timeform clocked it a couple of seconds quicker and the Irish Field felt that Suprise Package clocked the best speed rating over hurdles of the entire day (quicker (just) that Gallopin des Champs who won the Grade 1)
I sometimes scratch my head when reading the Racing Post Ratings (RPR). I have a lot of respect for their analysis and race comments, but the ratings sometimes make no sense. For example, even after last week, Suprise Package is still rated a pound below Bay of Freedom’s best RPR over hurdles. There is no doubt in my mind that Suprise Package is a much superior hurdles horse to Bay of Freedom and the handicapper would appear to agree; his rating of 126 being 10 pounds higher than anything Bay of Freedom ever achieved.
I was reminded of an even bigger anomaly when Mine Now ran on Saturday for Peter. According to the RPR’s Mine Now has achieved a better rating than Belfast Banter has ever achieved; this despite the fact that the latter has a Grade 1 to his name. That is remarkable!
I would like to thank Red Mills. Not only for their extremely generous sponsorship of the race but also the tweet they posted later. Under the headline “Who doesn’t like a Suprise Package?” came this fabulous cartoon: I am hoping to get a print of it for myself and Peter. (Many thanks to the talented Birdie as well)
I would also like to thank David O’Brien. It was David who sold Suprise Package to us and he did a really nice job of looking after and developing the horse. He was also very open and honest when Peter went down to look at him and gave Peter the necessary confidence to move ahead and recommend him to me. I tweeted out thanks to David after the race and Peter also called him.
I look forward to not only watching Suprise Package soon but also actually meeting him for the first time. Peter mentioned in a couple of interviews that I never normally miss a race and I certainly want to get back on that cadence very soon but there was, at least, one benefit from not being there on Wednesday; that, Peter and Ber, was that my head and liver were given some respite. I have a feeling any and all benefits will be a thing of the past when things open up in Ireland. I am fully vaccinated so we just need to the Irish Government to get itself organized and we can celebrate!
The other main benefit of not being there was that a number of people on social media reached out to congratulate me and Peter. It is a benefit because I was able to respond and do so while maintaining a degree of sobriety – all of their comments and support is much appreciated.
Until the next race……