Vive La Difference

After the constant disappointment of Japanese racing - firstly due to the fact that the horses hardly ever race (often due to avoidable injuries), and then run poorly when they do finally make it to the track - the English racing scene is such a breath of fresh air, especially when you are tied-in with Mick Channon and his lad. The value for money element is completely different, with I would say a hundred times more bang for your buck, as is the excitement, for you know Mick's nags will run at their best every time. If they fail, there's a good reason for it, for the desire to win is obvious, along with an unquestionable loyalty towards shareholders. In Japan, it seems that club officials and their appointed oppos feel they have done their duty just by getting a horse in a gate - providing a decent performance is another subject, and most results are down to pure luck on the day. Their loyalty is to breeders and 'the boys'...

Never has this gap been so obvious as this week. Million Ways ran at joke levels at Funabashi, and then Shine Tiara followed up with something similar at Kawasaki. One was retired on the spot, the other should have been and hopefully will be soon. Yet despite the huge expense associated with Japanese racing, that was all the action I had to show for 17 nags in training. In fact, that's all I've had to show for my cash all month.

So Saturday brings with it the Chester meeting. John Egan is up on Sayesse, starting as seventh favourite of eight starters. By the time the sprint came to end, Sayesse had won by a head, claiming his fourth win in 11 races - those 11 races coming over five months almost to the day, by the way.

A few races later, and John Egan is given Masterson in the two-miler at the same meeting. Remembering that Masterson was running for the third time this month, and was the least fancied of the four runners by far, coming second was a superb result. He's picked up a win and two seconds within eight days, and two wins this summer. And yet, there are still thoughts of selling him to add some fresh blood to the syndicate. In Japan, one lucky win signals keeping something for years, regardless of whether it will ever provide the shareholders with sport ever again - and most don't, for endless, feeble excuses for failure or cut-and-paste reports saying "we need a bit more time to get him ready" is not sport...