Essaka at Southwell

Essaka is a horse I have a strange affection for. Now 9 years old, he's had 6 wins from 77 runs. He's a low grade sprinter who takes part in those races at the 'gaffs' where you could be forgiven for thinking the horses take it in turns to win.

4 of his wins have been at Brighton, a real specialists' track - and probably after Epsom the fastest 5 furlongs in the country. One of my earliest horses to follow was Belper, who ran up a series of wins at Brighton in the 1970's. Belper was blind in his right eye but his vision in his left was fine. Provided he could get on the rail he was unbeatable. If he was forced to race off the rail then that was his chance gone as he could not see where he was going. Jockeys were really brave (or maybe stupid) in those days!

Essaka has run 16 times on the all-weather and never won on it. However all of these have either been on polytrack or tapeta. Today he runs for the first time at Southwell (in the 1.35) on their fibresand surface. The chances are this will not suit him either but you never know for sure until they run on it. Essaka is certainly now well-handicapped and I'd be depressed if he won without me having a small bet on him. You can get 22/1.

Whatever happens he will be worth backing the next time he runs at Brighton assuming (please God) the seaside (well you can see the sea providing the mist has not come in) track reopens once the pandemic is over.