Osteopathic Remedy works for Dods
Jun 20 2009 The Journal
NO prizes for guessing what the owner of The Osteopath and Osteopathic Remedy does for a living. Kevin Kirkup runs an osteopathic practice in Thirsk.
He enjoyed a purple patch last year. Two of his horses won six races between them. The Osteopath obliged on his first two appearances and returned to winning ways at Newcastle last month.
But the most prolific was Osteopathic Remedy who notched a hat-trick which started at his owner’s home track in May on a rating of 68 and was completed in the historic Carlisle Bell off an 11lb higher mark in June, after a successful visit to Ayr in between. While the five-year-old’s run came to an end back at Thirsk, he wasn’t finished yet and bounced back next time to land the Ripon Rowels despite having risen 19lb in the handicap.
Six attempts this season have brought no further joy, but Denton, Darlington, trainer Michael Dods is probably just as skilful at his job as Mr Kirkup and has managed to get Osteopathic Remedy’s mark down to a realistic level again.
He has done all his winning over a mile apart from his juvenile victory over six furlongs at Ayr in 2006, so it was surprising to see him race over this shorter trip at Thirsk last month and also receiving significant support in the ring that saw him go off favourite.
He finished a close third behind the David Nicholls’s duo Machinist and Legal Eagle despite experiencing traffic problems as he made progress from the rear. I wouldn’t go as far as to say he was an unlucky loser, but it would have been a close call.
Osteopathic Remedy has since been tried over the same distance at Newcastle but never got into the action in finishing sixth to Baby Strange.
Although horses can improve, they find their level sooner or later and, in the case of Osteopathic Remedy, the mid-80s appears to be the ceiling of his ability.
He is now 2lb lower than his last success at Ripon and his recent racecourse displays strongly suggest he is a winner waiting to happen.
Whether it’s today at Redcar in the featured Win A VIP Day Out@redcarracing.co.uk Handicap remains to be seen.
Apprentice Neil Brown takes off a useful 3lb and the seventh furlong will also help his cause, though a mile could still be his optimum trip.
