raceclubs.com's Challenge Series is challenging enough, so Graham Clifford from the BBC shared the lighter side of virtual horse racing with us!

Day 1 of the Challenge Finals – Sprints review

With Graham Clifford

From red to amber in the flash of an eye

Firstly I’d like to point out that ‘Toodles’ is the name of a dog. Never have I tuned into the Cheltenham Gold Cup and heard “here comes Kauto Star followed by Toodles”, if I did I would have thought Ruby Walsh had brought his pet poodle along with him! But in America yesterday in record virtual temperatures the 2-year-old from the Amber Fields stable showed he’s all horse! 

What a sprints final for juvenile colts it was, it had everything. On home turf Wayne Bailey brought Toodles to the front early on and I have to admit I thought perhaps he’d gone too early. Having never won a challenge final before I, and I’m sure most of you, was rooting for Toodles but as the line drew closer and Kakapuka from the shotgun-mike stable narrowed the gap the signs looked ominous. But that finishing line came just in time for Amber Fields and Wayne Bailey who afterwards dedicated the win to Monica Lewinsky. 

Before the race Toodles’ boss threw rivals off the scent by stating “After a massive mistake on Monday Toodles is not fully fit. Live and learn” but it turns out he was playing mind games with the other owners! Well done Amber Fields, let’s hope this big win is the first of many!

Queens Indian gives rivals a royal roasting

They love the British royalty in the States and after Queens Indian’s sensational run in last night’s Sprinter’s Challenge Final for young fillies they love them even more. It was one of those races where calling in too soon would almost inevitably see you backing the wrong contender. That didn’t stop a hot dog vendor beside me shouting “Sweet Toot has it in the bag, oh boy wait till I tell Jessie May.” Seconds later he was back on his stall cutting rolls with a vicious frown across his face, I got the feeling Jessie May would have his virtual guts for garters later in the evening for waisiting all the hard-earned cash! 

This was JSL Racing’s first ever appearance in a challenge final and they’ve made it one from one! See it’s not that difficult is it! Amid the celebrations there was one funny moment when a local camera crew surrounded the winning owner asking for him to sing. “But I don’t sing” he replied. The startled reporter looked at the camera after a few seconds and sheepishly said “I’m sorry guys and gals, this is JSL not JLS”.

Super Sky Castle win brings magic number even closer

By the time these end of season finals conclude tomorrow evening Sky Castle Stables will surely have hit or surpassed the 50 challenge final wins mark. It’s an eye-watering tally which he shares with the Shotgun_Mike stable – but which one of the two giants will capture the half century victory amount first? The latest challenge final win for Sky Castle came in the Nunthorpe Sprint Final for 3 year old colts last night from Moonlite Sky with the grey Oriental Xpress from the same yard finishing in second. 

Classified as a ‘Legendary stable’ the Sky Castle’s owner is carried around by three burly men when he visits the world’s virtual tracks lest his feet step on something sharp. In parts of China he is revered as a God Like figure and 79% of Peruvian men aged between 18 and 35 said in a recent poll that the Sky Castle stable owner is the man they model themselves on. Incidentally John Prescott came second in that poll.

Virginia wins for Norwegian in Virginia! 

Yep that’s right folks Virginia from the Holmang Horses stable actually won last night’s Nunthorpe Sprint final for 3 year old fillies in the US state of Virginia! And in another coincidence winning Jockey Wayne Bailey is the chairman of the US branch of the Virginia Woolf fan club. “I had no idea of the symbolism of this win” said the Holmang Horses’ stable owner from Norway last night before adding “excuse me who did you say you were again and why are you reversing the charges?” 

Despite having well over 1,000 wins since joining the game on November 4th, 2007 this is just the stable’s third challenge final win and the celebrations lasted long into the night in Scandanavia. ‘Virginia’ actually had an awful start to the final and was third from last before the first bend.

Dubai double for suave French jockey

After riding both winners in last night’s Newbury Sprints finals for 4-7 year old colts and fillies French sensation Jacques Girard is being touted as a future French President. Though he has trouble spelling and counting as is known as something of a recluse Girard is seen as a superior candidate to those currently in the race to lead France. Last night though all he could is smile as he rode ‘A Bad Day For You’ from the Unconte stable to victory in the colt’s sprint race and half an hour later repeated the feat when he guided ‘Woodcote Forever’ from the Face stable home with a hair to spare in the Filly’s sprint final. 

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