HORSE Chestnut’s trainer, Mike de Kock, says the three-year old colt may not run in the Rothman’s July. “He may be handicapped out of it”, says de Kock. This is bad news for betters trying to make a sure, if slim win, since bookmakers are sure to try to cover themselves against the kind of losses seen on Saturday, when Horse Chestnut won the prestigious J&B Metropolitan. One Cape bookie believes he may have lost R250000, and a Gauteng oddsmaker may be raiding his children’s piggy bank to cover his R400000 deficit. Harry Oppenheimer, Horse Chestnut’s owner, said he does not plan to take the colt abroad to race, but de Kock may like his chances against stiffer competition.