International Racing

The G1, $1,000,000 Arkansas Derby was run yesterday at Oaklawn Park. Even though they raced pretty bunched through the first half mile, they went at a decent clip. They went the first two in 22.75 and the half 46.92. As a result they all staggered up the straight. I don't know if the Kentucky Derby winner will come from this race, but what I do know, is that the race caller copped a right old flogging. Terrible was a word often used.

 

The wonderful filly Lady Aurelia returned to the track on Saturday at Keeneland in the Listed Giants Causeway Stakes, and had a nice pipe opener for her next Ascot visit. She's No7 and in the yellow. She clocked just over 62 seconds for the five and a half furlongs.

 

The sectionals show averages per furlong as:
1st 2 fur: 10.895
2nd 2 fur: 11.535
5th fur: 11.44
final half fur: 12.20

Seems pretty fast as she wasn't extended

 

She came very wide on the corner as well Ron.

 

The 2017 Prix du President de la Republique where Mon Nickson went to the start a 4.80 favourite ahead of Mister Bali and Cobra De Larre at about 6.00.

 

Cannae wait for Sunday 21st May when I will be at Auteuil for the 'Grand Steeplechase de Paris'.

 

Today in Hong Kong the G1 Audemars Piquet QE 11 valued at US2,500,000 and run over the 2000m trip, went to Japan's Neorealism. With the early race run at pedestrian pace, the Magic Man Joe Moreira took the race by the scruff of the neck, and sent the visitor to the front from third last. Starting at about 7-2, he held off the fast finishing Pakistan Star at 7-4 with the even money favourite Werther in third. The Neorealism is in the green and white with red cap. Pakistan star in green and Werther in yellow.

 

The G3 Prix de Barbeville run over 3000m yesterday at Chantilly. Travelling Man started favourite at 7-2 with Now We Can, Murfej, Holdthasigreen and Bateel all within a point and a half of him. The caller has Trip To Rhodes as the favourite, but started at 10-1. The former UK stayer Marmelo, trained by Hugh Morrison and ridden bu Soumillon ground out a strong win. He's in the blue and yellow. He was 12-1.

 

Also on the program was the G3 Prix AllezFrance for Fillies, over the 2000m course. The Black Princess at about 7-4 and fav, in white and blue and ridden by Frankie and Gosden trained, proved too good.

 

The G1 Olympiatravet Trot Final. 2140m Mobile Start. Run two days ago. Watch for Lionel in the white and red.

 

Definitely the best. Himself and Ryan Moore and maybe Smullen are among the top 3 that I've seen around at the moment.

 

Just before winning the G1 Audemars Piquet QE 11 aboard Neorealism yesterday, Moreira made off with the G1 Queen Mother Memorial Cup on Eagle Way. It started an even money favourite. He edged clear of the G1 Grand Prix de Paris winner Helene Charisma. Both horses are trained by John Moore and may end up in Melbourne at cup time. Eagle way is No 3 in red with black stripes, Helene Charisma No 5 is third last on fence, following Eagle way. Seriously, you couldn't beat Moreira with a stick. He rode 5 winners on the day.

 

Great Trot that, Cyc. Talk about "flying on the outside" by Lionel the winner. Top class Trotter in a top class field!

Digressing to thoroughbred racing, a little story of days gone by. Way back in the mid- and late- 1950's, when the Bukit Timah track in Singapore was in full swing, the official track commentator was Australian Alan Lewis. He was a very good caller, but he did have his favourite lines. The top one was..........."flying on the outside". A horse who was always doing this for Alan was a joker called Milliondollar. Whichever finishing spot he occupied after the end of a race, be it 5th, 4th, 3rd, 2nd...........he was always "flying on the outside" at the finish, it was just expected of the brute by the thousands of faithful racing fans there. I only saw the devil win once, when with his usual dazzling piece of "flying on the outside" he got it all wrong and won the bloody thing. The UK and Ireland's one and only 'Frank' Spencer would have loved dear old Milliondollar, they were made for each other. Horse racing in the old Malaya/Singapore circuit were great days, they really were. It was a sad day when the natural amphitheatre that was Bukit Timah closed for ever just a few years ago. A wonderful racecourse.

 

Swanny, that reminds me of one of our great pacers of the past, a horse called Cocky Raider who hailed from Sydney. The little bloke just couldn't go a yard early but would come with a flashing run at the end. He wasn't a horse who often missed, he collected in some of the biggest races on Australia. He was a star. As a Queenslander, we spent much of the time in most sports, as a long suffering little brother to NSW, they beat us in just about everything. Thank goodness those days are long gone. Anyway we in Qld unearthed a star of our own, Lucky Creed. He lost in the race below, but won his fair share of G1 races. We loved him. But this post is about fast finishers and Cocky Raider (a wonderful name) used to regularly bring the house down with these type of finishes. The race here is packed to the rafters with the very best pacers at the time. He's second last on the outside, with the stars. The call wasn't all that great though.

Youtube won't let it play. Just type in Cocky Raider Australia Day Cup. It was run 30-1-1970.

 

The 130,000. Euro, G2 Prix du Muguet run over the metric mile at Saint-Cloud yesterday. Jimmy Two Times is the grey.

 

On the same program was the G1 Prix Ganay worth E300,000. Cloth Of Stars and Zarak fought out the betting and the race. Cloth Of Stars is in the all blue, while Zarak is in the green.

 

Holeeee Smoke, what a finish! The various moves in the backstretch during the race were unbelievable. How did Cocky Raider get on later, e.g. his trip to the States for the big one at Yonkers Raceway?

 

He went to the USA but didn't race in either 70 or 71. He had just three runs for a third before being retired.

 

In Italy the second leg of the European Grand Slam for Trotters, the Gran Premio Della Lotteria Finale was run. Timoke EK from the one slot got the run of the race and proved too good.