International Racing

I think to some extent, Fiorente is trading on the fame of Monsun Bustino which is a bit of a shame. It would be great to see Monsun's blood spread far wand wide, but I think he'll probably become somewhat of a side issue down here. We're seriously into speed and we've probably come too far to turn things around. Speed, speed and more speed.

 

Sea Bird's 1965 Derby. The horse (towards the left of the picture) was half turned when they were turned loose, and among the last few into full stride. Throughout the running, Glennon had a lap full horse under him. He was one hell of a racehorse.

 

Great piece of film, Cyc, many thanks. Remember the race well, had been back home only a couple of months after nearly 8-years away, and was then working at the 'exotic' Fish Quay, Hartlepool, in NE England! Very early days of the North Sea offshore ops.

Sea Bird II was a great racehorse.

 

No doubt he was a good horse but that really was a sub standard Derby

 

Probably was, Ron, but it was not a sub-standard Arc he won in the same year though, surely? Race was loaded with classic winners from all over Europe, including Russia, and a very good American racehorse,Tom Rolfe, I believe it was? In atrocious conditions, and despite hanging badly to the left in the last furlong or so, he annihilated one of the best Arc fields of that era? If anything, history proved that it was Sea Bird II's connections who were sub-standard, even cruel. Ahem, Timeform gave the horse a pretty high rating too?

 

The G1 Australian Guineas run over the metric mile at Flemington today. The favourite and winner Hey Doc got the run of the race behind the leader. He was ridden a treat by Luke Currie. He has the orange cap.

 

Another G1 Guineas was run today, this time in Sydney. Same distance but on a bog track. It was so bad they all wanted the outside fence in the straight. Inference, the winner came from last.

 

Long odds on favourite for the G3 Santa Ysabel and early market leader for the G1 Kentucky Oaks, Unique Bella, kept her unbeaten record intact last Saturday. After a slow start she ran through the first 6 furlongs in a slick 1:10:7 and stopped the clock at 1:43:11 for the eight and a half furlongs.

 

J Boys Echo staked his claim to a Kentucky Derby start with a nice win in the G3 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct on Saturday.

 

Another to take a leading hand in the Derby betting is Gunnevera. He made a one act affair of the G2 Fountain Of Youth Stakes on Saturday. He's in the blue and settles last then runs on powerfully.

 

How's this for a wonderful ride? Mickael Barzalona aboard Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum's Long River, leads all the way in taking out the G1 al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 last Saturday.

 

You must have had a few dollars on Cyc

 

An extraordinary achievement btw, Cyc,by Joao Moreira in Hong Kong; he certainly is some jockey. Was just musing, but, I wonder how many forum members have gone through a 6- or 8-race card backing every winner? Once at Ascot, having just flown-in from God knows where, backed the first two winners plus the forecast in the first, and was so shocked that I went straight home (well, to Mum's place), strolling as nonchalantly as I could to the car park and my Heathrow-rented car, with my little bag of swag. Think it was Pat Eddery who won the first on a horse called Steel City, and Eric Eldin the second on the favourite. Ah, sweet nostalgia.

 

Most winners backed at meeting attended was at Newcastle on a Fighting Fifth Hurdle day in probably 1985. Brownes Gazette ran in the FFH but fell or pulled up if memory serves me well. Anyway I backed the first four winners on the card however my Mum backed the first five winners; sleekit old toerag sneaked off and placed her own bet on the Tote!

The deal was that a portion of the wager I placed with a bookie belonged to my Mum however she probably saw a 'name' she liked and placed her 'extra' bet while I was at the bar 'wasting' my ill-gotten gains!

As usual we spent most of the evening in Newcastle with the strangely summer outfitted lassies and laddies before catching the rattler back to Edinburgh.

 

The $1,200,000 buy Tapwrit took 50 Derby points in winning the Tampa Bay Derby, to almost assure himself a start in the Kentucky big dance on May 5. He's the grey colt in black, white sleeves and green cap, Number 5. He would have taken the track record, but for it falling an hour earlier. We could have quite a hot renewal this year.

 

After winning the San Felipe on Saturday, Mastery, the 3-1 favourite for the Kentucky Derby, broke down as he was being eased up. He suffered a condylar fracture in his left front. The horse is to be operated on tomorrow. I don't know the present odds, but before the injury the market for the best chances stood as below.

Mastery 3/1
Classic Empire 4/1
Gunnevera 4/1
Irish War Cry 4/1
Mc Craken 4/1
El Areeb 5/1
Unique Bella 5/1
One Liner 7/1
Tapwrit 8/1
Mo Town 9/1
Running Mate 10/1
Squadron 10/1
Uncontested 10/1
American Anthem 12/1
Gormley 12/1
J Boys Echo 15/1.

 

Winx in taking the G1 George Ryder Stakes, makes it 16 on the trot.

https://www.racingandsports.com.au/en/racing/winx-wins-the-2017-george-ryder-stakes-story-397621

 

"Look at her rip clear at the twohundreder (?)"

 

Furlong post.