Ombudsman went to last Saturday’s Champion Stakes as the world’s best flat racehorse. His rating of 128 was 3 pounds higher than the 125 given to Calandagan. Interestingly, Timeform’s pre-race ratings were 130 and 129 for Ombudsman and Calandagan respectively. The race itself was not only good to watch but quite revealing. Both horses quickened smoothly and impressively to move to the front but, try as he could, Ombudsman could not overhaul Calandagan over the former’s best distance of ten furlongs. Personally, I felt that speed on the good ground rather than stamina won the race for Calandagan, although Ombudsman was patently at the end of his tether coming up to the line. I do not know what the revised ratings will show, but Calandagan must now assume the mantle of the world’s top racehorse. Surprisingly, the Arc winner, Daryz, was rated at 127 after his Longchamps victory. When queried about Daryz’s pre- Arc gallop with Calandagan, their trainer, Francois Graffard, smiled and intimated that Calandagan had simply ‘ laughed at’ Daryz.’ There’s no doubt that he has matured into a classy four year old with both stamina and an impressive turn of foot, and his performance on Saturday will re-ignite the argument about geldings being ineligible to run in certain Group races. This year’s Arc de Triomphe would surely have been at his mercy, had he been allowed to enter.
Calandagan's exploits this season also paying a compliment to City of Troy who, for me, is the only horse to beat Calandagan when he was 100% and no mitigating factors (e.g. ground, not fully wound up). The lads will be waiting expectantly for City of Troy's progeny.
Looking at the build of JB (seems quite big to me), I'm surprised he acted on it. Must be very well balanced That is the very reason the Derby is an important factor in breeding programs (depending on what one is loking to get of course). To act on the Epsom course the horse has to have a well balanced conformation which is essential for top class middle distance horses. A horse that has a balanced conformation can act on any course. If it doesn't have a balanced conformation, Epsom will find it out over 12f. That's not to say a well balanced horse will win at Epsom; it might be simply not good enough
I take your point, Ron, but as I see it, the main question it raises …...”Is it a fair track?” Should a horse be expected to run downhill on a course with bumps and hollows? There’s also a serious debate over the test of stamina. Many past top trainers and jockeys believe a horse doesn’t need to stay the distance in the Derby in order to win. Others think the opposite. If you believe the former, then it shouldn’t be run there because it would defeat the object of having it over 12 furlongs. Personally I don’t like the track and I should choose a track like York as a fairer test of speed and stamina, irrespective of how well balanced a horse is. Yet, there again, I’m not that well balanced myself, so I suppose I’m biased!
I think it's a fair track if you are looking for well-balanced horse able to change its leading leg and stay at least 11f. To me it's the ultimate test of a racehorse and as regards Sires, who impart stamina to their offspring, has given us two outstanding sires in Galileo and Sea the Stars. I'm very anti York, even if it is my local big course. A lot of horses don't act on all that sand they've put down over the last 20 years. They might as well make it an all-weather course. To me the fairest track in the country is Newbury. (Did you notice all the sand they were kicking up on Saturday at Ascot?). But they're not Epsom, which is unique. We can't say we haven't had a good Derby winner for some years as August Rodin and City of Troy looked special round Epsom. Also Camelot and Australia were pretty good and the former may be a very good sire. It's not Epsom's fault some horses don't act on the course but the breed has been weakened by horses winning made up Group 1s on fairer courses and then becoming sires.
OK, Bustino, I didn’t realise what you say about York which I always thought was comparable to say Newbury in its layout and fairness. As I remember, the Dante Stakes has always produced better horses than other trials either downhill at Lingfield or running around Chester’s saucer.
