Ha ha Joe, yours are running slightly better than mine. Is it the soft ground or is last years form suspect? More likely I'm suspect!
They are running ok, considering the odds not that well but its very early days, still no winners but in a way its a good thing because they are getting beat at stupid odds so maybe down the line they will be better prices. Im sure yours will pick up through the season too as its all about the long game.
Mutakayyef ran an excellent race, we were right to keep the powder dry but hes going to be pretty short again for a maiden next time, he wont be much of a price until he steps up in grade but that was a great start today, he stayed on really well and should come on for the run. Ebasani not so good, he did not settle at all early on and seen no daylight in the straight, has to go down as a very disappointing run but there were glimmers and ive far from given up on him.
No, I could have put the likes of Kingman and Australia and other proven top class 2yos, the idea was to put up horses still under the radar a bit, maidens and maiden winners. Kingman and Australia where antepost favs who everyone knew about, I made an exception for My Titania because I still thought she was slightly under the radar, even though she won a group race the form wasnt brilliant and there wasnt much hype. And some of the horses ive put up are for handicaps and things, maybe developing into group horses in time, this wasnt a list of who I think the absolute best horses are, it was a list of horses I was looking forward to for different reasons and with different hopes as I said at the start.
I wasn't having a go. Just curious to see who you think had been the most taking 3yo so far irrespective of the ones you've chucked up here.
Oh ok, with our history I thought it was a little dig You have to say Kingman by a landslide, dont think we have seen anything anywhere near as impressive as that as of yet. It was probably just a Group 1 horse against Group 3, Group 2 at a push for 1 or 2 of them, but how deep into the race he got still on the bridle was impressive as was the way he really found another gear instantly to put the race to bed. Outside of Kingman, maybe the two fillies in Ireland, Balansiya and Bracelet, but a couple of those Gosden newcomers have been really impressive, Eagle Top in particular I thought, had plenty to do a furlong out and was well on top at the line.
Folk Melody 7/1 looks set to start off in the Nell Gwyn on Wednesday which is quite surprising as she looks more a middle distance type to me, her dam was just beaten in the Lillie Langtry but did win the G2 Prix Jean Romanet and G1 EP Taylor over 10f. She is coming up against a lot speedy types who have smart 2yo form so this will be a good test for her and having some extra stamina might not be a bad thing over the stiff 7f provided she doesnt get run off her feet. She was put away for this season after winning her maiden and the reports say she has wintered well, Majeyda from the same stable has some smart form in the book but Barzalona prefers this filly and the vibes seem quite strong, so while im sure she will benefit a lot from the run, id be hopeful she can play a big part. 3 points win 7/1 1 point e/w 40/1 1000 Guineas Antepost
Boris, what do you think of OBLITERATOR in the Fielden? The form of his win doesn't really impress but he certainly did when winning the race. He only got going very late and looked like he could improve bundles on that. Really nice pedigree too!
Ive been looking at that race for a while Stick and cant seem to get a handle on it. Obliterator won his maiden well but as you say, the form has not worked out very well and im not sure he deserves to be 3/1 fav. He does look a nice prospect though and could have any amount of improvement in him, as such I wouldnt put anyone off and its interesting that they are bringing him over for this but I couldnt touch him at 3/1, hes one I might have considered at 6 or 7/1. I think he is priced up on talk and being a half brother to Just The Judge, I wasnt overly taken by him and if he is top class my eyes havent picked it up yet, but this is only a listed race and just because I cant see it doesnt mean its not there! I think this race is a nightmare but I do like True Story and if I had to pick one to keep before the race it would be him, ive backed him at 5/1 but its hardly tremendous value and there are so many dangers. I wouldnt write off Barley Mow despite his defeat at Lingfield, that second to Be Ready looks good form and he had a rough trip in france, seems one of those types who finds one too good though. The one horse that looks overpriced to me is Madeed at 14/1, I thought he was still pretty clueless when he won at Goodwood and there was a lot to like about him, I wouldnt be surprised if he took a big step forward and got involved in this. Good luck if you go with the Lyons runner, would be nice to see something really step up and win this well as there looks to be plenty of potential in there and Obliterator is certainly one who could just do it.
Be Ready 5/2 in the Craven tomorrow, money coming for him I think off the back of that True Story performance so put it up just now. Toormore will take a bit of beating but hes getting 3 pounds and should at least give him something to think about. 4 points win 5/2 1point win 20/1 2000 Guineas im chasing now
Well its not going well, the points thing is not how I operate and not reflecting my real stakes at all so think I will scrap that and just say whether its worth a bet or not from now on. Folk Melody actually ran ok, she got caught sleeping at the start and was fighting a losing battle from the wrong part of the track from then on, she is no 7f horse and I did think it was a strange race to start her in but they must think she is decent, I will give her another chance once up in trip as there is something there with her. Be Ready obviously needs a line through that run, not much else to say about that. Toormore done it well enough and he looks solid to be bang there in the Guineas, whether he has the talent to go with Kingman I dont think so, but he is proven at the trip at least. Interesting to see Muteela hack up today in a handicap, I picked Shasta Daisy over her for the list but it at least offers some hope to the future with that one as she was unlucky not to beat Muteela first time out. Shasta Daisy is entered in a maiden at Kempton on Sunday so will keep an eye out.
Hooded 12/1 returns in a seriously hot looking handicap at Sandown tomorrow, stepping up to 1m2 off a mark of 80. He is a really nice big horse but im worried about the ground tomorrow, good to soft is probably ok but if its real soft I dont think that will suit him at all looking at his action, he wants nice fast ground. Id be looking for a good showing tomorrow if they let him run but I expect he will come on for the run. I have actually backed Windshear at 2/1, he won his maiden here on soft and looks like he makes a quick reappearance to exploit the mark of 80 before being reassessed after that run at Newmarket in a race I think is well worth following, the winner Cloudscape looks a potential Group horse and even the third Volume who was well beaten has plenty of potential. Windshear could be absolutely thrown in off 80 and with fitness and ability to handle the ground assured, I think he will take an awful lot of beating. Ive had a saver on Hooded at 12/1 but to be honest, I wouldnt tell anyone to back him tomorrow.
Safe to say Belisarius will be a watching brief Boris? What did you make of the reappearance? Very lacklustre, although with O'Briens bad form you wouldn't be at all surprised to see that one improve down the line maybe.
I only really fell for him because of Ebasani, hes nothing special but that looks a very winnable race tomorrow and he will probably be a short price. Would have to see the betting but be surprised if the odds are tempting enough.
Hooded unsurprisingly a non runner with those conditions, he wouldnt have troubled the winner Windshear anyway who as suspected, was a blot. Handicapper will hammer him, best part of a stone im sure but he could go in again if he gets soft ground, Cloudscape is a horse to look out for in a major handicap I think and the third from that race Volume also has a race in it. I see Belisarius hacked up, although would have been disappointing if he didnt in that field and the price was no use to anyone.
Mutakayyef 10/1 runs in the Newmarket Stakes, he should have come on plenty and it says something that they run here instead of going for another maiden. Cloudscape is the one for me in this but I wouldnt be surprised if it was Mutakayyef who gave him most to do.
