Top flat racing across the Irish Sea at the Curragh including the 1000 guineas and some decent through to less than moderate jumps action over here at Uttoxeter, Fontwell and Kelso. Throw in more flat action over the Channel at Longchamp where Cirrus Des Aigles and Olympic Glory lock horns. My eye is drawn to the Henderson/Geraghty combination in the 4.00 at Fontwell Roberto Goldback. This mean opposing an old fav of mine in Fruity O'Rooney but though I'm sure he'll run his usual honest race he's never got his nose in front of this mark. RG however has run some very decent races this year including a decent effort at the festival when shouldering top weight. Since then he's been dropped a further 5lb and I'm convinced he'll put up a bold showing here of this mark even though it does look a competitive little race. 9/2 looks a nice price. For a bit of interest I'll also have a little win lucky 15 on, RG and Intirad (Geraghty's other ride at Fontwell), Handazan at Uttoxeter and the returning Pique Sous at the Curragh. Would be marvellous to see the last named return with a win following a life threatening bout of colic in the Autumn. I thought Kingman looked very impressive yesterday but I do find all this will he, won't he run shenanigans a bit tiresome. At Newmarket he was almost pulled out because it was too firm and yesterday it was almost too soft. I know there are big sums involved but just get them out there and get on with it.
Sorry chan, but I feel the horse comes first. If the ground is too soft or too firm for the action a horse has it can do serious permanent damage. But good morning to you and thanks for starting today's thread.
Olympic Glory v Cirrus des Aigles. The former going beyond a mile for the first time; the latter preferring a slightly longer trip. With the ground predicted to be less testing than when CdA defeated Treve, it could give the miler the edge. If OG will stay 10f, which he will be stepping up to soon, then he should win but CdA is a very tough nut as we saw when he tried to beat Frankel. Is OG good enough, will he stay? Is it too short for CdA, did he have a hard race beating Treve? A very intriguing "match" but it's a bit of a gamble taking a chance on either one to beat the other. It would be a major upset if neither were to win though.
The 2.45 at the Curragh is a very interesting race and, who knows, it could throw up a very good one to consider for the Derby or even the St Leger. I'll be boring and plump for Adelaide but Edilmira looks interesting whereas if Theophelus can win over this trip he'll be on my short list for the St Leger.
Morning Ron. Fair enough you've probably forgotten more about horses than I'll ever know. I'm certainly not advocating exposing horses to danger and I understand Gosden's reluctance to expose a previously injured horse to a firm surface at Newmarket. But then to be reluctant to go on soft ground seems bizarre. If a Kingman can only go on perfect ground then he's no champion. On a slight tangent there was good article by Richard Hughes in the racing post on racecourse obsession with watering. Amongst other things he argues that we're potentially softening the breeding up with such ground dependant horses. I bet Kingman will cost a fair few quid a cover when he retires.
Morning all, just a speculative L15 for me and a few bob on the nap, Invicta Lake -font Popaflora -font Runswick Days -Perth Elmore Black -utt -nap All the best!
Haven't seen that article chan but the conformation is influenced significantly by the pedigree and the conformation determines, to a large extent, its action. I'm no vet chan, I stress, but imagine the speed a horse is travelling and the weight of the horse. If the horse has a very high knee action (round action) you can almost feel the jarring as it pounds its feet onto a firm surface. If it has a low long sweeping action the leading foot will strike the ground at an entirely different angle to that of a horse with a round action and you can imagine what that would be like on soft ground - tendons. The construction of the foot is very complex and the angles can determine how prone to injury a horse may be to injury. So conformation such as the layback of shoulder and return of upper arm are not the only factors. If a horse is not well balanced front and back it will have to compensate somehow (eg if the front extension is inadequate for the drive from the rear it will find its front foot striking the ground to soon and over distance will damage the horse, so it may compensate by propelling itself a bit higher to delay the foot striking the ground too early. However this is not efficient use of its power and therefore over distance will cause fatigue, which in turn will lessen the ability to compensate. It's all very complicated and a bit beyond me to spot such weaknesses in a horse but I understand the basic principles. And in case there are any experts reading I have purposely not gone into length of loin, spring of rib and depth of chest etc (the last two providing the heart room) and of course, as far as racing is concerned there is temperament to consider; all of which are off topic for this chat. I take your point though about too soft/too firm. Obviously extremes of going can be nasty for any horse. I wouldn't risk a horse on extremes but then I'm not in horses to make money come what may.
Gone with popaflora myself rudey the one that really stands out for me is cloudy beach and im sure we have plenty of them around the country, so I have stuck them in a patent with teovio in an effort to brighten the day . All short but 80point plus return if they oblige .
Suns out but there's forecasted to be some LIGHTNING THUNDER LIGHTNING THUNDER LIGHTNING THUNDER @ 3 55 today, gunna absolutely whip up a stormmmmmmm at the curragh at 3 55, 4/1, christmas money come early. Sticking it in a double with Pique Sous also
Evens Cirrus Des Aigles was an absolute gift, hes getting on a bit and I thought he was passed it last year but I think he proved that wrong in the Champion Stakes, Dubai and the Ganay, he should get the run of things again and win comfy.
Some great racing today. Having said that, I can't remember the last time there were 4 Gp1s and I wasn't really tempted to bet in any of them. Perhaps I'll take the 2/1 available about Olympic Glory in the Prix d'Ispahan. Cirrus des Aigles on his home turf will be a tough nut to crack, but the Hannon horse is probably still improving. In fact t might be worth chancing that he'll improve for the extra furlong. And Frankie at Longchamp is always a bonus. I don't expect much more than a neck to seperate the pair. The Irish 1000 Guineas looks impossible to me, even without the ground concerns. The track looked pristine on telly yesterday, but 3yold fillies on heavy ground just looks like bit of a lottery. The Tattersalls Gold Cup makes more appeal as a betting race. Magician is about 7lbs clear of the rest of the field but he may not be up to showing his best on the ground, while Noble Mission will relish it. The price (around 6/4 on BF) is a bit poorer than I'd hoped for though.
Arctic 25/1 will love that ground in the next, Great Minds looks progressive though, Ballyorban would look a fair price too if coming back to form.
e/w lucky 15 4 00 Fontwell - Bold Perk @ 16s 4 35 Fontwell - Thundering home @ 22s 5 30 Kelso - Beggars Velvet @ 12s 6 00 Kelso - Lady Ra @ 16s
Thanks Hawkeye. He should have just stuck to the subject indicated in the heading, which you can't argue with. From what he says, some of these tracks should be closed. Ridges? What a nightmare. They should be watered and the ridges rolled out before allowing any racing. Unfortunately he has strayed into areas he clearly knows SFA about which does him no credit at all.
