If I was them I'd run him in the Guineas, as he seems to have pace and handle any going. Second choice I'd go for the Dante. I'd love him to win at Epsom but I can't see it at the moment.
They'd both be thoroughly disappointed, 'cos his fecking fern would ring at the critical moment, surely?
Despite his apparent aversion to the dip at Newmarket, run him in the Guineas? The track at York is completely flat and the problem appears to be anything that is not flat. I am not sure of the race conditions for the Lingfield Derby Trial, but as it has been downgraded over the years, I expect that he would have a Group 1 penalty; however, they would find out if the course undulations were the problem. I think that is why Jim McGrath said that he would fancy the horse for the Irish Derby on Ch4 and completely ignored the Epsom question that was posed to him. If memory serves correctly, Elm Park is not entered in the Epsom Derby but I guess his new Qatari co-owner can afford the supplementary fee if he has nothing else to run. He needs to get in quick. I was told a long time ago that you should always look at the mother to see what you were going to get in 25 years time. If that is the case, Jamie Spencer got the best years of Emma because her mother Lynda was no oil painting.
Sad post script to Saturday's Persian War Novice Hurdle - favourite Son Du Berlais, who was pulled up in the home straight by AP McCoy, had to be put down after slicing into a tendon. Nicky Henderson said: "We thought Son Du Berlais was going to be one of our shining lights this winter, but very sadly we've lost him and now we'll never know."
QM you are not a moron or certainly not monosyllabic. I was referring to the pundits and why anyone would want to listen to their inane output...not your own overtures.
What I find amazing is that Balding has not won a group one in all that time despite coming from such a silver spoon racing environment. AOB coming from quite a humble background picks up another group one on the other side of the world, gets treated on here as if he was some some type of ogre. I know his diction is not great, but his family did not have the cash to send him to public school or indeed buy him a commision in the Guards. It really demonstrates a real lack of class to come on a blog site and anonymously criticise of his diction. I congratulate him for his great success in a world where there is still so much nonsense as people using 'Sir' , 'Lord', 'HRH; etc in 2014, Hard to believe really that there are peasants out there that do buy into this,
Very sad indeed. Emma Lavelle lost TIMESREMEMBERED too at Aintree after his fall. Tough on the yard as they lost THE LAST NIGHT at Kempton last weekend also. I was at Chepstow on Saturday and as you will all know the don's horse HARRISTOWN fell at the second hurdle. Happy to report that he came back sound with only a little nick on one leg. He will be examined by the physio in the next couple of days but should be out again very soon. I have to say he looked a real picture in the paddock. He has muscled up considerably over the Summer. It really was heart in mouth time when he hit the deck and then also for the rest of the time that he ran loose. He was enjoying himself so much that he even took on one of the chase fences up the home straight. Fiddled it a little but looks like he will jump a fence, all in good time fella. The yard lost a real good un in NO NO ROMEO earlier in the week and as with the Lavelle yard everybody feels it. Anyone who thinks the people in these yards don't particularly care about the welfare of their horses are completely misguided. Very painful for all involved when these tragedies happen all too often.
Gutted to hear about Timesremembered stick - thought he had a big future over fences. The Persian War seems to be a race with gloom attached to it one way or another
I hardly think a couple of posts taking the piss out of the way he talks constitutes the forum treating him like an ogre. You'll also find that some of the silver spoon brigade you talk of are not immune. Mr Henderson, in particular, has come in for some shameful abuse on here - but I promised to stop doing it.
I need to find a way to mark some of my posts as sarcastic, Dex. I knew what you meant and to whom you were referring. Well, at least I thought I knew that you did not mean me! Historically, racing has always been somewhat hereditary. Nothing anybody can do about history. Aidan O’Brien’s upbringing is largely irrelevant. The fact that he is in essence the private trainer to one of the biggest breeding operations in the World means that he should be subjected to the greatest scrutiny and he is perfectly justifiably lambasted for failing to deliver results commensurate with the theoretical calibre of the horses that he is given. I do not recall anybody complaining about Adelaide winning the Cox’s Plate, even though the winner’s name was ironic. Who criticised his diction? As somebody from a working class background, my dull northern monotone hardly puts me in a position to question diction. Would you like a link to an online dictionary definition of diction? That he always tells interviewers to “listen” is common knowledge.
Yes run him in the Guineas. His aversion to the dip may be relative immaturity and as you say is apparent: we don't really know absolutely. I think the Guineas will be his best chance to run him in a classic, why not take it? Why would you run him at Lingfield when you are worried he won't take Newmarket, let alone Epsom? (I'm sure Kingsclere will have a Derby gallop anyway). If you really think he's unable to handle a few undulations then surely the best place to go is York. It's a bigger prize, more prestigious than Lingfield and after that sortie you can decide if you supplement him for Epsom (I'm sure they'll do that in March anyway) or head for AOB's race. We all know we can be taken in by 2yos. He appears well ahead of the 'miler/stayer' types at the moment. By next spring someone could have a green 3yo who improves 20-30lbs and all this becomes hypothetical. Personally I hope Elm Park stays ahead and I'd love to see them have the courage to go for the Guineas.
Not sure what you mean Berry. I treat everyone the same and you wouldn't want to hear me strangle some vowels. Surprised he hasn't had more Group 1s? Look at his owners. He's hardly first choice for the better ones (I'd say he's unfairly bottom of the Royal pile for example: I'd certainly rate him a better trainer than Bell). Where he does have good owners like Strawbridge and Barnett, they are owner-breeders and their outlook on life is slightly different to the big battalions. Look at a list of his owners, I think that says enough. But he does well and gets plenty of winners and when he gets a good one he does fairly well. To me he's a capable trainer who with the right horses could be at near the top of his profession. Silver spoon? Not as big or as pure as others I'd have thought.
I suspect that they will run him in the Guineas as it is reputedly the best Derby trial and there are only three Classics he can run in. I think the Lingfield Derby Trial is only Listed these days. They could go to Epsom for their trial but I do not know what status that holds. If they went to York, they might then decide to go for the Prix Du Jockey Club as Chantilly has no undulations or camber. So we are agreed there are plenty of options. The do not need to decide about supplementing for the Blue Riband until the week of the race so there is no hurry. Am I right in thinking that there is a promo event close to the Derby meeting where trainers can take their horses for a spin? That could be ideal.
