I am a bit miffed. Backed PATRICK REED to be the top points scorer at 11/1 and I think Thomas Pieters has beaten him by half a point!
Strange ol day all round really. We throw the yanks a bone to keep them interested in the Ryder Cup, Hamilton reckons the Mercedes mechanics are stuffing up his engine and I backed the 2016 Arc winner in 2015.
A man on holiday finishes his round, goes into the clubhouse. The head pro says, "Did you have a good time out there?" The man replied "Fabulous, thank you" "You're welcome" said the pro. "How did you find the greens?" Said the man " Easy, I just walked to the end of the fairways and there they were" Sleep tight folks!!
17-11 looks a bit of a shooing but not really. 6 very close singles matches which the USA got 4.5 points from. Westwood missing a 3 footer last night didn't help either.
And this was all before the unbeaten second fav came out, further weakening what was already a very shallow race. Funny how its suddenly become a good race after Obriens, including the waste of time, finished 1st 3. The fact Obrien had the first 3 tells you its a shocking Arc, none of his horses were even trained properly for the race and he has a shocking record in the race as a result of his training style. Incidentally, the only other time Obrien won the Arc, a certainty didnt run due to injury.
It wasn't a vintage Arc mate, but she still easily beat 8 Group 1 winners. The filly deserved it, cant think of a horse more consistent at the top level, the master O'Brien was always aiming her to peak in Autumn. She's the only horse to ever have won the Arc and a Breeders Cup. Some horse. At least you got your answer about where La Cressy would have been with the running of last 'victim' Left Hand finishing plum last... Her form got ripped to shreds yesterday mate, all the placed horses being older further confirmed the 3 yos were poor. She looked flashy against dross but Left Hand showed how exposed she'd a been there in a proper race against actual opposition so you were on a loser from day one there boss. In fact it's just as well she didn't show up for you to save face, that turned into a blessing for you
conjecture, if it worked like that Postponed would have beaten Found and Highland Reel again youre forgetting Almanzor, a 3yo, beat Found in the Irish Champion, and he wasnt even the stables Arc horse, the filly was running a race imo, would she have beat Found with that dream trip, I dont know, but I doubt she would have been worse than second, Found has a decent turn of foot, nothing else showed acceleration in the straight and I believe LC would have I would say Highland Reel would have deserved it more, even though he shouldnt be good enough to win an Arc, hes a consistent international Group 1 horse who doesnt lose races he should be winning.
Manduro was a goodthing, one of the most underrated horses in my time, 1m to 1m4, Fabre said he was the best he trained and thats some statement, he also beat Dylan Thomas easily at Ascot that year and won his trial on the snaff before injuring himself after the line
Zafonic, Pennekamp, Peintre Celebre, Hurricane Run, 7 Arc winners Manduro Moved from Peter Schiergen's in 2006 as a four-year-old but it was not until the following year that he became dominant, winning all five of his starts including the Prix d'Ispahan, Prince of Wales's, Prix Jacques le Marois and Prix Foy. Fabre said: "It is a common thing for trainers to talk about the best horse they have trained, but Manduro was the best horse I have trained, and the best by a good margin. With him, nothing seemed impossible. His attitude, his conformation, everything about him was exceptional."
La Cressoniere's form is nothing to get excited about. A heap of listed races and a few group races against very ordinary 3 year olds. She hasn't run against any four year old or against the boys or over the Arc trip. She only beat Left Hand by half a lenght and she trailed home in the Arc. She beat Nathra who isn't anywhere near proper group 1 stantard. And Jemeyel who she beat last time was firmly put in her place in the Prix de l'opera. All she has done is run against three year old fillies in France. A bit of perspective wouldn't go amiss. Found won it fair and square. It wasn't a vintage renewal by any stretch. But to be whingeing about it being a travesty because a hypejob similar to the Japanese colt didn't get to run in it is just ridiculous.
I wasnt interested in LCs form, she was value for far more than 1/2L in the Diane and wasnt out of 2nd gear in her trial. She had everything I look for in an Arc horse and she was prepared perfectly to run a career best. I was talking tongue in cheek but not sure what hypejob youre talking about, I didnt want anything to win the race after the non runner, would have preferred it not to be Found because I think shes a villain.
Found was prepared perfectly to run a career best. I dont quiet understand your "Found is a villain" comment.
She was having her 8th run of the season, ive not checked but you might have to go back far to see a winner having its 8th run, beaten fav 3 times, twice at odds on, winning only a Group 3, shes been fav 8 times in her career, won 2 of them, one at 8/13 in a Group 3, and second in 5 of them, shes run 19 times and been second 10 times. Biggest villain since The Fugue as I said.
The fact that La Cressoniere has no meaningful form to back up the fact that she was second in the betting for the Arc made her one of the great hypejobs of the season. She may well go on to be a brilliant filly but to date she hasn't shown anything like the sort of form needed to win an Arc or something similar. At least the likes of Minding, Seventh Heaven and several others have been tried against older horses.
She was underrated all season imo, didnt see much hype at all, she was still 14/1 after winning the Diane
