Looked like a minimum 10F horse Elarqam - I didn't really see him change gears or show instant acceleration like you would expect a top class miler to, it was more sort of relentless power. On breeding you'd think he's a miler but I think he will be better over further and potentially vulnerable to a mile specialist with gears. Early days yet though
According to this article, Frankel covered 195 mares this year - 82 of which were Group winners! That sounds very high to me as normally Juddmonte don't cover more than 140 with their stallions, but it's possible I guess. I'll be able to verify when I go back to work in November. please log in to view this image Lot 330: 1.6 million reasons to doubt whether this really will be Frankel's weakest crop to date Patrick McCann 1 of 1 7:33PM, SEP 28 2017 The sale-topper took the breath away. But how surprising can that be, when the prowess of his sire is such that he can take away memory itself? For the racetrack deeds of Frankel's first two crops – extended at Newmarket on Thursday by his latest star, Elarqam – appear to be causing a contagion of amnesia among many bloodstock agents. You would do well now, certainly, to find one prepared to confess a share in a supercilious consensus when his stock first went under the hammer. He had failed to stamp his stock, they said. Well, maybe so – at least until you saw them gallop. By that stage, it became excitingly apparent that he had stamped a lot of them with that trademark buoyancy of his. This current crop of yearlings was conceived, however, after Frankel's first foals had met a distinctly hesitant reception. Of the 114 mares he covered in 2015, 37 were winners at Group level – highly impressive, on the face of it, until compared with the 38 Group/Grade 1 winners he had received in his debut season. The 130 enticed to persevere in 2016, meanwhile, were down to 32 Group winners. Congratulations, then, to the Marlhill House Stud team for keeping the faith. The only lot of the sale to surpass the Galileo filly who caused so much excitement on Tuesday – indeed, its only other seven-figure yearling – was likewise contested by representatives of Godolphin and Coolmore. This time it was the latter who gained the day, at €1.6 million, in a partnership including Zayat Stables who enter Ballydoyle for the first time with a spectacular colt. Frankel: thanks for the memories please log in to view this image Frankel: thanks for the memories Zayat have done productive business with Coolmore on the other side of the pond, not least over American Pharoah. And its agent Justin Casse, who signed for this one, has long been among the more infectious enthusiasts for the progeny of Frankel. It will be interesting to see what kind of bump in the road – if any – awaits Frankel, through his third and fourth crops. He is hardly the first stallion to suffer a (relative) slackening of mare quality, pending public examination of his initial runners; which examination, of course, he has meanwhile passed with flying colours. But if this knockout Orby graduate is anything to go by, we will hardly notice the join before his sire's graphline surges back up via the 82 Group winners (out of no fewer than 195 partners altogether) he covered this year.
Not a good day for Frankel maybe just as well for Herculean, big ask for his second run and we still have Nelson. Good run from Elwazir though. What is a dirty scope?
Racehorses are routinely scoped (a camera is put down their nose and into the trachea) to check their airways are clear from any mucus which might be an indicator of a respiratory infection. A dirty scope is one that shows up an unsatisfactory amount of mucus - if the horse's body is fighting off an infection the theory is he won't run as well as he could when fully healthy. Additionally anything that could compromise airway efficiency in an athlete is less than ideal.
Sunday (declared) LADY FRANKEL in the G1 Prix de l'Opera at Chantilly QUEEN KINDLY in the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye at Chantilly AT YOUR SERVICE in a Handicap at Musselburgh SWISS STORM in a Handicap at Epsom Tuesday (declared) FRIMA in a Maiden at Dundalk ZEFFERINO in a Handicap at Kempton Wednesday (entries) FIRST ELEVEN in a 1m Novice at Salisbury (2 year old) SILVER QUARTZ in a 1m Novice at Salisbury (2 year old) - out of full-sister to French G2 winner/G1 placed winner Rajsaman SILVER QUARTZ in a 7f Novice at Salisbury (2 year old) HAZARFAN in a 1m Novice at Salisbury (2 year old) - cost 250,000gns as a yearling. Half-brother to G1 placed pair Hartnell and Roz. ZEFFERINO in a Handicap at Salisbury SPANISH POINT in a Maiden at Naas (2 year old) Thursday (entries) TANGO FIRE in a Maiden at Lingfield PHANTASMIC in a Maiden at Chelmsford (2 year old) - half sister to G1 winner Total Gallery and Fillies Mile placed Lady Darshaan Friday (entries) Weekender in the Listed Noel Murless Stakes at Ascot TANGO FIRE in a Maiden at Chelmsford
TANGMERE made his debut in Australia today but stood in the stalls and came home last. He has been ordered back to Trials by the stewards.
SOUL STIRRING faces a tough task on return. She's the only filly in the field (1 of 3 3yos) and faces 5 other G1 winners (image from Twitter).
Tuesday (declared) ZEFFERINO in a Handicap at Kempton Wednesday (declared) AMSER in a Maiden at Lyon la Soie Thursday (declared) TANGO FIRE in a Maiden at Lingfield Friday (entries) WEEKENDER in the Listed Noel Murless Stakes at Ascot TANGO FIRE in a Maiden at Chelmsford Saturday (entries) SILVER QUARTZ in a Novice at Redcar (2 year old) - out of full-sister to French G2 winner/G1 placed winner Rajsaman SPANISH POINT in a Maiden at Limerick (2 year old) SILVER QUARTZ in a Novice at Newmarket (2 year old) HAZARFAN in a Novice at Newmarket (2 year old) - cost 250,000gns as a yearling. Half-brother to G1 placed pair Hartnell and Roz. Sunday (entries) SAN REMO in the Irish Cesarewitch at Navan SOUL STIRRING in the G2 Mainichi Okan at Tokyo Monday (entries) FIRST ELEVEN in a Novice at Windsor (2 year old) HAZARFAN in a Novice at Windsor (2 year old)
SOUL STIRRING was a disappointing 8th on her return from the summer break. She remains on target for the Tenno Sho.
