.Could be one of the crappiest fields but she was impressive. She would have won the Coronation Cup on WFA. Now fav for the Arc
Every opinion I've held today - firm, medium or mild - has turned out 180 degrees wrong. I think I'll go and eat worms.
Is she? The slow early pace, soft ground, and tactical nature of the race must call the form into question a little. That last furlong and a bit, she took off like a rocket though tbf.
It was only 0.44 secs slower than the Coronation Cup and she was carrying the same weight as the older horses. And QM reckons they went further in the Oaks
Stunning result in the Oaks. Either Snowfall is the new Frankel or she beat a load of old ****e there today. There were some shocking efforts from the opposition and Aidan O'Brien's bluster that Santa Barbara was like a four year old colt has to be the biggest load of **** since Henry Kissinger (As someone one said to me regarding the rules for booking a club snooker table). Of course there is always the chance that he was talking of the four year old Mogul, who ran a shocker in the Coronation Cup, beaten more than 40 lengths. Santa Barbara did get her revenge on Saffron Beach from the Guineas but both were pathetic on the day. I don't think either filly stayed, Saffron Beach more notably of the two and the call with her should clearly have been to go to the Irish Guineas. No less a man than John Gosden had said that Saffron Beach looked like the only filly from the Guineas who might get 12F but this seemed a desperate move up in trip for a filly who was second in a Guineas. It wasn't as if she were totally outpaced and had stayed on strongly for fourth or fifth. At least Saffron Beach was ridden as if she might stay. In comparison Ryan Moore sat out the back and rode Santa Barbara like a filly who was dubious to get the trip. Yet again, Ryan Moore has made a fool of himself. How could any jockey get off a filly who went on to win 16 lengths? I can only assume the jockey is clueless as to the ability of the horses he is sitting on and why anyone would want to read his thoughts on a race is a mystery to me. Frankie must be laughing his tits off at these winners he is being handed by the Clown Prince of selecting. Zeyaadah was tipped up aplenty this morning but was a huge disappointment. Her Cheshire Oaks conqueror Dubai Fountain was backed from 12/1 two days ago to a ridiculous 4/1 2nd Fav today. I doubt we will ever see such a pathetic effort from a horse so well backed and it is a typical under achievement from a Johnston runner in a Classic. Teona was never involved and there was no evidence whatsoever of the "Special Filly" she had been talked about as being. She should have been runner up based on her effort behind Snowfall in the Musidora and late absentee Noon Star should have placed on the same form line. Mystery Angel, was 4th in that Musidora and has finished runner up today, making Teona's effort all the more disappointing. Roger Varian came with a supposed strong hand but it was his 40/1 outsider who fared by far the best. A wild result and then some, with the rest of the field running like a bunch of handicappers having an off day. Racing Post ratings give the winner as the only fillyto run to three figures on their ratings. The same ratings had Snowfall running to 123 today. As I mentioned, Mogul stank the place out today. That was shocking by any standards and he had form linked to winner Pyledriver. Aidan said the ground was softer than ideal but Sweet Jesus that doesn't explain that dismal showing. I had mulled between Mogul and Pyledriver and done a reverse forecast on the pair and it is vexing when the other one you fancied wins instead of the selection. Al Aasy was far enough back early on but looked to be coming to win a bit less impressively than was expected but Pyle Driver fought back gamely. Al Aasy was probably slightly over rated for winning a contest that lacked depth last time. Japan was disappointing today and I had worried he beat a staying type last time. Albaflora got her ground in the end but seemed to run more like her previous form than the new mark of 113 she was awarded for routing her field on really testing going. A disappointing day for me. I was stunned by Snowfall's demolition and now wonder if she will back it up. This looked a long way away from the filly we saw last season. That can sometimes happen with lightly raced horses but she was busy last year in earning a rating of 90 coming into this season. There now looks like no 3YO filly who can lay a glove on her this season and they will need to consider giving the others weight to level the playing field. On to tomorrow to see if the colts race is more competitive, or will Bolshoi Ballet tear his field a new one? Well done to all who found winners today.
