International Racing

Winx in about 30 minutes.

 

One thing about following the exploits of a champion, is the fear failure. Today Winx lined up in the G1 George Ryder Stakes over seven and a half furlongs at Rosehill Gardens. This was scary stuff. Here is a mare who as a filly won the Queensland Oaks over a mile and a half and has excelled at 10 furlongs over the last couple of years, yet today she was pitched into a sprinting event against 5 opponents who between them have won about AU$8,000,000 in prize money. A lot of people were holding their breath.

 

They would only make the England trip for the horse's status, not the money. The Queen Ann is worth AU$1,250,000 while the Queen Elizabeth is worth AU$4,000,000. If she was mine, I love to test her in Europe, but in the end, I think I'd take the cash.

 

The 12f G2 San Luis Rey Handicap run at Santa Anita Park yesterday. Itsinthepost was looking to go back to back in the San Luis Rey, his main danger appeared to be Hayabusa One. Both horses were bred in France.

 

The world's richest two year old race, the AU$3,500,000 G1 Golden Slipper was run yesterday at Rosehill. There four starters at double each odds or under, the colts Written By and Performer, and the fillies Sunlight and Estijaab. Brenton Avdulla flew the AU$1,700,000 yearling purchase Estijaab from an outside gate and set the pace to suit himself. The bolter Oohood ran on strongly to just miss.

 

Thanks Cyc. I saw the race on TV. I would love to see her come to England, or better still to France; but only to win. I would hate to see her lose. So I have mixed feelings and will just wait to see what happens

 

I see the Winx team have turned down a visit to Royal Ascot "she has nothing left to prove".

Shame

 

And if she wins both the Queen Elizabeth and Cox Plate she can add another A$4,800,000 to her owner's wallets. So the news doesn't really come as any great surprise Jana.

 

Good decision, her form isnt good enough to win a G1 in Europe.

 

Yep, she'd struggle to win a maiden in England. We all know that.

 

I do not think she would win at Royal Ascot though she is clearly a top filly.

 

Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but I think both you and Boris are quite wrong here. Two factors would have made it difficult for her, (1) getting her over here in good health after the long long flight from Australia and (2) not having to race in an English-style mudbath which is always possible, even at Ascot, e.g. the 1997 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Without these problems, I think she would have won her chosen race. One cannot blame her connections for not risking her with this long journey. She does very well in Australia, thank you very much. Winx is absolutely top-class, in anybody's language.

In passing, and in many ways not relevant, I admit, but did you and Boris think the same about the world class sprinter Black Caviar 6-years ago? She won the 2012 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Ascot, in spite of suffering a muscle tear during the race. On retirement, Black Caviar earned a top Timeform rating of 136. I quote from Wikipedia on this Diamond Jubilee race:

" Jockey Luke Nolen said that his over-confidence had been a factor in the closeness of the finish: "It was an error that every apprentice is taught not to do, and I got away with it today." It was discovered during after-race X-rays that Black Caviar had sustained an eight-centimetre muscle tear somewhere in the race. Nolen felt the change in the horse and said he 'thought she'd done enough to get home'. "Nolen said that his over-confidence had been a factor in the closeness of the finish: "It was an error that every apprentice is taught not to do, and I got away with it today." It was discovered during after-race X-rays that Black Caviar had sustained an eight-centimetre muscle tear somewhere in the race. Nolen felt the change in the horse and said he 'thought she'd done enough to get home. I didn't want to annoy her any more.' Trainer Moody explained the mare had not coped with the 11,000-mile journey as well as he had hoped or expected. He also described her as appearing "tired and worn-out" after the race............................"

 

Following on to the above comment (which was just a personal one btw, many will not agree with me, I'm sure), here's a video clip of the 1997 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot. The official going was 'soft', but as far as I can remember conditions were much worse than that after torrential rain beforehand. I noticed at the time that the two horses with the best chances, given the ground conditions, were the hot favourite Helissio and Swain, surprisingly a 16-1 shot. Swain did not particularly like soft/heavy ground, but did consent to go on it. One can see from the video clip that the 8-participants were out on their feet towards the end of the contest, and I think rider John Reid was pretty knackered too. Pilsudski, the second, surprised me, he ran a terrific race under these conditions. Helissio ran his heart out, but just did not quite see it out on this deep ground. To finish with a bit of historical aftertiming, yes I did back Swain, I could hardly ignore him at those odds, even though John Reid never ever did a bloody thing for me before this race!

 

Geez that was a torrid old affair Ron. It's no wonder they were all knackered at the finish, the early pace they set in the conditions was always going to find them out.

 

It was actually me, Cyc, the invisible man!

 

**** sorry mate, another senors moment.

 

s'OK, Cyc, didn't want to see Ron accused of 'historical aftertiming'!

 

The 2016 Melbourne Cup winner Almandin took his career earnings to A$5,303,858 when he won the million dollar G1 H.E. Tancred Stakes at Rosehill today.

 

Absolute cracking ride by Christophe Soumillon aboard the Helmet (Aus)- Eastern Joy (GB) colt Thunder Snow in the G1 Dubai World Cup. He ran the race to suit himself and gave nothing else a chance. Thunder Snow's career earnings now stand at a healthy 6,302,421 pounds.