International Racing

I think Benbatl and Blair House have shown what we all knew about the middle distance division in Australia, its Group 3 standard at best. Winx has been beating absolute donkeys for years.

 

Certainly do not agree with any of that. A cynical opinion. Cannot comment on Blair House, but, if allowed to do so, Benbatl is a very high-class front runner at up to 1-1/4 miles, as he showed in winning this year's Group 1 Grosser Dallmayr Preis when ridden by Oisin Murphy. But I guess that won't meet with your approval, as you only seem to laud racehorses from one or two of your favoured countries, even though German-bred horses do pretty well on the international scene, and German thoroughbred bloodstock is much sought after. Your comment on Winx is not worthy of a reply. Donkeys indeed!

 

Blair House and Benbatl are Meydan carnival horses, decent but no hopers in good European G1s, thats why Benbatl has been sent to Germany and now Australia.

Humidor has been one of the better horses up against Winx in recent years, and hes lengths behind these 2 in 3rd here, Benbatl is a solid G2 horse, so where does that put Humidor in comparison to top European horses? suggests to me he would be G3 at best

Winx is the only G1 horse in the country beyond 6f imo, the only argument of a decent horse to have run against her people can make is Highland Reel, but its worth bearing in mind he was a 3yo at the time and was not good enough in European classics so was sent to 6 different countries in 6 months, it was only as an older horse in quite a weak division that he flourished in European G1s

I think Winx could compete in G1s but there is simply no other way to view the quality of opposition she has beaten over and over again as nowhere near what we consider G1 level. She has scraped home in some of these races and wouldnt be unbeaten over here in top company.

 

Well, at least Benbatl is a "solid G2 horse", must be thankful for small mercies. Think he could well be a solid G1 racehorse at up to 1-1/4 miles if ridden by an understanding jockey (and trainer) if allowed to bowl along in front. I was amazed at his win LTO in Australia in which he was restrained by Cosgrave, yet was still in a good enough frame of mind to go on and win gamely, albeit narrowly. In the Juddmonte, he fought for his head when Crowley restrained him, when all Benbatl wanted to do was get on with it? OK, stable instructions maybe, but the way to ride him was shown by Oisin Murphy in the Grosser Dallmayr Preis, IMHO. The Cox Plate will be the answer to this horse, I would say. You could well be quite right, and I quite wrong, I accept that.

Will not dwell on Winx, 28 wins in a row is no fluke. I honestly hope she wins the Cox Plate again, and is honourably retired to the paddocks. I will be having mixed emotions in this upcoming Australian classic!

 

Well how would you be? German form does it again. What a cracking ride from Pat Cosgrave, a corker. After drawing four from the outside and having to travel four deep early, he settled Best Solution nice and close to the lead. When the race exploded into life, he quickly pulled the trigger and launched the horse to the front. He skipped on the corner which in the end won him the race. Homesman made ground but couldn't overcome the difference the corner made.

No1. Godolphin Blue. Drawn 16.

 

Good day, Cyc. You might remember that Galaxy always said Cosgrave was a good jockey, and there were few better judges on this forum ever than he, IMHO.Many of us could not see it on this rider, I would suspect. Pat really has discovered a new lease of life downunder, good for him although he has been doing well in Germany, and good for Godolphin for continuing to give him the chance in top-class races around the world. Real happy for him.

Think Kerrin McEvoy must have thought he was on Nijinsky or Dancing Brave?

It is worth noting that in this year's Grosser Preis von Baden, Iquitos, who finished a close-up third to Best Solution, could only finish 4th to Benbatl in the 2018 renewal of the Grosser Dallmayr Preis in Munich, Iquitos having won the 2017 event. The second horse, Stormy Antarctic, is improving and showed he gets 1-1/4 miles well. One for the notebook.

Here's a snippet, actual race starts at 1.21, although there are some nice shots of Munich racegoers enjoying the Summer weather! Oisin Murphy really is a fine young jockey.

 

The rise of Kodiac continues. His first classic winner next year?

 

Top 5 in Caulfield Cup all UK/IRE G3/G2 types.

 

Can't help yourself can ya' Eddie?

 

Ascot end of season bog, what you expecting, summer form form to hold up?

Magical and Sand Of Mali have won prestigious races in this part of the world before, thats why they are here today and not globetrotting.

 

Hang in there Eddie.

 

Heresay? How on earth do you know that, or are you just taking the piss, Zeus?

 

Sorry, think that should read "Hearsay". Corrected.

Guess I was always pretty lucky with jet-lag. Used to get home (from the east more often than not), and would sleep like the dead for anything up to 8 to 10 hours, and that was that. Arriving from the west, and when travelling from Europe, was often a bit more complicated!

 

Caulfield Cup winner Best Solution has avoided a eight penalty for the Melbourne Cup. He's a double each way priced second favourite.

 

G1 COX PLATE FINAL FIELD. AU $5,000,000. 2040m.

1. BENBATL. (3) GB. O. MURPHY. 59 KG. 8-1.
2. HUMIDOR. (7) NZ. D. LANE. 59 KG. 15-1.
3. KINGS WILL DREAM. (4) IRE. 59 KG. J. ALLEN. 33-1.
4. AVILIUS. (1) GB. 59 KG. G. SCHOFIELD. 25-1.
5. D'ARGENTO. (2) AU. 57.5 KG. K. MCEVOY. 33-1.
6. WINX. (6) AU. 57 KG. H. BOWMAN. 1-4.
7. ROSTROPOVICH. (8) IRE. 56 KG. R. MOORE. 40-1.
8. SAVVY COUP. (5) NZ. 55.5 KG. C. JOHNSON. 33-1.

 

I hope so Oddy, but I don't think she's the mare she was 2 years ago. Age wearies us all mate.

 

Whithold (14/1) isn’t sure to run in the Melbourne Cup because he is number 33 at this time. They do not want to risk that he does not run and thereforehe runs the Geelong Cup tonight and needs to win to run on November 4th. Favorite (15/8) at this time, although perhaps the distance (1m 4f) is a bit short. If he wins, he runs. A double for tonight and for the Melbourne Cup pays very well.