Two really good horses I think. One won by a nose, you can't say more than that. Run the race next week and Nathaniel might win by a nose. Nathaniel contested two Group 1s in two weeks and it's enormous credit to him to have run two such good races. Did Danedream have a better preparation? Maybe but plenty of horses have won these 2 Group 1s two weeks apart, even though they are 90% of the time run 3 weeks apart. Someone must have a chequebook out to snap him up as a stallion: that's the toughness you want in a stallion. Nathaniel's full-sister having won the Irish Oaks yesterday makes Magnificent Style a very interesting and valuable broodmare. That makes her the dam of 3 Group 1 winners (4 if you count Percussionist's US Grade 1 Grand National Hurdle). There doesn't seem to be a 2yo and I don't know if she has a yearling and a foal? Maybe pN can fill us in? Looking at Magnificent Styles' daughters you have a trio of interesting 2yos this year. Probably the most interesting is;- War Horse, who's a Galileo colt out Distinctive Look (a Danehill half sister to Nathaniel), then there's:- Tearless, a Street Cry filly out of Playful Act (a Sadler's Wells Half sister to Nathaniel) and finally there's;- Tally Stack, a Street Cry colt out of Echoes in Destiny (a Spinning World half-sister). All the family seem to run, as far as I can see all Magnificent Styles' progeny that have got to the track have won and most of them won Stakes races.This is of course Sangster breeding. Looks like he bought the mare at Keeneland back in the 90s. Seems to have sold her in about 2008, but Ben Sangster has a full-sister to Playful Act in Changing Skies who must have just gone to stud (I hope so). Godolphin have two daughters in PA and Echoes in Destiny. I'd definitely send the latter to Galileo or one of his sons (New Approach?) if I was the Sheikh..
pN who is weeks ahead of most of us and especially me has already answered my question 12 days ago. For those who don't read her excellent posts there's a yearling and a foal by Oasis Dream and she was covered by Fastnet Rock this year. So more Northern Dancer blood. What price that next year's assignation is with Galileo? But I can't trace where any of the 2yos mentioned are trained. Godolphin have probably got the two Street Crys.
Why do some people seem to think that I have a problem with the Coolmore breeding operation - a perfectly legal and legitimate business - when the continual use of tenuous excuses by their principal trainer is the annoyance? My bias? I am missing where in my totally objective comments there is a bias. I do not care who trains a horse but when it is talked up as a superstar and does not live up to the billing, plaudits are not required. In your statement, you say that the horse was badly ridden and does not like going right-handed. As a matter of opinion - which is all that it can be - I agree that this was probably not Joseph OâBrienâs greatest ride; however, he is a young man learning his trade and even Lester had the odd howler. If the horse does not go right-handed, he should be 50/1 at Longchamp. By âthe best trainer in the Ukâ, I assume that you are referring to Aidan OâBrien from the Republic of Ireland, which in not part of the United Kingdom. Whether he is the best trainer is obviously a matter of opinion and we clearly disagree. I think it is perfectly fair to criticise any trainer, irrespective of their nationality, when they run a horse in a big race knowing full well what the going conditions are hours before the race starts; and then blame said going conditions for their horseâs defeat. If Mr OâBrien did not think that the ground was fast enough for St Nicholas Abbey, then he should not have run him. If the horse had been trained by Sir Henry Cecil, my opinion would still be the same.
