Dettori rides Star Of Seville because he is contracted to the Qatari owners. I get accused of after-timing on The Ashes thread but I do not have to put up with it in this instance. The three joint top rated fillies in the Nassau Stakes were Diamondsandrubies, Legatissimo and Star Of Seville on 114. In an average or good year they would be running for places at best. It might have been a competitive race but it was classless. The runner-up was rated 12lb behind the winner and the rest all finished in a heap after the scrimmaging in the last two furlongs. It made me laugh when Jim McGrath described Legatissimo’s Newmarket win as a good Guineas because of fourth Malabar winning a mile Group 3 yesterday. The Oaks winner Qualify was nearly 40 lengths last at HQ. What is he on?
Judging by the result of the consolation race you want to be drawn low in the Stewards. Had a bit on POYLE VINNIE My selection last night,Ashpan Sam, has been really playing up in the preliminaries.
Rubbish! Two more for now in the next at Goodwood, Toofi 16/1 & Basil Berry 40/1 both ew and reverse forecast
No, but it does illustrate the worthlessness of the Guineas form. What has the runner-up won since? I will give you a couple of clues: Godolphin own it, Kevin Manning rides it. And before somebody comes to correct me, Star Of Seville is not owned by the Qataris – I just looked and it is Lady Bamford (similar colours) – so I guess Dettori had first choice and decided to choose the Group 1 winner.
Well done Smokey! What a rider Frankie is, at the top of his form. Good old Tropics, managed 5th for a nice e/w. Weight was just too much for him, but another fine effort nevertheless.
I think Lucidas a decent mare, tomorrow the French horse that beat her at Ascot might just reaffirm that. I'm not saying their a vintage crop but don't underestimate LEGATISSIMO. Don't forget but for 2 photo finishes she was on the wrong side of, we'd have a filly who'd have won 4 Grade Ones on the bounce including 2 Classics from distances of a mile to a mile and a half. Sometimes the form mightn't read great, but when you look at what she's done as a whole, I think she's a very, very high class filly. She murdered them today.
According to Wikipedia, the last three year old to win the Stewards’ Cup was Danetime (Pat Eddery) back in 1997 and before that Autumn Sunset (Willie Carson) in 1983. Either not many attempt it or it is very difficult to do. I guess that wraps up the top jockey title for Frankie...
Beating the same average trees in close races does not make a horse good or great. Losing to them in photos just highlights it. The French filly could well turn out to be good and we already had the argument at Royal Ascot about Manning riding like a dolt, so there is no point going there. Where is Shergar when you do not need him? On the ratings, Ervedya is better than Legatissimo and so is David O’Meara’s Amazing Maria. They meet in the Prix Rothschild, where the rest of the field are held on form except the unexposed Usherette. Whatever happens at Deauville will not make the 1000 Guineas any better and it is still my opinion that Legatissimo is not a very, very high class filly because there are none.
As I have backed only one winner this week at Goodwood, here is another of mine to avoid: Last year, Charlie Appleby won the 4:55 with an improving colt and in FLASH FIRE, a facile winner at Sandown on Eclipse day, he probably has another. It has been hiked 11lb in the handicap and the main dangers are probably the quartet of Mark Johnston horses, chiefly Mambo Paradise who may try to make all. It looks like Richard Hughes has had his last winner – yesterday on Belvoir Bay – unless seasonal debutant Fox Trotter can win off top weight.
Mark Johnston has four runners in the next at Goodwood and I wouldn't be surprised if it was his 25/1 outsider Surewecan that goes in, however I'm willing to give Enlace another chance so that's where my money's at. Think someone has already mentioned this one anyway
That'll do, hopefully Johnston's runner Ifwecan does the job in the last for the double. Steveo I see you had Enlace in the comp well done mate
Shout Smokey, I was on his other one as a mate and I have backed Enlace about the last 5 times over 7f which it has lost all. Typical.
Apparently, Enlace has a one hundred per cent record at Goodwood. Of course they do not tell you that until after the race... not that I would have backed her anyway with no places in her last four races – almost the form I have had this week! Well done all who found a winner at least. I should have done Mr Win at Newmarket or just stuck to Clairefontaine (100 per cent record: 1 from 1).
