On Saturday we have the Eclipse at Sandown, it's usually the race were the generations clash for the first time, but this year there doesn't seem to be any 3yos taking there chance!*
It's not easy at this stage to work out which horses will run, so il just put up the odds of the fancied runners that I think will run., with the best odds available*
So You Think 13/8*
Workforce 7/4*
Snow Fairy 10/1*
Cityscape 16/1*
20/1 bar*
Canford Cliffs has an entry but that's simply a publicity stunt, so that breeders believe*he will stay 10fs when he retires to stud. We won't ever see Canfird Cliffs over 10fs.
It looks like it will be a small field, but *it's not lacking in quality. The quality of the runners is probably what has kept the 3yos away. I don't mind these smaller fields though as atleast the best horses aren't going to have to worry about traffic problems, so the best horse will win.
So You Think got beat at Ascot, but *he wasn't disgraced, he just got beat by a very good horse, and going by how far he and Rewilding pulled clear of the rest, it's hard to argue that Rewilding hasnt improved loads from 3-4. He is clearly a much better horse than the one that was comprehensively tonked by Workforce in last years Derby. So despite getting beat I think So You Think's Ascot form is strong, and on firmer ground, with a more patient ride I feel he can improve on that performance.
So You Think has also received a big positive this morning. Obviously Ryan Moore is retained by Stoute so he will ride Workforce, so there has been a big question mark over who would get the ride. It seems that his regular jockey back in Australia Steven Arnold got in contact with AOB to offer his services. He rides Star Witness in the July Cup the week after so he is happy to come *over a week early to ride So You Think. It's unclear wether AOB has taken him up on the offer, but surely he would be stupid to refuse, this guy *knows the horse better than anyone.*
Workforce is a horse who I've doubted in the past, particularly after that shocker in the King George, but he proved his class in the Arc. He is probably better suited to 12f even if he is relatively unexposed over 10fs. He did run well in the Brigadier Gerard stakes at Sandown over 10fs, carrying a penalty in a workman like victory on seasonal debut. He did get beat last year on seasonal debut so we can probably expect a good bit of improvement to come. He probably lacks a blistering turn of foot, that the very best 10f horses require, but if there was plenty of cut in the ground, and off a strong gallop, which he is guaranteed with his pacemaker Confront in the race, then he would be hard to beat, and looking at how Rewilding ground So You Think down, then it would be no surprise to see a similar scenario, with Workforce outstaying his more speedier rival. The stable form of Stoute is a major negative, and if things don't start picking up with his runners in the week, then it would be hard to fancy Workforce.*
Snow Fairy is really the only other runner who deserves a mention, she won 2 Oaks and a couple of Micky mouse G1s out in Japan against colts. She is a very good fillie but she is going to find this tough on seasonal debut, she is going to have to have improved loads on her form last season. It would take a Zarkava like performance for her to beat the big 2, and I dont for 1 second think Snow Fairy will ever get near the level of the great fillie Zarkava. Miracles do happen, but 10/1 for a miracle, isn't great odds.*
At this stage I'm undecided on which horse I will be siding with, it's completely ground dependent. Il back Workforce if the ground is good or softer, though i wont have a bet if Stoute's stable form stays the same. If there's firm mentioned in the going then So You Think will be my selection. So my selection wont be decided until the morning of the race
*
It's not easy at this stage to work out which horses will run, so il just put up the odds of the fancied runners that I think will run., with the best odds available*
So You Think 13/8*
Workforce 7/4*
Snow Fairy 10/1*
Cityscape 16/1*
20/1 bar*
Canford Cliffs has an entry but that's simply a publicity stunt, so that breeders believe*he will stay 10fs when he retires to stud. We won't ever see Canfird Cliffs over 10fs.
It looks like it will be a small field, but *it's not lacking in quality. The quality of the runners is probably what has kept the 3yos away. I don't mind these smaller fields though as atleast the best horses aren't going to have to worry about traffic problems, so the best horse will win.
So You Think got beat at Ascot, but *he wasn't disgraced, he just got beat by a very good horse, and going by how far he and Rewilding pulled clear of the rest, it's hard to argue that Rewilding hasnt improved loads from 3-4. He is clearly a much better horse than the one that was comprehensively tonked by Workforce in last years Derby. So despite getting beat I think So You Think's Ascot form is strong, and on firmer ground, with a more patient ride I feel he can improve on that performance.
So You Think has also received a big positive this morning. Obviously Ryan Moore is retained by Stoute so he will ride Workforce, so there has been a big question mark over who would get the ride. It seems that his regular jockey back in Australia Steven Arnold got in contact with AOB to offer his services. He rides Star Witness in the July Cup the week after so he is happy to come *over a week early to ride So You Think. It's unclear wether AOB has taken him up on the offer, but surely he would be stupid to refuse, this guy *knows the horse better than anyone.*
Workforce is a horse who I've doubted in the past, particularly after that shocker in the King George, but he proved his class in the Arc. He is probably better suited to 12f even if he is relatively unexposed over 10fs. He did run well in the Brigadier Gerard stakes at Sandown over 10fs, carrying a penalty in a workman like victory on seasonal debut. He did get beat last year on seasonal debut so we can probably expect a good bit of improvement to come. He probably lacks a blistering turn of foot, that the very best 10f horses require, but if there was plenty of cut in the ground, and off a strong gallop, which he is guaranteed with his pacemaker Confront in the race, then he would be hard to beat, and looking at how Rewilding ground So You Think down, then it would be no surprise to see a similar scenario, with Workforce outstaying his more speedier rival. The stable form of Stoute is a major negative, and if things don't start picking up with his runners in the week, then it would be hard to fancy Workforce.*
Snow Fairy is really the only other runner who deserves a mention, she won 2 Oaks and a couple of Micky mouse G1s out in Japan against colts. She is a very good fillie but she is going to find this tough on seasonal debut, she is going to have to have improved loads on her form last season. It would take a Zarkava like performance for her to beat the big 2, and I dont for 1 second think Snow Fairy will ever get near the level of the great fillie Zarkava. Miracles do happen, but 10/1 for a miracle, isn't great odds.*
At this stage I'm undecided on which horse I will be siding with, it's completely ground dependent. Il back Workforce if the ground is good or softer, though i wont have a bet if Stoute's stable form stays the same. If there's firm mentioned in the going then So You Think will be my selection. So my selection wont be decided until the morning of the race
*
