Hello all, I was wondering if people had thoughts on the meeting that they would like to share, perhaps by answering the next few questions. Performance of the week - Underperformance of the week - "Pop Goes the Weasal" The Hype has gone horse of the week - Training performance of the week - Group horse in a handicap - Handicap horse in a Group race - If only the weather hadn't changed horse of the week - An antepost bet for you all - Notebook horse - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Performance of the week - Rewilding wearing down So You Think over what could be a trip shorter than Rewilding's optimum Underperformance of the week - Theysken's Theory, I was impressed by her return but she ran an absolute stinker in the Coronation "Pop Goes the Weasal" The Hype has gone horse of the week - One horse is the obvious but I think Green Destiny is the biggest hype horse. Poor ride but was never getting into it. Training performance of the week - Power by AOB, lame in the week but went and won what could be a very good race. Good performance. Group horse in a handicap - Brown Panther, to hack up in a handicap off 91 makes it a Group horse to me, should run well in St Leger if he turns up. Handicap horse in a Group race - Fulgur, ran well enough behind Nathaniel but he really should be taking in the big three year old handicaps. If only the weather hadn't changed horse of the week - Hoof It, best form on sounder surface but he ran a belter to finish 7th in Wokingham. I think he is a Stewards Cup horse in the making. An antepost bet for you all - So You Think for the Coral Eclipse @7/4 Notebook horse - Bapak Cinta, he holds some really good form now. He beat Frederick Engels on debut (so has form that reads fantastically with the Windsor Castle and Queen Mary races) and he won the Norfolk on ground that I thought was too soft for him. He could easily be a two year old to be with in a Nunthorpe.
I was going to do one of these myself Nass, but the lazy bone won out in the end. I don't know where to start with the Ascot festival. It was wonderful. I think for me, the highlight was the Gold Cup win of Fame And Glory. He's an animal who's had more than his fair share of knockers. But he saw them off with a powerful performance. The way he blasted off the corner, reminded me of the great Yeats, who also broke hearts at the top of the straight. Canford Cliffs' beating of the bonny mare Goldakove was an outstanding way to open the festival. I think CC is a lovely horse, but it was a little sad to hear Goldakova's trainer say that she couldn't get the mile at Ascot. The kick in the groin for me, was the beating of So You Think by Rewilding. It was bitter sweet for me. I love both horses. I genuinely believe that Rewilding is as good a twelve furlong horse as anything in training. Whatever he contests at that distance, he just about win, Arc included. I'm firmly of the belief that So You Think will still cut a swaithe through European racing. AOB made a huge mistake in the manner in which they planned the running of the PoW. I'm not going to say he won't be beaten again, but I feel he'll finish his career as a horse with a huge reputation. As you said Nass, 7-4 looks great value in the Eclipse.
Performance of the week: I guess this depends on what you are looking for in a performance. Fame And Glory won the Gold Cup in great style but he was the class horse in a mediocre renewal. Does that belittle the achievement? Nathaniel also impressed but how much was that down to the fact that the rain had ruined the meeting by that point? Underperformance of the week: I could nominate a couple through my pocket and I suspect that many of the fancied horses that ran abysmally did so because of the going conditions. Instead of nominating a horse, I shall name a trainer: Sir Michael Stoute. Fortunately for Ryan Moore he had a reliable source of ‘other’ rides for the week! “Pop Goes The Weasel” The Hype has gone: I will skip this one because it is so obvious. Training performance of the week: Just to be different, I will go with Hughie Morrison winning the Tercentenary Stakes with Pisco Sour, which the bookies toasted with a few Peruvian cocktails, having previously been well beaten in the Derby and third in the Dante Stakes at York. Group horse in a handicap: I would not care to nominate any. From Thursday onwards the form book can be used to light a fire because the ground was soft and the fast horses got stuck in the mud. Handicap horse in a group race: As usual, most of the runners in any of the big sprint races for older horses. An ante-post bet for you all: I would steer clear of the St Leger ante-post market for now. The ground is likely to have ease in it on Town Moor in September but there are plenty of St Leger trials to come so I would want to see if Nathaniel or Fiorente target any of them on better ground. Notebook horse: Elzaam does not really go on soft ground but they let him take his chance in the Golden Jubilee and he was a staying on fourth. On better ground and over seven furlongs he would be of interest. Cyc, I am not sure how you see Goldikova as a “bonny mare”. She is no oil painting but she is honest and tenacious.
QM. I know I'm a sentimental old git but sometimes when a horse is no oil painting it can endear one to it even more when it always tries its heart out.
Performance of the week - Fame and glory - had his knockers but won the race very well in difficult conditions. Underperformance of the week - I'll take the same approach as Quarter moon and say wesley ward. even when his horses had the conditions they just didn't perform at all "Pop Goes the Weasal" The Hype has gone horse of the week - Bewitched (ignoring the obvious) Training performance of the week - James fanshaw - to have back to back winners in the Golden jubilee and the Wokingham takes some doing even allowing for the conditions If only the weather hadn't changed horse of the week - Judy the Beauty - and that would ahve shown how stupid my comment re underperformance really is ;-) An antepost bet for you all - Maybe for every race she runs in this season! Notebook horse - Fort bastion. Looked loke a very, very nice horse in the ring and won pretty well but found himself up against a filly I think looks really special indeed. Finally, i'd like to give a special word of praise for Richard hughes. A lot of jockeys were coming in for stick last week but i thought he was excellent. Pretty much every race he rode he ensured that the horse was in a position to have a big say in the outcome. And when his moment of truth came in the first race he did exactly what was needed.
Performance of the week. Maybe in the Chesham.She was doing a half speed most of the way wouldn't have liked the ground but beat a field that included some smart 2 yr old colts in my opinion.She could be very special indeed.The danehill/Galileo cross seems to be a line that is producing very very good horses.
"Bewitched was found to be lame " Ah heck - i honestly never knew that - apologies if I offended anyone.
I was impressed with both the Ballydoyle juveniles. Power and Maybe look to be smart prospects for the coming months and next season. Obviously So You Think was a disappointment but i will keep the faith with him to prove what he can do later in the year. Await The Dawn looks smart especially as he was most likely to be inconvenienced by the soft ground. His american breeding would suggest a preference for fast ground. It is interesting that the BC Classic is his ultimate target. He could well put in a bold showing across the pond. Canford was very good. I think he is without doubt the best older miler and now only a clash with Frankel awaits. I am still unsure of his performance. I cannot decide whether he was impressive in winning when he had no right to, or whether he seemed flat compared to the Frankel of old. I'm unsure whether the fact that he settled so well early on is a good sign (that he is learning) or a bad sign (that he is flat and tired). I am sure we will see when he next ventures onto a racecourse. My current feeling is that Canford is very good but that Frankel is exceptional. And for that reason i slightly favour the younger horse at this stage to prove himself the best for some time. I thought Fame And Glory won well and he could rule the roost for some time in the staying division as his old stablemate Yeats did. He has undoubted class and appeared to stay well so it will take a good'un to stop him in the next couple of years at the least. Nathaniel and Brown Panther advertised their Ledger credentials well but i would certainly favour the former at this stage. He had a far tougher task and was almost as impressive and looks a decent animal. A cracking week but shame about the weather!
Performance of the week. Immortal Verse- came from last to first with a devastating run and obviously appreciated the cut in the ground. Arguably came too early if anything and, although the field wasn't the strongest, the filly should be followed. Underperformance. So You Think- if the hype was good, he should have beaten a horse like Rewilding, decent though the latter is. Training Performance. James Fanshawe for his last race sprint double. Group Horse in a handicap. Not many handicaps to choose from but Brown Panther would be the best candidate. Handicap horse in a Group Race. Humdrum- I tipped her when she won at Kempton, but she looked out of her depth in Listed company. If only the weather hadn't changed. Await The Dawn- his class got him home but he'll be much better on a sounder surface. An Ante-post bet for you all. Immortal Verse- Champion Stakes. For the Notebook. Waffle - Deacon Blues' tremendous turn of foot (and he got first run) just edged him out. He should be followed on soft ground- the Ayr Gold Cup?
