Antipodeans want your stayers!

[MDeering]

Just read that the Freedman brothers reckon they can grab a piece of the Melbourne Cup pie next year by acquiring some British stayers from the Newmarket Horses-in-Training Sale – which they did.

Tomintoul Flyer
Measurement
Woodcutter
Trenchtown
Sound Of Nature

And of most interest to me: Timetable.

Some just appear to become muddling handicappers working up and down the ranks, and others might turn out to be a little more promising than dour.

The piece on the Freedman website suggests they will all "improve" and are "prospects" but I personally think it’s a bit of wishful thinking.

Thoughts?

[davidjohnson]

They seem to fancy their chances of improving Cecils, as he trained three on the list, namely Tomintoul Flyer, Sound of Nature and Timetable. The first-named seems best on polytrack and is possibly a little quirky whilst the other two both are highly strung Juddmonte performers, neither of which will be stayers, Sound of Nature likely to prove best at up to 1m whilst Timetable, will probably prove best up to 10f and has looked very quirky.

Trenchtown looks a nit of a slow boat to me but some of his early-season form is strong and he will stay 2m.

[MDeering]

Timetable was an interesting pick-up – might not be for 2 mile as such. He was winded up for mile races IIRC, including a nom in the St James’ Palace.

I think Henry Cecil had a former assistant who now works with the Freedmans. I think that’s the connection.

[Venusian]

Why don’t they try breeding some?

The Kiwis manage to do this quite successfully, despite producing only around 4000 thoroughbred foals a year, compared with Australia’s 18,000.

[MDeering]

The Europeans breed with the Classics in mind – Australians breed with the Golden Slipper, Magic Millions, Blue Diamond at the forefront of their interest.

And that is due to the prizemoney on offer.

[Venusian]

You could argue, could you not, that the Golden Slipper was one of the worst things that ever happened to Australian racing?

It was only invented to give the Star Kingdoms something to run in.

[MDeering]

I hate what the Golden Slipper does to racing in Australia.

The AJC Derby, Victoria Derby are among the worst Group 1 races in Australia. It’s a crying shame, particularly as an enthusiast of the European thoroughbred myself.

[alan1]

Not being an expert on Australian Racing.

Could you tell me what the Golden Slipper is?

Thanks

[MDeering]

The world’s richest juvenile race over 6 furlongs at Rosehill Gardens, Sydney.

Whoopdeedoo. Money better spent elsewhere methinks.

[Venusian]

Not being an expert on Australian Racing.

Could you tell me what the Golden Slipper is?

Thanks

Just to elaborate on my rather mysterious comment, Star Kingdom sired the first 5 winners of the race, kicking off with the brilliant Todman in 1957.

Star Kingdom, originally called Star King, raced in the UK and won the Gimcrack Stakes at York in 1948. He was unlucky to be foaled in the same year as Abernant.

He was a sensational stallion in Oz, and certainly accelerated the move away there from classic middle distance horses to sprinters and milers.

Perhaps the only stallion in the history of the sport to have actually caused a sea change in race programming.

[Author]

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