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I noted that the Breeders Cup meeting followed in the tradition of most American sporting events by billing itself the ‘World Championships’.
Once it’s run in Europe, Asia and Australasia THEN you can call it the ‘World’ Championships.
What’s the betting that the Classic is back on dirt pretty quick?
I can remember when it was the Washington International they billed as the greatest race in the world.
There was no way Sir Ivor could possibly win as it couldn’t possibly suit his style of running they said.
Lester rode them to sleep and came from last to first and made the press look like idiots.
It’s like when you go on U-Tube there is an american upload called the best racehorses horses ever or some rubbish like that. No mention of Phar Lap, Sea Bird II. Brigadier Gerard Mill Reef etc.
The only two mentioned this side of the water are Shergar who they know about cause he was stolen and the great Dubai Millenium who many regard as the best since Sea Bird II and only an idiot could ignore in any list. You could bet 85% or more mentioned wouldn’t have seen the way Sea Bird II went
Americans for the best part are in a world of their own and unless you stick it right up their jackies it goes straight over their heads.
If you mentioned Arkle there is more chance they know the mountain in the north-west of Scotland cos, their great great grandpapa went on a picnic there, than they would the racehorse.
Well americans have always been seriously insular, if it’s not occuring in one of the 50 states then it just doesn’t count, absolutely deplorable attitude.
I just believe these days euro’s have learned how to bring their horses to american shores in peak fitness. No one will ever convince me that all those great horse we took over in the past like Dancing Brave and Indian Skimmer were beaten by better nags.
Do you think Raven’s Pass has been trained all season with this race in mind?
Colin
John Gosden last night
"We’d been thinking about this race all year, because it was switching to synthetic. It’s always been in our minds.
I was so pleased to see a British trained horse win the Classic – and a miler at that. I do not lay horses to lose as a rule – but I laid Curlin in a private bet. Taken out of his comfort zone (dirt), I reckoned he was there for the taking. The Americans (as is their wont) lumped on big style for their hero to win.
One American commentator seemed dumbstruck that Curlin was defeated – especially by two European trained milers. He was bemoaning the fact that Curlin was unsuited by the polytrack surface, and that if the race had been run on dirt, then the outcome would have been very different. Hmm, sour grapes ?
It is true that most Americans view their racing and racing heroes superior to anything we Europeans have offered up. But then, ignorance allied to parochialism plays a big part in this – though, to be fair, one learned American racing commentator wrote a piece a few years ago highlighting the merits of Ribot and Sea Bird (in particular) and stated that any American racing enthusiast who thought that the great Secretariat could have beaten those two great European champions on a "turf track", then they had no idea what they were talking about.
The truth is that dirt tracks unquestionably favour the American horses, but as we witnessed, the polytrack and the no steriods rule proved a great leveller.
Incidentally, I thought Frankie Dettori rode two superb races. He can still turn it on when he wants to.
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Very one dimensional coverage from the Americans. I thought the Breeders Cup Classic commentary was particularly nauseating. Now I know where Mark Johnson gets it from.
While not on the same level….is Cheltenham not guilty of the same thing? Based in the same country, does not take into account jumpers from France (which time and time again prove the equal) yet it is the "Olympics" of jump racing. It is seen as the be all and end all. An even more suitable comparison is "Champions Day" at Newmarket?
While yes the Breeders Cup has its faults and weakness, they should not be the sole measure of the whole concept. The idea of it being possible to hold it in Asia and Australia just would not work…i.e the timing of the year.
American’s are pretty insular, but some of the comments on another thread on this board were just as insular and inward looking.
So yeah it has its faults but I loved it over the last few days.
I think this has always been an option for ravens pass but after having run so many times this season, I dont really think he has specifically targetted the race, he has clearly come good in the second half of this season though.
While not on the same level….is Cheltenham not guilty of the same thing? Based in the same country, does not take into account jumpers from France (which time and time again prove the equal) yet it is the "Olympics" of jump racing.
I have never heard the phrase "World Championships" used in conjunction with the Cheltenham Festival.
While not on the same level….is Cheltenham not guilty of the same thing? Based in the same country, does not take into account jumpers from France (which time and time again prove the equal) yet it is the "Olympics" of jump racing.
I have never heard the phrase "World Championships" used in conjunction with the Cheltenham Festival.
For me Arc Day and Breeders Cup day are the two biggest race meetings of the year, call them World Championship, Olympics whatever you like…but jeez we had the first Breeders Cup meeting on pro-ride, 5 European winners including the Classic (along with the Arc probably the most important race in the world), steriod free and were complaining about the Americans being insular.
Yes changes/improvements still have to come, but come on! Lets just enjoy it.
P.S I have heard Cheltenham being called the Olympics of NH racing…World Championships/Olympics…whats the difference.
I personally did not appreciate the US table of winners’ nationalities, listing "England" alongside the British flag.
There is a clear distinction – with most people in this part of the world regarding domestic racing as "British" rather than "English" – and US commentators should be careful about such matters if they are going to try to turn the Breeders’ Cup into a flag-waving exercise.
Although it is quite clear from other posts that I would rather be cold at Charing point to point than sit in the comfort of my armchair and watch the Breeders Cup, there is one great result for a traditionalists like me.
Conduit winning the Turf. Maybe at last we can have no more devaluing the St. Leger and that stayers are slow horses. This is a proper horse that has won over an extended mile and three quarters on a great galloping track like Doncaster and on a really sharp American turf track which makes Fakenham look galloping.
There are those who crab Leger winners and want the Triple Crown to be something over a mile and a quarter (not saying that they are on this Forum).
Lets hear it for the proper stayers and lets see a good horse have a go at the Triple Crown again. I can remember Nijynsky winning it and it really aroused interest in the sport. Good grief, I might even take a bigger interest in flat racing it it happened (heaven forbid).
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Although it is quite clear from other posts that I would rather be cold at Charing point to point than sit in the comfort of my armchair and watch the Breeders Cup, there is one great result for a traditionalists like me.
Conduit winning the Turf. Maybe at last we can have no more devaluing the St. Leger and that stayers are slow horses. This is a proper horse that has won over an extended mile and three quarters on a great galloping track like Doncaster and on a really sharp American turf track which makes Fakenham look galloping.
There are
those who crab Leger winners and want the Triple Crown to be something over a mile and a quarter (not saying that they are on this Forum).Lets hear it for the proper stayers and lets see a good horse have a go at the Triple Crown again. I can remember Nijynsky winning it and it really aroused interest in the sport. Good grief, I might even take a bigger interest in flat racing it it happened (heaven forbid).
Can’t see it happening Bob not unless we have a very bad 2000 guineas won through sheer class by a staying horse.
There are too may other options for the Derby winner these days where he doesn’t have to be subjected to going over the longer trip.
Nijinsky oozed class and had a terrific turn of foot he could rely on over the shorter distances.
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A couple of years of us taking their ‘dirt’ championships when they run them on pro-ride and they’ll soon have it switched back to dirt, along with a lifting of their drugs bans is all I’m saying. They don’t like it up them!
On Conduit – marvellous to see the Doncaster classic form upheld again. Some great horses have won at Doncaster and the St.Leger remains a jewel in our racing crown. Quite what the yanks would make of it when they think 1m4f constitues a ‘marathon’ I’m not sure.
On Frankie – proves yet again that he is one of the top half dozen riders in the world along with Murtagh and Soumillon from our neck of the woods.
On jingoism – the BC is in danger of turning into the Ryder Cup with all the score-keeping, etc. Understandable but meaningless. Bit like the way Cheltenham always turns in to GB Vs Ireland. Again, meaningless nonsense dreamt up by lazy media types.
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