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“Can see why the Eclipse might be where Ambiente Friendly might go next.”
He is not quoted on Oddschecker, so presumably he is not entered? He could be supplemented.
He is 5/1 for the King George with the only firm that has priced up the race.
I think originally with COT there were plans after he won the 2000g/Derby that he would potentially taken in the Travers Stakes en route to a BC Classic – pretty sure he will go where there is better ground as he has that low daisy cutting action that I don’t think will be suited to soft ground races like the Arc or Champion Stakes (remember he was taken out of the National Stakes shortly before the race was due to be run bacause of the soft ground).
If they still wanted to take in the Travers Stakes (being on 24 August which is the same week as York’s Juddmonte) it would likely mean the Eclipse or Irish Derby would be the best fit as the Irish Champion Stakes is only a few weeks after the Travers.
As a left field option maybe they might consider the Japan Cup in November but that is about 20 days after the BC Classic so I doubt he could do both although if they tried him in the Travers and he didn’t take to dirt, it could always be an option to them then.
I also wonder now that he no longer has an unbeaten record, would him staying in training be more likely?
Yes, Kris this was a very shrewd move almost a year ago, well done. Let’s not forget Mr. Davies who also wrote this:
“Congratulations to the OP on a shrewd bet.
By Triple Crown winner Justify out of a Galileo mare who is a full sister to an Oaks winner, I have not one scintilla of doubt about him both training on and staying 1m4f at three.”
I hope he was on as well.
“We knew the Guineas was totally wrong and I made mistakes training him, that’s the bottom line. There were stones I didn’t look under, he was too fresh, he was unprepared, he blew up, that’s the reality”.
That is quite a shocking admission by O’Brien.
Only the loose horse stopped cot winning by much further. He was going away at the line so don’t see how runner up will reverse form. Remember cot had to weave through the field whereas af had a smooth passage. Not sure where cot will go next. Eclipse probably. So much for those saying cot had no chance of staying 12f.
“I’d say there’s no doubt he’s the best Derby winner we’ve had,” said O’Brien
Sure aidan sure
This years best horse ever
You’d think he was a stallion salesman or something
“We knew the Guineas was totally wrong and I made mistakes training him, that’s the bottom line. There were stones I didn’t look under, he was too fresh, he was unprepared, he blew up, that’s the reality”.
That is quite a shocking admission by O’Brien.
————————————————-Is it though CAS?
AOB is part of Coolmore and it is a business. They would rather breeders believe it was the trainer’s fault than the fault of the prospective – best I’ve ever trained – stallion. He’s virtually telling breeders City Of Troy would’ve won the Guineas if I (AOB) hadn’t effed it up.If the company I was part of could make millions of pounds just by me telling you something was my fault that wasn’t my fault… Then yes I admit, it was my fault (now give me the readies).
In my opinion City Of Troy’s action was much better in today’s race than it was in the 2000 Guineas… But even had he been at his best COT would not have beaten Notable Speech.
Value Is EverythingAidan’s just telling the truth here Ginge.
He thought the horse could walk on water and under cooked him
At his best he’d have destroyed Notable Speech. Rosallion wasn’t far behind in the guineas and didn’t have a prep. Haatem had a prep and was third. Those two with runs under their belts got the better of River Tiber on his seasonal reappearance. River Tiber was sprinting last year whilst COT was smashing everything in site over 7f and not getting tired.Blackbeard to conquer the World
We’ll truly know how good Notable Speech is at Ascot.
I have my doubts and think both Rosallion and Henry Longfellow beat him never mind City of Troy.If looking how AOB’s three year olds have run this year, Nathan… They’ve virtually all been “under cooked” as you’d say”. The point with COT is that he was far more below his best on reappearance then the vast majority of them. There must have been more than just that to why COT ran so badly… And it can not now be put down to “not training on” either.
imo COT’s action at Newmarket was not what it was at Epsom… But that would be the horse’s fault so AOB / Coolmore want to keep quiet about that.
…Do you really believe one of the World’s best ever trainers could believe he had the horse in A1 condition… when it ran so far below his best? He isn’t that stupid.
City Of Troy was an exceptional two year old. He is still the best 3yo middle distance horse. But he is yet to improve on his two year old form. Many three year olds at shorter distances have closed that 2 year old gap and one – Notable Speech – is now imo better than COT. Some middle distance 3 year olds might be rated better than COT come the end of the season. eg the Dante winner or dare I say even possibly the Newbury London Gold Cup winner.
Well, maybe the latter is pushing it a little, but he is less than you might think below COT. ie COT’s rating was exceptional for a two year old. But for a 3 year old it is far from being an exceptional rating.Just because Rosallion didn’t need a prep doesn’t mean COT didn’t need one. The region of Ireland where AOB trains had a particularly wet Winter and Spring. Much worse than Herridge. So the vast majority of AOB’s needed their first runs even more than they usually do. River Tiber may improve too. But it should be remembered RT won and came to hand very early as a two year old, so he may not need as much getting fit as most have at Ballydoyle… And as I explained in the Irish Guineas thread. the run of the race was all against Rosallion that day, doing well to win from his position and is better than the winning distances suggest.
Value Is EverythingAOB came up with multiple reasons for the 2000g (being upset in the stalls, heart rate going through the roof meaning he could only race to halfway, treating him like a god and not training him properly etc etc) but has now settled on it was his fault for not training him properly – not buying any of that at all.
I would accept that he would come on for the run because you can’t get actual match practice on the gallops but visually, he travelled as he had in all his previous races up until Ryan asked for more from him and got………nothing. To me that simply wasn’t a run that could be blamed on a lack of fitness.
I came to the conclusion that the horse just had an off day and left it at that but by now we all know AOB’s hyperbole for protecting/promoting his horse’s future stallions prospect……not exactly sure who he thinks is really buying into what he at times is trying to sell with these comments but hey ho it is what it is and to be expected from him.
I for one fully hold my hand up and admit that I didn’t think he would stay the trip and the horse proved me wrong and in some style. I do hope we see a proper rematch with both Voyage and maybe the runner up (although I think the Eclipse could be there for the taking if COT goes to Ireland).
Aidan doesn’t target the Eclipse with his Derby horses, it comes 1 week after the Irish Derby I believe. COT probably goes there.
Having watched the race a few times a few observations. These are all with captain hindsight spectacles(wee South Park reference there.). Wayne lordan could have kicked earlier. He is a real stayer and has leger written all over him. Ambiente friendly was only a length down on cot when havlin went for the stick and cot was pulling clear in the end. Cot did not handle the camber and Ryan did a superb job cajoling him while keeping him balanced.
Also the loose horse didn’t help either.
On a flat track cot wins by at least 5 lengths IMHO.
Maybe we’ve misread him all this time and 10 and 12f is his distance although he did his usual galloping on after the line.
Time will tell but I think we have a very good Derby winner here.Also Ryan said he had it won entering the straight and cot was distracted by the loose and won easily. Ryan usually spot on.
“And as I explained in the Irish Guineas thread. the run of the race was all against Rosallion that day, doing well to win from his position and is better than the winning distances suggest.”
You don’t need to tell me that Ginge, I posted the same thing before you
Rosallion in my view wins the guineas with a prep beforehand so did need a prepAidan has a method of running all his main guineas hopes without a prep so if the horse needed a prep that’s Aidan’s fault. If the weather meant they couldn’t get him fit enough to do himself justice that’s an act of GOD
Blaming the horse for the poor guineas run for his action or having an off day is fine but Aidan contributed to that so is justified in blaming himself and yes we all know that Aidan will say what’s best for breeding reasons but still has to shoulder his fair share of the blame if you take the breeding/stallion stuff out of the equationBlackbeard to conquer the World
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