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Agree about the Oaks LD73. First 2 look top class to me, on any ground. Indeed, none of yesterday’s results scream out “soft ground specialists” to me (though obviously all the winners can handle it). The Coronation Cup was 4.48s slow. Is the fact that the Derby was nearly 4 secs slower because the Ballydoyle contingent set such a furious pace in the Coronation, or that the ground deteriorated by 4pm, or are the Derby horses not as good?
I’m also pleased for Camelot mickeyjp. he never seems to get the credit or opportunities that he deserves. I fear that today only reinforces the view that he is an influence for stayers (&/or jumpers) that are at their best slogging through the mud though. At least “The Lads” seem to be talking him up a bit for once today.
The whole BC farce is an embarrassment (again). There was a live camera on this horse which showed him being in a potentially life-threatening position but the starter couldn’t see it. The whole starting stalls set-up is outdated. I’m sure it’s not beyond the wit of man (or woman) to come up with a system where the starter can view the situation from above, rather than standing on a ladder trying to hear jockeys shouting into the wind, to judge whether it’s safe to start the race.
That’s why I suggested the screen Tonge. Otherwise you need no one on the rostrum with a flag in his hand.
Agree Ruby 100%. Didn’t see your post till after I’d had my rant or I’d have mentioned you!
Happy Christmas Day won, when the ground started to get as it did it only left two options Christmas Day or JJB, who threw his chances away sweating up and even before star, though still finished 3rd.The runner up Maltese Cross ran well considering he absolutely hated the ground
Vf x
Agree Ruby 100%. Didn’t see your post till after I’d had my rant or I’d have mentioned you!
No problem, Tonge. But the entire situation looked pretty bad, with no one understanding why the Stewards’ Enquiry was called in the first place. The started should have the option of communicating with the track announcer and make such decisions public right after the start. People placing bets with the Tote might have thrown their tickets away right after they went past the post. What happens with those tickets now?
Absolute sh!tshow isn’t it Ruby? Biggest day in the UK flat racing calendar. World’s media watching. A LOT of “lessons to be learned” (as they always say, but never do)
Absolutely right, though you can’t blame them for the weather. What makes things worse is that the Lads never seem to be satisfied when winning a big one like the Derby. It’s just like another day at the office for them. I’m quite sure that Christmas Day wasn’t the one meant to win.
I have to turn the mute on when Aidan starts mentioning all those names of the people involved with the winner and responsible for all the horses at Ballydoyle…..
Ruby, Number 1 lesson of punting, and I always tell newcomers, don’t throw your ticket away until they have announced “Weighed In”.
Aside from all else I commented after the Dante that I didn’t think Item would handle the track, too much daylight about him ,and I’m surprised the stable didn’t target France or Ireland with this one.
Don’t think Christmas Day will prove to be one of the best Derby winners…
Ruby, Number 1 lesson of punting, and I always tell newcomers, don’t throw your ticket away until they have announced “Weighed In”.
Spot on, rob. But on Derby day, you have plenty of newcomers who aren’t that familiar with such rules. Apart form that the horse wasn’t involved in the finish, the Enquiry affecting him seemed rather unlikely.
Maybe the sport needs to inform newcomers better, it might have a better chance of keeping them interested.
I have my doubts about them being successful at recruiting new fans over the last two days. But yes, they have to be informed better. It’s not an easy game to understand.
Let’s see were the winner and the placed horses go next. BC surely must be a definite runner at The Curragh.
A strange Derby- jumps weather, won by a slogger, trained by the genius, owned by the lads , ridden by a jock who most UK punters won’t know (Beggy, McNamara now Whelan), with the incredulous R4 stewards enquiry to follow.
From the point of view of the sport, my personal view is a Haggas/Marquand winner owned by a relative newcomer would have been much better but you can’t fault Ballydoyle. They are brilliant at what they do.
It is interesting how they can keep winning the race with moderate animals – Ruler of The World, Wings of Eagles, Serpentine, Lambourn and now this horse. I would be amazed if he is capable of winning a King George, a Juddmonte or an Arc on decent ground. If the Brits want to reclaim their Derby then buy horses bred to do it, and race them – the Gosdens had 2 potential candidates yet decide to wait till Ascot, whilst Ballydoyle had seven final entries, running four . You don’t buy a ticket , you can’t win the raffle.Couldn’t agree more BHL. Timeform has given the winner a rating of 123p. I think the ‘p’ stands for something like open to improvement?
The experts will know a bit more about that. But he is just a very mediocre winner and how bad is this for Godolphin with no horses in both Epsom Classics?You are correct, Ruby.
p (lower case) denotes capable of better
P (capital) means capable of a lot better“Well done those that were on. What a terrible name for a Derby winner.”
The second festive Derby winner, after Santa Claus.
“What’s the point of being interested in the Derby anymore? It used to be magical.”
“Let’s be brutally honest the Derby has been an also ran for years now , Royal Ascot left it in wake years ago.”
Agree with both comments. The same Irish based connections winning the race for the fourth year in a row (and the seventh time in the last decade) is simply not very exciting.
The Derby has been blown out of the water by Royal Ascot. A strong international brand and a much more interesting meeting at a far better track.
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