Fred Darling 2017

[LD73]

Shocking from Spencer at the very start of the race nearly yanking Queen Kindly’s head off to try and get her to settle one from last in a slowly run race and surprise surprise not a word said by the commentators – she was staying on at the end of the race and beaten about the same amount of ground that she lost at the start but totally inconclusive as to whether she should still be aimed at the 1000 or not.

[stevecaution]

It was a total waste of time. Just get out there, ride a normal race and find out whether the horse stays or not.

For me, this hold up to get the trip is a load of nonsense anyway. You still have to travel the same effing distance when you get right down to it. If anyone thinks that it is going to somehow turn the contest into a 6F race I think they are kidding themselves. The filly will need to get another furlong further in the Guineas anyway, so in my opinion it is all the more reason to get out there and see if she gets a true 7F race. If she somehow managed to pounce off a really slow pace it wouldn’t help in knowing if she will cope with a truly run race at Newmarket over a mile.

For what it was worth I thought they were going to pick Dabyah up in today’s race but she just seemed to outstay them all in the end. The mile at Newmarket should help Gosden’s filly but I wasn’t that struck with her today really. I didn’t fancy anything against her coming into this and I doubt she beat a lot today. Richard Hannon’s Promise is still a maiden and runner up Urban Fox was beaten 7 lengths further by Rhododendron last year, looking pretty exposed as a filly about the high 90’s in the Ratings, probably given the benefit of a following wind/assessor getting his leg over the night before, when rated 100

Gosden had said she would come on for today’s race and believe she will need to.

Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.

[LD73]

The thing that always gets me is that when you say a horse needs holding up a Spencer (along with many others) automatically goes to a default setting of I need to be at the back of the field……..I get that she needed to be settled but that could just as easily have been done by dropping into 4th or 5th a couple of lengths of the lead and not manhandling her into one from last and 8-10L off the pace.

Feel for connections as it was a completely wasted journey due to Spencer’s error and they are really none the wiser after the event – at this point I guess they have little option but to run her in 1000g which afterwards should conclusively tell them what route to go for the rest of the season.

Still think she will make a significant impact in a G1 race at some point this year – just not sure whether it will be at sprinting distances or at 8F.

[stevecaution]

I think she’ll be a sprinter. Her best form was at 5F and the sharp 6F of the Lowther.

The Lowther was totally the wrong call for Fair Eva last season. The jockey had told Charlton she needed stepping up to 7F but instead he puts her into a race where the 5F fillies seemed sure to have the edge.

My philosophy is to let horses get on with it at distances that suit their strengths. Jack may have had the beans that grew a giant stalk but there is no record of anyone finding magic stamina beans in a horse’s feed.

Every other year there seems to be a speedy filly who is pushed up in trip to trial for the Guineas. Most years it just doesn’t seem to work out and Tiggy Wiggy was a recent one who faded away to nothing after being tried over further.

Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.

[LD73]

Wouldn’t surprise me if they did eventually drop back with her but it would have been nice to have definitive proof that she didn’t stay so connections don’t have any doubt – if you didn’t know what she did over 5 & 6 last season you would be inclined to say 7F was on the short side given how she stayed on and was closest at the finish.

With the Commonwealth Cup around there is now a viable alternative for those who are doubtful at geting 8F whereas in the past you had really no choice as a 3 yr old sprinter is really hard to place.

Re: Fair Eva – Ascot’s performance told you she needed 7F not a sharp 6 and I would be inclined to forgive her final start as simply a race too far. Would love to see her win the 1000g, by all accounts she has done well over the winter but I do wonder who will ride her, does the Prince even have a retained rider this year?

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