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The horse that I really like here is Away He Goes. I know that he holds an entry for The Ebor, but I’d like to see him run here.
I can’t see any prices for this race, so like The Hungerford I’ll be awaiting tomorrow’s confirmation of runners.
Is this really the race I saw Baynoun win in 1984?
Used to be a cracking St Leger trial – often attracted a decent staying 3yo.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"I remember it more for Lester notching up his 4,000th winner in this race, in 1982 on the great Ardross.
Piggott also won it in 1981 on Ardross, and here it is with a typically underwhelming commentary by Julian Wilson, who, unlike some, I liked well enough as an opinionated presenter/pundit, but who was IMO frankly a lousy stand-in commentator for Peter O’Sullevan when the latter was on holiday (note subsequent St Leger winner Cut Above): https://youtu.be/Kq1xrLkQD_o
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Rodrigo Diaz was 2nd to Hukum in this last year
Hukum went on to beat Pyledriver at Epsom in the Coronation Cup
RD has been running over longer distances since and running well enough in decent company but for me this distance is more for him as they tend to go a little bit quicker than they over further and that suits his running styleGaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
Very strange betting with this race. When prices went up on Monday the front two were very short and Away he goes was generally 9/1 or bigger and his price crashed 24 hours later, the the front two drifted and then the markets vanished.
Now the front two don’t run and only 5 runners. Someone knew something somewhere about running plans.
Just seen the decs; Ardross would beat this lot without coming out of a canter.
How a once-mighty race has fallen. 😞
Quite.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"A bit of a change of plan for me, and I’ll desert Away He Goes for Universal Order at 5-1
Just seen the decs; Ardross would beat this lot without coming out of a canter.
How a once-mighty race has fallen. 😞———————
As a school kid Ardross was my favourite flat horse, Glad. Played his part in getting me addicted to horse racing.
However, top stayers are so much better catered for these days.
In the early 80’s:
Irish St Leger was still restricted to 3 year olds.
Goodwood Cup not a Group 1.
No Champions Day race.True, the Geoffrey Freer does not get the top horses; but it is easy to see racing’s past with rose coloured specs. Fact is other races have been greatly enhanced since the early 80’s. Only a certain number of top racehorses to go around and one race’s gain is bound to be another race’s loss. Ardross ran in this as a prep for the Arc. Coming down first to 1m5f before the French race.
Stradivarius a rare Arc runner coming back from the established staying races, but he made the drop in distance all in one go. With so many options nowadays top class horses are less likely to run in a group 3. If the same races were available in Ardross’s day he may not have run in the Freer either. Indeed, with more good staying races available he may not have even run in the Arc.
Value Is EverythingArdross was my favourite too, Ginge, and I was fortunate enough to see him in the flesh thrice: in the Henry II, his second Gold Cup and the Goodwood Cup.
I disagree that he wouldn’t have run in the 1982 Arc; he was fifth the year before, when Lester admitted he hadn’t given him the best of rides, and the 1982 race was always going to be his final racecourse appearance, so they wanted to go out with a bang. Another couple of strides and he would have.
I actually cried that day.
I saw Ardross finish runner up to Le Moss in the 1979 Doncaster Cup.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Oh yeah – I was there both years, actually.
Think Joe Mercer rode a four-timer in 1979 and Steve Cauthen won on Tap On Wood.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who thought that; didn’t it used to be a Gp2? I recall plenty of decent renewals, and some decent horses winning it.
Both Group races yesterday were shadows of what I remember when first following the sport.
Take a look at the last five runnings before this year, Devonian.
Three of the last four winners going on to Group 1 glory not good enough for you, Andy?
Hukum winning in 2021 and 2020 and 2017 winner Defoe both going on to win the Coronation Cup.
2019 winner Technision won the Prix Royal Oak.
In that timeframe the only Geoffrey Freer winner that did not go on to Group 1 glory was Hamada, who didn’t get the opportunity – not seen again after winning the 2018 renewal.
For that to be a “shadow” of its past, not sure what you’re expecting.
Seems a pretty good Group 3 to me.
The race was downgraded to Group 3 in 2006.This year’s race:
1st Zechariah had only failed by a nose to hold on in the Group 2 Queens Vase from Eldar Eldarov… Who was – on the basis of that form – in his next race made the 29/10 fav for a Group 1.
The 3 1/2 lengths 2nd Universal Order had also been beaten 3 1/2 lengths in another Group 3, the 1m6f John Smith’s Silver Cup… And this was the first time racing over 1m5f+ since that run.
Outbox in 3rd was beaten a total of 6 1/4 lengths here – had been beaten only 2 1/2 lengths in the Group 2 Jockey Club Stakes… And won a “local Group 1” in Doha.
The 4th Silence Please has multiple placed efforts in Group 3’s and even been 2nd beaten less than a length in an Irish Group 2.
The 5th Away He Goes had been 3 3/4 lengths 2nd in the 2021 Group 1 Goodwood Cup.
All Saturday’s runners had been below form recently, but that is only one aspect of form. The actual quality of horse was pretty good for a Group 3. I’ve seen a lot worse. Number of races where only two runners run to to form is massive, this just one of them.
Value Is Everything
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