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Art Connoisseur is just a sprinter and not the miler they were thinking he was going to be, suffered a really bad injury in the Gimcrack, no shame in losing to Mastercraftsman, just people gave up on him.
Good training performance to get him back to this level, after a serious injury.
Art Connoirseur is probably a firm ground specialist more than Ascot specialist. Probably helped by racing up the stand rail with Cannonball. Stable is in great form now, unlike when long way below form in the Free handicap.
Value Is Everything- Total Posts 17716
Well done Ginge and HWTH ….I wonder who’s most suprised me or Michael Bell?
The slow pace probably suited the second more than AC. He was taken of his legs the other day but he still couldn’t peg him back. Michael Bell was far from confident he had him back to his best and even if he had he said he thought he was up against it.
This horse could be one special sprinter. Sprinting could steal the show next season if he meets up with Scenic Blast and The Bhudaphest Bullet.
The early pace was slowish, but they must have gone very fast mid race. First and second were the last two halfway.
Value Is EverythingWell done Ginge and HWTH ….I wonder who’s most suprised me or Michael Bell?
The slow pace probably suited the second more than AC. He was taken of his legs the other day but he still couldn’t peg him back. Michael Bell was far from confident he had him back to his best and even if he had he said he thought he was up against it.
This horse could be one special sprinter. Sprinting could steal the show next season if he meets up with Scenic Blast and The Bhudaphest Bullet.
You’re forgetting The River Downs Rocket – or Jealous Again to friends and family
Have back JJ to win today at 3.9, but have also backed Art Connoisseur to win at 34 & 8.6 for the place.
I know I’m backing him with my heart not my head after backing him in the Coventry last year but I keep trying to convince myself he has a chance.
His time in the Coventry over C & D last year was half a second of the winning time for this race and carrying less weight than he did then, back at the scene of his greatest tiumph, I’m hoping will see him return to his sparkling self. Michael Bell still seems to think he has the ability.
Well done to all that put him up as their selection and backed him, I’m just giving myself the proverbial pat on the back too! lol
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It’s stunning to consider, that when a distinct majority is certain that Southern Hemisphere/Far East horses are the superior sprinters, the locals continue to win the Golden Jubilee.
My thoughts – the Ascot 6f is way too stiff for them and they never finish off.
This is by no means a guide to Sacred Kingdom or J J The Jet Plane’s truest abilities.
Broadly agree MD, but I don’t think it’s just Ascot.
I’m convinced, and have been for a while, that Southern Hemisphere/Far East horses just don’t stay as far on our turf, particularly on straight courses.It’s stunning to consider, that when a distinct majority is certain that Southern Hemisphere/Far East horses are the superior sprinters, the locals continue to win the Golden Jubilee.
My thoughts – the Ascot 6f is way too stiff for them and they never finish off.
This is by no means a guide to Sacred Kingdom or J J The Jet Plane’s truest abilities.
Broadly agree MD, but I don’t think it’s just Ascot.
I’m convinced, and have been for a while, that Southern Hemisphere/Far East horses just don’t stay as far on our turf, particularly on straight courses.For Sacred Kingdom I suspect the undulations at Ascot may have been a factor, being unlike anything certainly that he or his trainer had ever seen before.
Sacred Kingdom was able to run internationally-124-rated Good Ba Ba to 1/2 length over 1400m at Sha Tin last year, so I’m not sure it was simple stiffness of the 6f that was the issue for him.
The lathering-up and hitting the front 2 1/2 out were both unusual for him.
Admittedly when Cape of Good Hope took the race for HK it was at York, but Choisir managed it at "old" Ascot (albeit having already experienced the track, as with Cannonball yesterday) so if the horse is good enough……
Maybe future Far East / Southern Hemisphere horses should take the hint and in future similarly use the King’s Stand as a sighter for the Jubilee ?
Ultimately take nothing away from yesterday’s winner either – may prove a GB answer on the sprint front.
They stay 6f fine and dandy Reet – in particular Sacred Kingdom (as mentioned) and Takeover Target, who won the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 over an extended 6 1/2 furlongs.
My concern is the gradual rising of the straight once they enter the course proper. It might be that inclination – which is unusual for horses racing at the generally flat Flemington, Caulfield, Sha Tin etc – which demands too much of a pure Far East/SH sprinter.
As for Scenic Blast, his natural finishing speed/power and past form up to 1600m in top class races locally was the perfect combination to win not only the King’s Stand, but probably the Golden Jubilee.
From my view, of course.
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Apologies Wit; I hadn’t seen your post when I posted on the other thread.
Fwiw, 7f with (2?) bends for respite is not at all the same test as a straight 6f with no chance to get a breather.
Takeover Target (for instance), for all his Australian form over further, 3 times failed to last home over Ascot’s 6f, yet ran markedly better figures over Ascot’s 5f than anything achieved over similar distances in his own country. This phenomenon has been repeated, again and again for a few years now, for horses from that quarter and, sharper and flatter tracks aside, I remain convinced that the turf in these warmer climes offers less resistance than it does in Britain.ps to MD
Imo, Scenic Blast wouldn’t have won the GJ either, nor will he last home in the July Cup, for exactly the reasons above..Does getting touched off a short head by classy mudlark Soldiers Tale really equate to "not getting home"? Surely not.
…..I remain convinced that the turf in these warmer climes offers less resistance than it does in Britain.
ps to MD
Imo, Scenic Blast wouldn’t have won the GJ either, nor will he last home in the July Cup, for exactly the reasons above..Hi Reet
That’s an interesting theory about the turf – I wonder if we could get a view from robert99, who seems to have detailed knowledge on that front.
best regards
wit
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Wit
What I should have written was that ‘good’ ground in the Tropics is ultimately faster than good ground in the UK. One only has to compare the difference between the same terminology in Ireland, France, and Britain, to understand the difference geography makes to what’s deemed acceptable ground, therefore, it follows that horses racing in Hong Kong, for instance, will generally be racing on turf with more resilience (on similarly described going) than in the UK. Hence the inference that British ground requires more stamina – like for like descriptions – than racetracks closer to the Equator.
Makes sense to me, anyway.
Well in there Gordon. Where is he anyway, haven’t seen him on for about a week ? credit where credits due.
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Topography is wonderful thing but couldn’t there be a simpler answer to why horses have run below par.
I don’t know a great deal about forein horse but has SK not lost some of his old sparkle. He was beaten 3 times on the trot before winning a Froup 2. The 2nd in that race was a very modeate animal if his next races are anything to go by. I don’t know much about Rocket man, it looked a decent race but I have no idea how good.
Perhaps it was the way the race was run. We spoke in droves about the pace in the Derby and how it affected differnt horses. Just because it’s a 6f sprint doesn’t mean that the result won’t be affected. I got the impression the jockey up with the pace were watching JJ the Jet Plane and when the pace was slow nothing took him on over the first 3 furlong. Then there was loads of skirmishing in behind him which wouldn’t help their chances.
A more even pace may have suited these horses better..Some 6 furlong horses don’t have the acceleration to compete in a 4 1/2 furlong race and need a true run 6 furlongs to e at their best.
Cannonball was taken of his feet in his other race but he picked up the leaders easily in this race. He and AC settled at the back away from it all and there is no doubt AC has a lot of instant acceleration which could be why he won. He looks very fast and could maybe even win a Group race at 5f
I could be miles of the mark but I wouldn’t back AC to win as easily again if the pace was that of normal 6f race. Like in longer races can see these horses have the sting taken out their tails by a strong front runner.
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