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Curtain Cull is heading straight to Epsom and bypassing today’s Derby Trial.
I keep Al Shemali in high regard and regardless of him now being with Godolphin … a sneaky chance to top off Red Rocks, or a waste of time?
Ice Queen is forward enough to have an advantage on Look Here.
Sabana Perdida is all class.
Any further ideas today gentlemen?
By Command – Couldnt believe the RP put it in at 12/1 given it’s maiden form through Fast Company. Very impressive at Windsor last time as well. Big chance imo.
Looking for a really good run from By Command today. I backed him for the Derby after Windsor. Looking at his siblings, the ground really shouldn’t be a concern.
Agree on both Al Shemali and By Command, Red Rocks at his minimum trip on Fast Ground, Al Shemali at his optimal trip on optimal ground. By command should handle the ground better than most in the linfield trial. The two I liked in the lingfield oaks trial have been pulled.
By Command – Couldnt believe the RP put it in at 12/1 given it’s maiden form through Fast Company.
That form has worked out very well on top of Fast Company, with Huzzah finishing 4th. By Command is a cracking bet at about 4/1 if he improves for the step up in trip.
I’m even more keen on Look Here in the fillies’ trial. Having been quite taken by Doctor Fremantle’s performance during the week, I like the look of her sole run to date and she’s bred to absolutely revel in the middle distance races. Ground also shouldn’t be a problem.
By Command didn’t beat much when winning at Windsor it has to be said, but with Curtain Call out of the race he’d have to have a chance. It’ll be interesting to see how Campanologist gets on, given that he’s one of few Godolphin horses not to have been in Dubai during the winter, and also Alan Devonshire, who steps up in trip after some useful juvenile efforts and might just surprise.
Look Here was impressive in beating Doctor Freemantle on her debut last season, and Ralph Becket is not averse to getting horses to win on their reappearance. Kayah took this race last year before running well enough in the Oaks, but his entrant this year looks a good deal better.
Red Rocks found himself utterly outclassed by the likes of Manduro and Dylan Thomas last season, but whilst this is more his level he might just struggle first time out. I can’t have Al Shemali at all, especially as he has been in action at Nad Al Sheba, so I’d expect Pinpoint to go close.
I think Alan Devonshire comes out of the Derby trial with most appeal for the future (he looked likely to challenge at one stage before a lack of race fitness presumably told), but was Frankie a little too easy on Campanologist in the closing stages causing him to lose second place?
Look Here ran with plenty of promise too, I thought, staying on well late on under tender handling from Seb Sanders (the winner was away at that point, but was coming back to the runner-up with every stride).
Was on that King Of Rome there and Johnny Murtagh cost him the race IMO by forcing wide off the turn on Alessandro, the horse lost more ground than he was beaten by, I could slap him. I dont often complain about jockeys but he infuriated me there.
Look Here ran with plenty of promise too, I thought, staying on well late on under tender handling from Seb Sanders (the winner was away at that point, but was coming back to the runner-up with every stride).
Look Here did give a promising account. Sanders looks to have made a mistake in going so wide, and that has undoubtably cost her the ground she couldn’t find on the winner (although I wouldn’t say she was particualrly tenderly ridden, more eased when he knew he wasn’t getting there). However if there is more to that incident at the bottom of the hill than meets the eye then there’s no way she’ll like Epsom.
Why on earth were there so many non runners? This is the flat do they not expect Good – Firm ground?
Curtain Call now goes straight for the Derby. What if its Good to Firm at Epsom? Are we going to have artificial watering AGAIN to try and enable Good ground? A fast ground horse will have no chance of winning a Group one soon if they continue in this vein.
I hope at Epsom they make sure there is no jar and that is it. Other than that let nature take its course.
Why on earth were there so many non runners? This is the flat do they not expect Good – Firm ground?
Flash I would suggest the ground was nearer firm than good to firm.
I can fully understand Curtain Call not running yesterday, he is clearly very highly rated by connections. If I had a horse that was a strong contender for the Derby I wouldn’t want to risk injuring or jarring it four weeks before the big race, especially in what was a sub-standard Derby trial like yesterdays.
If any of the runners in yesterdays trials are even placed at Epsom I will seriously consider giving up the game.
Bear in mind of the 14 non-runners at Lingfield only Elizabeth Swann came out with a self certificate, all the others were withdrawn due to going concerns.
Flash I would suggest the ground was nearer firm than good to firm.
An inaccurate going description? Not in my time!
I’d also suggest that Lingfield (and perhaps Epsom as well) will get a higher number of defections on fast ground because of the downhill approach to the bend. I certainly wouldn’t fancy sending my promising 3-y-o careering down a hill into a sharp turn on a surface resembling a pavement.
I certainly wouldn’t fancy sending my promising 3-y-o careering down a hill into a sharp turn on a surface resembling a pavement.
So I guess you have answered both your questions regarding the number of non-runners yesterday and why Epsom waters.
The times of yesterdays races don’t suggest firm ground they suggest Good to firm.
If a trainer is worried about a horse coming down the hill 1) why enter it in the first place? 2) Why send it to Epsom?
I can understand not wanting to injure a horse of course, but there is such a thing as cottonwooling.
Incidently have any horses come away from Lingfield yesterday injured because of jarring in the ground?
Not as many as were injured at Chester.
I think it is the combination of fastish ground and downhil that worries connections. The horse being able to cope with either but not both.
Colin
Talk about climate change!
Just a few weeks ago we were wondering when winter would end. Folk were chatting about horses being backward etc.
I guess if it stays fine for another day or two, the water companies will be talking about switching the water off because of drought.
Btw, at Chester, I didn’t think the ground was particulary hard. In fact, I thought it was much the same as Aintree on GN day.
However, the grass looked a bit different this year. Have they reseeded or something?
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