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My favourite flat horse is being lined up for his seasonal reappearance on the 28th May and I just read an article about him on the racing post website. Now, even though I lost a bundle on him in the Derby I kept faith at Ascot but nearly tore up my betting slip when the big guns at Coolmore said he isn’t really that good and they would be amazed if he won.
Of course, Mahler won in exemplary fashion that day and they seemed to say they were shocked by it all. Next was the St Leger, and I am sure he would have won that had he not slipped, but in respect it still seemed to short for him. Then when he went to Australia for the Melbourne Cup and I thought he was going to run a big race, and after several bad dreams and a sleepless night I got up at 5 in the morning to watch him lead into the last bend and get done for pace at the end.
Aidan O’Brien then said he could be a potential cup horse next year and one race stuck in my mind. Ascot Gold Cup, I was sure that the super long distance would suit him perfectly. Now today O’Brien says he needs to improve a lot to win. Maybe all my mates were right and I should have given up on him after the Derby.
Still, my antepost bet of the flat season (if there was any value about it) was for him to win the Gold Cup, to which I got, he has more chance of winning it at Cheltenham than Ascot.
Am I mad or is this horse as good as I think he is.
Ps. I hope they do put him over sticks,, would love to see him for the enxt few years!
I don’t think that there is much chance of him staying the Gold Cup trip in all honesty (his Queen’s Vase victory came in an extremely poor race), and there’s certainly no reason why he should turnaround Doncaster form with Lucarno (who probably will stay).
Yeats looks by far the likeliest winner, with Gosden’s four-year-old a close second. It’ll be interesting to see if connections bring Le Miracle over again after a decent third last year.
Mahler will get the Gold Cup trip with ease.
But he will just be there to give Yeats a nice lead I would have thought.
I liked watching Mahler last season, thought his run in the Melbourne Cup behind Purple Moon and Efficient was a good one, thought he was maybe going to take it when he led in the final straight.
I think it was his race at Doncaster that did impress me a lot, even though he was beaten by Lucarno.
He is a very good stayer in my opinion.
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Mahler reminds me a lot of a horse Henry Cecil trained a few years ago, called River God. Like Mahler, he was too big and backward to do himself justice at two and found the Derby come far too soon for him but he sluiced up in the Queen’s Vase and then proceeded to run with credit in the Leger (River God was an honourable third to Snurge and Hellenic on Town Moor, outpaced by those two in the final quarter mile).
Like you with Mahler now, I thought that River God was guaranteed to run a big race in the following season’s Gold Cup. Sadly, he only ran once at four, finishing tailed off on unsuitably soft ground in the Sagaro Stakes. A minor problem meant that he missed Royal Ascot and he was subsequently retired to stud.
Let’s hope that Mahler at least gives you a run for your money at Ascot. Yeats sets a high standard (higher than those around in River God’s time, that’s for certain) and while I can’t quite see Mahler having the pace to see off his stablemate, it’ll bring a smile to my face if he does.
Is Septimus to be aimed at the Gold Cup?
Connections have always held him in very high regard as to his staying abilities, so i would imagine it is an option for him. Have been very impressed with the horses’ turn of foot when asked to quicken, he is a very decent stayer.
Must admit i backed Mahler at Ascot without knowing what O’Brien thought of him that could have changed my mind if i had heard those comments and couldnt belive i got 8/1 on the day i also hope he runs well this season…….
I think O’Brien was recently quoted as saying they were going to let Yeats take his chance in the Ascot Gold cup and keep Septimus for other targets. In other words (and if this is his inference I share his opinion) Septimus is the better horse now. He will be champion stayer by the end of the year – Mark my words!!!!
Am i right that Scorpion was retired?
That is correct.
He is at stud in County Cork.
cheers Gaz, really liked him as well
Scorpion; think he was one of the most beautiful horses ever; wish I’d seen him at a racecourse…
Am i right that Scorpion was retired?
That is correct.
He is at stud in County Cork.
cheers Gaz, really liked him as well
Me too, excellent horse.
Unless Coastal Path comes over it looks as though Aiden has the Gold Cup sewn up. Yeats, Septimus, Mahler, Macarther, etceterer.
Is Coolmoore going to risk one of theirs beating Yeats, when he is going for a third Gold Cup?
Ginge
Value Is EverythingSeptimus is the better horse now. He will be champion stayer by the end of the year – Mark my words!!!!
He was the champion stayer last year so it wouldn’t be that much of a shock if he was again!
I backed Mahler aswell at Royal Ascot…in a bloody match bet @ 11/8! Couldn’t for the life of me work out why I hadn’t backed him to win afterwards! Thought he was nailed on for the St. Leger after Ascot but just got beat.Is Coolmoore going to risk one of theirs beating Yeats, when he is going for a third Gold Cup?
The time rating for Septimus and the manner of his win in last year’s Doncaster Cup represented a useful performance in the context of the staying division. It would be a shame if he were denied the opportunity to run in the Gold Cup purely on the basis of sentiment since, surely, the financial risk in terms of the effect that defeat might have upon Yeats’ stud fees is relatively small.
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