- This topic has 113 replies, 33 voices, and was last updated 18 years, 7 months ago by
.
- Posts
I thought the race was a little unsatisfactory and a little disappointing.
The winner fought well but didn’t have that touch of class, the second did better than expected, Raven’s Pass looked short of stamina and the Godolphin horse didn’t fire.
I wouldn’t be interested in the 2/1 for the Guineas.
Colin
I thought the race was a little unsatisfactory and a little disappointing.
The winner fought well but didn’t have that touch of class, the second did better than expected, Raven’s Pass looked short of stamina and the Godolphin horse didn’t fire.
I wouldn’t be interested in the 2/1 for the Guineas.
Colin
I think the going/ground was the decisive factor here. If the going would’ve been good-firm instead of good-soft, then I feel the result would’ve been different.
I don’t think Raven’s Pass looked short of stamina. To me, the ground had took the sting out of his speed. He appeared as though he just didn’t like the going.But yes, all in all, I too was a bit disappointed with the race.
Curtain Call certainly did New Approach’s form the world of good when winning the Beresford in extremely pleasing fashion, but of the first four home in the Dewhurst it is those filling the places that I’m most interested in.
Raven’s Pass travelled like a superstar at Sandown last time out, and was still going like a train at the finish over what is a stiff seven furlongs. On that run his stamina shouldn’t be a concern, so it’s surely only the ground which can be attrbiuted to his ‘below par’ performance on Saturday. He still travelled sweetly, but simply couldn’t quicken on ground that soft.
Fast Company on the other hand seemed to handle the ground extremely well and, having already put in scintillating performances on quicker surfaces, this speaks very well of him. He was the least experienced of the first quartet and gave New Approach plenty to think about in spite of that. He looks every inch the real deal to me and I’d expect him to be right up there come Guineas time. It’s just a shame he’ll probably be shipped off to Godolphin in the mean time but, hopefully, he’ll return a better horse (though given Godolphin’s record with winter acquisitions, I wouldn’t bank on it).
Quote – “The winner fought well but didn’t have that touch of class”
I wouldn’t underestimate New Approach on the basis that he doesn’t appear to cruise along. I think it was a very good performance and one that makes him a deserving favourite for the Guineas.
2/1 though for a race 6 months away is crazy.
I’d also agree that Fast Company acquitted himself very well.
Jury is still out on Ravens Pass while I thought RDLP was disappointing and he doesn’t shape at all like a Guineas winner to me.
This was the first time that New Approach hasn’t been able to tank through the race. He’s certainly had no problem travelling powerfully on the bridle in earlier races. Perhaps as connections had alluded to they have been teaching him to settle and he was just being lazy. What I took out of it, is that like the beaten horses, he hasn;t had everything go his way, the difference is under an aggressive ride he has dug in really well and like Teofilo last year, despite the distances was well on top at the finish. I don;t fancy that thr runner-up will ever beat New Approach.
Of the beaten horses, Raven’s Pass is clearly interesting given the way he travelled sand that the ground is a legitimate excuse looking at his pedigree he should be able to do better.
I would refute strongly that New Approach doesn’t have ‘that touch of class’. You don’t run to 125+ in a Dewhurst without having that and he showed also that he’s got guts too. He may be an awkward sod beforehand but he confirmed yesterday he’s 100% reliable and genuine in the race itself.
I’m not interested in playing ante-post at current prices for either the Guineas or the Derby, you only have to look back at last year’s race to see the perils of such games but there clearly isn’t any other colt with stronger claims for either race.
Triple Crown anyone
He certainly has the class but the way he travelled and his bit of temperament would put me off Epsom.
I think there must be more to come from the runner up. He had a slow start and was running wide (was that a disadvantage?) and is comparatively inexperienced
DJ, I didn’t say he doesn’t have class.
It was the first time that I had seen the horse race, at one stage he looked beaten, he fought back well but, visually, I was left with the feeling that I hadn’t seen a champion.
I’ll accept he was never going to beat this field on the bridle but I did expect him to travel through the race with a "touch of class".
The time was good and he may well go on to be a great 3-y-o but as I say, visually, I was left with a feeling of disappointment.
Colin
My bank balance is disappointed that NA fought back so well Colin
The only horse i was disappointed in, was Rio De La Plata. – just wonder if this came to soon for him, anyway, be interesting to see how he does at 3yo
Good race, thought winner showed his ability to stay and his toughness. Fast Company showed he was no back number and if they all get there, Newmarket 2008 could be a totally different result
I wouldnt worry too much about NA being off the bridle.
Far too often, horses who travel well are overrated and the sign of a true good horse is their response to the jockey’s urgings. As we saw yesterday, NA responded in emphatic fashion to each drive/whip
- Total Posts 17716
Seabird
New Approach was never going to be as impressive ridden for speed as he has been forcing it, but connections did need to know where they stood with him in relation to his targets for next season.
My guess, at the moment, would be that he would take the world of beating in the Guineas, but would lack the turn of foot for a Derby. Maybe his stable already suspected that, hence his running in the Dewhurst rather than the RP Trophy?Given all the other horses that had shown their form from the front in the Dewhurst, it looked eminently sensible to be prepared to drop in should there be a strong gallop.
Reet – Why would a horse that has the speed to win a Dewhurst and a Guineas lack a turn of foot to win the Derby? When you look at some recent Derby winners i.e. the likes of North Light and High Chapparal, both of those were strong gallopers rather than ‘turn of foot’ quickeners. I could think of various reasons why New Approach may not give his running at Epsom – chiefly lack of stamina and getting above himself beforehand, but not because he would lack a turn of foot at 12f. His female line is pretty speedy.
Reet – Why would a horse that has the speed to win a Dewhurst and a Guineas lack a turn of foot to win the Derby?
I thought the same myself!
I also find Reet’s comments strange.
If a horse has the speed to win the Guineas and the Dewhurst and handles just about any ground the only usual reason it won’t show a turn of foot at a mile and a half is because its petrol gauge is emptying. It’d be stamina that is the issue rather than speed.
- Total Posts 17716
DJ
Stayers they may have been, but both North Light and High Chaparral had shown finishing speed as 2yo, and neither had ground-out victory from the front prior to their Derby wins. Neither went the Dewhurst route either, both winning over Im as a juveniles.
New Approach’s change of gear was hardly electric yesterday was it, and though only 7f, it was enough of a test, imo, for him to have picked them up better?
He may find things a little easier over 10f next season, might even get 12f, but I’d be pushed to recall any 2yo with a similar profile having the speed and stamina to win the Derby.Being by a Derby winner out of a Yorkshire Oaks second, surely there’s no real doubt that – on pedigree at least – New Approach will get 12f?
I realise Park Express hasn’t exactly got stayers in the past, but was she teamed up with a stamina influence like Galileo before? Maybe that’s where the colt’s name comes from.
…. but I’d be pushed to recall any 2yo with a similar profile having the speed and stamina to win the Derby.
..how about Nijinsky ? He had an easier time of it though. This looked a gruelling race for all concerned, which may not augur well for any of them in the long run.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.