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If you have a horse like Extorionist, would you continue to hold him up out the back ?
This was how he was ridden on his winning debut" Close up, led before halfway, shaken up and quickened clear over 1f out, edged left inside final furlong, readily "
and yet now he’s held up at the back, expending his energy. He’s by Dandy Man out of an Oasis Dream mare so he’s never going to stay a mile next season.
We see horses lead and win well, and yet next time the jockeys hold them up and they’re tailed off.
We see horses running at a course or on ground they’re trainer claims they hate, and yet the next time they run is on the same course or ground.
We see horses upped in trip and winning, with the trainer giving that reason for the improvement. Then they’re dropped back in tripI realise it’s often related to teaching a horse to settle etc but sometimes you have to accept what you’ve got.
Horses running tactics are chopped and changed depending on
1st the other horses,
2nd, the track,
3rd, the horse its self,
and 4th do they want to win?If you have a horse like Extorionist, would you continue to hold him up out the back ?
This was how he was ridden on his winning debut" Close up, led before halfway, shaken up and quickened clear over 1f out, edged left inside final furlong, readily "
and yet now he’s held up at the back, expending his energy. He’s by Dandy Man out of an Oasis Dream mare so he’s never going to stay a mile next season.
In my opinion an excellent ride by Barca on Extortionist.
To be honest Mark, the Timeform comment on Extortionist’s debut wasn’t much different to the Racing Post. But for the second run (4th) is a lot different in Timeform, saying "ran to a similar level as on debut; pressed leader,
pulled hard
, led halfway, headed inside final 1f, faltered; will perhaps
achieve more if he settles better
".
Next time out at Royal Ascot WON the Windsor Castle,
held up
behind a wall of horses and settled really well. That form rated by Timeform 17 lbs ahead of the maiden win.
Next time in just a 9 runner race in France held up again, but this time it did not work, pulling hard again and had nothing left. Often a trip abroad can wind up horses of equitable temperament, let alone one of his nature. May not have been in the right frame of mind at the gate.
Today Barca made a point of being last from the stalls in a race where most runners had front running/prominent profiles. So despite only 7 runners it was likely to be strongly run which helps keen hold up sorts to settle. Barca dropped Extortionist out behind the others and relaxed his mount perfectly, enabling him to show the Windsor Castle form.
Yes, horses sometimes settle well out in front, but there was (as said) plenty of prominent runners in the race and if anything took him on was always likely to want to go too fast early (pulling). And if such tactics fail it may light him up even more in future. Much better to stick to tactics that have brought about his best performance (especially when pace in the race in question is likely to be strong).
Given a big field/strongly run race Extortionist has a good chance of progressing further now. If they can settle Extortionist in his next couple of races it might get him out of the habit and so help his career. Though I’d probably be against him if there aren’t many prominent runners to take the pace along next time.
Value Is EverythingOne should always be riding to win.If you find yourself in a position where you cannot win get out of it and find a position from which you can challenge to win.That applies from the gates opening moments.The jockey should be searching for a winning position from flag fall.Slowly out of the gate can be a winning move for some horses.
Yeah andy nice idea, but coming back to reality , it doesn’t always happen. I see horses run deliberately, and under instruction to bring down the rating every day. It is a reality of sport not just racing.
I was not advising non triers.Just some advise for a young jockey learning the ropes.When an owner is watching a replay of a race he might ask himself can i really win from this position? If not why am I there? Jerry Baily has a video where he discussed such natters.He spent his evenings rating all the horses he was due to ride the following day.McCoy probably does he same.
It’s sensible to adhere to a winning tactic rather than adopt an unproven tactic I would have thought.
If you have a horse like Extorionist, would you continue to hold him up out the back ?
This was how he was ridden on his winning debut" Close up, led before halfway, shaken up and quickened clear over 1f out, edged left inside final furlong, readily "
and yet now he’s held up at the back, expending his energy. He’s by Dandy Man out of an Oasis Dream mare so he’s never going to stay a mile next season.
In my opinion an excellent ride by Barca on Extortionist.
To be honest Mark, the Timeform comment on Extortionist’s debut wasn’t much different to the Racing Post. But for the second run (4th) is a lot different in Timeform, saying "ran to a similar level as on debut; pressed leader,
pulled hard
, led halfway, headed inside final 1f, faltered; will perhaps
achieve more if he settles better
".
Next time out at Royal Ascot WON the Windsor Castle,
held up
behind a wall of horses and settled really well. That form rated by Timeform 17 lbs ahead of the maiden win.
Next time in just a 9 runner race in France held up again, but this time it did not work, pulling hard again and had nothing left. Often a trip abroad can wind up horses of equitable temperament, let alone one of his nature. May not have been in the right frame of mind at the gate.
Today Barca made a point of being last from the stalls in a race where most runners had front running/prominent profiles. So despite only 7 runners it was likely to be strongly run which helps keen hold up sorts to settle. Barca dropped Extortionist out behind the others and relaxed his mount perfectly, enabling him to show the Windsor Castle form.
Yes, horses sometimes settle well out in front, but there was (as said) plenty of prominent runners in the race and if anything took him on was always likely to want to go too fast early (pulling). And if such tactics fail it may light him up even more in future. Much better to stick to tactics that have brought about his best performance (especially when pace in the race in question is likely to be strong).
Given a big field/strongly run race Extortionist has a good chance of progressing further now. If they can settle Extortionist in his next couple of races it might get him out of the habit and so help his career. Though I’d probably be against him if there aren’t many prominent runners to take the pace along next time.
Ascot was a big field. Also, i don’t think it was held up intentionally, just that because it was Ascot they went a strong gallop. Murtagh had it with a clear view infront for most of the race, only briefly taking it in behind horses. It appeared to be slightly outpaced midrace but then it’s extra bit of stamina sees it outstay some of the speed merchants ( horses like Sleeper King who seem to want 4 1/2 furlongs )
Small field – let it bowl along and have it’s head. It would have won today given a similar ride to it’s debut.Ascot was a big field. Also, i don’t think it was held up intentionally, just that because it was Ascot they went a strong gallop. Murtagh had it with a clear view infront for most of the race, only briefly taking it in behind horses. It appeared to be slightly outpaced midrace but then it’s extra bit of stamina sees it outstay some of the speed merchants ( horses like Sleeper King who seem to want 4 1/2 furlongs )
Small field – let it bowl along and have it’s head. It would have won today given a similar ride to it’s debut.Whether Extortionist was "held up intentionally" or not does not matter Mark. Fact is he produced a far better performance by being held up. Big field certainly helps. Big fields are more likely to produce a strongly run race and will have horses to settle in behind in the first (most important) part of the race. Hard pullers far more likely to settle behind a strong pace. Extortionist was behind horses until the 2 furlong marker, so had already settled.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_-fAP6BevU
Yes today was a "small field" Mark, but there was plenty of pace in the race; enabling Extortionist to settle in behind. Just take a look at the last time out run of all runners on Racing Post…
Green Door: "Over all leader far side" (went clear and probably over-did it).
Wind Fire: "Close up"
Fast: "Made all"
Thunder Strike: "Tracked leaders" (penultimate start "led")
Sleeper King: "Held up"
Ambiance: "Led early"It was always going to be a truly run race. 5 horses can not all front run/race prominently. And if connections of Extortionist had decided to go to the front – they’d almost certainly had to go too quickly, losing all chance of winning. As it is the initially held up horses today finished first, third and (to a certain extent) second. Though Wind Fire made a move earlier than the other two.
Value Is Everything
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