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St James’s Palace stakes seems a two horse race on betting. Awtaad beat English Guineas winner Galileo Gold in Ireland. Frankie didn’t get the best of runs but the Sheikh Hamdan runner probably a worthy winner and more scope to improve. Has a pacemaker which may help too.
Galileo Gold had what looked to me the run of the race (flattered a bit) at Newmarket – strong tailwind favoured prominent runners. That said, wasn’t far behind Awtaad and looking at prices 2/1 against 7/1 with only 2½ lengths between them on similar ground – Galileo Gold now looks better value of those two.
However, I believe The Gurkha will be the season’s best three year old. Massively impressive against moderate Group 1 opposition. 2nd First Selection is 40/1 here and 5th Zarak improved when 2nd in the French Derby since. But he didn’t just beat them, he won by 5½ lengths with more in reserve. That was Good ground and The Gurkha did improve on it, but the reason for running him there was a remarkable 9 lengths success against Saafaar (subsequently beaten just 2 ¾ lengths in Derrinstown Derby Trial). On heavy ground The Gurkha looked a top class performer in the making – and so it later proved; so it’s highly likely soft going won’t be a problem.
Emotionless should not be forgotten. Won Doncaster Champagne with a great deal in hand by 3½ lengths from subsequent 2 lengths Free handicap winner (under 9-6) Ibn Malik. There was 7 lengths back to the 3rd at Donny and Emotionless looked a top class 2 year old in the making. However, got injured in the Dewhurst and hasn’t run since. It is not a given that he’ll ever get back to his best, let alone improve on it like he’ll need to here. That said, he’s 14/1. Looking forward to seeing what he can do. Market (shortening or lengthening) will probably be significant in showing his chance.
I’ve had my biggest bet of the season on The Gurkha with a saver on Emotionless.
Value Is EverythingWill Channel Four dare criticise the darling of racing, Ryan Moore, after that ride?! After all, he can do no wrong, right?
This guy is a machine. All he does is work out and pick winners. Talk about fit. You should see him without his shirt off, serious side of beef.
Will Channel Four dare criticise the darling of racing, Ryan Moore, after that ride?! After all, he can do no wrong, right?
Best horse won
Delighted for Hugo Palmer. I’m sure we’ll all analyse the hell out of that race but well done to all who backed GG. A worthy winner.
"this perfect mix of poetry and destruction, this glory of rhythm, power and majesty: the undisputed champion of the world!!!"
Well I’m pretty disappointed by Awtaad. My initial thought is maybe the horse needs heavy ground and the time suggests it weren’t anything worse than soft. Maybe I’m clutching at straws but I can’t believe that’s the same horse that ran all over Galileo Gold in the Irish Guineas.
I’m a bit surprised Moore held The Gurkha up I expected him to race closer to the pace. I think Dettori out rode Moore in this one, Gave Galileo Gold an excellent ride.
Well not the overhyped Emotionless that had achieved precious little on the track, but the 2000 guineas winner Galileo gold spoiled the Awtaad-Gurkha party.
Think Dettori effectively won the race at the start as the horse trapped like a greyhound while the other big two jumped very slovenly by comparison.
Was also helped by the horses’s great cruising speed which was just on another level from the others and I think is an underestimated weapon in these races.
Well done Joe and I guess it’s easy to say in hindsight, but if you had said just over a month ago that Galileo Gold, having just won the guineas (and make no mistake the English guineas is the race to win, not the Irish or French version)
Would go off 6-1 and the Gurkha, who at that point was a twice raced maiden winner would go off at odds on, you’d have been dragged kicking and screaming to the Loony binShows really how short memories are in racing.
I’m a bit surprised Moore held The Gurkha up I expected him to race closer to the pace. I think Dettori out rode Moore in this one, Gave Galileo Gold an excellent ride.
Spot-on
(And I never had a penny on the race)This guy is a machine. All he does is work out and pick winners. Talk about fit. You should see him without his shirt off, serious side of beef.
As a punter you can spend ages pouring over the form but you cannot legislate for the ineptness of jockeys.
Dettori messed up at the Curragh and Moore messed up today. It happens too often and of course the media never say anything.
Well, that settled a few “A will piss on B” “B will piss on A” arguments, as C puts them both in their place.
The Gurkha ended up a truly silly price and I think we can put to bed the notion that he has wings now.
I was surprised Galileo Gold reversed the form from the Curragh, as he looked beaten fair and square to me that day. You could argue he sat far enough back early on in today’s race but his run petered out and he weakened close home. Just seemed to me that the best horse on the day won here and it could be different on another day at another course if the ground were also different.
I don’t think a Superstar emerged here but the three were well ahead of Cymric, albeit that he’s had a pretty disappointing time since last year’s good run in France.
As I said beforehand, Emotionless had a nigh on impossible task here and was an easy lay at silly odds today.
Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.
As a punter you can spend ages pouring over the form but you cannot legislate for the ineptness of jockeys.
Dettori messed up at the Curragh and Moore messed up today. It happens too often and of course the media never say anything.
Well, we’re all human. Everyone messes up.
Awtaad was simply the better horse on the day at The Curragh. He never travelled like that at all today.
As for Moore today, if The Gurkha had been half as good as the betting market suggested, he would have flown past Galileo Gold today. The ground was different to that in France when he won and I think plenty of people got carried away coming into this.
I said beforehand that it was tight on the ratings and a fag paper would have covered them.
Well done to Joe on his each way Galileo Gold, I felt the horse would have a job reversing the Curragh for and beating the well heralded The Gurkha but he managed both parts.
If you take short prices in competitive races you have to be confident that the horse has enough to cover all scenarios.
Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.
Ought not to forget that he stayed on well to win the Gns and did so again today off a decent pace in bad ground. Would like to have seen him in The Derby
Frankie didnt ride anyone to sleep! You are delusional if you think the jockey won this race. The Gurkha just didnt simply pick up fast enough he isnt a good horse. I thought he was a good horse but after that race he is definitely not a good horse. Well I say not good as in he might win some decent races but he isnt a superstar and that race in general looking back is a poor race.
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