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Thanks Steve, I viewed it earlier on Sporting Life and agree with your view on it. I’m still undecided as it is so tight on form but I’ll see after today.
Anyone else going to be there? I’ll be lurking around the paddock with my camera, fending off my non-racing enthusiast friends who will be luring me to the Pimms bar. For what it’s worth, I will be backing Toormore each way on the basis of his course form, the fact that I don’t think Awtaad will like the course or the ground and I don’t want to jinx Galileo Gold with my money
Galileo Gold usurped again for fav. The horse hasn’t had the credit he deserves imo and he should put the doubters right tomorrow.
I’m not so sure The Gurkha is going to enjoy the Goodwood mile as much as GG will. After his 10f defeat last time, when he looked to me to stay it well enough in the soft, I wonder if he’ll find 1m on fast ground at Goodwood on the sharp side? Wouldn’t be surprised to see Ribchester follow GG home, and he looks very good value EW at 10s and the one for the forecast.
This race is a classic example of some people being totally unable to read a race. Much bollocks was talked immediately after the race by the TV commentator and plenty cobblers was recycled afterwards.
:lol: :lol: :lol:
Value Is EverythingThe last furlong is a steep uphill finish, tougher even than the final furlong at ascot.
Downhill finish at Goodwood, I thought?
Not the stiffest mile around but very undulating and quite a climb in the first couple of furlongs. I would dispute that The Gurkha stayed “well enough” in The Eclipse in fact I think in the end he was outstayed in that ground. He travelled smoothly off a decent pace in France and I think there is likely to be plenty of pace in the race tomorrow with Toormore and Kodi Bear in the field. I am also sure that Ryan won’t be giving Frankie quite so much rope this time around. There is a little bit of rain around tonight and tomorrow so it might not be run on lightening quick ground after all. Saying that I think Joe is right that it seems strange that GG is not fav given he had a good length in hand in the SJP. Perhaps GG has still not been given the full credit he deserves. Tomorrow will tell us. For my money GG is a top class horse but The Gurkha will prove to be better.
"this perfect mix of poetry and destruction, this glory of rhythm, power and majesty: the undisputed champion of the world!!!"
The fact that The Gurkha has been nicely drawn to get a good toe into the race, and back to a mile is probably his potential index. The soft ground looked to get the better of him in the St James’s Palace against Galileo Gold, you cannot deny he bumped into a serious middle distance horse in Hawkbill who’s form speaks for its self and on soft ground again to be beaten half a length was a way forward. The Gurkha is obviously bred to get 12f, but not all progeny of the great sire get that middle distant index. Th dam Chintz did not make a pleasing transition from 2 to 3, unplaced on all nine starts, but mainly was running on soft to heavy ground with only one run in today’s conditions in the Coronation Stakes. but i always thought Chintz was used as a pace setting horse as she was most of the time out there to set the fractions.
I would like to think The Gurkha will have to much speed over 8f to reverse the defeat to Galileo Gold, Awtaad is the danger for me who’s sire Cape Cross was far superior on fast ground and won over course and distance as a three year old and went on to win the Group 2 Celebration Mile on good to firm ground
The Gurkha & Awtaad forecast for me reversed, very close between them on this going
Darren P Goodbody
Good race! Would say Detorri is very unlucky there, its all about tactics nothing else here. Moore best position all way round and was allowed to burst through after being last off the bridle. If you ran that race 10x you would get a different result each time.
You get the feeling that on any given day any one of them Galileo Gold and The Gurkha can beat the other. There’s very little between them.
Ribchester can pick up a group one somewhere.
Awtaad needs jumping ground.
What a fantastic race. One of the races of the season. Galileo Gold was so brave trying to do it from the front and Ribchester has run a stormer. Delighted TG finally gets his head in front -a tough horse who was only maiden in April! Roll on Round Three – there’s clearly not much between them.
PS Can we stop saying the 3 year olds are not very good now?
"this perfect mix of poetry and destruction, this glory of rhythm, power and majesty: the undisputed champion of the world!!!"
You get the feeling that on any given day any one of them Galileo Gold and The Gurkha can beat the other. There’s very little between them.
Ribchester can pick up a group one somewhere.
Awtaad needs jumping ground.
Totally agree with Ribchester, that was a convincing performance and wonder if they would send him back to York next month to run in the International Stakes, if getting good to firm ground is a contender.
Darren P Goodbody
Well Awtaad folded early and ran like a drain. Hard to say what happened with him but that was a feeble effort and perhaps he’s just not progressed since the Irish Guineas. The jockey reported him as flying at home but for me that’s time to put a pen through him now.
The money came for The Gurkha and he delivered but Galileo Gold didn’t go down without a fight and Ribchester was probably finishing fastest of them all from further off the pace.
The way the Channel 4 team went on about it just after the race you would have thought The Gurkha had won by 4 lengths and the focus was very much on the two horses, with little recognition given for Ribchester’s excellent effort in third.
Well done to The Gurkha fans, for staying with him. He’d been expensive the last twice. Surely Aidan will place him sensibly now and he’s a very solid colt without being outstanding, in my opinion.
Surely Galileo Gold and Ribchester will want to reoppose, particularly Hugo’s horse, who was facing his fastest going for a good while today. If there is cut in the ground later in the season, he may well be the value to gain revenge. I had £2 on him at 40/1 for the 2000 Guineas, so I’ll always have a soft spot for him.
Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.
I think the best horse won and will win again given the same challengers. I’ve loved Galileo Gold since he won the Guineas, but the key to The Gurkha’s talent, for me, lies back at Sandown in The Eclipse. To run so well on that ground when he obviously wants it fast, and to do so in such a good race over 10f (Albeit not the greatest Eclipse ever run) stamps him as a top class colt who is very tough.
I’d like to be hoping GG could gain his revenge, but I very much doubt it.
I think if you watch the race again RIBCHESTER just took a while to get organised on the track!!
Looks to me like a Group One winner in waiting.
I’m obviously delighted given how much I have screamed about this horse since his maiden but I honestly think we have yet to see the very best of him. He has had some hard races in a short space of time so I would like to see them freshen him up a bit and bring him back maybe even for the Breeders Cup. I might be wrong and we may not get to see this happen anyway, but I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he actually proves to be a bit better over 10f on fast ground. I think it was only the tacky surface that found him out at Sandown and I could see him winning a Juddmonte (though maybe next year if they keep him in training). I would love to see him as a 4 year old as he has done all this in such a short space of time.
I agree with Raymo that Ribchester is a Group 1 winner in waiting – perhaps one of those French Group 1’s next month? He is lightly raced and improving. Galileo Gold is a superstar and he will have another day. Awtad could be one for Champions Day given a little break and once the ground softens. He didn’t run his race today.
"this perfect mix of poetry and destruction, this glory of rhythm, power and majesty: the undisputed champion of the world!!!"
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