- This topic has 9 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 11 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
Jamie Spencer,Acien Regime: Best horse in the race beaten? Awkward head carriage? Difficult ride? Took a long time to get going? Or,very poor ride? I suspect the last option but as Mr Spencer is quick to point out, I (as a member of the public) know nothing.
It looked a typical soft ground race to me. The leader was favoured as it’s often difficult to peg back frontrunners in the ground. One or two in behind, Ancien Regime include, didn’t seem to go all that well possibly through unsuitable ground, unwillingness, tiredness or a combination of all three. I can’t really see that there was anything wrong with the ride on Ancien Regime,
It might be worth noting that race comments in three of Ancien Regime’s last for races have included ‘edged right’, ‘edged left under pressure’ and ‘ridden and hung left’. All three comments suggest he is not the most reliable in a finish, and really needs things to fall for him.
Rob
All good points. The horse has been up with the pace and on the wrong side of the track previously.He was given plenty to do today though.
The ultimate conundrum with a hold up horse on soft ground. Jamie spender may have ridden him close to the pace, but given that he’s added another ‘hung left’ to his inglorious collection, I’m not sure the result would have been any different.
The one thing about the winner Knot In Wood is that he’s a pretty uncomplicated performer who generally gives his running. He’s been struggling off a high mark in handicaps and perhaps is on the fringe of Group class if not quite good enough to make his mark normally. On this occasion the small field in the conditinos suited him, and sometimes that’s the way it is.
It’s worth noting that the ground was reported fast when the declarations were made for this race. Advance warning of the going would perhaps have meant a different field make up.
Rob
Ancien Regime has moved from a top class trainer of sprinters to Godolphin who do not seem particularly good at it eg Dandy Man. In view of this I thought Ancien Regime ran well. Maybe he will buck the trend.
Is is really coincidence that Spencer seems to be associated with so many ‘awkward’ rides?
Given that his apparent favoured style is to hold a horse up then that could very well be the case.
I find it amazing that Spencer rides so poorly for the majority of the year, yet rode brilliantly at Royal Ascot.
That may be because at Ascot most races are run at a decent gallop…and as such, hold up horses are easier to ride coming through past weakening horses – moneycantbuymelove for example.
I checked Jamie Spencer’s soft/heavy ground record on Adrian Massey’s database.
He’s averaged 18.4% winners since 2004 which is quite respectable since I expected his style isn’t as well suited to cut in the ground as firmer surfaces. His heavy ground record is 22.2% winners and a substantial L.S. profit.
Not quite what I expected!
Rob
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.