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If sdgrugy shows normal improvement on what was really his first run for nearly a year then he must take all the beating. Dodging bullets and Mr mole to me aren’t genuine qm horses and there position at the top of the market owe more to other horses ailments than their ability. I’d love to see sdg,ssacre and champagne fever together at the last as that would set the pulse racing. Champagne fever to me is the great unknown and I suspect will be there at the end of the race. Heart and head says sdgrugy and I hope to see this gorgeous looking horse striding up the hill to victory.
Found was mightily impressive at longchamp and as it was only her third run she probably has plenty of improvement. Words was also very impressive but until we see how the horses have developed from two to three it’s hard to tell which one to back early season and which one is the more likely oaks type. I think found will Go for the guineas as her mum ran at a mile most of her career. Aiden has such a strong hand for the classics. Interesting that this is probably the weakest batch of older horses he has had for some time with a lot sold or gone to stud at coolmore(Australia.war command and magician). Makes you think he must believe in his classic horses.
Ballydoyle does have a very strong batch of 3yos and could have a star in amongst them. They are very weak in the older age group(unless they buy a few American imports. We have the likes of Al kale em to look forward to.
It’s not Mullins fault that he has got so many cracking horses and owners to fund them. Irish racing is certainly not all about him and the likes of Gordon Elliot, Henry de brom head andj Jess harrington ensure we get cracking racing in Ireland. Atrs cove rage is great and Garry Obrien and Kevin Blake are a delight to listen to. IMHO of course.
Aiden seems to have wrapped his 2yos in cotton wool and didn’t seem interested in having the champion 2yo. As you say he has such a strong hand with the colts(and fillies too) but as usual until they run and we see how they have developed from two to three year old we won’t know who is the best. On breeding ol man river looks a champion in the making but the others look very good too.
The joker in the pack is highland reel. As Kevin Blake pointed out at the backend of the flat season he has enormous potential but as with the other Obrien horses we will not now till they run where ballydoyle will aim them at. Thought he looked a cracking colt at goodwood.
As usual Kevin Blake shows why I regard him as the most knowledgable persons on tv when it comes to horses. Apart from his tremendous dissecting of form he once again is spot on here. Mcririck is right is the issue of perception from the wider public but what the Aiden Coleman ride has shown is that the rules aren’t correct. I don’t get that jockeys are deliberately breaking the rules to win. The issue is that it should be left to the judgement of the stewards as to what is and isn’t a sensible ride and any figure given as to how many time a whip is used should be as a guide not as an exact figure. Unless we adopt that process these endless debates will rumble on. Lesters Derby wins on roberto and the minstrel are now clearly not acceptable but common senses surely must prevail and the stewards now looking at colemans ride because a few people moaned is a ridiculous way to run things things.you will never please everybody but the Irish seem to have far fewer issues with the whip than in Britain.
As usual Kevin Blake shows why I regard him as the most knowledgable persons on tv when it comes to horses. Apart from his tremendous dissecting of form he once again is spot on here. Mcririck is right is the issue of perception from the wider public but what the Aiden Coleman ride has shown is that the rules aren’t correct. I don’t get that jockeys are deliberately breaking the rules to win. The issue is that it should be left to the judgement of the stewards as to what is and isn’t a sensible ride and any figure given as to how many time a whip is used should be as a guide not as an exact figure. Unless we adopt that process these endless debates will rumble on. Lesters Derby wins on roberto and the minstrel are now clearly not acceptable but common senses surely must prevail and the stewards now looking at colemans ride because a few people moaned is a ridiculous way to run things things.you will never please everybody but the Irish seem to have far fewer issues with the whip than in Britain.
To me lw is never going to be at the front of top races during the winter as all his best form is on sounder surfaces. Hence the reason to does so well at Cheltenham. I’ll be backing him each way in the gold cup at hopefully decent odds.
I get the public don’t like driving finishes but races like lester winning the Derby on the minstrel are just magnificent spectacles and are etched into racing history. People forget that most horses are nearly ten times the weight of the jockey so the idea of the whip,as they are today,inflicting pain is not based in reality.
Poster of the year for me is most people who post on the forum. Such a delight to come on a site where we are all enthusiastic fans of the game and some great trips down memory lane are my favourites.
Jump jockey of the year would be Davy Russell for me . Didn’t throw a hissy fit when he lost the gigginstown gig and his gold cup win was such a fantastic day for him and his trainer. So consistent especially in big races.
Villain of the year is any trainer who give out info after the event which had punters known about would have altered their bets.
Jump horse of the year has to be the fly.. Probably won’t be fully appreciated until he retires but his record of grade ones is amazing and his comeback win over jeski is what we watch the racing for.
Flat trainer of the year I will go for roger varian. Not everybody’s cup of tea but a great one for getting his horses ready for the big day.
Hero of the year Is michael winters. Can’t understand a word he says but his antics watching his horses at the finish are just brilliant. A most underrated trainer to boot.
Jumps trainer of the year has to be willie Mullins who I know has the firepower but just seems to have a conveyor belt of top class horses.
Owner of the year Is frank Gillespie owner of the grey gatsby. Great to see a not so big owner have a superstar horse.
Flat horse of the year is Australia. Don’t think he got the credit he deserved and his international win was one of my fav races of the year.
Racing broadcaster of the year is shared between Garry obrien and the incomparable Matt chapman who make atr a joy to watch when they are on.
Finally Journalist of the year has to be Kevin Blake who is so good to listen to and more often than not picks a winner at a decent price.Dessie winning the gold cup was just magical and young Joseph winning the breeders cup on St nic abbey. Also Nijinsky winning the Derby gives me goosebumps.
That was just great watching the fly swat jeski away. I’m a great fan of the horse and the only reason he doesn’t do as well at Cheltenham is the going. Should it be jumping heavy come the champion hurdle he must have a very good chance. Wouldn’t rule out jeski as he made fools of us last year.
I’ve grown to like it but until the Europeans plan it better success will be patchy. Would have thought that trainers whose horses needed fast ground would be well suited to sending their horses to the bcup. St nicks abbeys win is my fav race although I have fond memories of the likes of ouija board and pebbles from a few years back. The classic the last two years have been great races and both toast of New York and declaration of war greatly enhanced their reputation even though they got beat.
Biggest problem Aiden and the lads will have is where to place the horses. Hootenanny is going for the guineas which may cloud things. Highland reel looks likely to progress rapidly but at the moment I’d say jfk is just the best of the bunch. It will be fascinating to see how they develop over the winter and there is of course a few once raced maiden winners who may enter the equation. A lot to look forward to for coolmore.
Tornado had an off night as have a lot of top European horses. Some don’t take to the travelling but others like St nicks abbey came to life in the breeders cup. What was noticeable was the lack of top older horses from Europe. Just a pty magician got injured as he would have gone close if back to his best.
