Forum Replies Created
- Posts
Just got back from it all and I think KAZZIA’S win was brilliant of course!:biggrin:
Got plenty of snaps of her in the winner’s enclosure and Frankie jumping off too.
Basically the bad ground didn’t help and on fast ground things could have been very different but Kazzia is game and tough and deserved her second Classic.
Good luck to her in the St Leger!
Zoz – I too got into racing by a NH horse – Captain Dibble in the void national and later with Moorcroft Boy (I cried when he broke his neck but luckily he was saved). I haven’t turned my back on the jumps game (I also got emotional over Istabraq), but the Flat appeals to me more now for some reason – my old favourites on the Flat were Lochsong and Bob’s Return. Breeding is an important side of Flat racing and by keeping the older ones in training we can attract a new audience (I remember a 12yo boy on the Morning Line not long ago whose fave Flat horse was 9yo Persian Punch, for example).
Some breeders obviously plan things precisely and get good results, whereas the more "commercial" breeders seem to be in it for the money.
(Edited by Meshaheer at 9:59 am on June 6, 2002)
Zoz – have read your article and i agree with the commercial breeding point you make. There are too many rubbishy horses being bred these days, i.e the one by River Falls I have at my riding stables. There is worse breeding around but the best breeding can produce bad horses too. Basically, there are always going to be more bad than good horses – if something isn’t done soon.
Godolphin actually keep quite a few older horses in training compared to Ballydoyle – Ballydoyle would have taken Best Of The Bests to Coolmore at the end of 2000 without a Group One win to his name.<br>
Esc – you should be surprised I didn’t put Naheef in 1st!
Kazzia will win the Oaks (soft ground/trip) no problem.(Famous last words!)
WOULD Naheef go on soft ground? I don’t actually know.
Hawk Wing simply can’t win with all this rain falling now, and so High Chapparal might move up a place or two in my Derby order. I didn’t know it was raining so hard near Epsom – it’s been sunny in Cornwall for a few days now.
Hmmm Godolphin are hardly in terrible form and Imtiyaz and Shami who have recently run are not by any means their best horses (Loder is discounted here as he just has the un-ready 2yos). They won the Dante and the 1000 Guineas and some recent Group events in France. They probably have something up their sleeve as usual and the horses are pinging on the gallops. Coronation Cup: Marienbard AND Kutub will like rain, but Marienbard may not handle the track. If it’s sunny and windy watch out for sticky conditions (i.e Hawk Wing will have it all to do on the staying front!)
My Derby 1-2-3-4
1st Bandari<br>2nd Naheef<br>3rd Fight Your Corner<br>4th High Chapparal
My Oaks 1-2-3-4
1st Kazzia<br>2nd Esloob<br>3rd Islington<br>4th Shadow Dancing
Happy punting everyone!
I had a dream about a horse in white/light colours winning a big race by a very short head – Islington perhaps? (or is it just racing on the brain???!)
dubaimillennium – Wasn’t it a Godolphin 1-3 in the World Cup? Sakhee came 3rd not 2nd.
Even so, Godolphin started 2001 and arguably 2000 abysmally – this year they have some decent 3yos as well as older horses.
The blue boys may not dominate the 2yo-3yo division like Ballydoyle but I think it’s much better to have quality older horses. Godolphin raise the status of the older horse brigade and let’s hope other trainers follow. Coolmore is more flooded with stallions than Darley, but some of those were clearly rushed to stud too early and it will be a while before they make any impact with their progeny.
My glasses are not rose tinted, they’re blue tinted! Off up country tomorrow for Epsom to see the blue boys grab more G1 glory!:cool:
Steve M has a very valid point – certain bloodlines work wonders together wheras others (no matter how good the horses are) just don’t.
I wouldn’t write Shami off yet. He did particularly well considering he set off at 100mph and Grain Of Gold didn’t last out as well as him.
Savoire Vivre would have been a very decent 1m4f-6f horse had he not broken down, such a shame he did really.
Zoz I know who you’re on about – he won a Chepstow Hurdle at the backend of 2000 I think (I could be wrong).
I have seen another of High-Rise’s siblings do badly as well (although High Rise wasn’t a world beater himself!).<br>Dubai Millennium’s siblings haven’t been as good either, although his first full brother is a yearling now and he now has a full sister. Even so, no guarantees they will be as good.
A lot of it can be luck as well. Sakhee’s breeding hardly sets the world alight (haven’t been hearing much of Bahri) but he’s surpassed his sire and dam.
Zoz- it was Snaafi Dancer. All that happenned before my time I think though!
Rory- you have a point. A couple of weeks ago they were doing quite well and now they have dipped a bit. Shami was disappointing yesterday although he went off far roo fast, and Loder’s horses are running like blackpool beach animals if you compare them with Loder’s form a year ago.
Hopefully with Kazzia being one of their best 3yos it can turn around a bit. I think we should be looking out for Johnston’s horses as the main danger perhaps.
Best Of The Bests may be Godolphin’s main runner in the Prince Of Wales’ Stakes at Royal Ascot. I can imagine Grandera going for the Eclipse rather than Sakhee at the moment.
Godolphin’s 3yos should run well at Epsom – there is unusual confidence behind their runners this year (well with a Guineas winner it’s hard not to excpect a good run from Kazzia).
Interesting stuff NV. And it doesn’t sound off the mark either, although I think Toljanah will need the run.
Now I relent and admit it is a disappointing Derby field. I can imagine about seven runners and the fact that only six trainers are represented is a joke. I remember in 1994 and 1995 when the fields were big and it was amazing to watch. What an uncompetitive Classic. The horses may be good top class decent ones who go on to do well afterwards but you can’t help but be disappointed.
Hmmmm, small field – lack of pace? Will Moon Ballad lead? That’s probably the most intriguing aspect of the race. I will make the most of it though, and the Oaks looks a cracking race.
In 2006 we could be saying what an amazing Derby the 2002 version was! We don’t know yet……
Why not run Hawk Wing? Might as well find out if he stays sooner rather than later. I don’t believe he will but thats what racings all about. Running excellent potential in the best races.
I’ll be cheering on Naheef of course, and I think he will stay. The only problem is his bad Guineas run, like Tobougg last year, but the races are so much different so will suit him.
The BBC showed a race from France (of course a recording!) and McGrath said the horse was "careering away" when he won by about 2 L. I think it was Act One. Surely careering away reminds me of Halling in the Juddmonte or some horse that can really careeeeer away!
On the USA front, don’t know his name but he called the 2000 KY Derby (F Pegasus) and when the field turn in it was : "DOOOWWWN THE STRETCH THEY COME IN THE DUUURRRBY!"
Classic stuff, real enthusiasm.
I would say that Simon Holt is the best, just ahead of Jim McGrath. Although McGrath always overuses the quote "i reckon", but both are very professional.
I used to hate it when Halling ran and Graham Goode was commentating, i.e in the 1995 International and the 1996 Eclipse when he stated the obvious shouting "Oh a good horse!" when Halling edged ahead of Pentire and Bijou D’Inde. And sometimes when a horse wins well he starts exaggerating the winning distances "3,4,5,6 lengths clear!" when the horse is probably two in front.
Worst one is John Hamner for me. He should stick to being an agent. I can never forget when Fujiyama Crest won Frankie’s 7th race and Hamner was commentating with his high pitched voice.
And the Irish commentators don’t show much emotion. When a horse trots up in a Group One (Daylami for example) it’s very unexciting for them, a s well as Galileo and Fantastic Light last year.
Tempting Fate looked as though she needed the race on Saturday.
She’s an out-and-out sprinter and she did well over a mile on last years form (i.e Coronation Stakes). The extra furlong looked too far and she will be better for that run, even though she hardly slaughtered the opposition.
She’s definitely staying in training. Godolphin don’t usually keep 4yo fillies on, but she must have showed that she’s trained on. There would be no point just keeping her for a Listed race, after a place in a Group One! It’s all as far as I know anyway, but I don’t know where the rumours came from.
Why shouldn’t the fanshawes be pleased? I was at Pegasus Stables a few weeks ago and James was saying he’d be following and cheering on Grandera, even though it’s a shame they lost him.
James Fanshawe is an excellent trainer and will no doubt get many more good horses. After all it was up to Grandera’s owner last year as to what happen with him, and if Saeed bin Suroor has taken no part in Grandera’s success this year then Grandera wouldn’t have won yesterday.
Fantastic and deserved win for Grandera who will only improve on this and provided there’s a decent pace he will take the beating in 1m2f races. The Eclipse perhaps? Frankie said he could go for the Arlington Million to grab more points in the World Series. Great ride.
Good to see Universal Prince and his jockey unscathed after that horrible looking fall as well. They’ll live to fight another day.
The Godolphin bandwagon rolls on and provided Tempting Fate is kept at 6-7f she will be a force to be reckoned with this year (she doesn’t stay a mile on last year’s form).
Great Stuff!:smiley:
