Forum Replies Created
- Posts
To be honest it was the Holy Roman Emperor decision that I found more objectionable.
It’s the owners’ decision to make of course but all the same, did the Bloodstock industry really need another Danehill stallion that badly for the year that it would have taken HRE to have his Classic season?The Bloodstock industry probably didn’t, but Coolmore did. They had booked a large number of mares for George Washington but when he couldn’t fulfil his obligations they found they were short of capacity. It’s just the same as a factory recruiting staff to fill a big order, finding the new staff not up to scratch and hiring a replacement team. It may be frustrating for punters and disappointing from a racing point of view, but it makes perfect business sense and couldn’t not be seen as morally objectional.
I accept your point but I don’t fully agree.
Coolmore have on their stallion roster quite a few Danehill’s (ie. Danehill Dancer, Oratorio, Aussie Rules and more) and who is to say that his distaff line was not what the owners of some of GW’s book of mares were buying into? Not many similarities on the damside that I can see.A sound business decision? Maybe in the short-term but it could rebound on them if HRE gets off to a slow start. Facts state the HRE was the 2nd best 2YO of 2006 and is by one of the most desirable stallions of recent years from a fabulous female line and nothing more.
Obviously they own the horse and can do with him what they wish but they are hardly going to be out of business if some mare owners go elsewhere for one season,[quote="empty wallet
GW was trying his hardest to do what the jockey wanted him do and that was go with the pace set , he couldn’t and paid the ultimate price, no one could have seen that, just like no one could have seen last years break downs coming or Haratio Nelsons, Gypsy Kings etc etcSorry this is late but I’ve been away from the foum for a few days and a lot has happened in the meantime.
I could not let this one go. "Nobody could have foreseen Horatio Nelson’s breakdown" Are you serious?
I remember yelling at the TV at the time "Withdraw the horse. OK, it’s the Derby but he’s not right. Just withdraw the horse". I’m sure that I wasn’t alone in that view.For the record, I have no problem with them running GW last Saturday. No reason why not, it just had an unforeseen tragic result
.N, he probably isn’t. He’s racing under conditions for a 4Y0 when he’s only 3 so it will be tough. But I do hope he runs a good race, whatever anyone thinks I think Ballydolyle deserves a run of luck.
Hear, hear to that
I think it comes down to what do you prefer yourself, dirt, or turf, where are your priorities in acclaiming an individual to be the best in the world.
It’s one of my pet hates that broadcasters (Rishi Persad fr’instance) lob out "best in the world" adulation so freely.
It’s all so meaningless that it’s futile. Horses peaking at different time of the year, different surfaces and course types all combine to make these labels plain ludicrous. Organisations like Timeform and panels of international handicappers come up with their champions but even before last weekend would anybody really have said that Dylan Thomas could beat any horse in the world over a mile and a half on turf? It’s just educated guesswork and totally ignores and demeans the best in Australia, Japan and the Southern Hemisphere who are never even condsidered unless they come over to Europe or the BC.I just hope that Mahler A) gets round in one piece and B) wins!
He could do with a change of luck, couldn’t he?
Can’t see Mahler giving to him, though. The MC is a brute of a race and I cannot see him being "man" enough for it.I’ve just seen on Racing News that Dark Angel, winner of this season’s Group 1 Middle Park, has been retired to stud…….. at the age of TWO.
No injury problems, nothing to suggest that he won’t train on, just purely and simply been retired to stud. Connections have suggested that the horse will only ever be a sprinter and therefore there won’t be enough chances to win a Group 1 as an older horse….
Some might agree, some might disagree, but let’s just hope this doesn’t start a trend.
What do you all think?
Mike
DA would probably have struggled next year, but others have done so and come back as mature older horses and added to their stud credentials.
To be honest it was the Holy Roman Emperor decision that I found more objectionable.
It’s the owners’ decision to make of course but all the same, did the Bloodstock industry really need another Danehill stallion that badly for the year that it would have taken HRE to have his Classic season?[
I’m the same, doesn’t matter if they’ve won the Derby, Arc and BC Classic, they’re good enough to go Hurdling, forget stud values, there’s nothing better than Cheltenham glory. Money,…..pah!!See Le Paillon (47 Arc winner. 2nd Champion Hurdle, winner French Ch Hdl).
The Arc wasn’t the prestigious race then that it is now, however.
Not sure about the feeling that UK/Irish racing would be crippled without Godolphin/Coolmore.
No doubt that it would be a big setback but as one door closes another one opens. Who’s to say that the absence of the Big 2 would not spur others to increase their interests or enter the scene?
We’ve seen mega concerns come and go before and we’ll see others after.
There are a lot of very rich people around with fat wallets and big ego’s and some would step into the limelight if there was a vacancy.
I’m a bit surprised that Kinane has been declared as the jockey for GW in the Classic.
His record on the horse is 1/4 and at one point in the season our friend Mr Heffernan replaced him as it was felt that he had a better rapport with the horse.
Obviously JAH would not be entrusted with this ride but why not try Murtagh as he is riding other O’Brien horses at the meeting or a top local rider?My $0.02.
AOB deserves to be considered among the very best trainers of the last 50 years. Of that there is no doubt. He understands horses and has an undoubted talent for getting the best out of them for the most part.
He does, however, make mistakes (some serious) and the very fact that he has such terrific material to work with will always bring people to wonder what would happen if there should be a falling out with Coolmore and whether Aiden would shine as brightly in another yard with lesser horses more cheaply bought and humbly bred.
My own view is that he’s probably as good as Stoute/Cecil/Gosden but not significantly better. I would place MVO’B above all of them.
On a lighter note, I think that he is to be commended for not yet having lost his cool with the goons that he is sometimes interviewed by before and after the races.
– am I right in thinking that Brian Meehans horses tend to get a bit overlooked [eg Breeders Cup etc]…
Brian seems to be regarded to be a bit in the "twilight zone" between "top" trainers and dream chasers when it comes to elite races. Red Rocks and David Junior went off at decent prices before some big wins. Maybe they would have been a few points shorter if AOB or MS had them?
Brian is certainly capable of winning any race with a competetive horse and could pay to follow in Group 1’s for the time being.
The last one I can think of, off the top of my head, was Charles St George’s Lanfranco, trained by Henry Cecil, in 1985. He was mid-division in the Guineas, fifth (I think) in the Derby and a close third to Oh So Sharp at Doncaster.
Oh So Sharp (of course) won the Fillies Triple Crown in 1985.
1000, Oaks, St Leger. Very close 2nd in King George too.
Broadsword
the only thing I know about this one was he lost as red-hot favourite in the 1981 Triumph Hurdle to a 66/1 shot trained by a then unheard-of handler named M C Pipe. What did he go on to achieve?
He went on to sire some big slow yaks.
So what?
I don’t have access to Broadsword’s racing record and couldn’t give two of Little Owl’s hoots (or even one) about his stud record.
This thread is about our favourites, not the best horses.
Broadsword was the best juvenile of his generation (he slaughtered Baron Blakeney in the rematch at Aintree) and a very good if not top hurdler the next season or two before being bred to Yak Cows.
Does anybody share my view that the mass transfer of their string to Dubai in the winter does not seem to be doing them much good?
Since they began the practice they seem to get going later and later each season and many top races have slipped by before they get competetive with Stoute/AOB etc.
I know that they want horses to run at the Dubai Carnival and The Kentucky Derby is coveted but is it necessary to ship them all out?
Off the top of my head;
Favourite
Stalbridge Colonist (the first, the last, my everything)
Shortlist
Crisp
Tingle Creek
Lanzarote
Sea Pigeon
Gay Trip
Desert Orchid
The Mighty Mac
Bronco II
Rhyme n’Reason
Maori Venture
Gay George (don’t get any ideas about my having two "gays" on my list)
Alverton
Master Milan
Broadsword
Border Incident
Grand Canyon
Derring Rose
Florida Pearl
Barton
VodkatiniCesare was a Cheveley horse last time I checked, and only Oscar Ribena has ridden more horses than Spencer for Fanshawe in the last fortnight.
Mea Culpa about Cesare.So why was he not on Font last Saturday?
His ride in the race (Nosferatu) was a last minute spare.[/b][/i]Wonder who’s going to be next? Rafa Benitez at decent odds perhaps if he continutes to pee everyone off with his rotation policy.
I (as a Man City fan) fear that Sven may have to flee town if he can’t keep his pants up. Hope not though, he’s got a great team on and off the field around him.
.
