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When he gets it right, JOB looks extremely stylish when he’s cruising!
Lovely to see Excelebration gain a deserved, emphatic win like that. Just imagine, Frankel would have been at least five ahead of him!
Haha! Thanks for that.
I’ve watched the replay so many times tonight. The BBC side camera angle of the Frankel still on the bridle when about half a length up is amazing to watch.
What a fantastic horse, so relieved he went out unbeaten.
Drops out of the stalls, on ground that wouldn’t see him at his best, and he’s there tanking a furlong from home! Just unreal.
I don’t agree with Cirrus delivering a career best. He was only three lengths ahead of Nathaniel, on ground they both relish. I’d say he ran to his mark. Frankel wasn’t ridden to break rating records, he was delivered in the most appropriate way, the jockey easing him to the front before putting the race beyond doubt inside the final furlong. All that was required.
The most exciting thing about this horse is that he can put up performances worthy of a 140 rating with absolute ease. We will never see a horse with the raw ability of Frankel again in our lifetimes.
Over this trip, I can’t see how Grands Crus isn’t well in off 157. He could well line up favourite for the King George in December. At 5/1 I think he’s a great bet.
Although I thoroughly respect Cirrus Des Aigles, I don’t think it’s as tougher test as everyone’s making out. Yes, he’s impressive on very soft ground in France but his 10l routes are invariably against very weak opposition. Granted, he murdered Giofra, but she’s not a heavy ground horse.
He is without doubt a genuine group one horse, but when bumping into horses of similar ability it does expose his limitations. St Nic got very close, and his form ties in with Nathaniel/Snow Fairy who’ve both not been beaten far by CDA.
It’s going to be a great spectacle and I’ve no doubt that Frankel will win by at least five.
Common sense, I guess.
I mean at a push, you could argue that his races close to, or at, three miles have proven a little inconclusive. His seasonal debut in 2010 saw him finish 7l behind China Rock, however I think the trainer and jockey made clear the horse wasn’t near peak fitness and gave a good blow during the race. On his next start he then finished second to Kauto Star on testing ground.
He would have finished second to Rubi Light on his seasonal debut last year but for that one capsizing at the last – again he wasn’t at peak fitness and Rubi Light is a monster on heavy ground. He was then clearly outstayed by Quito De La Roque in testing conditions over three miles.
So really, you could argue that Sizing Europe is best on a sound surface and hasn’t had the chance to show his best over three miles as yet. The King George would be the acid test and should he pass that with flying colours, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him go for the Gold Cup. I just feel the Ryanair is an insult to such a great horse.
Sizing was actually brought over here for the 2010 King George for the scheduled race on boxing day but didn’t return after Xmas as he’d been affected by the travel. That just reaffirms the fact that they’re not running from anything. Straight after he won the CC in 2011, Alan Potts on TV actually mentioned the Gold Cup and further trips for last year. I’m sure he’ll target them this year.
They’ll stray because he has won a Champion Chase and HDB has a difficult owner to deal with in Alan Potts. He is the one dreaming of Gold Cups. I doubt they’re going to be scared off by just one horse, it’ll be a simple matter of if he doesn’t show the potential to stay three miles + at Championship pace this season, they’ll revert to the Champion Chase.
The Ryanair is viewed as the race for horses not good enough to contest in either side, and Sizing definitely doesn’t belong in that category.
I never doubted his stamina, you don’t finish third if you really can’t get up that hill, the issue in the Triumph I think was that Barry made far too much use of him. He has to have cover and be delivered late.
Agree though, the two mile hurdling division is going to be fascinating.
There’s absolutely no way they’d run the horse in the Ryanair with it likely being his last year capable of winning a Championship race. If he can’t win a fair race over three miles in Ireland (or KG, although winning or going close in that will be far more inconclusive), they will go for the Champion Chase.
Horses returning to the Champion for another crack do have a good record, so you may have a point with Zarkandar but he just never struck as an obvious CH horse. He did run on very strongly when it was all over in the Champion, but was slightly off the bridle at Aintree over 2m4f before coming down.
I’m looking forward to Darlan and Grandouet this year, along with Cinders and Ashes. I’ve backed all of them to win the Champion, it should be the target for each of them. Darlan has a good profile and will hopefully improve futher. Grandouet has an awesome cruising speed and two miles is definitely his trip. Cinders is tough, won at the festival and again, has a really nice profile.
Hurricane ran a flat race at both Cheltenham and Punchestown this year so it’ll be interesting to see if he comes back. I’d like to see him go for the Aintree hurdle at some point.
Boston Bob I fear may need soft ground to produce his best form. He didn’t strike me as an obvious RSA type either. Ruby, as with Denman, didn’t make enough use of him at Cheltenham, that’s for sure. I still think though that at this point in time, he’s overrated.
How are you asking? If you’re emailing you’ll probably get fobbed off as whoever picks up the email will look, see no market available and repeat that to you. Phone in, or go on their live-chat systems and ask them to put through an odds request and get back to you. I know for a fact that they will give you a price for almost anything regardless of whether other bookmakers have priced it up. I contacted three bookmakers last night for a price on Fingal Bay to win the Jewson novices chase at Cheltenham and have already been quoted by two.
You can tell that last year’s top novices are considerably better than the previous year’s so I’d have no issue with backing them to take on seasoned three mile chasers. Long Run needs every inch of Cheltenham’s Gold Cup trip anyway so anything with speed and stamina should put the likes of him to the sword. You have to wonder what form he’ll come back to this year though, he’s still young and could’ve had an off year.
Sir Des Champs was extremely impressive at Cheltenham, you don’t see many on the bridle jumping the last. Champion Court is a very solid yardstick over 2m5f (he doesn’t get three miles strongly) and we’ve no reason to doubt SDC will stay, but the price is definitely on the short side.
I, like others, was against Grand Crus in the RSA last year but his current price for the GC is slightly tempting as I’ve learnt not to dismiss a novice with apparent stamina issues. He’ll get stronger and improve, and regardless, if he goes for the Gold Cup and has put up a bold showing at Kempton (which seems almost certain given his high cruising speed), he’s not going to be 20/1 come the evening of December 26.
I have actually had an interest on Flemenstar in the race at 12/1. He’s a likable, classy horse who’s jumping has been absolutely flawless. He is being aimed at the race and hopefully he’ll have the stamina required.
I’m looking to back Fingal Bay to win the Jewson and am awaiting a few prices from different bookmakers I’ve contacted.
I think he’s got far more speed than everyone seems to think. He was stylish today, looked a natural jumper, unsurprisingly got tired after the second last and had a very fair introduction to chasing. I think a strongly run 2m4f on a stiff track will suit him down to the ground, he has a high cruising speed and the ability to quicken off a fast pace. He does idle so I’d like to see him delivered late if possible at some point.
Very exciting horse.
I’m sure the second Sussex was also Hoiles!
Also, I agree the best line of commentary in any of Frankel’s races came from Holt in the Juddemonte regarding not being able to get him off the bridle. The sheer surprise in his voice is fantastic, he effortlessly exerts tension and drama during races. I like Bartlett too but often see him slated on forums.
I remember when he commentated on Binocular’s warm up race before the 2011 Champion Hurdle (he didn’t turn up in the end), and Ruthenoise was trying to hold on, Binocular was briefly shaken up and he screamed "She’s trying to repel a Champion Hurdler"! Great line.
What about this mesmerizing bit of commentary:
"Now what has he got left? There’s not a lot left. Or is there? Frankel is coming away, or is he? Frankel’s coming away to win it now!"
