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I don’t think there’s any doubt that the second was used as a pacemaker to set the race up for the winner. Just think it’s a pity for the race that a well-backed and impressive winner of the Musidora was used in that way and all credit to her that she still nearly won.
Absolutely a great horse but not quite comparable with Ardross, Le Moss, Sagaro etc in my view. And I think that if AO’B had thought he could have won a soft ground Arc he’d have been in it, given Coolmore’s focus on stallion-making and readiness to run their horses against each other.
As far as stayers are concerned, one of the great might-have-beens is Twilight Alley. A massive heavy-topped horse (and a half brother to Crepello) who broke down when going well as favourite in the 1963 King George after trotting up in the Gold Cup on only his third start, I think.
The 77 Derby was a fantastic race and a brilliant ride from Lester. Leaving aside the inimitable Piggott finish which got him over the line, I always enjoy watching the way he made his move down Tattenham Hill to follow Hot Grove (on whom he’d won the Chester Vase) into the straight. I think this move made the difference between winning and losing because it took him virtually the whole of the straight to catch Hot Grove and he couldn’t have done so from any further back. A brilliant, brilliant ride on an very tough horse.
I agree LD63 – coming up the middle of the course is a relatively recent tactic at York unless the ground is soft.
I can’t understand why a jockey on a horse that leads into the straight and thinks they have a chance of staying in front would move off the rail unless there’s a very pronounced going bias. Doing so makes it much easier for horses behind to find a way through and avoid interference. Surely, from a race riding point of view, a front runner with a chance wants to make life as difficult as possible tactically for those behind (within the rules, of course). There have been plenty of instances in recent years of runners whip would have been in unpromising situations in behind on the rail if the leader had stuck to the rail in fact getting a dream run when things open out. I know that people talk about it being fair for everyone etc but that’s not really the point of race riding tactics.
Apologies for the duplication but just posted this on the Derby-specific thread –
For a perfect example of how to ride the race from stall one (and in a much bigger field too) just watch the start of Roberto’s Derby in 1972 – a fantastic ride from Lester to get the position he wanted.
For a perfect example of how to ride the race from stall one (and in a much bigger field too) just watch the start of Roberto’s Derby in 1972 – a fantastic ride from Lester to get the position he wanted.
I notice that AOB has said today that maybe he had COT too fresh. This is quite an admission if he really thinks it! COT was an odds on favourite in a classic, a horse he himself described last year as a possible Triple Crown winner and that one of the owners said could be “our Frankel”. Surely after all that hype he owed it to the owners, the horse and, not unimportantly, to punters to have him spot on, first run or not.
Not sure why the Timeform ratings shouldn’t be accepted – I doubt any other Gold Cup winner could have come close to the performance Arkle produced in the 1965 Gallaher Gold Cup, to take just one example.
It’s worth noting that, on Timeform ratings, Arkle would have had to give Best Mate 30 pounds had the two met on handicap terms! On that basis, I don’t think Best Mate really deserves a place in this list.
And, slightly off-topic, while we’re reminiscing about great performances of the post-Arkle era, Captain Christ’s demolition of the 1975 King George field (including Bula) stands out for me.
It will be a tricky situation for whoever the Gosdens use as their number one rider next year. I realise that on a routine basis it’s still a good job with plenty of group two and three winning opportunities but it will be a bit galling for them if when Epsom, Ascot, Goodwood and York come around the line is “Sorry, Frankie’s coming over to ride this one”!
Just a nostalgic aside about Ian’s comment in his post above ‘“No, I don’t want to train/ride your horses because tbh you seem like a bit of a tool to me.”
Said no trainer or jockey EVER.’
They’re few and far between but I seem to recall Peter Walwyn saying pretty much that to Daniel Wildenstein after DW criticised Pat Eddery’s ride on Buckskin in the Gold Cup in 1978.
