** Official Cricketweb Horseracing thread **

[_Ed_]

Interesting post-race comments from O'Brien:

So You Think-trainer O'Brien blamed himself for failing to bring his charge to Royal Ascot adequately primed.

“It was trainer error. He had a long blow after the race and I don’t think I had him fit enough," he said.

"He came there to win his race but was then nailed by a horse who stays a mile and a half.”

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Strongly disagree with that.

Choisir, Starcraft, Takeover Target, Miss Andretti, Scenic Blast and Starspangledbanner all held their form. Even Star Witness, who's not one of the very best horses in Australia, measured up pretty well yesterday.

Mostly sprinters, US and Aus are better with them. Middle distance horses is where the cream of Europe is and the horse was beaten by something that wasn't regarded that highly yesterday.

As i say it may be a blip but there is no way this horse will be able to take on the best for something like an Arc on form shown so far.

 

[_Ed_]

Fair point about sprinters, but Starcraft and Haradasun were both milers/middle-distance horses, and not among the very best Australian horses of the past decade.

And I think Rewilding is a very good horse in his own right. He's a half-brother to three Group 1 winners, including Dar Re Mi, and he beat a world-class field here:
YouTube - ‪Dubai Sheema Classic 2011 - Rewilding 2:29.01‬‏

Twice Over is a proven Group 1 horse as well, and he was beaten almost 10 lengths by So You Think yesterday.

I'm confident So You Think will win a good race in Europe by the end of this year.

 

[_Ed_]

Wow, the Ribblesdale was an exciting race.

Field Of Miracles was so brave. She just wouldn't go away! I was hoping she might get her head back in front. But Banimpire is obviously a very good filly - two stakes wins in four days!

 

[_Ed_]

Impressive win to Fame And Glory in the Gold Cup. I doubted whether he could stay, but I was wrong. Terrific horse.

 

[_Ed_]

Wow, the Eclipse was a great race.

 

[Smudge]

Yeah, but Workforce was underdone and So You Think wasn't THAT impressive just getting up to win.... [/flibbertyjibber]

 

[_Ed_]

Haha. To be fair, I think Snow Fairy was a bit underdone. I don't know how close she could have got to the big two, but she looked a fair bit off the form that saw her win so impressively in the English and Irish Oaks and then in Japan and Hong Kong last year.

But the best horse won, IMO.

 

[Ilovedelmar]

i posted

i posted who's the best female horse racing analyst

 

[_Ed_]

So sad to hear about the death of Rewilding today in the King George. He was a horse at the peak of his powers, having won two Group 1 races in such impressive style in his only two starts this season.

The King George was meant to be an incredible and exciting race, but the incident has completely overshadowed the contest (resulting in a win by the rapidly improving Nathaniel). I can't even watch a replay, to be honest.

 

[_Ed_]

Holy ****. Frankel.

 

[_Ed_]

I still can't believe that just happened. Was I seeing things? Did Frankel really make a horse who had won G1s in his last five starts look like a hopeless one-paced maiden?

That turn of foot was jaw-dropping.

 

[Burgey]

Black Caviar trialled this morning against, among others, Smart Missile.

Won by six lengths.

 

[_Ed_]

Haha, wow. She's amazing.

 

[_Ed_]

No comparison with Black Caviar, but Jimmy Choux is pretty sensational in his own right. 12 wins from 21 starts now, five G1s, and just under $3 million. He had to come from a bloody difficult position yesterday, and he made it look so easy.

And he's got the crowds behind him more than any horse I've seen in NZ since Sunline - they were screaming all the way down the straight in the Derby in March, and they went mental at Hastings yesterday.

 

[_Ed_]

What an incredible performance in the Arc by Danedream, a 3yo filly who thrashed a super field by 5 lengths in race record time. I'd never heard of her before the race - what a first impression!

Questionable tactics/ride on So You Think, but he couldn't have done better than 2nd anyway. There was no way Danedream was getting beaten in that race.

 

[Bobisback]

They would have to regret not taking So You Think back over here for a three-peat.

Really looking forward to Black Caviar and Sepoy squaring off in the Patnack, both superstars though cant see Black Caviar losing. Will still be a huge race to watch, just hope neither pulls out of the race.

 

[Bobisback]

Was reading in the paper today that there is little chance of Sepoy running in the Patnack. It's a shame, but I'm sure they will square off many times in the next few years.

 

[_Ed_]

MUFHASA!

Finally shows the Aussies how good he is.

 

[Smudge]

Stroll in the park for Black Caviar today. Jogged it.