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Monday November 7th 2022

Five good weekend winners - well done, with special mention to David and EGS with 12/1 and 11/1 winners: top work. If I've left anyone out, I apologise; please leave a message on this thread and I'll update.

21 comments

21 Comments

Harrytheactor

Nov 07, 2022

The Breeders Cup meet on Saturday made superb viewing. Of course the highlight was Flightline doing exactly what was expected of him, quickening away off a blistering pace and winning under a hands and heels ride from Flavien Prat. His broad beam at the end was like the sun coming out on a dull day. The experts say he won without running to a new mark, but the visual impression took the breath away.

The Anglo-Irish dominance in the turf races - six wins from seven races - was extraordinary. Charlie Appleby has become the absolute master at campaigning his horses in North America, culminating in the Breeders Cup. He has matched and surpassed the Wesley Ward at Royal Ascot phenomenon. Aidan O'Brien's three wins with horses that had already had busy seasons in Europe was another masterclasss, greatly aided by the superlative skills of Ryan Moore who was right at the top of his game. His confidence and judgement of pace on these American flat ovals is right up there with the best of the local star jockeys. It takes years to learn - Hollie Doyle certainly had a tough baptism on Nashwa in the white-hot pressure of American Grade 1 racing, but she just could not find enough daylight and no one was going to say "after you, Hollie."

Finally, I haven't seen anyone remark upon this, but top sire of the meeting surely goes to the mighty Curlin with three of his progeny winning on Saturday - Cody's Wish, Elite Power and Malathaat at three different trips between 6f and 9f, showing Curlin's versatility and quality for US breeders. Curlin was probably the most stunning model of a horse I have ever seen and I followed his stellar, multimillion-dollar career with great interest a decade and more ago. If any of you have a mare you want to breed from, a nomination to Curlin for 2023 will cost you a cool $225,000. I shudder to think what a Flightline nomination will fetch.

tangovictorindia

Nov 07, 2022

Replying to

I see a 2.5% share in Flightline sold for $4.6m

Harrytheactor

Nov 07, 2022

Replying to

I know. I asked my wife if she thought we could stretch to it but she said she wants a new kitchen.

I have to say I'm a little weary of people saying Flightline cannot be regarded as truly a great horse having retired 'six-and-oh'. If you beat everything put in front of you - not only beat them but smashed them out of sight in clock-busting times - then you must be the best of this generation and probably of the last two decades. Beyond that, how can you possibly compare horses of different eras? More than that, I can't see the upside to running the horse again next year. Realistically he would be up against the same animals who trailed in his wake on Saturday, with nothing to push him to raise his rating even higher. It would be an echo of Frankel gradually running out of competition, beating poor old Excelebration over and over again. What nearly got Frankel beat the one time was the bad ground and a slow start rather than another horse. I don't blame Flightline's owners/investors for cashing in their chips while the horse is at the pinnacle and in peak health. For such a hugely valuable commodity, the risk of illness or injury is simply too high.

A final thought: the whole Breeders Cup meeting is looking more and more like the Olympics of racing. Keeneland is a fairer track for the European challengers than Santa Anita, which is impossibly tight and draw dependent. The fast ground and the top quality horses led to some eye-watering times, not only in Flightline's race. And the prize money is huge but commensurate with the class of entries, unlike some of those Saudi and UAE races (the so-called Dubai World Cup, anyone?). It all makes our benighted "Champions Day", with summer horses toiling in soft Ascot ground, seem a rather sorry, dowdy and irrelevant affair.

Leo

Nov 07, 2022

Call Me Lord wins at 11/2

GForce

Nov 07, 2022

Late but

Nap Kemp 1435 Haddex des Obeaux

john987

Nov 07, 2022

Another crick in 2.35 kempton.

Highflying

Nov 07, 2022

14.00 Kempton - Ajp Kingdom

RobJ

Nov 07, 2022

Glajou nap (Kemp 14:35)

Jonathan Dawe

Nov 07, 2022

I've been busy the past 2 weeks working 13 hours a day (gets Violin out) at an Early Voting site helping to preserve US democracy from the fascists and other ne'er-do-wells. I get today off and have another long day again tomorrow.

Catching up, congratulations (belatedly) to @el gran senor in winning the monthly naps competition again with a stunning performance. He started at a strong gallop, consistent and safe jumping, overreached a couple of fences allowing the competition to close the gap before more safe jumping made for an easy victory.

My own performance can be described as started well behind, couple of good jumps, then fell further behind before pulling up with a few fences left.

I did manage to place my bets early for the Breeders Cup, and got 3 winners on Friday and 2 more on Saturday so at least I finished in profit. I got a couple of races wrong where I went for the APOB horse instead of the Appleby horse and vice versa.

Ehteyat in the 19:30 at Wolverhampton.

Leo

Nov 07, 2022

Replying to

Great work Jonathan.

tangovictorindia

Nov 07, 2022

Replying to

Good luck with the work. I read in the Observer that a poll showed that 70% of republicans believe a strong economy is more important than a functioning democracy. And, on your work, I understand that the GOP are recruiting as many 'poll watchers' as they can get their hands on and encouraging supporters to register for a job in polling stations, and to seek election as the Secretary of State in each state, as that's the person that holds all local power in local elections. I think you are going to be pretty busy on the run up to 2024.