2000 Guineas

I'm not convinced this won't be the new worst Guineas in living memory. There are a few who can go and improve to put up a performance in line with normality or maybe even above but I've seen nothing hinting at abnormal specialness yet. Maybe Mastercraftsman in the Pheonix Stakes, but he subsequently took a bit of the gloss off that.
 
I know, I know! Tried to delete it before anyone saw it! This forum interface just wouldn't do it ... [embarrassed smilie here, as it won't do them either!]
 
Arazan could have been foreseen as there was information put into the public domain that he wasn't a guaranteed runner. The only thing that Bolger said was shortly after the Greenham when he made some reflective comment about thinking he had the 2000 guineas covered, which was why Vocalised didn't hold an entry. He sounded a bit reflective, and reading between the lines you might have deduced he was contemplating the idea that Vocalised had improved past Intense Focus, and he'd got them the wrong way round. He never said as much though, and the interview came shortly after the Fred Darling when Maoineach had been turned over, so there was a possibility that he was just being a bit awkward again. There was a clue of sorts there that all was not well, but you really would have had to be looking for it, and even then you'd have be entering the realms of putting 2 and 2 together with the possibility you'd make 5
 
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Grey said:
Thanks, Steve M. I'm surprised that the 2000 Gns has been such a good race for dosage analysis. I thought its main application was for races over longer trips.

Regarding Mastercraftsman, I am always wary at this time of year of horses whose form has tailed off at the end of their juvenile season until they can prove it was just end of season tiredness. I might be wrong, but I suspect it gives him an extra negative stat he has to overcome.
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Hi Grey,

It’s about identifying the best blend of speed/stamina for any race, so it’s not just useful for stamina tests.

Of course Dosage won’t be of much help in terms of identifying ability, merely stamina aptitude. You need to turn to form/ratings and your own common sense for that.

I not worried about Mastercraftsman below par effort in France after the slog in the mud he had in Ireland. The Phoenix Stakes on a sound surface shines out as the piece of form that should enable him to slam them here. I’m happy enough with Smullen onboard. I think Murtagh is probably on the wrong one, although RVW should improve at middle distances.
 
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Desert Orchid said:
There was no indication at betfair either. He was steady in the market all the way.

I'm not going to attack the trainer. After all, I got New Approach at a 3-figure price for teh Derby just a few days before the race!

And Monitor Closely appears to be a runner after all...

Gan Amhras may well turn out to be another Golan. If he's better than IF (but it would be nice to know if it's a late injury that's behind the running plans) he must be a bit special.
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Hard luck old son. Bolger's a law unto himself unfortunately. Informing the public of his thoughts and actions has never been a great priority of his.

While I realise he doesn't owe the public anything he can be exasperating in the extreme.

At least Oxx had suggested he would be running one or the other of his. I'd be quite interested in STS, but Bolger's other one probably needs a trip.
 
I disagree actually Steve, as I think he (like any other trainer) has an obligation to the sport, its development, and its reputation. That's not to say that he has to take the public onside regarding is every thought, but he's takign a perverse pleasure from seemingly sticking the media away, and the paying customers/ punters are getting caught in the cross-fire.

We live on planet Football, and racing is hardly in a position to routinely alienate its followers in the same way football can get away with. The authorities need to explore Bolger's behaviour a bit more closely and see what sanctions they might consider being to invoke, or introduce to prevent this kind of damagign activity.
 
Seems to me that, racing being in the public arena, Mr Bolger does have an unavoidable responsibility in that direction.
Remove the public arena: remove 90% of racing.
 
To be honest, I'm not sure what Bolger has done wrong here. He said he two he was considering for it, and as for me, he was never going to run both, he must have chosen the one who was going best. It's not much of a thing really, is it?

Not sure what's different between what Bolger has done and say, what Godolphin have done?
 
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Warbler said:
I disagree actually Steve, as I think he (like any other trainer) has an obligation to the sport, its development, and its reputation. That's not to say that he has to take the public onside regarding is every thought, but he's takign a perverse pleasure from seemingly sticking the media away, and the paying customers/ punters are getting caught in the cross-fire.

We live on planet Football, and racing is hardly in a position to routinely alienate its followers in the same way football can get away with. The authorities need to explore Bolger's behaviour a bit more closely and see what sanctions they might consider being to invoke, or introduce to prevent this kind of damagign activity.
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What damaging activity? What in God's name has Bolger done to necessitate the authorities getting involved? Lets leave previous aside and look at this ...

The trainer, who had earlier seen his filly Maoineach beaten, said: "I came here expecting to win two races but this game would tame lions.
"I would say Vocalised would be better on better ground, and he will now probably go to Paris.
"He isn't entered at Newmarket, and I thought at that stage I had enough horses for that race.
"I would be surprised if he gets the Derby trip, but he is hardy.
"Intense Focus will to Newmarket, and I'll have to see if Gan Amhras will run as well. He was going to run tomorrow at Leopardstown but he can't go there as the ground is soft.
"For him it will be either Newmarket or York for the Dante - and the ground will be the deciding factor there.
"Intense Focus is in good shape and both he and Vocalised would be entitled to run in any Classic over a mile.
"Gan Amhras will be better suited by 10 furlongs to a mile and a half."
Dewhurst winner Intense Focus had the likes of silky-smooth Craven Stakes winner Delegator and Aidan O'Brien's Rip Vaninkle behind when scoring at Headquarters last autumn.
Bolger added: "It was a last-minute decision to run Intense Focus at Leopardstown as we were expecting soft ground and it came up better than that.
"We ran him but he needed it and it probably came a week too early.
"The Dewhurst is always a good race and Delegator looks to be the one, but Aidan (O'Brien) is very happy with Rip Van Winkle."
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This indicates we were told Gan Amhras always had Newmarket had a possible option, and it seems Intense Focus has not impressed enough at home to go and take his chance.

He really has done little, if nothing at all wrong here.
 
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The Intense Focus will go to Newmarket bit?!

He's an absolute tw*t, he doesn't give a monkeys about anyone else in the game. Why didn't he announce this week that Intense Focus wasn't going to run?
 
Again, what about Godolphin and Shaweel?

What about all the other trainers that didn't declare?

Does a horse who was declared at a 5 day stage need a trainer to come out and publicly say he won't be running if that is the case?

I think there could well be jumping of the gun here..
 
I'm sure Godolphin indicated that Shaweel was doubtful? and even mentioned something to do with giving him time re-acclimatise which I thought was interesting (if they did) as this would represent something of a departure from their previous policy, but it seems to have gone largely unremarked on.

I don't also see why you should leave 'previous' out of this. In fact, I think previous is quite important, as it does seem to be the same trainer time and time again whose not really being on the level. I think if you were looking to point the finger at another, than PC-H would be a more deserving candidate.
 
newbie here but had to reply to this. Any one backing ante post should be aware of the risks. You dont get a good price for nothing! Bolger is not answerable to high risk takers. Loads of horses come out at final declaration stage. Does Bolger now have to abide by different rules and make public announcements about his horses all the time? Some of o'briens have been taken out as well. Why is he not being contemptuous? Unless you know him personally and know for a fact that he doesnt give monkeys then you really cant comment.
 
celia said:
newbie here but had to reply to this. Any one backing ante post should be aware of the risks. You dont get a good price for nothing! Bolger is not answerable to high risk takers. Loads of horses come out at final declaration stage. Does Bolger now have to abide by different rules and make public announcements about his horses all the time? Some of o'briens have been taken out as well. Why is he not being contemptuous? Unless you know him personally and know for a fact that he doesnt give monkeys then you really cant comment.
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Strong views...you'll fit in well here!! Welcome!
 
Gosh, just read back and that was a bit strong for a first post from me! Bit of a Bolger fan and I like the fact that he is a non-conformist and doesnt doff his cap to anyone! He can be a bit smart with some of his replies but didnt deserve the treatment he got from the english media last year after NA won the derby. As I said before only the high risk takers lost and they should be prepared to lose!
 
The New Approach thing has been debated, no point in going over it, I personally think the BHA should have hauled him over the coals for it but still.

Back to the Intense Focus issue, you're talking about the winner of the leading 2 year old trial for the Guineas being aimed at the race and Bolger saying only 2 weeks ago "Intense Focus will go to Newmarket." The fact that he's not hinted any differently or mentioned any problems to the press, is ignorant and disrespectful at best. People will have backed the horse this week before the race for a multitude of races, to get the value before Decs are published, incase Pricewise tips it or they might have even been going away for bank holiday. To say it's the risks of antepost betting is crap, if the bet had been struck in October, then yes, fair enough but if you've backed the horse in the last fortnight, you've every right to be pissed off at Bolger.

I came very close to having a few quid on him last weekend but ended up leaving it till the day as I'd done a fair whack in on Naaqoos, who's trainer kept the press constantly informed with what was going on and when he was discussing plans with the owner etc.
 
Jim Bolger has decided to run Gan Amhras, rather than stablemate Intense Focus, in Saturday's Stan James 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.
The former was third in a maiden won by the smart Mourayan on his debut at Leopardstown in July, before scoring impressively on his next start at Naas.
The Galileo colt was last seen finishing second in the Goffs Million at the Curragh.
"We've decided Intense Focus would go for the French Guineas and we didn't want to run two horses in the one race," said Bolger.
"We've gone with this for Gan Amhras and I'm very happy with him.
"Almost every horse in the race has a chance and it will be a top-class race.
"We'd be hoping for a good run."
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Warbler said:
I'm sure Godolphin indicated that Shaweel was doubtful? and even mentioned something to do with giving him time re-acclimatise which I thought was interesting (if they did) as this would represent something of a departure from their previous policy, but it seems to have gone largely unremarked on.

QUOTE]

Yesterday they said he was doubtful not before.
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