Delegator sure does look a nice type for this season but for me you hit the nail on the head in your first paragraph. It's very hard to imagine him in the same league as Crowded House, Control Zone and Skanky Biscuit. I was so taken to the latter named at Newbury on his intended debut when not entering the stalls and I was impressed by the majority in the paddock of the maiden he did win at the Berkshire track. Whilst beaten near on 4L in the Racing Post Trophy he was rather green and unbalanced and I personally thought he could mature more over the winter months than Crowded House.
Control Zone looked a million on his debut and was a bit bet for me at the time. He had reportedly been showing everything expected of him at home and when he chased home Ashram on his next start I'm inclined to trust that form more for Ashram than how he ran in the Dewhurst. At Newmarket that day, I just put two words by him in my racecard on my notes, "Met One". I personally thought that the Newmarket race was as good a 2yo race we saw last year and I held Wingwalker in the highest regard, such a shame he died, I really feel he was gonna be very special this season.
Crowded House when he won at Kempton was a horse someone rung me up to tell me in the morning this was stuffing 3yo Sharp Nephew at home and had stretched clear of Whispering Angel (Won the Washington Singer) in a good gallop. That form made him look a strong bet at Kempton and I must say apart from Orizaba's bloodless win at Newbury last year I don't think I witnessed a more impressive 2yo on track performance all season. I was impressed with his next tun as the horse which beat him has always been quality in my eyes. Those who know me personally know how much I lost on Donativum at Leicester and I thought he was a moral that day on his work at home with Seaway who at the time had respectable juvenile form. No matter how you look at Crowded House he has the ticks in the boxes and whilst I preferred Skanky Biscuit in the looks department (looks a bit like that Hobbs horse Pancake) the form is certainly top draw for Crowded House. Impressive at Doncaster I was told last week by a friend who has a horse with Meehan that none of the big guns were doing any more than very steady canters. However there were loud noises in the trade on Tuesday for Crowded House in the Derby market and he went from 14.5 to 7.6 rapidly on the Purple Site that morning which was shorter than he was trading with any firms at the time. Respectable on form as he is, 10/1 for the Derby simply isn't value at this moment in time.
In respect of Delegator I agree he is a nice type. Taking on debut as I said previously to you Pentire, I will repeat what my paddock notes on him were.
"Delegator 21/3, was a rangy sort with scope to improve further. Quite high up behind he was one of the more relaxed in the pre paddock not winnieing like the majority of these. He seemed relaxed and was relatively straight. There is likely to be more to come and put up a taking performance chasing home the winner but was nothing more than a nice type with scope for improvement"
I paddocked him again on the 22nd August and made the following notes.
"Delegator 31/3, No real physical improvement from début and similarly mannered in the pre paddock. Looked a little tighter but not stand out. One of the nicer types in the paddock, but again not a real presence to look at".
I didn't go to the Dewhurst but I would be interested to see how he has gone from two to three.
I'm not totally convinced he'll get a mile you know despite looking to stay on one pace in the Dewhurst. The race in my opinion was not a strong test of stamina and they seemed to just go an average gallop before making it a bit of a sprint. I know the time won't suggest this but the field was a bit clustered at the finish for me to accept the form as it was. as far as Dewhurst's went I'm also not convinced it was a vintage renewal. I would imagine he would make a nice 7f performer this season around group 2 level at best and I would expect him to entertain the Greenham this season on comeback unless it was too soft. Fast ground seems to suit but as previously said I'm not totally convinced a mile will be his trip. For that matter his mark of 115 looks about 12lb inaccurate for me on my figures. I think he was getting tired over 7f when he beat a pair of nice types in August (3rd was not fit but is an absolute machine) and on debut he wasn't best away and was driven to go forwards before getting tired late in the race. I would actually rather see him over 6f rather than a mile. If he were to be short for a group 3 over a mile on comeback I would be a layer rather than a player myself. I do like him though.
However I must stress I would have him in about 4th best at Meehan's and challenged for that position by Whispering Angel (won't see the best of him until this year) and Nasri (definitely wants fast ground). I wouldn't have Gallagher too far away either. I also feel well handicapped types Greensward and Wave Aside could be interesting this season if aimed correctly.
On the face of it, it has pretty much occurred to me that there is plenty of fire-power in this yard this season, a possible for Champion trainer?, certainly a strong hand in the classics, colts wise whilst Hibre Point was another of his talked up highly prior to its debut and really impressed me in the paddock before showing enough for me to take a 2nd look next time in the race.
Control Zone looked a million on his debut and was a bit bet for me at the time. He had reportedly been showing everything expected of him at home and when he chased home Ashram on his next start I'm inclined to trust that form more for Ashram than how he ran in the Dewhurst. At Newmarket that day, I just put two words by him in my racecard on my notes, "Met One". I personally thought that the Newmarket race was as good a 2yo race we saw last year and I held Wingwalker in the highest regard, such a shame he died, I really feel he was gonna be very special this season.
Crowded House when he won at Kempton was a horse someone rung me up to tell me in the morning this was stuffing 3yo Sharp Nephew at home and had stretched clear of Whispering Angel (Won the Washington Singer) in a good gallop. That form made him look a strong bet at Kempton and I must say apart from Orizaba's bloodless win at Newbury last year I don't think I witnessed a more impressive 2yo on track performance all season. I was impressed with his next tun as the horse which beat him has always been quality in my eyes. Those who know me personally know how much I lost on Donativum at Leicester and I thought he was a moral that day on his work at home with Seaway who at the time had respectable juvenile form. No matter how you look at Crowded House he has the ticks in the boxes and whilst I preferred Skanky Biscuit in the looks department (looks a bit like that Hobbs horse Pancake) the form is certainly top draw for Crowded House. Impressive at Doncaster I was told last week by a friend who has a horse with Meehan that none of the big guns were doing any more than very steady canters. However there were loud noises in the trade on Tuesday for Crowded House in the Derby market and he went from 14.5 to 7.6 rapidly on the Purple Site that morning which was shorter than he was trading with any firms at the time. Respectable on form as he is, 10/1 for the Derby simply isn't value at this moment in time.
In respect of Delegator I agree he is a nice type. Taking on debut as I said previously to you Pentire, I will repeat what my paddock notes on him were.
"Delegator 21/3, was a rangy sort with scope to improve further. Quite high up behind he was one of the more relaxed in the pre paddock not winnieing like the majority of these. He seemed relaxed and was relatively straight. There is likely to be more to come and put up a taking performance chasing home the winner but was nothing more than a nice type with scope for improvement"
I paddocked him again on the 22nd August and made the following notes.
"Delegator 31/3, No real physical improvement from début and similarly mannered in the pre paddock. Looked a little tighter but not stand out. One of the nicer types in the paddock, but again not a real presence to look at".
I didn't go to the Dewhurst but I would be interested to see how he has gone from two to three.
I'm not totally convinced he'll get a mile you know despite looking to stay on one pace in the Dewhurst. The race in my opinion was not a strong test of stamina and they seemed to just go an average gallop before making it a bit of a sprint. I know the time won't suggest this but the field was a bit clustered at the finish for me to accept the form as it was. as far as Dewhurst's went I'm also not convinced it was a vintage renewal. I would imagine he would make a nice 7f performer this season around group 2 level at best and I would expect him to entertain the Greenham this season on comeback unless it was too soft. Fast ground seems to suit but as previously said I'm not totally convinced a mile will be his trip. For that matter his mark of 115 looks about 12lb inaccurate for me on my figures. I think he was getting tired over 7f when he beat a pair of nice types in August (3rd was not fit but is an absolute machine) and on debut he wasn't best away and was driven to go forwards before getting tired late in the race. I would actually rather see him over 6f rather than a mile. If he were to be short for a group 3 over a mile on comeback I would be a layer rather than a player myself. I do like him though.
However I must stress I would have him in about 4th best at Meehan's and challenged for that position by Whispering Angel (won't see the best of him until this year) and Nasri (definitely wants fast ground). I wouldn't have Gallagher too far away either. I also feel well handicapped types Greensward and Wave Aside could be interesting this season if aimed correctly.
On the face of it, it has pretty much occurred to me that there is plenty of fire-power in this yard this season, a possible for Champion trainer?, certainly a strong hand in the classics, colts wise whilst Hibre Point was another of his talked up highly prior to its debut and really impressed me in the paddock before showing enough for me to take a 2nd look next time in the race.
