Coral Eclipse Stakes

A joy to watch. He couldn't have toyed with them more, and is as good a racehorse as i've seen in the past few years.

Galileo - would you say this is the 130+ performance you thought he had in him?

Very, very good run by RVW, who is unlucky STS came here rather than the Curragh.

I hope top class horses oppose him at York to allow him the chance to achieve a suitably high rating.

Horse of the year decided by first week in July. Can't recall that happening before since i've been watching racing.
 
Gareth Flynn said:
Posting from the stand overlooking the winning post. What a sight that was. Reminds me of Rock of Gibraltar, bombproof and always one step ahead. His owner fainted whilst waiting for him (he's ok now I think). I don't blame him.
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Well put. Hope you enjoyed your day?
 
Hamm said:
A joy to watch. He couldn't have toyed with them more, and is as good a racehorse as i've seen in the past few years.

Galileo - would you say this is the 130+ performance you thought he had in him?

Very, very good run by RVW, who is unlucky STS came here rather than the Curragh.

I hope top class horses oppose him at York to allow him the chance to achieve a suitably high rating.

Horse of the year decided by first week in July. Can't recall that happening before since i've been watching racing.
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Yes I would have him around 129-130 for that with RVW around 127ish.

Mastercraftsman will take him on at York at I would have thought.
 
I would give MCM a better shot of beating Sea The Stars than I would give F&G beating him over 10 furlongs. I would also not want the ground soft for MCM over 10 furlongs. Whether he is up to beating STS is an altogether different matter.

For me STS's victory today was in a different league to his Derby win. Much more substance to this effort today given how the race was run.
 
But how many pounds would you put on his back in order to give RVW a chance? More than three without a doubt.

He's run around 10lbs superior to Conduit there who is around 127 at his best, maybe 124/5 over 10f. Sea the Stars the equal of his half brother without question for me.
 
Galileo said:
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For me STS's victory today was in a different league to his Derby win. Much more substance to this effort today given how the race was run.
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For me that is the most telling quote, no one can crab the manner of his victory, pace, tactics or any other excuse. This is one of those horses who come by in a generation if not longer and we should all rejoice that we where there to witness it.
 
Sounds like the Irish Champion Stakes is the priority so perhaps Ascot could be on the cards as it would allow a bit more time between the two races compared to York/Leopardstown.
 
Colin Phillips said:
Can we have two horses running to 130+?

Is Rip Van Winkle that good?
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At 10f it appears he is

Take out STS and they would never run RVW at any other distance after today

RVW ran a good race in the Derby..looking at the sectionals..so did MOTH but that one didn't perform at the Curragh...he is still on my follow list...tbh its no surpise that RVW could be a 123/124 horse when checking the sectionals..it was just the distance that was in question

now we know why AOB ran the Derby to suit him...he is the best 3yo they have
 
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Colin Phillips said:
Can we have two horses running to 130+?

Is Rip Van Winkle that good?
Click to expand...

RVW beat Conduit by 4 and a half lengths. Is the Stoute animal as effective over 10f as he is at 12? Probably not, but I would point out that the race in America last year was run very much to suit him and that there is little in it.

StS - 136
RVW - 132
Conduit 125

Conduit was almost upsides the winner around the two pole and Sea the Stars has absolutely murdered a horse who was staying on well up the hill off of a fast early pace. A really top class effort.
 
Rip certainly ran a good race today. He ran so well that for a brief moment it looked like he had the momentum to go on and win. Conduit also looked threatening for a split second but was left lengths behind. That was a super race.

It's looking like a vintage bunch of 3 year olds. STS, Mastercraftsman, Rip, Fame, Ghanaati, Stacelita...
 
The sectionals comapred to the later handicap show that the pace was solid..even ignoring the pace makers

measured from start to the 5f rail end bit befor they come into the straight :)

handicap leader - 78.00 seconds
Eclipse leader - 73.00 seconds

The leader at that point was about 9 lengths in front of the main body of the Eclipse field..so the main body of runners have run that section in approx 73 + 9x0.17 = approx 74.6 seconds

so its fair to say that the pacemakers were a waste of time..went too fast..but the main body of the field were still going fast..3.4 seconds faster than the handicap..which even allowing for class difference and that the 3yo race was not rapid early...it still shows they went a very good clip in the Eclipse.

That makes the position of Conduit not as bad as it first looked..if you just totally ignore the pacemakers..as the main body of field was going enough pace to bring Conduits stamina into play later...he might have been a bit closer like..but he came with every chance at the end and his stamina should have kicked in..I think he has run near his best..as is possible over 10f anyway.

that adds to the angle of being able to use Conduit to a degree for rating purposes..if you like the form rating game:)
 
You don't normally see a Ballydole horse humilated like that in Group company but it was a fantastic moment within the game, the way STS just put the race to bed in a few strides and the horse was waiting for some competition like "is this all you have go" and the way he just idled and waited for RVW to get within his eyesight must of got Aiden all excited then Kinane's like I haven't pressed the accelerator yet and squeezed the button to stride away at the end, LOVE IT.
 
I didn't really see RVW as being humiliated though..it weren't as if STS threw a banana skin under his feet..or gave him the w*nker sign with his hoof or owt.
 
His reputation was enhanced today and he'll take all the beating in any 10f or even 12f event that Sea the Stars doesn't run in this summer.
 
I think if RVW were going to win a 12f race he would have shown more at the end of the Derby..he used his speed to get there then and flattened out..today he was just beaten by a better horse at 10f..on ratings..10f is easily his best trip now

If they run RVW at 12f it will be a total waste of his talent imo.
 
I doubt we'll see RIP at 12 furlongs this season....why bother....he actually travelled well enough to drop to a mile if they wanted to though couldnt see Goodwood suiting him.

He put it up to STS today (a cosy winner in the end - no more in my book) and is entitled to run in the top 10 furlongs races.
 
Cosy/comfortable is far more accurate than any description of "toyed with"...

The horse most people wanted to win the race did, so naturally enough things will be exagerated or the dominance going over the top somewhat.
 
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