Dettori & Godolphin

Hamm

Hamm

At the Start
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Continuing a point that Gamla Stan brought up on the Chester thread which has got lost amid the debate...

Is there a change happening at Godolphin? Dettori didn't ride Yahrab (Atjebi did, and also rides for them at Ascot tomorrow). Durcan also takes a ride elsewhere for the boys in blue.

Crisford also mentioned the possibility that Atjebi may keep the rides on Gladatorius and Eastern Anthem.

Anyone have any idea what's going on?
 
I'd rather back Dettori anyday personally!
As a punter I go by which rides win or lose for me over time - no contest!

Maybe Frankie's so p'd off with the poor form of the Godolphin horses, he wants to be on a more freelance basis, so he can pick up more outside rides on fancied horses - and who could blame him? Or maybe he just doesnt want to ride the Godolphin lesser lights. It's also possible they are just estalishing a pecking order for the 'second jockey' spot vacated by McEvoy
 
Headstrong said:
I'd rather back Dettori anyday personally!
As a punter I go by which rides win or lose for me over time - no contest!

Maybe Frankie's so p'd off with the poor form of the Godolphin horses, he wants to be on a more freelance basis, so he can pick up more outside rides on fancied horses - and who could blame him? Or maybe he just doesnt want to ride the Godolphin lesser lights. It's also possible they are just estalishing a pecking order for the 'second jockey' spot vacated by McEvoy
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Dettori is vastly overrated imo. Mind you I think he would have struggled to lose on Drumbeat today.
 
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I disagree about Dettori, but then I think both Murtagh and Spenser are vastly overrated. (And I don't agree RV is going to carry all before her later this year either!)

It's all about opinions... Unlike the two previous years when I've got it pretty well right from the start of the season - and some of that (Cockney Rebel, Look Here) in the face of accepted wisdom and the ratings - I've had no firm ideas this season about which will be the stars, save Fantasia. I think she's more likely to prove the real deal at 3 than RV. And I'm much happier she is preferably Frankie's ride, than I would be if Murtagh were riding her
 
We've already got a thread on Murtagh at Chester and one on Rainbow View. Given that Hamm specifically started this thread because the subject got lost in the Chester thread, can we not let the same happen again? Thanks.
 
Dettori always strikes me as top class when he applies himself. Every now and then he seems to set himself up and rediscover his love for racing, for the most part though he's in a comfort zone, and for such times as media work, resturant businesses, pizzas adn pasta sauces and no shortage of other outside endorsements can provide him an additional income, he hasn't really looked 100% focused sinc ehis Derby win, and possibly the last time he won the Championship
 
They definitely said that Atjebi would ride those that he rode in Dubai this season which makes sense. I just think Dettori can't be arsed ride anything that doesn't have a fighting chance of winning anymore and Godolphin are probably more than happy to sound a replacement out and Atjebi would be an odds on shot given his nationality.

Wouldn't read too much into it myself. Article on it here:

http://www.racingpost.com/news/hors...ides-on-gladiatorus-and-anthem/183847/latest/
 
I notice that Dettori rides for Godolphin in Italy (I think) on Sunday which probably explains Atjebi riding at Ascot tomorrow. Agreed Dettori can't be arsed a lot of the time.

Afterthought - I think this should be riding in Italy on Saturday. Think I have completely lost the plot today, sorry!
 
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Headstrong said:
(And I don't agree RV is going to carry all before her later this year either!)

It's all about opinions... Unlike the two previous years when I've got it pretty well right from the start of the season - and some of that (Cockney Rebel, Look Here) in the face of accepted wisdom and the ratings - I've had no firm ideas this season about which will be the stars, save Fantasia. I think she's more likely to prove the real deal at 3 than RV.
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I'm far from sure that RV will carry all before her this season either. What I am surprised at is people writing her off and saying that she hasn't trained on on the strength of a decent enough run on ground she clearly detested. The winner won well, but her average rating suggests she may be vulnerable to classier types (and I agree Fantasia may well be one of these) when she meets them on anything other than her ideal conditions.
 
God almighty dont get me started on Godolphin I think I could write a dissertation on the whole operation and its shortfalls. If they were were any other business without such a wealthy backer they would cease to be in operation as their results dont merit the time and money invested.
 
beardo said:
God almighty dont get me started on Godolphin I think I could write a dissertation on the whole operation and its shortfalls. If they were were any other business without such a wealthy backer they would cease to be in operation as their results dont merit the time and money invested.
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Too true. A deeply flawed inefficient organisation with vast resources. The antithesis of say The Aga Khan's set up that is very efficient on much smaller resources but run on business lines.

Still, I guess it's up to the Arabs to spend their money how they like (thank God it is on horseracing). The fact that they are inefficient means there is more of the pie to share round.
 
beardo said:
God almighty dont get me started on Godolphin I think I could write a dissertation on the whole operation and its shortfalls. If they were were any other business without such a wealthy backer they would cease to be in operation as their results dont merit the time and money invested.
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Buth there was a time when they seemed to do really quite well, particularly with their older horses (I'm thinking Swain, Daylami, Fantastic Light etc). So where has it gone wrong? What are they doing/not doing now that they were/weren't before that things seem to have changed so dramatically for them? There's always been a thought that wintering in Dubai wasn't such a good idea but they always seemed to pick up towards the middle of the season. Puzzling.
 
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imagine said:
Buth there was a time when they seemed to do really quite well, particularly with their older horses (I'm thinking Swain, Daylami, Fantastic Light etc). So where has it gone worng? What are they doing/not doing now that they were/weren't before that things seem to have chenged so dramatically for them? There's always been a thought that wintering in Dubai wasn't such a good idea but they always seemed to pick up towards the middle of the season. Puzzling.
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There have been few fiercer critics of them than myself on here in recent years but I'm convinced the penny is starting to drop and they'll have a good year. In Gladiatorius, they could have the best miler we've seen in years.
 
What I do not understand is where all their two year olds go. They buy fast pedigrees at the sales (Storm Cats etc) but the earliest we see them (if at all) is September/October.

Look at the host of juveniles O'Brien has entered up at Naas and Gowran Park next week. Based on past trends, there is every chance there is a Group 1 or even Classic winner entered up amongst them. Just does not happen with Godolphin.
 
i definitely think taking the horses out to dubai and back again must take an awful toll on the youngsters. not only the journey but the climate change must upset their body clocks terribly.
 
Frankie is one of the best jockies we've seen in the last 40 years and the boys in blue would be totally insane in letting the great man go, forza frankie
 
beardo said:
God almighty dont get me started on Godolphin/Chelsea I think I could write a dissertation on the whole operation and its shortfalls. If they were were any other business without such a wealthy backer they would cease to be in operation as their results dont merit the time and money invested.
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Godolphin is like a car that was once top notch but now totally dated and surpassed .

Sheikh M would do much better to wind it up and send the horses back to Michael, Luca and Henry :lol:
 
imagine said:
Buth there was a time when they seemed to do really quite well, particularly with their older horses (I'm thinking Swain, Daylami, Fantastic Light etc). So where has it gone wrong? What are they doing/not doing now that they were/weren't before that things seem to have changed so dramatically for them? There's always been a thought that wintering in Dubai wasn't such a good idea but they always seemed to pick up towards the middle of the season. Puzzling.
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The late Michael Osborne was a big loss, I suspect. I think he might have been more to the Sheikh Mo operation than just being their main man in Ireland.
 
I reckon the likes of Tom Albertrani played a big part in their late-90s/early 2000s glory days before moving on to his own operation.
 
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