Downroyal Saturday

[Grasshopper]

The one niggle I have of SE not staying 3m is him doing 3m on Good ground rather than a bog whereby his key strength (his jumping) is reduced greatly

Kempton would no doubt help in terms of reducing the stamina requirement, but the King George is hardly the race to be asking the question in the first place. For me, you simply can't take a chance on stamina in a race like that. It's too hot an event to go to war with such a question open - especially when there is a fair degree of evidence that he is a "fell down a man-hole" type, in those races at 3m that he has contested.

Bar Long Run, all the other chief market participants have a lot to prove also is it not fair to say?

Agreed, but these horses are much less exposed than Sizing Europe is, and several have already proven their stamina beyond question. For those horses, it's all about how progressive they are, and I'd much rather roll the dice on that, than cross everything and hope that SE can beat the stats and available empirical evidence.

MM for one is a horse that I cannot figure out. On better ground, SE's jumping will come more to the fore and and given the fact that today resembled a bog, was it wise to try and set all on a possible non stayer?

Master Minded doesn't stay either.

There's plenty of evidence beyond that provided yesterday that points to SE being a non-stayer - not least his excellent record at 2m throughiut his career.

Given the fact that almost every other race he has contested, points to the fact that he won't get home, is it wise to set all on the hope that he gets home this time?

Quicker ground might help his jumping, but the ground isn't going to be guaranteed, and the track isn't necessarily going to suit him either (he has done the vast majority of his racing/winning round undulating tracks). And even if he does somehow manage to get home, and even wins.....what then?

Not even his stoutest supports would try and sell the theory that he'd stay 3m2f at Cheltenham, which begs the question; why don't they just campaign him with the Queen Mother in mind? There's a million races on the Irish calendar for him, and connections' quixotic fascination with the King George/Gold Cup, is detrimental to the horse, imo.

 

[Grey]

Last year´s winner and favourite Montan sat off thepace and then came through to challenge travelling extremely well at the final flight with Russell keen to keep hold of him as long as possible. However, the horse made a bit of a fool of him in the end as he didn´t find very much when asked. The winner held him and was going away a fraction at the death. He´s not the most straightforward of horses and if Russell had got there any sooner he may well have stopped.

I think the above comments, from the Racing Post analysis of the race, get it right. The ride looked terrible, complete overconfidence. Horses weren't picking up easily on yesterday's ground and the majority of winners, Quito excepted, were already in the lead at the last. Waiting till after the last to get after him was never likely to work.

On the other hand, although Montan has won three races, he has also been runner up six times, five of which have come in his last seven outings. He needs to be codded into winning and it just didn't work out for him yesterday.

 

[granger]

There's a million races on the Irish calendar for him, and connections' quixotic fascination with the King George/Gold Cup, is detrimental to the horse, imo.

I agree with the above. There should be no shame in owning the best 2m horse in training. Sizing has made Mr Potts a small fortune, if he wants a GC runner he should head to the sales and look for one.

I have seen no comment from Henry as of yet for what the future plans are for sizing but attempting to set all in very soft conditions is not how i'd campaign him if he were mine

As a matter of interest do you think Moscow would have won a King George?

 

[Grasshopper]

As a matter of interest do you think Moscow would have won a King George?

He shaped like he would stay in the Melling Chase, but you never can tell, so who knows?

If he was capable of showing his 2m form at 3m, you would have to think that would have been good enough to win at least a couple of King Georges.

 

[Hamm]

I think the above comments, from the Racing Post analysis of the race, get it right. The ride looked terrible, complete overconfidence. Horses weren't picking up easily on yesterday's ground and the majority of winners, Quito excepted, were already in the lead at the last. Waiting till after the last to get after him was never likely to work.

On the other hand, although Montan has won three races, he has also been runner up six times, five of which have come in his last seven outings. He needs to be codded into winning and it just didn't work out for him yesterday.

Fair post and more decent than my own.

 

[granger]

no Sizing Europe in King George entries. Guess that ends that adventure

 

[Grasshopper]

Have connections given up on staying trips entirely, granger - or do they just not think Kempton will suit?

 

[granger]

Have connections given up on staying trips entirely, granger - or do they just not think Kempton will suit?

Henry de Bromhead- He’s very clearly not far away from getting three miles, I’d say he probably would stay on a bit of decent ground.

He's very versatile but as we've always stated he's a better horse on better ground so we might look at it again in the future on better ground but for the time being we're keeping him at two or two and a half miles.

Tingle Creek or John Durkan next