Eclipse

It's interesting that The Grey Gatsby ran at Ascot on unsuitable ground and Time Test was pulled. This time it's the other way round precisely because there are more options down the line for TGG (King George hopefully)
 
fonz said:
Ground looks to be drying at a decent rate but Roger Charlton still seemed relatively downbeat when interviewed on RUK today, Reiterating what we already knew that he's going to run here because there's nothing else for him.

Taking all that into account, It has to be The Gurkha for me.
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I thought Charlton was like a manager on cup final day-lots of positivity.
 
Euronymous said:
It's interesting that The Grey Gatsby ran at Ascot on unsuitable ground and Time Test was pulled. This time it's the other way round precisely because there are more options down the line for TGG (King George hopefully)
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That's an interesting line of attack for the TGG, A strongly run 10f has always looked more his bag to me, I'd love to see Idaho go for the KG.
 
Euronymous said:
We have two bits of evidence that Time Test doesn't act on cut, his run in the International and his failure in America. Both surfaces he faced those days were tricky plus he might not have liked going to America (he was far from the only European horse who under performed at the BC.) At York TGG and Golden Horn were below form in the same race, that's fishy imo.

Plus it's good to soft at present and they've had a dry day today.
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There was no pace on at Keeneland and no great pace at York (the 99 rated pacemaker was only beaten 5l, despite being clear for much of the race).
Time Test has always looked (and is bred) like a horse who needs a proper test, and ran much his best last season in a truly run (t/s 115) 10f race at Ascot. Needs to run here as it's only 3 weeks to the King George - his next big target, imo - and if Pat Dobbs can set sound enough fractions, I don't see him beaten.


Edited to add:
The pace also dropped in the middle of TT's debut run this season, so he did well to win it. It was only a gp3, so he'd hardly be trained to the minute, yet he gave 5lbs and saw off Western Hymn, who was having his third race of the season.
My earlier doubts on The Gurkha's stamina also seem to be echoed by Ryan Moore in hs Betfair column, viz;
"The big question mark is whether he will stay the extra 2f here"
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fonz said:
That's an interesting line of attack for the TGG, A strongly run 10f has always looked more his bag to me, I'd love to see Idaho go for the KG.
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Ryan has said he intends to step the horse up in trip at some point this season and I think 12f on fast ground would really suit him. It's possible he'll miss the King George for the Juddmonte but then I would hope he'll have a go at the Arc, especially as he's already won at Chantilly.
 
I'll be having my second bet of the flat season on Time Test today. Can't see TG beating him over this trip and he easily beats the rest of them.
 
I have to say, I think The Gurkha will win. I reckon anything he has done so far is a bonus as he is bred to start getting serious at this kind of trip.

However, I'm not an odds-on punter and the more I think about it, the more I like My Dream Boat. I might check out the market without the favourite otherwise no bet.
 
I think Hawkbill has run to a similar level to his last race.

The Gurkha didn't stay
Time Test didn't like the ground
Pacemaker was 4th

Well below average renewal
 
Euronymous said:
I think Hawkbill has run to a similar level to his last race.

The Gurkha didn't stay
Time Test didn't like the ground
Pacemaker was 4th

Well below average renewal
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Yes, I was coming on here to say you can throw this form out of the window. The pacemaker wasn't beaten far at all. OR 81. Jesus wept.

One more unsatisfactory race on a day of very unsatisfactory races. If it's soft at Newmarket I'll probably give the July Meeting a miss.
 
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I've heard a going forecast saying it's good at present, which is hard to believe given the rain they had last weekend.
 
Hawkbill might improve again on good ground being out of American stallion Kittens Joy-the big positive about him is his winning sequence-why won't he progress again.
 
He'd need to improve a fair bit to take a hand at York where the opposition will be stronger and hopefully the ground faster. I'd also be against Time Test in the Juddmonte.
 
Euronymous said:
He'd need to improve a fair bit to take a hand at York where the opposition will be stronger and hopefully the ground faster. I'd also be against Time Test in the Juddmonte.
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The Gurkha may just take his chance on faster ground at York, given it's the lesser test of the 10f gp1's remaining.
Time Test might not run for that reason, and (imo) the King George still looks his best option.
 
reet hard said:
The Gurkha may just take his chance on faster ground at York, given it's the lesser test of the 10f gp1's remaining.
Time Test might not run for that reason, and (imo) the King George still looks his best option.
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I agree as regards The Gurkha next target Reet, I wouldn't call York an easier test though, It's stiffer than first thought.
 
reet hard said:
Time Test might not run for that reason, and (imo) the King George still looks his best option.
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Definitely goes for the Juddmonte, judging by his trainer's comments post-race, and rightly so. Ten furlongs and fast ground are his ideal conditions and the law of averages says he'll get them sooner or later.
 
S'pose he would, as his owner sponsors the race, but his breeding and form (and again, yesterday) suggests it's not enough of a test.

Fonz
York wouldn't be as stiff as Leopardstown or Ascot, so would be the obvious place if The Gurkha's to win a gp1 @ 10f this season.
 
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