Forum horse connections

I wish we did! I love seeing the pacers and trotters at Monticello on ATR. It has a long and glorious history in the USA. Decades ago, I had a book on Hambletonian, their most famous trotter, who out-trotted everything at some amazing speeds. It's a beautiful sight to see a trotter in full flow - mane flying, and the feet light as a feather across the ground. Like dressage horses at the extended trot, they shouldn't 'box' or punch the air, but extend and fly across it. I like pacing, although it's an artificial gait and the horses look a bit odd head-on as they rock from side to side, but prefer the visuals of trotting.
 
Last edited:
Strong Vigilance runs today 5pm Kempton not got the best of draws. He seems to work better at home on the aw so we're hopeful although it looks the stronger division of the maiden.
 
Does STRONG VIGILANCE not care for the AW, Kauto? Two good starts to date on fairly firm grass, so perhaps found the surface a little weird for his liking.
 
Unfortunately I think at the moment he cares too much for himself. Think he may end up having to be gelded as he definitely isn't putting it in. Very frustrating as he is a talented horse. I'm thinking a step up in trip is needed as well he is such a big strong horse although on breeding he is a miler it wouldn't shock me if he ends up getting a 1m 4f.
 
Best of luck with him, Kauto. Gelding does seem to concentrate some minds a lot better, as we know, so perhaps that will do the trick.
 
Our horse Kikos runs again on friday night in the 2m handicap chase at Aintree. He has come out of his last race well and is absolutely bouncing at the moment. Thanks to the handicapper being lenient we've only gone up 1lb for his last (possibly fortuitous) win so we are hopeful of a good run. Nice to get a runner at a grade 1 track as well.
 
krizon said:
I wish we did! I love seeing the pacers and trotters at Monticello on ATR. It has a long and glorious history in the USA. Decades ago, I had a book on Hambletonian, their most famous trotter, who out-trotted everything at some amazing speeds. It's a beautiful sight to see a trotter in full flow - mane flying, and the feet light as a feather across the ground. Like dressage horses at the extended trot, they shouldn't 'box' or punch the air, but extend and fly across it. I like pacing, although it's an artificial gait and the horses look a bit odd head-on as they rock from side to side, but prefer the visuals of trotting.
Click to expand...

I love harness racing as well. Its a very rich sport both in Australia and New Zealand, lots of money (and I am talking bucket loads). The Grand Circuit in Australia is one of the richest when it comes to prize money and status anywhere in the world.

If you want to google something out of interest look up Interdominion Series, and Grand Circuit Series Australia.

Horses from Australasia (off the top of my head): Our Sir Vancelot (he actually paced in between races at Rosehill many years ago because of his popularity!), Shakamaker, Christian Cullen, Heracles and Holmes DG.

The best horse I ever saw was Popular Alm, and I loved the Italian Superstar Magician.
 
Thanks for the good wishes on this thread concerning Raise The Beat, who has also been discussed on the New Member Of The Family Thread. The forum has been having quite a run recently, with successes in the last month for Roddy Owen, Kauto, Songsheet, Grasshopper, Aragorn.

Meanwhile another horse I have an interest in, Camira, also ran yesterday, making her seasonal debut at the Curragh in the 7f handicap. She's in good nick but wasn't fully primed. She got murdered a couple of times and most of the field never got a run. Gary O'Brien was right to ask afterwards whether yesterday's track was wide enough to accommodate 30 runners.

One of my fellow shareholders claims that our jockey D J Moran texted him after two furlongs of the race to complain he had nowhere to go. I don't know whether to believe him. :blink:
 
FAREER entered up at Haydock on Saturday in a Listed contest. Looks to be
quite a hot contest. Doubt he'll run if the ground is worse than good though.
 
Curiously enough, Grey, I wondered that about the Curragh and runners over the 22/24 mark, too. They have to run in rows of three abreast for most of it and there just isn't the room, swinging off that last bend, to all get a run. It would certainly seem to disadvantage all but the most headstrong front-running types. If you have a horse to be produced a little late, it doesn't look the right track at all.
 
The track is plenty wide enough, Krizon, but yesterday they weren't using the full width. It's understandable that they would want to keep some ground in top condition for the Guineas meeting in a few weeks time, but yesterday they seemed to overdo it. They should either have reduced the safety limit (in which case, incidentally, we wouldn't have got a run) or positioned the rails a bit more generously.

It may be part of what seems to me to be a more general problem with the straight course at the Curragh. It seems to take forever for it to dry out these days and it's now rare to get fast conditions on it. There is also a severe draw bias on it when it gets testing.
 
Aragorn said:
Our horse Kikos runs again on friday night in the 2m handicap chase at Aintree. He has come out of his last race well and is absolutely bouncing at the moment. Thanks to the handicapper being lenient we've only gone up 1lb for his last (possibly fortuitous) win so we are hopeful of a good run. Nice to get a runner at a grade 1 track as well.
Click to expand...

Decided to sidestep this in favour of an engagement next sunday at Stratford.

Good luck with your horse tomorrow Roddy.
 
It's great just to be involved in a race like that, Prufrock. Drawn 28 of 29, will that suit?
 
Back
Top