Frankel

Have moved a few posts about Frankel from another thread into here.

Thought his gallop (as pictured) was everything you could want to see in the circumstances.
 
In Frankel's case is a pacemaker a waste of time? If there is no pace on he will stride and won't come back, even over 12f. If there is a good pace on he would settle better. I don't think he'll ever be beat because of the pace of the race.
 
The Ascot website says there are some Grandstand tickets available for Champions Day but will only let you book a racecard online - does anyone know if there are in fact some available?
 
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Steve T said:
The Ascot website says there are some Grandstand tickets available for Champions Day but will only let you book a racecard online - does anyone know if there are in fact some available?
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There are. The opening of the Champions Bar section freed up Grandstand tickets but you have to ring to book them. 0844 346 3000.

While we're on it, could anyone advise on the best way to get there from Heathrow. Is it easier to get a taxi or train/bus. Any advice most welcome.
 
If you're doing it by taxi you'd want to be sharing the cost with others. It takes about 40 minutes. The quickest alternative from Heathrow is train or bus to Reading and train from there to the course, which takes about 90 minutes.
 
We'll be getting the train from London. Should I be booking tickets or is it ok just to turn up on the day?
 
SlimChance said:
In Frankel's case is a pacemaker a waste of time? If there is no pace on he will stride and won't come back, even over 12f. If there is a good pace on he would settle better. I don't think he'll ever be beat because of the pace of the race.
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The only way he'll be beaten is if he gives them a 10 length head start and even then it would be close!!

That was group 1 winning work yesterday.
 
It is more than ironic that Newmarket and the Racing for Change tossers are all patting themselves on the back about Frankel's racecourse gallop when if they had not destroyed the September Ascot meeting we would have seen him twice for real . The reason he has to gallop is that the QEII has been moved to the same day as Champions day . They would have been much better off moving the Joel like the other G2 races and the ratings of the winners would force its regrading to G1 .
 
Ardross said:
It is more than ironic that Newmarket and the Racing for Change tossers are all patting themselves on the back about Frankel's racecourse gallop when if they had not destroyed the September Ascot meeting we would have seen him twice for real . The reason he has to gallop is that the QEII has been moved to the same day as Champions day . They would have been much better off moving the Joel like the other G2 races and the ratings of the winners would force its regrading to G1 .
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:adore::adore::adore:
 
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hmmm

Would frankel have really run twice and even then would they have dropped him back to a mile again? And would the somewhat downbeat champion stakes at Newmarket really have been the race he would have ended his career with?
 
clivex said:
hmmm

Would frankel have really run twice and even then would they have dropped him back to a mile again? And would the somewhat downbeat champion stakes at Newmarket really have been the race he would have ended his career with?
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I prefer the champion stakes at Ascot tbh..the sprawling heath at Newmarket can supply some strange looking contests with horses all over the shop. Haafhd's win springs to mind
 
EC1 said:
I prefer the champion stakes at Ascot tbh..the sprawling heath at Newmarket can supply some strange looking contests with horses all over the shop. Haafhd's win springs to mind
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The straight 10f Group 1 at Newmarket was a unique event. Been there twice for In The Groove 1990 and 2007 for the French winner who beat Eagle Mountain. New Approachs win in 2008 was a preview to Frankel showing what a thoroughbred could do on a straight track when the afterburners are turned on! I miss it even though I enjoyed Champions Day last year.
Horses for courses I suppose;)
 
There were always 2 or 3 pubs from our town running coach trips to Newmarket for Champions Day, they didn't bother with Ascot last year and they aren't this year either.
 
edgt said:
The straight 10f Group 1 at Newmarket was a unique event. Been there twice for In The Groove 1990 and 2007 for the French winner who beat Eagle Mountain. New Approachs win in 2008 was a preview to Frankel showing what a thoroughbred could do on a straight track when the afterburners are turned on! I miss it even though I enjoyed Champions Day last year.
Horses for courses I suppose;)
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As you say the straight 10 furlongs made it a unique test. For that reason alone it should have remained. Ascot can cater for a larger audience, but Racing For (the sake of) Change is a bitter thing.
 
I know what you mean about the 10f test at Newmarket but i just can't do with them all over the track and draw biases trashing races like the guineas. Like i said..look at Haafhds win..what a mess of a race. I'm not a massive fan of Newmarket..i don't think draw biases over the shorter trips should be influencing classics
 
EC1 said:
I know what you mean about the 10f test at Newmarket but i just can't do with them all over the track and draw biases trashing races like the guineas. Like i said..look at Haafhds win..what a mess of a race. I'm not a massive fan of Newmarket..i don't think draw biases over the shorter trips should be influencing classics
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I actually agree on this point. Despite the claim that there is negligible draw bias, there is a definite bias on extremes of going.
 
I am pretty sure Frankel would have cantered round Ascot and then gone on to the Champion .

I still struggle to see why they had to wreck the rest of the end of the season to create Champions Day . Look at this weekend as a part of the swop of races we now have a 6f G3 and a listed 5f race within an hour or so of each other at Ascot .

Ascot should have kept the Royal Lodge and Fillies Mile and Newmarket could have had the Bengough and Cornwallis
 
I've got tickets for this year and I am very much looking forward to it. I think it's a good thing the UK has a proper end of the year championship to rival Arc day and the Breeders Cup.

It wouldn't surprise me if in ten years we're debating whether the Champion is the pre-eminent end of season championship event.
 
Considering the shockingly poor field for the QEII this year - this is hardly an advert for moving that race .
 
it has been a strange year
with a weak 3yo crop and with Frankel at the beginning of the season in the division
 
I agree with Aragon. One thing that is forgotten is that the sense of occasion appeals to owners and trainers every bit as much as black type. They are in the game for a buzz as much as the balance sheet

You wlll get that at Ascot in a way that Newmarket can never deliver (and i like Newmarket). However much some moan about the course here, it has a cache like no other
 
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