Hong Kong Festival

Dylan Thomas could have won this with the level he showed in his worst performance in Euroipe this season.


The winner a good traveller and a good ride by Peslier.

Quijano , good season with this run, the GP Baden and good Dubai campaign.
 
Originally posted by sunybay@Dec 9 2007, 06:50 AM



The sprinter looked really good, best sprinter in the world.
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I think we have to remember the widespread use of anabolic steroids in some of these countries leading to a major disadvantage for European horses. They are used freely in Australia and Hong Kong. Takeover Target was on them all the time.
 
Originally posted by Gareth Flynn@Dec 9 2007, 06:13 AM
Sacred Kingdom beats Absolute Champion in the Sprint impressively.

Looks like the locals filled the first 5 places again.
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First five home are local, and also all five were bred in Australia, continuing the tradition since the races inception.

Actually Dante, you are incorrect with the hormones being used widely in Hong Kong. This remember, is the country where Takeover Target was caught and suspended racing from. Hong Kong does not allow the use of these particular drugs, and the practise is about to be stamped out in 6 weeks time in Australia.
They have already started the initial stages of testing. Any horse caught with it now in their system will be automatically disqualified, as will the trainer.

The 1st February cannot honestly come fast enough for those trainers (and there are a majority of them) who do not use these drugs.
 
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Doctor Dino winning the Vase - Photo courtesy of Racing Australia Forum
 
Dettori outriding Kinane again and winning the 4th gr1 race of the season with Ramonti.

Viva Pataca clear best horse of the race.
 
Originally posted by Grand Armee@Dec 9 2007, 08:30 AM


Actually Dante, you are incorrect with the hormones being used widely in Hong Kong. This remember, is the country where Takeover Target was caught and suspended racing from. Hong Kong does not allow the use of these particular drugs, and the practise is about to be stamped out in 6 weeks time in Australia.
They have already started the initial stages of testing. Any horse caught with it now in their system will be automatically disqualified, as will the trainer.

The 1st February cannot honestly come fast enough for those trainers (and there are a majority of them) who do not use these drugs.
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Hong Kong Jockey Club vets are allowed to administer them as long as it is not within 56 days of a race, how widespread? who knows?
Takeover Target had them 2 weeks before and they were still in his system so not allowed to run under HK rules although the trainer said he had done the same many times before without a problem.
They are not even tested for in America while we have a blanket ban here.
 
Really pleased that RAMONTI won. What a cracking horse he has been this season, great looking horse with a tremendous attitude and yet, because he has kind of sneaked up on the press, he has done it all without getting any of the coverage of a George Washington or similar news-type horse. Four top group 1's all on merit. Great stuff from Ramonti. :clap:
 
Originally posted by uncle goober@Dec 9 2007, 03:03 PM
Really pleased that RAMONTI won. What a cracking horse he has been this season, great looking horse with a tremendous attitude and yet, because he has kind of sneaked up on the press, he has done it all without getting any of the coverage of a George Washington or similar news-type horse. Four top group 1's all on merit. Great stuff from Ramonti. :clap:
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Absolutely agree. Only does enough to win whereas some others that he's beaten only do enough to lose.
 
Terrific win from Ramonti - really pleased. Big boost too for Italian breeding - they do get some very good horses, and I'm please Godolphin and Cumani go looking for them

I'm sorry to say I feel punters were totally stuffed over Dylan Thomas. From the remarks posted a few days ago and quoted above when DT worked, you would have thought he was a good thing - but after the race AOB is quoted in the RP International Reports as saying that he is big as a barrel and totally unfit, due to having spent so long in quarantine - why wasn't this picked up on BEFORE the race, and put out by connections or some journalist out there?

Totally remiss on the part of all those paid a fortune to report from the spot...
I didn't bet on any of the races btw so not talking thru my pocket!

Thanks a million for your input on this thread Grande Armee, it's been really interesting.
I'm extremely pleased to hear that Asian racing inc in Aus is cleaning up this aspect; anabolic steroids surely can;t do much for a colt's stallion prospects anyway!??

Btw there is news on Takeover Target on the RP International section today, seems he's been given the highest rating in the world after his latest win in aus
 
It was desperately sad seeing Dylan Thomas treated in this manner by Coolmore.


Having the horse turning up looking (and running) like a pig is no way to treat a multiple Group 1 winner. He deserved better than that and it is a shame that his career has been tarnished in this way for no obvious benefit to anyone.
 
why wasn't this picked up on BEFORE the race, and put out by connections or some journalist out there?
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Well, it was pretty obvious to anyone watching him in the paddock. Even I could spot it after staying up all night.
 
I'm sure it was Gareth but the fact is DT had been backed into short favouritism days before - largely on the basis of very favourable reports from Hong Kong about his last piece of work on the track which you can still read on the RP site!

So someone should have warned the punting public, few of whom wait until 6am to have a bet on a great champ like that.

If it was obvious at 6am this morning that the horse was gross, that should have been equally clear days ago when seen exercising. Why didn't someone - ANYONE! - warn the punters? Were all those higjly paid journos lying in bed and just reporting press releases? - after all if they'd been up and at the track seeing the horse for themselves, surely they would have noticed?

It's an abuse of the horse and an abuse of the punter.

Coming so soon after racing him and GW in those vile conditions at Monmouth, I'm feeling very angry with Coolmore right now. I can't believe it was AOB's decision, any more than it was his to race GW on sloppy dirt in a monsoon. Yet he always has to go before the press an justify these things.
 
Originally posted by Headstrong@Dec 9 2007, 05:20 PM
Btw there is news on Takeover Target on the RP International section today, seems he's been given the highest rating in the world after his latest win in aus
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It was a fantastic win first up in a race over 6f worth $100,000.

He carried 134lb giving the second horse, and multiple Group 1 winner Dance Hero 3 lengths in the straight and over 7lb in weight.

In the end he beat Dance Hero (who was the Champion 2YO of 2003/2004) by a neck and several other Group 2 and 3 winners in the first race meeting in Sydney in over 5 months.

He was also first up since July. Not a bad effort, considering he has not been allowed to move from his stable since July.
 
Originally posted by Headstrong@Dec 9 2007, 05:20 PM
Thanks a million for your input on this thread Grande Armee, it's been really interesting.
I'm extremely pleased to hear that Asian racing inc in Aus is cleaning up this aspect; anabolic steroids surely can;t do much for a colt's stallion prospects anyway!??
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It ruins a stallions career at the end of the day. One very notable trainer in Sydney ruined several good colts' careers by using these drugs. Two in particular were extremely well bred and had the potential of making millions as sires.

Both colts are now infertile.

Fillies are baron for 2 years after, and it is widely known down here in Australia that the outstanding filly, Gold Edition is on these drugs. I cannot wait to see the hurdle the trainer comes to when they start testing. Also for that matter, see if she gets in foal.
 
That's sickening, and should be stopped worldwide.
Horses should race on merit, totally drug-free, else where is the value of the win?
Apart from the level playing field worldwide, now that racing at top level is so international, there is the matter of horse welfare. That should always come first - we ask enough of them anyway without pumping them full of drugs which endanger their life after racing
 
Can only agree with the DT comments and collmores end to teh season has had a strange look about it. I cant believe that trainer and the management have been in total agreement about some of the recent campaigning

Ramonti...quite wonderful. I cant recall...but is he back next year?
 
I cant believe that trainer and the management have been in total agreement about some of the recent campaigning
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Your right Clive, the trainer insisted that the horse run in the Arc and it swayed connections.

The idea that O'Brien is some lap dog to Magnier and co is laughable as is the idea that Magnier and co blindly over rule O'Brien knowing what a horse man he is.
 
Originally posted by tdk@Dec 9 2007, 06:42 PM
He deserved better than that and it is a shame that his career has been tarnished in this way for no obvious benefit to anyone.
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Hardly. Whatever your views on whether he should have run (and I tend to agree with your view on that, although I didn't see him before the race), his last two races have hardly "tarnished" his career.

When we look back at Dylan Thomas in years to come, I suspect, for the vast majority of people at least, it's not the last two races that we'll look back on.. I'm tempted to make a Secretariat comparison, but I think I better hold off on that one! :D

In Coolmore language, the effect his defeat's will have had on his stud fee (which was already set before his Far East adventure anyway) is negligible really..
 
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