Queen Elizabeth II Stakes

Ardross said:
I am not so sure - the fact is that CC was too short at the opening prices anyway .
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You see I didn't think Canford was too short. I thought Makfi was too short at 2/1, but when he got even shorter it didn't look right to me.
 
SteveM said:
You see I didn't think Canford was too short. I thought Makfi was too short at 2/1, but when he got even shorter it didn't look right to me.
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Spot on and when Gala pointed out he had heard rumours yesterday it all added up.

Now today Fame And Glory is out to 8.8 for the Arc....
 
Coral have taken a stance against the horse all along. They were top-price ante-post and in the pricewise grid for the St James Palace.
 
I would not argue with that. Corals are notorious for taking on horses other bookmaker will not especially in Group races. BUT Makfi has shortened to 7/4 with plenty of firms yesterday and I refuse to believe that Canford Cliffs non-participation was not behind it.
 
SteveM said:
I backed him the day before yesterday when they pushed him out to 13/8. They were already the biggest at the time at 6/4, so clearly knew something and were sucking in those outside the loop.
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Gearoid said:
I would not argue with that. Corals are notorious for taking on horses other bookmaker will not especially in Group races. BUT Makfi has shortened to 7/4 with plenty of firms yesterday and I refuse to believe that Canford Cliffs non-participation was not behind it.
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Fair enough Gearoid. I wouldn't argue that a weight of support for Makfi was inspired by insiders knowing that Canford Cliffs was doubtful, I just think SteveM's above post is barking up the wrong tree.
 
It's incredibly tempting to take the front two on given neither has run well at Ascot in the past. But what with? I can't seriously have any of the others as Group 1 winners.
 
Fancy Hearts of Fire to run a screamer he would have been a lot closer to the front two in the St James but for being murdered so you know he will act on what is a bit of a funny track for horses and at the prices is worth a decent each way bet for me.
 
I'm slightly surprised that the Canford Cliffs to Coolmore stud deal hasn't come up in this thread. Was one of the first things that came to my mind when I heard the news.

What do we make of Rip Van Winkle anyway? If we set aside the Irish Champion (and surely some pretty valid reasons could be argued for doing so), we have a horse who has been trained to peak this end of the season, proven over course and distance and arguably with form just about approaching that of Makfi's best.
 
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Won a few quid tonight and decided to lay the French horse for the lot -Betfair punters don't seem too excited by the evens.
Don't have a strong opinion on the race but this one is surely a drifter in the market.
 
Job done at an average of 1.99 -my prediction is that I should be able to take a nice profit when he is Barrys Bismarck.
 
Kauto said:
Fancy Hearts of Fire to run a screamer he would have been a lot closer to the front two in the St James but for being murdered so you know he will act on what is a bit of a funny track for horses and at the prices is worth a decent each way bet for me.
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I agree with that, looked at him myself.

Think Rip's Group One win proves he acts at the track personally. I love Makfi but I couldn't back him for this round this hole.

I backed Rip EW this morning as soon as CC was confirmed an NR along with Poet's Voice. I'm no Rip fan but I do think he has a big chance of turning over the French horse round Ascot.
 
I think Rip Van Winkle had no excuse in the Irish Champion and the trainer is putting us away all season. No Group 1 racehorse needs three runs to peak and his last run makes him a maximun lay tomorrow.
 
Gearoid said:
No Group 1 racehorse needs three runs to peak and his last run makes him a maximun lay tomorrow.
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Probably said the same about him last year no?

I wanted Rip to go straight for this rather than taking in the Irish Champion - two hard runs over 10 furlongs has me worried about his appetite for the game tomorrow.
 
I'm not convinced they shouldn't be stepping rip up in trip for the arc rather than running in this race.
 
trackside528 said:
I'm slightly surprised that the Canford Cliffs to Coolmore stud deal hasn't come up in this thread. Was one of the first things that came to my mind when I heard the news.

What do we make of Rip Van Winkle anyway? If we set aside the Irish Champion (and surely some pretty valid reasons could be argued for doing so), we have a horse who has been trained to peak this end of the season, proven over course and distance and arguably with form just about approaching that of Makfi's best.
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Who knows… I never expected Rip to take on Canford in this and now he won’t be, but in a rather different set of circumstances than I expected. It’s frustrating that Hannon insists that the scope was “marginal” and that he’d be okay to run next week if there was anything for him to run in… Most horses show a marginal scope after working out (it is measured in fifths, five fifths being the worst with wind pipe full of blood). We don’t know what the result of this scope was (other than “marginal”). Some sort of arrangement… who knows?
 
It's strange that he says that yet won't run him in the Foret and doesn't seem to keen to go to the Breeders Cup.

I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't race again.
 
Graham Dench, the Racing Post's Live Reporter at Ascot, reported a 20-minute spell of rain finished at 10.20am and, with a "wholly menacing" sky, warned conditions could get even softer.
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All sounds good for Makfi.
 
Hamm said:
It's strange that he says that yet won't run him in the Foret and doesn't seem to keen to go to the Breeders Cup.

I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't race again.
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I don't see this as being right at all. Having missed the QE II there now seems a good case for taking him out for the season and racing him next year when in all likelihood he will be a huge performer.
 
Why? They have been quoted as saying 'if the race was next week...' - well, there is a very good Group 1 race next week at a distance Canford Cliffs would in all likelihood be just as good at. Why not run him then, unless their initial quote was bluster, which I think it was.
 
Hamm said:
Why? They have been quoted as saying 'if the race was next week...' - well, there is a very good Group 1 race next week at a distance Canford Cliffs would in all likelihood be just as good at. Why not run him then, unless their initial quote was bluster, which I think it was.
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Yes they seem to believe they could run, but he really hasn't got much to prove this season. The QE II looked to be the iceing on the cake, but anything else now looks like an afterthought.

There is more going on here than meets the eye, but if they are taking a view on him going for everything that matters next season (which they are), why go to the well too often with him this term?
 
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