The Coral Eclipse Sandown Sat July 6

AK has mopped up the three top 10f races in Europe this season so far despite the trip being the bare minimum for him. You can't ask for any more.
 
Didn't back anything and don't normally go for jockey blame, but thought Buick had a bit of a shocker on The Fugue; getting stuck on the outside and having a bumping match with Pastorius before giving up entirely when her chance was gone. She's a really frustrating horse although the Nassau suits her very well so she might come back there amongst her own sex.

Declaration of War ran exactly as you might expect a dirt horse to - couldn't go with Al Kazeem early in the straight but kept finding all the way to the line. Hope he can handle kickback.
 
Euronymous said:
She'll only win against fillies. Ground had nowt to do with it.


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if i'd backed her today i'd be looking at the most important factor in racing as to why she ran way below her best...because apart from running too fast early its usually not acting on the ground that causes such an under performance..imo

you seem very confident it isn't that...but give no reason why and what caused the bomb out today
 
She had a poor ride/run at Santa Anita and was beaten by a better filly over the trip at York. She ran well on both occasions so I don't see how the ground had anything to do with today.
 
Looked like an off day and possibly that is the bounce but it does appear that she and Buick don't quite get on and he did park her way off the pace last time and outside this time - by some way her best effort was the Nassau under a different jockey
 
Al Kazeem is a proper horse - historically his development and improvement remind me of Busted .
 
AK has mopped up the three top 10f races in Europe this season so far despite the trip being the bare minimum for him. You can't ask for any more.
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This is it really isnt it? First POW eclipse double since the great mtoto i believe. He relishes racing and whether it is significant or not, he was all pricked ears and loving it in the winners enclosure.

Maybe he should have a break but it must be tempting to look at the KGV now
 
I stand by my tweet from earlier 'Ratings bores won't be overwhelmed by Al Kazeem, but you've got to like how he keeps turning up and chalking up the Group 1s' - and as you're all too aware, I can bore with the best of them!
 
It will be a shame I feel if the best middle-distance older horse in Britain, doesn't run in the best middle-distance older horse race.
 
Agree with both. Charlton isnt too much of a cotton wool merchant is he?

I really did feel that further will be better too.
 
EC1 said:
DO... in that case the race should have brought the Fugue on and knocked back AK...you making a lot of excuses for her imo
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I don't think I've ever backed her or even rated her that high so I don't think I am making a lot of excuses for her, just trying to explain such a poor run on the back of a promising reappearance.

I think it is generally accepted that she put in a lot of strong late work at Ascot. Maybe too much. I think sometimes being drawn into a big run when less than 100% fit can set them back. I wouldn't necessary call it a bounce as she didn't hit a career high at Ascot but it's possible she left today's race back there.
 
Southern California 'firm' would be a piece faster than anything Sandown would throw up, and The Fugue was unlucky not to win the Fillies And Mares on it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0rOtN0pAMo

Trainer, jockey and owner's racing manager all think she's better on faster ground too, so whatever her problem was yesterday, it's unlikely to have been the going.
 
clivex said:
There today. Really is a lovely looking horse too. Very alert as well. To my eye he looks every inch an improver over further.
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He looked very well at The Curragh too and he has a nice straightforward running style that maybe leads people to underestimate him. I'd say 10f is best for him but ground is probably more important than trip. He should certainly be taken seriously in a fast ground Arc but that's a long way off.
 
Al Kazeem
probably best conditions should be 12f and good ground


The Fugue
firm ground fillie for me
 
Don't know much about Brian O'Connor who writes a blog on the Irish Racing website but I use their horsetracker and my eye was drawn to this week's article and the following in particular:

"Apparently Willie Haggas was too emotional to comment immediately after the Eclipse Stakes when his hope, Mukhadram, missed out on a probable runner-up spot when getting badly hampered by the winner Al Kazeem. It’s understandable, because it looked a classic case of what jockeys attempt under rules which penalise the rider but allow the horse keep the race.
To my eye, there’s a good case to be made for James Doyle knowing exactly what he was doing when Al Kazeem ‘rolled in .‘ There was a decisiveness to the way he gathered the reins just before the incident that suggested it was a calculated risk. And fair play to Doyle. It worked, for him, and for the connections he was riding for.
Anyone under-estimating the cold-eyed skill these top jockeys bring to these tight situations are guilty of serious under-estimation. And under the rules as they stand, it’s no coincidence there are repeating examples of riders allowing horses to accidently-on-purpose drift off straight-lines..."

Does anyone agree? I don't. I'm not so naive to think it doesn't happen but I didn't see this as a case in point.
 
gus said:
Don't know much about Brian O'Connor who writes a blog on the Irish Racing website but I use their horsetracker and my eye was drawn to this week's article and the following in particular:

"Apparently Willie Haggas was too emotional to comment immediately after the Eclipse Stakes when his hope, Mukhadram, missed out on a probable runner-up spot when getting badly hampered by the winner Al Kazeem. It’s understandable, because it looked a classic case of what jockeys attempt under rules which penalise the rider but allow the horse keep the race.
To my eye, there’s a good case to be made for James Doyle knowing exactly what he was doing when Al Kazeem ‘rolled in .‘ There was a decisiveness to the way he gathered the reins just before the incident that suggested it was a calculated risk. And fair play to Doyle. It worked, for him, and for the connections he was riding for.
Anyone under-estimating the cold-eyed skill these top jockeys bring to these tight situations are guilty of serious under-estimation. And under the rules as they stand, it’s no coincidence there are repeating examples of riders allowing horses to accidently-on-purpose drift off straight-lines..."

Does anyone agree? I don't. I'm not so naive to think it doesn't happen but I didn't see this as a case in point.
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I'm all in favour of the horse and jockey being treated as a unit ('cos they are). If the rider breaks the rules, disqualify him and the horse. If the horse breaks the rules (even despite the rider's best efforts) disqualify them.
 
why would doyle need to do that ? Havent seen the race since live but surely he was going to win anyway? whats the identity of second place matter to him?
 
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