The Derby

Hamm said:
Agree with the comments about Rewilding - IF trained correctly, he should prove to be the second best horse from the race, but this isn't the first time I've seen/heard of Godolphin horses being light behind/very hard trained - can anyone shed any light on this?
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Flame, do you have an opinion on this?
 
I actually agree, to a large extent, with Willie Carson (for once at least) about Rewilding. He looks particularly unfurnished and like he’ll get much stronger in time. While middle-distance/staying horses are invariably lighter framed than sprinters, Rewilding looks particularly weedy. He can only improve as the season continues.
 
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One of my more inspired long-term fancies...

Interesting that Fallon says in his Weekender spot that KB would have won the Derby. I don't agree but it will be interesting to see how his progeny fare in the longer term.
 
Aidan O'Brien hopes to have St Nicholas Abbey back in action in time for the big races in the autumn.


Last year's champion juvenile could finish only sixth in the 2000 Guineas and then suffered a setback which forced him to miss the Derby.

"He's good. Our advice at the time was to give him an easy few days so we decided to give him the month of June off," said O'Brien.

"We'll start back slowly then and hopefully we'll have him back for an autumn campaign.

"Just when it went a little bit pear-shaped on us we decided not to punish him and just go back slowly to give him all the time he could possibly need.

"We're looking forward to when he comes back, but I don't know when that will be.

"We'll let him tell us day by day but hopefully he'll have a trial before he goes in one of the big races in the autumn."

Stablemate Jan Vermeer was sent off favourite at Epsom in St Nicholas Abbey's absence, but he could only finish fourth behind Workforce. It later transpired he lost two shoes during the race.

"He seems to be fine, he came out of the race very well," O'Brien told At The Races.

"I suppose with the benefit of hindsight he was just ready to run at the Curragh and we had in mind to go to the French Derby with him because it is an easier option.

"Obviously when St Nicholas Abbey had the mishap we re-thought everything but it might have come too soon for him. Two weeks might not have been enough time for the improvement to come.
"He lost two shoes but he was perfect after."
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They'll have the older horses for the Irish Champion this year. Give Nic loads of time (I wonder did they fry him a bit trying to make him a Guineas horse), with a prep in France ahead of the Arc. You'd think he'll be kept in training next year - assuming all goes well with the horse of course.
 
Maybe something like the G2 Royal Whip at the Curragh in August to see where he is at and go from there.

Think Fame And Glory will be their horse for the Irish Champion Stakes.

Lots of options all the same and will surely stay in training at 4
 
I'm not sure about Fame And Glory going for the Irish Champion. Not so much that it wouldn't suit, more that I don't think its a very good Arc trial unless you want to be coming third or fourth in it which can't help him commercially I wouldn't have thought.
 
Interesting that O'Brien mentioned Viscount Nelson for the Eclipse yesterday. Hopefully Fencing Master might show up for something like the Juddmonte at York.

The Champion Stakes at Newmarket would look an ideal target for St Nicholas Abbey before going on to a 4yo campaign.
 
Going off topic a little but Afsare really interesting for that rac Thursday. Another Dubawi colt - great start for him.
 
Powerscourt said:
Maybe something like the G2 Royal Whip at the Curragh in August to see where he is at and go from there.
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Agree with that. No need to travel him, nor ask him to stretch out to 12f first time back. He's used it before as a confidence builder/comeback race.
 
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