The Road to the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe 2014

Just wonderful to see a great one return to her best. The form in behind all stacks up.

Dreadful riding performances by the two held up Japanese horses.
 
She was pulling his arms out all the way round like last year could be named the winner before the straight- what a stunning performance from Treve . Awesome filly magnificent turn of foot .

Unspeakably terrible ride from all the Japanese jockeys not just the one on harp Star .

Taghrooda second best horse from that draw and clearly way better than Tapestry .

PS I think that puts to bed the rubbish about Orfevre being the best horse in last year's Arc !
 
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Awful wasn't it. They need to adopt European tactics when they come over here or they'll not win unless another Orfevre is unearthed
 
Desert Orchid said:
Another big compliment for Cursory Glance...
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Interesting development in the 1000 Guineas market:

Ladbrokes had held out at 10/1 longest price since before the Lowther but are now shortest at 5/1 following Found's win.

Could it be that Coolmore intend to buy the favourite?
 
EC1 said:
:lol:

late but good Tanlic..what a girl

no wfa either;)
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Can't believe I said I wouldn't touch her with a barge pole on page 1.........I must have been stoned :lol:

Only wish there had been more to go on than Crickett Head's word or I would have had a right touch.........<<<<<<Greedy bastid :lol:
 
what is amazing is she raced with the choke out for a lot of the race..amazing

the ground was perfect for her..thats what got her beat earlier in the year..probably knocked her up a bit as well
 
Euronymous said:
Awful wasn't it. They need to adopt European tactics when they come over here or they'll not win unless another Orfevre is unearthed
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I reckon it's simpler than that. You pick out the five best/most experienced jockeys in the field, see how they go in the first couple of furlongs then track the ones that get into the best positions.

Watching it again, Harp Star really did get the most awful ride but she was still beaten a fair distance. She might have weakened off a more prominent ride. We'll need to see how she goes on from here.
 
EC1 said:
what is amazing is she raced with the choke out for a lot of the race..amazing

the ground was perfect for her..thats what got her beat earlier in the year..probably knocked her up a bit as well
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That was what I thought was a good sign - she was like that last year !
 
Ardross said:
No chance Treve was dossing all the way home .
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Agreed! I just watched Harp Star on You Tube......looked to me like she was being held up to get the trip and ran past beaten horses making her look better than she might actually be.

Very often her kind when ridden closer to the pace against top class animals burn up so much energy and find nothing in the finish.

That said they didn't seem to be going that fast and giving horses a start in a race that turns into a sprint is a huge no no but anyone can be smart after the fact and it's happened to a lot better jockeys than our Japanese friend.
 
Interesting that both Treve and Alleged came back from adversity with superb training performances to win their second Arcs.

Alleged had the virus all of the summer of 1978 and just recovered in time . Won the Prix Prince d'Orange two weeks before the Arc having missed everything else .
 
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Harp Star ran a very similar race last time she went 12f - looked likely to win even from that far back, just didn't have the speed to pick them up.
Massive runs from Taghrooda and Kingston Hill, but how anyone could back the winner on this year's form escapes me completely. Great spectacle, but glad I kept out of it.
 
EC1 said:
what is amazing is she raced with the choke out for a lot of the race..amazing

the ground was perfect for her..thats what got her beat earlier in the year..probably knocked her up a bit as well
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You can't be serious about the ground....she was beaten on soft, good to firm and good according to the form book.

She won the Arc on soft last year and good today.........unless I am mistaken and the going changed from what it said on the the racing post and Sportinglife websites.
 
Tanlic said:
You can't be serious about the ground....she was beaten on soft, good to firm and good according to the form book.

She won the Arc on soft last year and good today.........unless I am mistaken and the going changed from what it said on the the racing post and Sportinglife websites.
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i was talking about when she got beat at Ascot..it was too quick for her...it may have taken some getting over
 
Kingston Hill and Taghrooda both ran blinders from their bad draws .

Al Kazeem may only have been tenth but was running on really well after being outpaced early in the straight only a length and a half outside the frame and last year beat Ruler of the World a short head and this year was beaten a nose by him .
 
Ardross said:
Interesting that both Treve and Alleged came back from adversity with superb training performances to win their second Arcs.

Alleged had the virus all of the summer of 1978 and just recovered in time . Won the Prix Prince d'Orange two weeks before the Arc having missed everything else .
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Indeed Ardross.
Keep one target in your head and forget about the rest seems to be the way to go.
Danedream may have done the same but for the disease outbreak at her training centre .
 
Alec Head legend of an interview on ATR - 90 years old and behaving as if he was 15 years younger - love the fact he put Peter O'Sullevan on to her gallop last Tuesday so he could get a bet on !
 
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