2017 Derby and Oaks

I wonder which horse Lester would want to ride?

 

Moore on Cliffs of Moher
Donnacha on Venice Beach

 

I think Sir Rembrandt going close in that 3rd gold cup is taken by many as evidence of a weak renewal.

BM smashed them out of the park in his previous two though. And in winning the third he acheived something that surpassed even the mighty Kauto Star.

A great horse in my book, Best Mate, trained, handled and ridden to perfection by a bunch of lovely people

 

The winner

He'd be jocking some poor sod off it as we speak.

 

For the Oaks Rhododendron's form looks the best and she has been most consistent. My concern with her is that in a fast-run race she would not stay. I like Sobetsu who is from the family of Generous. My concern here is that she needs soft ground. I like the breeding of Coronet who should be made for this trip, but her form doesn't quite measure up. That leaves me with my selection Horseplay, who is nicely bred for this race and will not be inconvenienced by whatever going is served up. In fact I'd favour soft.

For the Derby I'm really scratching around. There isn't a stand out pedigree though Cracksman is pretty good with him being from the same root mare as Golden Horn. I worry that he'd have the balance of speed and stamina that Golden Horn had. In the end I've gone with a proven Classic family and what I think was the best trial performance and that is Best Solution. I've a lot of time for Dubai Thunder but think he may find things happening too fast. Permian has good form and is obviously tough but I only see him getting a place. I am being awfully dismissive of the Coolmore horses but I haven't really been impressed by their trial performances. They'll probably fill the first 3 places!

 

This years Derby makes me wish I was never born.

 

Just think of all those horse that would have been before your time

 

Believe he's living in Switzerland now with his new partner, doubt very much if he's too interested nowadays? Always remember old Lester as a real tight-ass sod?

 

He'd fight anyone for 50p apparently.

Living in low tax Switzerland eh? Figures.

 

Mirage Dancer is out and ive changed my mind on Cracksman.

Backing Eminent 7/1 and moving on with my life.

 

Timeform have the fav as a cert today

 

Did not stay

 

Delighted for Frankie that he was able to win the Oaks again for John Gosden, who will be pleased to have provided Nathaniel with his first domestic Classic winner ahead of Frankel. I wonder if Mr Gosden wanted to punch that chump’s lights out for introducing him as “Johnny G” at the presentations (unless he has a secret career as a rapper).

It looked pretty clear to me that Rhododendron did not stay and once Enable had got the upper hand, Ryan just accepted it. Add to that I am not entirely sure that the favourite was that happy on the track as she seemed to be hanging on the camber when the pair of them were side by side at the distance.

 

Douglas Macarthur and Khalidi both 25/1 both ew in the Derby, reverse forecast also.

 

She didn't stay as well as Enable but had Enable not been there, she would have been called an impressive winner, easing up. And in the conditions she probably didn't register a bad time either. I think time may tell that it was no disgrace to go down to Enable and she might well be capable of winning at 12f. I expect though that she will be kept to 10f at most. Anyone who listened to AOB before racing would not have backed her today as he didn't seem too confident about her staying 12f. I definitely thought I'd done my "money" on her after that interview and was glad I had a saver on Enable.

 

With a pedigree like Enable's in today's breeding market there will be serious limitations. Where could she go?

 

Watching the Oaks back probably worth pointing out that it was Ballydoyle's own pacemaker who set a fast gallop on rain softened ground which worked against the favourite. The only possible chink in her was stamina having shown high level form over the mile so it seems their own tactics ultimately exposed the fillie's weakness. Not often the boys in dark blue get these things wrong but they did yesterday. Not taking anything away from the winner, she was clearly the better filly at the trip but the Ballydoyle tactics, for once, weren't perfect.

 

To Frankel?

 

I will assume from the answer that has already been given – her owner’s most famous stallion – that you meant after she is retired.

As to where she goes while still racing, this could be very interesting because of who trains her.

The obvious place to go is the Irish Oaks, but what about the King George? Gosden went there with Taghrooda as the top three year old colts tend to shun it nowadays. Also, given the trainer’s recent record, surely Town Moor for the St Leger comes into calculations via the Yorkshire Oaks.

 

That would be the craziest mating, horse with five legs and two heads anyone?
Think she will go to the Yorkshire Oaks, maybe King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, because the Derby winner looks no great shakes, his pedigree would suggest a St Leger, but they'll be too scared he might have to go straight to the NH pool.