Replay of the big race today, the Prince of Wales Stakes.
http://youtu.be/LTXNBOyA2rM
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So You think… what a hunk of a horse!! Absolutely gorgeous animal, looks like a prizefighter.
Up next in the big race at Ascot today, the Prince of Wales Stakes G1 over 10f.[/QUOTE]
Seriously! Do you think they would bring him over for the BC?
3rd race on Friday schedule is Chef Bobby Flay’s Breeders Cup JV filly winner More Than Real and she has an excellent chance to win.
Independent 6-17-2011 “Pletcher filly looks More Than Real deal for Coronation prize”
As such, it seems curious that double-figure odds are available against More Than Real, who has been sent all this way by the top trainer in the US, Todd Pletcher. Admittedly, she must prove herself on easier ground in the Coronation Stakes, and has not been seen since November. But horses with dirt pedigrees sometimes find deeper turf highly congenial, while that last public sighting was at the Breeders’ Cup itself – and in the winner’s circle.
It hasn’t been a good meet for the American entries thus far.
Past Performances for FRI Ascot races (pdf)
The Coronation Stakes (Group 1) is at 1-mi and More Than Real will be ridden by Olivier Peslier. As for the background on her: Former Saratoga winner More Than Real to race in Royal Ascot
More Than Real made her debut at Saratoga last Aug. 14 for TYB Stable trained by Mechanicville native Chad Brown, easily winning a maiden special weight on the turf. TYB subsequently sold the filly to Flay, who transferred her from Brown’s barn to Pletcher.
The daughter of More Than Ready returned to finish second in the Grade 3 Natalma in Canada before winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Churchill Downs. In the latter race, she handed Winter Memories, another Saratoga maiden winner who is now widely considered one of the best turf females in the country, her only career loss.
Questions about British Racing
I know they do not have a long time meet as we do in the US like at Belmont or SA, but since they stay at Ascot for almost a week, I assume they have stabling. But perhaps not as detailed as American tracks?
Also can you explain why if a horse has a saddle towel of 1, why he might draw a 5 post position?
I also wonder where they gallop their horses while they are at Ascot. Assuming they are not allowed onthe course itself?
And lastly, why do they allow people to walk across the course in front of horses who are running? That seems crazy!
Saddle cloth numbers are separate from gate numbers in Europe. Horses are numbered by weight, high to low (I.e highest weight is no. 1) or by alphabethical order if carrying the same weight. Gate draw is separate.
Most local horses ship In on the day of the race, those from further away and overseas are stabled on course. I don’t know how many stables they have, but probably a couple of hundred. With 20+ runners in many races you need that for even a one day meet.
I believe that horses that are stabled there through the week gallop on the jumps course which is inside the main course… Jumps course is only used in the winter. Since the $200m refurbishment a couple of years ago they have done away with permanent jumps and now use portable, which is why you don’t see jumps on the jumps course anymore.
People walking on the course is deceiving, the camera shot down the straight course (which is a mile long, dead straight) gives the impression that they are close to the horses when in fact they are probably 3 of 4 furlongs away.
Thank you!
It’s a sad state of affairs when an owner (Bobby Flay) says that his filly (More Than Real) “runs better fresh”, and that “she’s peaking at the right time.” Good grief, this was the 4th race (she’d only run 3 times when he made these declarations!) of her career so how can you possibly determine a pattern from so little experience:confused:
More than Real looked like she didn’t handle the course at all, very unbalanced, almost thought she was going to go down on a couple of times. I guess this was her first time on an undulating course.
Hell of an impressive race from the French filly Immortal Verse though. Here’s the replay of the Coronation Stakes G1, 3yo filles 1 mile on the round course.
http://youtu.be/5Wvqu5Hzl4Q
Gai Waterhouse
Yesterday, just before the Queen Alexandra, TVG introduced Gai Waterhouse to American viewers.
Gai is a absolute legend. She has trained almost 100 G1 winners, over 300 graded stakes winners and a super classy lady to boot.
The only other female trainer that comes anywhere close to that kind of resume is Criquette Head (Freddie Head’s sister), but she wouldn’t be quite the character Gai is.
Thanks for posting. I somehow missed the interview, but heard Simon was quite enamored;)
Her Majesty the Queen’s horse Carlton House ran in today’s (June 26, 2011) Irish Derby and stood a good chance to take the victory. Alas it wasn’t to be and wasn’t thwarted by a lost shoe although he was only a length of so away from victory.
Video replay: Irish Derby 2011 at the Curragh
Guardian June 26, 2011: “Aidan O’Brien wins ninth Irish Derby as Carlton House finishes fourth”
John Warren, the Queen’s racing manager, made little comment afterwards other than to acknowledge that Carlton House ran “flat”, while the son of Street Cry is likely to drop back in trip to a mile and a quarter for his next start. “We were waiting for something to happen but it didn’t,” Sir Michael Stoute, his trainer, said. “We will put him back in distance.”
I suspect it will be doubtful that the Queen will ship him to the Breeders’ Cup although that would be interesting and a first.
