Fickle...
Fickle, dear reader, that's the only way to describe it.
I am of course talking about the mindset of racehorse owners who decide to move their horses to another yard.
In this case, I refer specifically to Alan Dee who, with only the second horse he has owned outright, has decided that Julia Feilden is not good enough to train Spirit of Sharjah any more.
After all, the same trainer who got his part-owned Dance World to win four races, had only managed to land a touch from 16/1 into 10's on debut for him, and then win a Listed race at Goodwood.
Oh yeah, and she trained the colt to finish third behind Winker Watson in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot. Pathetic training feat for a woman with just over 20 horses..
The horse will now be housed at Peter Chapple-Hyam's Boarding School For Extremely Talented Juveniles and, while I rate the trainer the best with 2yo's, I still gall at the fickle nature of the decision to relocate the animal.
Julia is a very fine trainer. Dee's complaint that she has no comparable horses to run Sharjah against is only partially true. Its certainly the case that she has no equally able juveniles, but she has speedy animals such as my own (in part) Rapid City who, whilst on the crocked list again now, had been working with Sharjah recently.
As an older horse, he is bigger and stronger and has been a good galloping partner for the most precocious beast Julia's had the privelege to train to date.
If Dee felt that his horse was going to be so good, why didn't he send it to P C-H in the first place? Answer: because not only did Julia train him to those aforementioned great feats, she also spotted him at the sales and bought him for the relatively paltry sum of £30,000.
So, she has made Dee's dreams come true and he has now shattered hers. I'm afraid I am not a fan of this kind of disloyalty and I almost wish Sharjah misfortune hereafter. Almost, but not quite. Because as much as I dislike disloyalty, I despise wishing ill of others even when their behaviour might justify it.
Other news, and Dundalk is preparing to open its doors as Ireland's first all weather track. Preliminary gallops were held yesterday and there's a plan for four trial races next week. The first fixtures are pencilled in from end September (starting 27th), and they have floodlights fitted for evening action too.
There is a growing trend towards dirt racing in these isles now, and this will lead to better racing on the surface. I'm all in favour of this, as I think that there are so many more consistencies about dirt racing that make it a much more palatable punting proposition.
Allied to this is the fact that, due to the number of US bred's racing here now, many of these are much more suited to the dirt surfaces anyway.
From the picture in the Racing Post, the stand looks impressive and I'll try to get across to Dundalk in the next six months to check it out.
Also on the subject of all weather racing, Great Leighs latest opening date is October 18th, which just happens to be my birthday. Should the track actually make the date this time, I may well be there for a boozy celebration. More nearer the time...
They race at Brighton among other places today, and a couple of interest to me are Princely Ted (3.30) and Caravel (5.00). The former is trained by Rodney Farrant, a decent rider in his day in points, and they backed it like it was expected last time.
Ted finished second that day and is expected to improve for an extra quarter mile. Farrant rode often for Martin Pipe and will doubtless have picked up a few tips about training horses for stamina from there, and this boy could gallop them senseless.
Caravel was also punted last time, when upped to a mile for the first time on his handicap bow for Sir Mark Prescott. The familiar tactic just failed though, and there'll likely be a few money back missions today. The race looks to have limited depth today, and he will be thereabouts.
At Yarmouth tonight, Mickmacmagoole has a good chance. I layed him to my cost in the past, when he won at 15/8 on fast ground. He drowned in the bog at the Curragh last time, and this surface will be much more up his street in a less competitive affair.
The horse comes over from Tipperary (to where, as we all know, its a long way), and Jamie Spencer reacquaints himself as a previous winning rider. 10/3 was available this morning and a bit bigger on the exchanges. I'd expect this to shorten (though I'm no special judge of these things).
Over at Pontefract, I'm going to oppose Divine Spirit for the cakes. He's high in the weights now and has an awful draw (pretty strong low bias over sprint trips, he's got 12 of 13). Although he's on the hat-trick and Rroyston 'the Boyston' Ffrench is riding, I'll take Kings College Boy and Dark Champion each way against him.
In the same race, Ryedane is due a win and, if he lines up after running yesterday, may also go close.
They also race at Newcastle, a track at which I don't remember ever backing a winner in my life, so I'll spare you my thoughts on the contests there today!
Back later with some thoughts on League One footy this season. (Incidentally, the Racing Post football pullout is published with the paper today. If you can get hold of a copy, do it. Apart from headlining Bournemouth for relegation - how very dare they?! - it's a cracking read).
Matt
I am of course talking about the mindset of racehorse owners who decide to move their horses to another yard.
In this case, I refer specifically to Alan Dee who, with only the second horse he has owned outright, has decided that Julia Feilden is not good enough to train Spirit of Sharjah any more.
After all, the same trainer who got his part-owned Dance World to win four races, had only managed to land a touch from 16/1 into 10's on debut for him, and then win a Listed race at Goodwood.
Oh yeah, and she trained the colt to finish third behind Winker Watson in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot. Pathetic training feat for a woman with just over 20 horses..
The horse will now be housed at Peter Chapple-Hyam's Boarding School For Extremely Talented Juveniles and, while I rate the trainer the best with 2yo's, I still gall at the fickle nature of the decision to relocate the animal.
Julia is a very fine trainer. Dee's complaint that she has no comparable horses to run Sharjah against is only partially true. Its certainly the case that she has no equally able juveniles, but she has speedy animals such as my own (in part) Rapid City who, whilst on the crocked list again now, had been working with Sharjah recently.
As an older horse, he is bigger and stronger and has been a good galloping partner for the most precocious beast Julia's had the privelege to train to date.
If Dee felt that his horse was going to be so good, why didn't he send it to P C-H in the first place? Answer: because not only did Julia train him to those aforementioned great feats, she also spotted him at the sales and bought him for the relatively paltry sum of £30,000.
So, she has made Dee's dreams come true and he has now shattered hers. I'm afraid I am not a fan of this kind of disloyalty and I almost wish Sharjah misfortune hereafter. Almost, but not quite. Because as much as I dislike disloyalty, I despise wishing ill of others even when their behaviour might justify it.
Other news, and Dundalk is preparing to open its doors as Ireland's first all weather track. Preliminary gallops were held yesterday and there's a plan for four trial races next week. The first fixtures are pencilled in from end September (starting 27th), and they have floodlights fitted for evening action too.
There is a growing trend towards dirt racing in these isles now, and this will lead to better racing on the surface. I'm all in favour of this, as I think that there are so many more consistencies about dirt racing that make it a much more palatable punting proposition.
Allied to this is the fact that, due to the number of US bred's racing here now, many of these are much more suited to the dirt surfaces anyway.
From the picture in the Racing Post, the stand looks impressive and I'll try to get across to Dundalk in the next six months to check it out.
Also on the subject of all weather racing, Great Leighs latest opening date is October 18th, which just happens to be my birthday. Should the track actually make the date this time, I may well be there for a boozy celebration. More nearer the time...
They race at Brighton among other places today, and a couple of interest to me are Princely Ted (3.30) and Caravel (5.00). The former is trained by Rodney Farrant, a decent rider in his day in points, and they backed it like it was expected last time.
Ted finished second that day and is expected to improve for an extra quarter mile. Farrant rode often for Martin Pipe and will doubtless have picked up a few tips about training horses for stamina from there, and this boy could gallop them senseless.
Caravel was also punted last time, when upped to a mile for the first time on his handicap bow for Sir Mark Prescott. The familiar tactic just failed though, and there'll likely be a few money back missions today. The race looks to have limited depth today, and he will be thereabouts.
At Yarmouth tonight, Mickmacmagoole has a good chance. I layed him to my cost in the past, when he won at 15/8 on fast ground. He drowned in the bog at the Curragh last time, and this surface will be much more up his street in a less competitive affair.
The horse comes over from Tipperary (to where, as we all know, its a long way), and Jamie Spencer reacquaints himself as a previous winning rider. 10/3 was available this morning and a bit bigger on the exchanges. I'd expect this to shorten (though I'm no special judge of these things).
Over at Pontefract, I'm going to oppose Divine Spirit for the cakes. He's high in the weights now and has an awful draw (pretty strong low bias over sprint trips, he's got 12 of 13). Although he's on the hat-trick and Rroyston 'the Boyston' Ffrench is riding, I'll take Kings College Boy and Dark Champion each way against him.
In the same race, Ryedane is due a win and, if he lines up after running yesterday, may also go close.
They also race at Newcastle, a track at which I don't remember ever backing a winner in my life, so I'll spare you my thoughts on the contests there today!
Back later with some thoughts on League One footy this season. (Incidentally, the Racing Post football pullout is published with the paper today. If you can get hold of a copy, do it. Apart from headlining Bournemouth for relegation - how very dare they?! - it's a cracking read).
Matt
posted by Matt at
09:23
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