Across the pond

[Northport]

I can already see it now: Van Gogh retires at the end of his three year old season, winless, but his adverts will read "Champion Juvenile by American Pharoah!"

You could get a job in their marketing department!
Maybe one of their newbies will come up lacking and he’ll be scooted off like Holy Roman Emperor without another start.
With Ballydoyle colts you always feel like no one know who the best is anyway and they’re just throwing them all in to see which one sticks...
Van Gogh might have just reached the peak of career standing in his stall

It was like when they advertised Caravaggio (or was it Ten Sovereigns? Or US Navy Flag? Maybe all three) as a "Champion Three Year Old Sprinter" .... uh, that isn't a category? All had one G1 win as a three year old. Though European Sprinters are always a mixed bag and there isn't usually a horse who can get two, let alone three G1 wins in a season unless you're Muhaarar

[CorridorZ75]

Well Mac Swiney beat a horse in One Ruler who had bested Van Gogh in his last so... the field wasn't that poor. Basically, Coolmore needs a Ballydoyle champion out of AMerican Pharoah more than they need one out of Siyouni so there you go. Hell, the fact Battleground was in the top four over a horse in Supremacy who won a G1 and G2 also is telling.

[TurfLover]

Well Mac Swiney beat a horse in One Ruler who had bested Van Gogh in his last so... the field wasn't that poor. Basically, Coolmore needs a Ballydoyle champion out of AMerican Pharoah more than they need one out of Siyouni so there you go. Hell, the fact Battleground was in the top four over a horse in Supremacy who won a G1 and G2 also is telling.

Supremacy was my vote really thought Mehmas had a good chance of being a first crop leading sire with a champion two year old.
But Ballydoyle...

[TurfLover]

I can already see it now: Van Gogh retires at the end of his three year old season, winless, but his adverts will read "Champion Juvenile by American Pharoah!"

You could get a job in their marketing department!
Maybe one of their newbies will come up lacking and he’ll be scooted off like Holy Roman Emperor without another start.
With Ballydoyle colts you always feel like no one know who the best is anyway and they’re just throwing them all in to see which one sticks...
Van Gogh might have just reached the peak of career standing in his stall

It was like when they advertised Caravaggio (or was it Ten Sovereigns? Or US Navy Flag? Maybe all three) as a "Champion Three Year Old Sprinter" .... uh, that isn't a category? All had one G1 win as a three year old. Though European Sprinters are always a mixed bag and there isn't usually a horse who can get two, let alone three G1 wins in a season unless you're Muhaarar

Ugh so trueee.
Champion 3 yo miler too. I reckon Circus Maximus will be advertised as Champion Miler at 3 and 4 or such.
I get they have to make their stallions appealing but everything being a champion is on par with Justify as the only undefeated triple crown winner

[Flanders]

I can already see it now: Van Gogh retires at the end of his three year old season, winless, but his adverts will read "Champion Juvenile by American Pharoah!"

You could get a job in their marketing department!
Maybe one of their newbies will come up lacking and he’ll be scooted off like Holy Roman Emperor without another start.
With Ballydoyle colts you always feel like no one know who the best is anyway and they’re just throwing them all in to see which one sticks...
Van Gogh might have just reached the peak of career standing in his stall

It was like when they advertised Caravaggio (or was it Ten Sovereigns? Or US Navy Flag? Maybe all three) as a "Champion Three Year Old Sprinter" .... uh, that isn't a category? All had one G1 win as a three year old. Though European Sprinters are always a mixed bag and there isn't usually a horse who can get two, let alone three G1 wins in a season unless you're Muhaarar

I want to put this at the start as I've edited this like 10 times. hahaha

It is sort of a category, this is the thing though. Cartier Award winners are like the Champions of Champions of Europe. Then they use Timeform ratings to rate each category, a lot being by age and distance, then they split them and do them again by country. They just don't make a big deal about them. But they like to use these when they advertise stallions and you'll see them in sales catalogs as well.

Here is an example from the Dansili article where his pensioning was announced: "Dansili has sired 127 black-type winners (9% from foals of racing age) and 75 graded/group winners to date. His top runners include three champions: Dank, 2013 Eclipse champion grass mare; Flintshire, 2016 Eclipse champion grass horse; and Dan Tucket, Scandinavian champion 3-year-old. He had numerous highweight designees in England, Ireland, France, Germany, and Italy. "

So I really don't know what to call it, they definitely shouldn't be using Champion. It should be Highweight but Champion looks better when you are creating spin for a stallion. Because in the end all it is, is that horse ran the best one race of that age/distance group, it doesn't mean they were the best.

[MySaladDays]

Australia Ascot had a great card tonight. That's why I'm still up.

Winterbottom Stakes was great. Field of 16 for this Group 1. Trekking didn't bring it (the chalk)

Nice to see these kinds of odds when you wager too
13 $53.60 $18.20 $14.10
16 . $6.50 $4.00
2 . . $18.00

Couple Street Crys did well tonight.

[Northport]

Frodon wins the King George Chase with Briony Frost aboard at 20-1! First female jockey to ever win the historic race

[Diver52]

Frodon wins the King George Chase with Briony Frost aboard at 20-1! First female jockey to ever win the historic race

I can't even watch steeplechasing--I can't imagine how much courage it takes to ride in one! Well done to horse and rider.

[KatieD]

Frodon wins the King George Chase with Briony Frost aboard at 20-1! First female jockey to ever win the historic race

She rode such a fantastic tactical race, and Frodon answered every call she made of him; they’re such a partnership, it’s a joy to watch. The weight carrying performance he put up in the October race (the Matchbook Exchange Handicap Chase) looked Denman-esque at the time, and looks even better now Cloth Cap has franked it.
Roll on Cheltenham - I think these two will win the Gold Cup.

[KatieD]

For anyone interested in some National Hunt history, there is a superb documentary just released about Dawn Run on Irish channel TG4:
https://www.tg4.ie/en/player/categories ... ode=607424

(English subtitles are available on it). For those who aren’t familiar with NH racing in the UK and Ireland, there are many legends and heroes, but you can still say The Mare in a conversation about the greats, and people will know you mean Dawn Run.

[stark]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... -runs.html

[Curtis]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... -runs.html

You should start a thread titled “Whataboutism”.

[Northport]

I know that Standardbred/trotter races where jockeys actually ride the horses is a norm in Europe, but every now and then I watch a replay and it's just... funny? I know it's an industry and peoples' livelihoods, but like, jockeys bouncing around on the trotters, half the field breaking stride and pulling out, then the winning jockey purposely dropping his reins and fist pumping in celebration three strides before the line but it's not that big of a deal because the horse is really just trotting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQiHxrVS1_8

[BaroqueAgain1]

Just trotting? I remember reading an interview with Julie Krone, who rode the great trotting mare, Moni Maker, to a ridden trotting record. Julie was amazed at how fast they were moving, and that it was a challenging ride.
I've seen some ridden pacer/trotter races from Australia, as well as from Europe. Interestingly, those Down Under races were at 1 3/8th-mile distances, instead of our common 1-mile.

[Flanders]

Okay, I just don't understand something. I know that most countries in Europe have their year end high weights for different age/sex/distances, which are almost considered champions.

But I thought the Cartier Awards were like the top European horse awards? I ask this because Van Gogh was named Cartier Champion 2yo.

However, according to this: https://theownerbreeder.com/news/st-mar ... -year-old/
St. Mark's Basilica was named European Champion 2yo.

[Northport]

Okay, I just don't understand something. I know that most countries in Europe have their year end high weights for different age/sex/distances, which are almost considered champions.

But I thought the Cartier Awards were like the top European horse awards? I ask this because Van Gogh was named Cartier Champion 2yo.

However, according to this: https://theownerbreeder.com/news/st-mar ... -year-old/
St. Mark's Basilica was named European Champion 2yo.

From what I gathered Van Gogh was voted champion two year old at the Cartier awards, but St. Mark's Basilica was rated the highest by handicappers in terms of Official Ratings, Timeform Ratings, whatever they call them

[Northport]

*DISTURBING IMAGE*

Gordon Elliott, one or Ireland’s top jump trainers, is in hot water after a photo of him sitting on a dead horse at his stables’ gallops has circulated across social media. Elliott released a statement saying he is cooperating with the investigation... but no outright denial or rebuttal yet.

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.dailyma ... faces.html

Many think (or hope?) it’s photoshopped. I hope it is. He’s not exactly a small guy, and something about how his body looks like it’s hovering over the horse’s barrel looks off. Maybe wishful thinking. If it is real, his career could be over.

edited to add: the photo is real

https://www.racingpost.com/news/latest/ ... age/475540

[Mylute]

I want to know who took the picture on Snapchat and captioned it.

[BaroqueAgain1]

According to Elliot, it is an old photo. He tries to provide some context in this Racingpost article:
https://www.racingpost.com/news/latest/ ... age/475540
Even if everything he says is true, I just can't get past the fact that he SAT DOWN ON TOP OF a horse from his own yard who died on the gallops.
I would kneel in a foot of mud before I did that to a horse.

[TurfLover]

I want to know who took the picture on Snapchat and captioned it.

I don't know when it was taken (although for some reason one of the things I've read seems to have suggested it was some time ago) but you almost feel that the person who took it must have known that circulating it would have a knock on effect. Surely no one is dumb enough to think that that will have no repercussions.
Maybe someone has recently lost a job or the like, wanted payback against Elliot. I can't see why else it would suddenly reappear after all this time. He never seemed like the type to have a lot of friends (although my evidence of that is how he toadies up to the weasel that is O'Leary).
And it has utterly thrown racing under the bus in national coverage.


BaroqueAgain - I've mentioned this in a different thread but I honestly am revolted by it. I've seen my fair share of dead stock and I don't think I've ever met a farmer or an owner that would do anything like that. It shows an incredibly callous attitude and not one that we want in the sport.