Quote Originally Posted by Sofoulis View Post
I will put this to you both: If the plan is for the horse to go forward because its only chance of winning is to lead (consistent with the change of tactics notified), and it is made to work extremely hard for that lead....... she would have had two choices:
1. Restrain the horse and therefore forgo any chance of winning within the first 200metres
2. Continue to work to the front, try back off and steal a couple of quarters so the horse still has something in the tank for the run home

Under option 2 the horse is still given the most chance of winning out of the two scenarios given the circumstances. She cannot be blamed / penalised for circumstances that are outside of her control.

In my view, the result of this drive should not be a generalised comment that she cannot judge pace.......because, like has been said many times on this site already, her preferred driving style is to lead, where she dictates the pace........ and she has extremely good results by doing this. If you don't like this one drive because of circumstances, so be it... but also, let's talk about her drive on SSL that enabled that horse to beat (whilst in front) Beautide (acknowledge this was mentioned in an earlier post) or the many drives she has had on my horses that only won because of her drive rather than the horse's raw ability...

In short, the stewards were satisfied, the trainer is satisfied, the connections will show their satisfaction (or otherwise) when they choose to put her on RR next or not........ and all of these people are closer to the horse and tactics than any of us on this site.
You make a massive assumption there Adam. That the horse's ONLY chance of winning is to lead.
You must also recognize that there is a limit to what you can do in the first Q of a race no matter how easy you run the 2nd and 3rd Q's.
As a fair athlete in my day a couple of times I experienced what can happen if you go too hard too early

With a preferred driving style of leading, I think she and you should be thanking the trainer first and foremost and be grateful for the all front and long straights of Menangle. There would not be many drivers who would not prefer to be in front but the Tritton horses seem to have the engine to lead more than most - I think there are several drivers in Vic that could keep Tritton's strike rate intact if Lauren was not available.
I did not intend it to sound like I do not think she can judge pace but I would like to know if the stewards determined that she knew on this occasion what an impossible task she set this M0 horse

In short the stewards were not entirely satisfied or else they would not question Lauren, the trainer is her partner and is not going to say anything different and as you said the connections we do not know but are unlikely to sack their trainers choice over one drive.

This thread was started by Bailey who was disappointed with the stewards lack of action. Are you saying that we should never question the stewards?
As for whether who is closest to the horse is the best judge - no doubt that is sometimes true.
On a forum where we enjoy tossing around opinions they are most definitely NOT the be all and end all.