All,
Is it just me, or is this years ID very average to say the least?
Apart from say the top 6 (no particular order) - Smoken Up / Mr Feelgood / I'm The Mighty Quinn / Waishakie / Auckland Reactor / Raglan, geez they seem to be an average lot. Certainly there are 'nice' horses, but by geez, the class level drops away by some margin from the top 6 to the rest. I'm not saying the others aren't good horses on their day, but our Grand Circuit to be fair is poor if we can only find 6 genuine topliners (and I'm being kind including Raglan in the top lot!)
I have to say (and wasn't the only one), but the recent Hunter Cup was WAY DOWN on it's general standard and apart from the emotion an ID brings and the appeal potential of the spectacle WA racing brings, the actual fields disappoint me.
Am I being too harsh or expecting too much or am I on the money and not the only one feeling the same?
With Smoken Up and ITMQ being so far ahead of everyone not many have bothered to make the trip west. Why travel all that way to get beat when you can stay at home and have a chance of winning type thing. So rather than the 2nd teir horses (Melpark Major, Karloo Mick, Villagem etc) racing behind Smoken Up and ITMQ it will be the 3rd and 4th teir horses (Bus To Harland, Mysta Magical Mach, Scan Air).
Predictable quinellas in the first two heats, the third heat more interesting. It is a long trip for little reward for some of the lesser lights, hence the fields are full of locals that would never be considered worthy of travelling east.
That said the final will still be a cracker. ITMQ at home v Smoken Up v Auckland Reactor. If all horses are on song ... now thats a race!!!
The only horse I can see not there is Sushi Sushi, what else is around that you could say are genuine winning chances???
Sorry Geoff, that's not the point I was trying to make. I could name another 6-10 who in my opinion should be there, but probably not up to winning also, however what I was getting at was the fact that from 40 horses, we really have only 5-6 who are considered genuine top class at the GC level and to me, that's disappointing.Originally Posted by geoffkel
All I'm saying in it's current state, the GC 'class' to me is disappointing when we can only find 5-6 that would compete with other years (again I'm being kind to Raglan who to be fair, 'just' and only just makes that 6)
I should say, I'm probably being too kind too Raglan out of respect for the colours of the barn he wears and their record in big races, not so much the horse itself and his record thus far which fundamentally reads nothing more than just being a very nice horse.
Last edited by Zyuganov Leis; 02-17-2012 at 01:19 PM.
Let's hope Sushi is there next year at Menangle.
As the four best horses IMHO are each in different heats tonight , does anyone know how the fields were selected ? Were they all in a ballot and this is how they panned out or were they hand- selected to get ID012 off to a flying start?
If all the obvious horses make the final and throw in the likes of Saucy Legend,Chromac Johnny, Lombo Navigator,Dasher VC ( definitely a second tier horse), Lombo Pocket Watch and maybe one or two others I think you will have a final every bit as good or better than 2009, 2010 & 2011. Craig, I think you are being a bit unkind to Raglan, just have a look at the 2010 final - Atomic Ark, Awesome Armbro, Baileys Dream, Sammy Maguire - I mean who the hell are they - 4th tier horses if ever there was. Take the champ Blacks a Fake out of the last three inters and I think they are an ordinary lot apart from the usual top three. It seems your N.S.W, Vic horse don't want to venture anywhere, quite comfortable rugged up in their boxes in cold wet Melbourne. Even Auckland last year apart from the usual suspect ( Smoken Up) only 2 others Villagem and Captain Joy( bless their little hearts) showed up. All the eastern states and NZ horses have thrived in the west since they have been here obviously glad to get a bit of warmth into them. There's good money to be made from all the heats; if the stay at homers think they are good enough they should be over here so there's no excuse for staying home.
I would have liked to have seen Sir Lincoln make the trip from NZ to Perth. He is absolutely flying and in career best form right now.
I agree with this David. He's a horse like your Franco Jamar's, Excel Stride's along with the outstanding Sushi Sushi though who are all being looked after for next season and beyond.
Good times ahead in the future, touch wood.
Last edited by Zyuganov Leis; 02-17-2012 at 03:07 PM.
I'm sorry Rod, doesn't my post include Raglan in the top 5-6 horses and I also say "he's a very nice horse".
If you got the context of what I'm saying, I'm paying him further respect due to the colours of the camp he's in and their record. He is a very nice horse and probably likely to win a big race in the future, what seems to be your issue?
Also as a rule, many more horses travel West from the Eastern Seaboard than head East from your part of the world, is that not correct? They get turned into Lear Jets when they enter certain barns over there. Oop's silly me, must be that great weather... The others that go from East to West get drilled and end up running around as claimers or in 2900mtr standing start races forever and a day...
We Eastern seaboarders sell our horses to you WA guys because their no good anymore here, not the other way around. I think off memory you've had one in Dartmoor who found his way here and was running around under claiming conditions.
With your comments re; Baileys Dream and the like - he won over $600,000 / Atomic Ark over $400,000 / Awesome Armbro $300,000 and Sammy Maguire $200,000. Not bad for 4th tier horses I would think? Any of them could pick the grass in my backyard any day.
Somehow I don't see too many of yours travel to the Eastern Seaboard consistently if your saying their that good. If they are, why aren't they plundering the bigger money over here or is it just as easy for you lot to stay at home which your criticising our trainers for doing?
Last edited by Zyuganov Leis; 02-17-2012 at 03:06 PM.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote