ZOOWRAA - best Guineas outsider?

Personally, I don't fancy her.  The Radley Stakes hardly ever produces a genuinely top class filly and I doubt if Zoowraa is good enough.  She was never more than a possible second string for Godolphin (after White Moonstone) and the intention was to run her in the French Guineas rather than at Newmarket.  If they thought she was good enough to win a Guineas I think they would have targeted the race from the outset.

i think Nova Hawk has a chance, she beat good listed winners last time, the filly which was 2nd beat Etive 4 lengths the time before, but hasn't run on quick ground. cheers.

I think that Nova Hawk has even more to find on the book than Zoowraa.  Heavy ground form looks dubious and her form last year was nothing special.  She's by Hawk Wing (whose progeny often go well on soft ground) out of a Sadler's Wells mare and I think she'll be found out on much quicker ground than anything she has raced on thus far.  Looks up against it.

James, do you think internal politics at Godolphin might have been what caused them to aim her at the French guineas? You could argue White Moonstone was the the number 1 British 2 year old filly last year and is also with their supposed better trainer.

As for the Radley stakes not producing may winners, as the horse only made her debut on the 2nd October it might be that she didn't come to hand until very late in the season and that was the only viable option left to get her in a pattern race.

It may also be that I am clutching at straws. I am still reeling from that fact that White Moonstone is injured.

I can't comment on the internal politics at Godolphin except to say that it's unlikely that they would avoid running their best horses in the best races and it shouldn't make any difference who trains them.  Mahmood Al Zarooni is making quite an impact and deserves to get the better recruits like Casamento, Dubai Prince and Zoowraa.

Incidentally, Lahan (the Guineas winner in 2000) made her debut in a 7f Redcar maiden on 2nd October (like Zoowraa) and went on to land the Gr.2 Rockfel Stakes just two weeks later.  Michael Jarvis could have thrown Zoowraa in at the deep end against the likes of Cape Dollar, Cochabamba and I Love Me, but chose instead the softer option of the Radley Stakes.

I too am gutted about White Moonstone (having backed her for the Guineas last August at 25/1).

I noticed that about Lahan, strange coincidence.

I was always a big fan of Michael Jarvis but he gave me the impression that he was quite a conservative trainer who would err on the side of caution if there where any doubts in his mind. Maybe training a horse like Rakti will do that to you. I saw him win the Lockinge on my only trip to Newbury and then had a massive bet on him to win Queen Anne when they staged it at York. Literally as the bookie handed me the slip the announcer informed everyone that he was playing up and I later read somewhere that Philip Robinson blamed it on some woman making clicking noises at the horse, even though he had asked her not too.

I digress, Mr Al Zarooni is now being asked to prep 2 horses for the first 2 classics who are really only racing because of injuries to other horses. His record so far this season is not too bad and has already had 6 winners from 15 runners. It will be interesting to see how plans for the injured horses would change should either Casamento or Zoowraa win their respective races.

Zoowraa last matched at 95, so it's looking unlikely that she will run.  Godolphin are expected to announce plans later today.

Just found this on the Sportinglife website:
Godolphin are likely to have just the one runner, Blue Bunting, with the unbeaten Zoowraa poised to head across the Channel to compete in the French equivalent.  Racing manager Simon Crisford reported: "I think probably just one filly will run, more likely Blue Bunting, and maybe Zoowraa will go for the French Guineas."

was matched at 95 earlier so somebody knows

Spidermans balls!!

The Radley Stakes hardly ever produces a genuinely top class filly

Newbury 24 Oct 2009
3:45 RBL County Poppy Appeal Stakes Registered As The Radley Stakes (Listed Race)
   
7th     Jacqueline Quest (IRE) 9/2     2     8-12      Henry Cecil   
9th      Snow Fairy       (IRE) 7/2J     2     8-12      Ed Dunlop

Well spotted, hippie! I meant to say that winners of the race hardly ever turn out to be top class.  Sil Sila, who won the Prix de Diane 15 years ago, was the last really good Radley Stakes winner.

Last matched at 44 today. Is there something going on that we don't know about?

may run after all.

dettori was jocked up for cape dollar, but isn't now.

or does that signal a possible ryan moore switch?

convinced havant doesn't want quick ground; cape dollar does and newbury form got a nice boost today.

for moore to switch, i'm thinking havant would have to be pulled out.

Dettori is still booked to ride Cape Dollar, according to the Racing Post racecard.

not sure if that's a live update


   
Barefoot Lady (IRE) 3.f

Richard Fahey

9st 0lb

104

Paul Hanagan

   
Blue Bunting (USA) 3.f

Mahmood Al Zarooni

9st 0lb

99


   
Cape Dollar (IRE) 3.f

Sir Michael Stoute

9st 0lb

105


   
Cochabamba (IRE) 3.f

Roger Teal

9st 0lb

104

Jack Mitchell

   
Elshabakiya (IRE) 3.f

Clive Brittain

9st 0lb

95

Philip Robinson

   
Empowering (IRE) 3.f

Aidan O'Brien, Ireland

9st 0lb

103


   
Havant 3.f

Sir Michael Stoute

9st 0lb

105

Ryan Moore

   
Hooray 3.f

Sir Mark Prescott Bt

9st 0lb

116

Seb Sanders

   
I Love Me 3.f

Andrew Balding

9st 0lb

103

Jimmy Fortune

   
Immortal Verse (IRE) 3.f

R. Collet, France

9st 0lb

99


   
Izzi Top 3.f

John Gosden

9st 0lb

84


   
Laughing Lashes (USA) 3.f

Mrs J. Harrington, Ireland

9st 0lb

112

F. M. Berry

   
Majestic Dubawi 3.f

Mick Channon

9st 0lb

100


   
Make A Dance (USA) 3.f

B. W. Hills

9st 0lb

86

Michael Hills

   
Maqaasid 3.f

John Gosden

9st 0lb

105

Richard Hills

   
Memory (IRE) 3.f

Richard Hannon

9st 0lb

111

Richard Hughes

   
Misty For Me (IRE) 3.f

Aidan O'Brien, Ireland

9st 0lb

113


   
Moonlight Cloud 3.f

F. Head, France

9st 0lb

113

Davy Bonilla

   
Nova Hawk 3.f

Rodolphe Collet, France

9st 0lb

108

Stephane Pasquier

   
Show Rainbow 3.f

Mick Channon

9st 0lb

98

Neil Callan

   
The Shrew 3.f

John Gosden

9st 0lb

86


   
Together (IRE) 3.f

Aidan O'Brien, Ireland

9st 0lb

110


   
Zoowraa 3.f

Mahmood Al Zarooni

9st 0lb

103

We must be looking at different sites.  Anyway, surely the likeliest explanation for Frankie getting off Cape Dollar is because he will be required to ride one of the Godolphin fillies (more likely to be Blue Bunting than Zoowraa, according to Simon Crisford), unless they're planning to give the ride to Ahmed Ajtebi (Mahmood Al Zarooni's regular pilot).  Ryan Moore will surely keep the ride on Havant.

i agree, most likely off cape dollar to ride for godolphin, maybe zoowraa after all.

but wouldn't surprise me if they didn't run on havant on ground with firm in description.

I think they'll run Havant unless the ground turns really firm.  She shouldn't have a problem handling good to firm ground so long as there is a good cover of grass.