york

Agree with you about the Midday ride. He always produces the mare too soon - she gets away with it in softer races like the Nassau bu this week's International was Epsom all over again.

I disagree about Queally this time. He was tracking Await The Dawn (who in reallity was seen as the the main danger not doubt by him and nearly everyone else) and ATD just started paddling. What was Queally supposed to do half pull Midday up so something else could go past her? Not the same as the last race, Await The Dawn ran awfully forcing Queally to take it up and then she got nabbed on the line by Twice Over. Things like that happen.

Oh and I was a Midday backer BTW.

*no doubt

First  TQ

I think Tom is still relatively new to the big time, and he has time to yet develop his skills and tactics etc. he is not without hope but he really must start learning from past mistakes and he must improve to hold on to what is returning to being the best job in British horse racing.

Previous Henry Cecil jockeys like Lester and Steve Cauthon knew what to do and were always in the right place. You can generally say the same now about current top jockeys like JP Murtagh, Frankie, Keiron and the much improved Frank Spencer.

Tom has developed an unfortunate habit of being in the wrong place. Now some of this is luck okay but some is definitely not luck.

in respect to Midday, why was it that Twice Over was not left in front when ATD got tired? I think this is because I Mongon rode a good tactical race (unlike TQ), using his horse's strength at the correct part of the race - the last furlong.

I actually don't have this bad luck stuff about TQ's ride of Midday at York. If you have a horse with serious speed you use it at the end of the race. Yet again TQ was riding Midday, quite unnecessarily, before the 2 furlong poll at York. he had no business being where he was at that stage of the race. if he had just counted down the furlong markers better, and waited until he had seen the number 1 before asking her to quicken she would have beaten Twice Over, good horse though he undoubtedly is. At york I was shouting "not too soon Tom, and WAIT WAIT WAIT", but he just went all out for her at the 2 furlong poll. A terrible error of judgement guaranteed to see her set up as a sitting duck for a finisher. It was Epsom all over agin, and yes he did come far to soon in at least 3 of her other wins - at Goodwood this year and last, and when she won the Yorkshire Oaks last year. Its a shame for Midday because she is better than her rider has allowed her to show, her turn of foot is exceptional and yet she is never allowed to use it at the key part of her races.

In answer to your question cruise d, TQ firstly should have been further back so he wasn't left in front. Secondly the choice you outline is not reasonable. TQ would not have had to take a pull on Midday when AWTD weakened. All he needed to was just sit still for a furlong - she quickens very well from the front; its after she has quickened away that she then starts to idle. I personally believe Tom got it wrong again on Sunday and his "going too soon" tactic on Timepiece cost Henry another winner.

All this is also in the context of TQ trying to go for a 5 furlong finishing burst on Frankel at Royal Ascot!

Henry could get rid of TQ and offer the job to JP Murtagh instead. If he had one so at the start of the season, he would have had another 3 group 1 winners in all probability. its not a situation that can go on for too much longer. TQ must shape up soon or face the inevitable. This would be very sad.

York though was great this year. The Saturday Ebor was, (sadly) a success. I only saw 2 incidents of really terrible behaviour, both requiring a number of bizzies to quell the half witted drunken klarts involved. The going was pretty iffy making the racing a tad tricky to predict, but that's not the fault of the course or the drains or anything imo. If you have a few serious deluges and inches of rain, then you get frying weather and showers, the sort of dead/sticky/holding ground is what you will get.

Highlights were (aside from Magot did, who fortunately for me never drifted enough to allow me to lay off my investments on here at 50-40 to be laid off) the win of Best Terms, who (aftertiming aside from my winning bets Sint) was a very generous price for a Queen Mary winner, and Fallon's tour de force about York Glory in the last race - is there a better jockey at finding a way through near the end of a race?

cruise d...I disagree with you about Queally's ride last week. He wasn't tracking Await The Dawn. He'd moved up to challenge him and had in fact gone past him by the time Await The Dawn came under pressure. It was an inexplicable move given what we all know about Midday. It was going to be a very long way home from there whether ATD picked up or not. I'm not being wise after the event: I predicted it as he made his move. I'm not particularly anti-Queally. Never said a word about his Coronation Cup and St James's Palace rides but this showed a failure to learn from past mistakes.

The jockey probably feels she's travelling so well that he needs to go for home - but she seems to idle in front and becomes vulnerable to a challenge. John Francome commented before the York race how she had needed to effectively win the race twice in the 2010 Nassau Stakes. Just once I would like to see her held up to challenge last of all to see how she does.

COT

A bit undecided about the Midday ride at York, actually just thought it was a good race and Twice Over is always under rated.

However I agree completely over about Timepiece yesterday, a Group 1 winner over a mile, her speed should have been conserved rather than be made vulnerable to a better stayer.

As far as Midday is concerned, if it came up no worse than good, would love to see her take her chance in the Arc. Unlikely as Cecil will probaly want to win the Ascot money and Juddmonte have a few options, but I really do see her going close given the opportunity

Yeah my first time over from Ireland to York, no where near Cheltenham for atmosphere etc but as a racecourse and location certainly a top drawer spot. Will return sometime.