[:grin, getting too excited, im very much a flat man

in the 80s / 90s i always bought a flat timeform annual think it was called spotlight?,really chunky book cost around £ 15 then, had all the previous years results in,  is this book still available, there was no racing books in my local smiths yesterday.

Ooh I may be wrong then Roobuck. The horse is a winner of a Dewhurst and I thought he said he would be aimed at the Guineas as first port of call ?

sintonian Date Joined: 21 Sep 04
Dont expect to here a word about the AOB runners until the 48hrs decs,though, and something similar for Stoutey.

Dont think Stoute has anything for the classics this years. His 2yo last season vere very poor

Read some thing in the RP a couple of days ago re PARISH HALL and I think Bolger said he was to go straight for the guineas as he didn't want to run it in Ireland carrying a group 1 penalty.

I've had a nightmare week and that news is just the cherry on top!!!

Sint you at Newbury tomoz?

The market on here is a little puzzling - its all Most Improved or Top Offer as well as Camelot

Personally disappointed to see you can back Nephrite at 23s though for not much money as this would indicate not much confidence or not going to turn up. I have had a small amount on Dragon Pulse at avg 49 - there has to be some value on here as I cannot believe it is a 3 horse race. What it is however is hard to say.

At this stage it looks like it may well be a very poor race

what about Tales Of Grimm for Stoutey ?

This Guineas is very interesting from a punting point of view.  Can't quite believe we've got a son of Montjeu carrying the market on his shoulders again.  Are they all mad?  Clearly.  As a guide, his best offspring by RPR from 7f-9f are, in order, St Nic, Authorized, Camelot and Motivator.  The obvious link between them all is that they posted those numbers at 2.  It is unlikely that the old man will ever get a proper runner over 8f at 3 onwards yet we're 7/1 bar one.  Of course, Coolmore will be off for their lives 'cos if they do ever land a Guineas with a Montjeu it's party time....but I'll wait for it to happen before believing and Power looks a much more obvious sort to me.  Apollo would appeal more on breeding too.

Tales Of Grimm showed a good attitude at Newbury and is in the 'could be anything' folder along with a few others.....but the horse who is already been put in the 'definitely something and could be everything' folder is ABTAAL.  A lot of talk over here on the French horses has focussed on Delzangles' two, but Hermival is a twentieth of the price Makfi was at this stage and has it all to prove, while Dragon Pulse has worryingly not received an entry in the Djebel. That could be nothing more than a plan to wait for the Fontainebleau but I'd advise extreme caution with him until that's cleared up, especially as a win in the Fontainebleau, being over the Fench 2000 C&D, would likely see the victor stay at home.  French Fifteen showed a good turn of foot to win on his last start at two and seems a potential runner, but the horse that absolutely smashed him up the time before was Abtaal, who really does look like he could be something special.  He'd have to prove a liking for fast ground if it came up rattling on the Rowley again, and it remains to be seen if his entry is anything more than speculative....but he has been entered in the Djebel which tends to be where they go if there's an eye on Newmarket, and I really rather think we might see something explosive if he trains on from two to three and comes over.  A few 'ifs' then, but 33 will look a big old price if all the ducks line up.

While not denying the obvious fact that Montjeu had yet to produce a top class miler I still was sufficiently impressed with him In the RP to have a precautionary interest for the guineas (which appears to put me in a pretty small minority on here!).

Mind you I'm the mug who backed Frankel at 33s for the Derby confident that HRAC would hardly start a guineas candidate off in a soft ground maiden over 8 furlongs so what do I know?

*guineas should read Dewhurst

I don't see the fuss about Power. he looks very well exposed as an unlikely winner of even a modest 2000 Guineas and was beaten by the bolger colt anyhow in the Dewhurst (in a bunch finish that makes the form look a bit doubtful anyhow).

Top Offer is mainly hype, but has scope I suppose.

If Camelot runs like he did at doncaster he is a likely winner, even though I accept all the stuff about Montjeu imparting too much stamina. its not that Caamelot would be a great winner, its just he looks so much better than the others he might get away with it. he is a very short price though - too short for me.

I agree about maybe Nephrite being a likelier sort. he is certainly not bred to get a mile, but he stayed on well enough over 7 in a bog so he surely will defy his pedigree, and he looks very smart.

With Aiden horses though, you never really know which one is "off" until nearer the time, and seeing which one is shortest with the magicswine is usually the way to tell.

For those not involved in the ante post markets, I would strongly advise to keep an eye on the trials as they may prove significant this year, with some, as they always do, emerging in the Greenham or Craven as miles improved for the winer break.

Despite the drift, I still have not given up hope of Born to Sea.

There are 14 entries for the Prix Djebel at Maisons-Laffitte on 5 April:

ABTAAL (Rouget); AMAAN (Rouget); FRENCH FIFTEEN (Clement); HERMIVAL (Delzangles); VANILOQUIO (Clement); ROCKINANTE (Hannon); LORD SINCLAIR (Chappet); AL MALEK (Hofer); VENETO (Guillemin); CHEZ LAURENT (Collet); ROBERT LE DIABLE (Prod'homme); PARIS BLUE (Pelletan); COUP DE THEATRE (Van De Poele); SALURE (Grizzetti).

Those entered in the 2000 Guineas: ABTAAL, FRENCH FIFTEEN, HERMIVAL.

FRENCH FIFTEEN was recently confirmed as being on course for the Guineas but I see no particular reason why he should reverse the Prix Thomas Bryon form with ABTAAL, who beat him easily that day, even allowing for the fact that the winner effectively 'stole' the race by quickening clear off a modest early pace.  ABTAAL is likely to take some beating in the Djebel.

peter64
24 Mar 12 10:12
as keeps being mentioned massive negative against camelot because of his sire but the third fav for the 1000 is also by montjeu

...which is why I'm against the filly in the 1000 Guineas (both Camelot and Wading are sure to be better suited by middle distances)...

cheers for the lowdown on the Frenchies Headmaster/JamesP.

http://betfred.chromaagency.com

Camelot, ante-post favourite for the 2000 Guineas and the Derby, pleased Aidan O'Brien as he featured among a huge team of Ballydoyle horses who worked after racing at the Curragh.

The unbeaten Racing Post Trophy winner was partnered by Joseph O'Brien in an 11-horse group that also featured stablemates Fame And Glory (Seamus Heffernan) and David Livingston (Ryan Moore).

Racing towards the back in the early stages over seven and a half furlongs, Camelot looked to stay on very nicely to finish second, firmly on the bridle, and the twice-raced son of Montjeu remains in the mix for the Qipco-sponsored Guineas at Newmarket on May 5.

O'Brien said: "He just cantered up in behind and Joseph seemed to be very happy with him. It's lovely ground, he did seven and a half, they swung back nicely and did it all on the bridle. It was just a nice day away really, it makes the training a little bit easier.

"We can't say that anything is definite for now. We'll go home and talk about plans. Obviously he is a possible (for the Guineas), but it would be wrong to say any horse is a definite. They are possibles.

"Today was the most testing work he had done since the Racing Post Trophy and he seemed to come through it fine. He came from the back, finished nicely and was not asked a serious question. He is a possible without saying he is a definite."

Maybe, favourite for the 1000 Guineas and Oaks, looked to go well as she worked under O'Brien junior in an 11-horse group that included Moore on the well-touted Rockfel Stakes winner Wading and Pat Smullen on Kissed.

O'Brien said: "She has done very well physically and we are very happy with where she is. Newmarket is the first possibility for all these horses and over the next 10 days we will sit down and pick a target for all of them. Joseph was very happy with Maybe and so was Ryan with Wading, they all seemed to go fine."

Leading 2000 Guineas fancy Nephrite worked in the third group of horses, while newcomer to the yard Excelebration was in action in the fourth group and could renew rivalry with Frankel in the JLT Lockinge Stakes at Newbury on May 19. Power was another in that group.

O'Brien went on: "The obvious first target (for Excelebration) would be the Lockinge. We've never done anything with him and that was the first little bit he was asked to do. He seemed to track up there on the bridle. Power missed a little time after Christmas but nothing major and he just followed them up there today."

Sint, in fairness La Colina had the worst run in the race and most have lost quite a few lengths the amount of times she got switched in/out. Think the best horse won that day! Maybe Im slightly biased as I backed her at 110.0 on here tehe

Jair I think from reading between the lines he might be a possible for the race

So does that mean Power is ready to go or not?

Jair, was thinking the same, it is hilarious if nothing else. Typical AOB.

This minor setback for Power has me wondering if Power might be aimed for the Irish version now, as they have a ready excuse if they want one. Didn't they say the same re Mastercrafstman or ROC prior to the 2000 Guineas ?? I swear I recall a similar comment for one of his and I dont mean Steinbeck.