Nathaniel was fit in the Eclipse. He would not have won otherwise.

Next 2 days are to be dry & mild at Ascot with the chance of light showers on Sat morn, looking at the met-office reports.
Glad to see Farhh lines up for this & its looks a race between him & Cirrus in my book.

agree about CDA, clearly in better form than earlier in the season but his renaissance has been exaggerated on the back of two wins against soft opposition (in the main), he's 7 now also so does n't say a lot for the others if they can't beat him - he's a smashing horse but surely much too short now  - I like Farhh's chances but am tempted more by Mukhadram at the prices.

He ran really well in the Eclipse (somewhat overlooked in the controversial aftermath to the race) and looked to be still improving at that point, he should also benefit from a break which some of his opponents have n't had and the race has obviously been a target for some time.

He was only workmanlike in beating Grandeur at York latest but Haggas stated recently he was n't right after the race and had an abcess on his foot - I like the trainers who make excuses after their horse has won.

Should handle the ground based on his win at Sandown earlier in the season, he's also pretty consistent so I'd definitely have him as one of the first three at least.

Could do with a bit more rain for Morandi, Metcheck say around another 5mm to fall between now and race time which might do the trick. I still think he's still a good EW price at 16-1 and will have another dabble if the rain comes but I'm not banking on it!!!

CDA's price is too short now and I don't care what his trainer says, he ain't as good this year. He's been a fantastic racehorse but his last two wins have been against mediocre opposition and if I was a layer I would be taking him on.

Farhh is top quality but winning this off a long break on testing ground might find him out. I can understand why people would back him but with a few questions to answer he's a bit too short for me. Some of Saeed bin Suroor's horses have been running a bit iffy as well!

As much as I like Farhh I am tempted by a straight lay of CDA aswell, I was pricing this race with CDA around the 7/4 or 2/1 mark.

I still think Farhh's Lockinge win was the best performance I've seen this season. If it is soft on the day I don't see it being much problem for him. When he won the Thirsk Hunt Cup the ground might've been described as only good to soft but it was definitely softer than that, not the first time that course has understated the state of the ground. I know it was only a handicap but it was a group class performance, Saturday's race is over an extra 2f but for me he's proved he's equally effective at both trips. Cirrus Des Aigles has obviously been a fine horse over the last few seasons, I rated him 132 at his best. His latest run was more of a return to form but I still make it a few pounds short of his best. I don't know for sure if he can reach his very best form again at the age of 7 but I think it's highly doubtful. In any case, I rated Farhh's Locking 133 and it would only be if the ground became heavy that I'd fancy CDA to finish ahead of him. The rest could only be fancied if the front two run below par.

On this season's form, I believe Farhh has an outstanding chance, an odds on chance. The only concern has to be whether he'll be in the same form now as he was in May. The positive is he's a fresher horse than the rest and, as ped has referred to, he has a great record when fresh. However, there has to be more of a doubt than if we'd seen his well being on the racecourse recently. I still think he's a cracking bet and if he's still the same horse that won the Lockinge I reckon he'll blow these away.

They had a dry day yesterday but the going is still Soft, latest update. It will be Gs,S in places by tomorrow which is still testing enough for any Soft ground merchants.

assumed that the dry day yesterday would have moved the ground conditions somewhat. Doesn't look anything particularly significant although more showers for tomorrow. Looking forward to the race now.

Brigust you are mixing up BHA ratings with timeform ratings. Timeform ratings are around 6-7lb higher and Aljamaheer and Sovereign Debt had timeform ratings of 118 and 116 going into the race. They then both improved their ratings to 121 for the Lockinge so with Farhh beating them 4 lengths that gave Farhh 132. The 111 and 110 are BHA ratings so you will get confused if you mix them up.

No I do know that SG. How that team of dreamers can come up with ratings that high with so much rubbish about is a case of genius in itself. That was largely my point.
Timeform have less credibility than my local dustman such rubbish have their ratings become. Delude bunch of individuals doing a great name a total disservice.

^who let the clown out?

As Workforce has said, it's association by Frankel that is your real problem.

Sin I backed Camelot a few weeks ago small at big prices, I stated so on here. I have already backed CDA, Farhh and just this week Ruler of the World to win just under £600 and I have staked just under £950. Not great I know but there you are.

Figg stop quoting going reports you know how unreliable they are. Many trainers reported the ground and I'm happy with that so let's just say the other horses in the betting never acted on it.

And Figg to rubbish your Frankel comment I have backed and defended CDA all season thanks and I backed Farhh in the Lockinge. I'm sure you will find something to comment about that but reducing a thread to abuse has been missing lately thank goodness. Lets keep it that way.

I wasn't crying foul I clearly said abuse has been missing. It was an observation. Lets keep it that way.

When I made my comments about War Command I clearly stated they are not my views. They are based upon AOB's views. Then when I get asked what my view is I am accused of them being my views.


Are going reports reliable?

Did trainers like John Gosden and Roger Charlton makes comments about the ground?

I HAVE backed and defended CDA all season mainly because his trainer said he was back to his best every time he ran. She was wrong and I lost my money. This is a punting website.

Do you really believe Farhh's Lockinge success was the best win this season?

Do you think there is too much hype in racing nowadays?

I never said you would hype or did hype anything I was referring to the racing press and tv pundits. The fact I find your choice of best race I find staggering but that's only my opinion.

Brig. Interesting that you have had £950 worth of bets on a race you said had too many questions about ALL the runners for you?? Now you have backed the 1st 3 in the market at "no doubt" the best prices???
Personally I think your full of it & are only kidding yourself on, no one else.

*not

Brig, less than 24 hrs before the race you are saying you have backed the Fav & second Fav, when this thread has been going for 5 weeks!!! I'm sure you can see how that looks.

ok chaps calm down ffs

must admit to biting my tongue when i read  figgis saying that the lockinge was the best he seen and to offer up Farhh .The lockinge as far back as 1972  (could not be ersed looking any further back )has only twice produced the champion stakes winner in the SAME year and they were both 3yo,s .Briadier G and Frankel .

To me Farhh is not a soft ground 10f oss .

Would sooner take Frankel and SYT as a yardstick to Farhh and CDA (aka the old snail )

Have had a bet on that old snail just before he won in france , a few mistruths  being peddled about this old snail needing testing  ground ,i think this is totaly untrue .CDA won the champion stakes in 2011 on good ground in a good time and does not strike me as a very soft ground actioned  horse.Last year the oss hated the ground imo .
very heavy going is a negative ,will go on it but not a big + for me .
ROTW ran in arc but did not have a hard race and rates the danger and a big one at that and doubt it took more out of itself than CDA did the prevous day   .Is a massive price and must go close imo .
CDA/ROTW       Hillstar/triple threat/farhh    Main seq/mukhadram/parish Hall     hunters light/morandi

its a very  hard race its a 10f end of season  group 1 ,really fancy CDA but at the prices would offer ROTW as an exellent E/W bet .

for what its worth the old snail was not really right last year and earlier this year and as long as the ground is not desperate should go very close ...i cant have Farhh on me mind .

Hillstar a bet to nothing e/w 1/4 at 12+

3yo,s the fly in the ointment and why ROTW is the price it is a mystery ...will it really run ? will Farhh ?

Morandi needs a huge bit of imagination to win this imo .   I have been known to be wrong but can take it on the chin

GOOD LUCK

Zilzal, for the record, I think Farhh was a better 10 furlong horse than St Nicholas Abbey. The only reason that he got so close to Farhh at York was the strength of the pace Bullet Train went off at which turned it into more of a test of stamina (which clearly suited SNA better). On an normally run 10 furlongs, I think Farhh was probably a couple of lengths superior. Farhh is a 125 horse. Ruler of the World (over 12 furlongs) probably runs off around 120. Over 10 furlongs, possibly a pound or two lower. Cirrus Des Aigles ran to at least 130 a year ago when pushing Frankel close. On the basis of that form, with similar conditions tomorrow, it would obviously be the winner. However, the horse clearly isn't as good as he was last year. Prior to Longchamp, his 2013 form read like that of an patchy Group 3 horse. Even his run at Longchamp wasn't anything close to his best last year. I would place it no higher than a 120 performance. He'll need to produce by far his best performance of the year to beat Farhh here and I think Farhh will be very tough to beat fresh. GL