Coral Eclipse 5th July

AOB said after the Queen Anne Verrazano still lacked fitness and the yard have really hit form since then. He still has no turf wins though.

make that 6, 4/4 on Sunday.

Good, good to soft in places now with a dry week ahead which should ensure no need for watering and a fairly fast surface.

That means no ground excuses from the leading contenders. I half hoped there would be a wet week to open this up as a betting contest but that doesn't look like happening.

I'd be surprised if any of the non main contenders were good enough and looks very tight between those at the head of the betting.

The Fugue - Travelled and quickened impressively in a decent but not great POW. Has shown top form for years now and looks as good as ever. Excuses for the defeat in this last year and deserves to be favourite.

Night Of Thunder - If you think Kingman is the second coming then this is probably the bet. However he's been fairly thrashed twice now by Kingman and whilst I wouldn't be bold enough to say he won't stay, I don't think he'll improve for it. Of the big 3 I'd be most willing to take him on.

Verrazano - All the usual excuses from AOB after his defeats. The step up in trip should definitely suit but my initial thoughts after the Queen Anne (which I thought wouldn't take much winning with doubts about all the favs one way or another) were that he's simply not that good. Would really like to have seen him ridden from the front at Ascot and since they haven't done it in two runs, I doubt they'll try it here even though tactics on this track would be beneficial.

War Command - I just watched his run in the St James Palace and although he stayed on really well and is bred to get further he didn't seem to get really outpaced at any stage (was on the bridle as long as any horse other than Kingman). It wasn't like Oratorio's run in the same race which showed he was crying out for further. My initial assessment would be not good enough for a race like this.

Kingston Hill - Ground probably too firm again. Watering policy more likely to be governed by The Fugue and Verrazano not wanting it than Kingston Hill wanting it.

So assuming GF ground I'd probably be inclined to go with 1. The Fugue 2. Verrazano. It's a race I could easily leave alone but as I'll be going I'd rather keep looking at it until I'm confident about one.

With the big guns likely to stand their ground and no dramatic going changes likely it looks best to wait until the day for bets imo.

Probably just one of those stats. No reason why a mare that wins the POW can't win this. At the end of he day the best horse at the weights will win.

^ Arod interests me, too - what about Mukhadram? - admittedly no obvious reason why he'd turn the PoW form around with The Fugue other than the potential for the latter to underperform as outlined above - but he ran well in last year's renewal.

Don't know what the running plans are - trouble is that whilst he's admirably consistent he has n't really looked like winning a G1 unless a soft one falls into his lap.

Let's see what the 5 day decs bring tomorrow.

Probably just one of those stats. No reason why a mare that wins the POW can't win this. At the end of he day the best horse at the weights will win.


No reason that we can think of. Don't know how many have tried but just 2 winners suggests that some factor or other is at work. This has long been a mystery and as has been pointed out, many really good females have tried and failed. I certainly wouldn't want to get involved with The Fugue for this reason alone, but especially at a short price.

I thought Mukhandram was going for the King George next but on his unlucky 3rd last year (should have been 2nd but for inteference) he would have a chance. Apparently William Haggas decided to listen to Paul Hanagan and that's why they changed the tactics on him in the POW. If reverting to his normal style he could go close. I think it was a string renewal of the POW personally and said that before the race. Parish Hall finished 10 lengths back in 6th and nearly won a Group 3 yesterday conceding a stone to an AOB 3yo Mekong River.

The Fugue has been described as unlucky in several runs and in some ways it is true but is that because of the way she is ridden? She seems to need a strong pace and a clear run from 3 furlongs out. If she is boxed in or intimidated at any stage she gets beaten. The other jockeys will know this and Sandown is harder than Ascot to go round the outside. The day Hughes rode her at Goodwood was her most impressive performance before the POW. I still think she is the best horse in the race.

I agree with TheDoc, the only reason more fillies and mares haven't won the race is not too many are entered and the ones that were usually weren't good enough on the day. Ouija Board has been mentioned but there was no early pace in that race and she was given a terrible ride by Soumillon. Bosra Sham's form deteriorated in general anyway after the PoW, she was well beaten again when odds on at York. The Fugue was disappointing in last year's race but, for me, she improved greatly in the Yorkshire Oaks and it was only then that she showed she could really be a force against the colts at the highest level. Only 2 females had won the PoW before this year, that statistic didn't stop her. A filly/mare hadn't won the King George for nearly 30 years before Danedream won.

Question for me re The Fugue is that will she be able to replicate that POW performance? She was clearly trained to peak for either that race or this race as the time  between the two is negligible regarding the training aspect. If the going was not in her favour Johnny G would have not run and waited 2 weeks for this. After her massive effort in the Oaks she ran flat 2 weeks later in the Ribblesdale.

She is a more mature 5yo now too so chances are she can stand it better.

What is the allowance for 3yos?

Looks a very gd field for Sat if they all line-up.
Hear Moore has been booked to ride Verrazano.
Night of Thunder will be interesting up in trip (& prob ridden more like in the 2000gns)
The Fugue was very impressive at RA, a reproduction of that form would make her the 1 to beat, granted fast ground.
War C looks like a step up in trip will suit all so, personally I just think he needs a strong run race over 1m or 10f (& fast ground.)

Yep looks an interesting race.

I'm not sure how good the POW was. Treve never showed (apparently pulled muscles). Mukhadram did not run in his usual front running style. Magician has never been good enough imo. So at the likely short price I would like to take The Fugue on.

Verrazano I'm sure will be ridden much closer to the pace this time. He doesn't seem to do anything quickly but is strong so I wouldn't be surprised to see him go for home earlier. Whether he is really up for it or will stay the 10f I/m not sure. He looks one paced and will be vulnerable to a flashy type.

The 3 year olds look interesting.
Night Of Thunder showed in the St James that his Guineas victory was no flash in the pan so has to respected. Is he a 10f horse though? He has speed and the Hannon camp seem to be stepping him up to avoid Kingman more than being convinced this is the trip he wants.

I can only think the price on Kingston Hill (12/1) is because of the likely fast ground. The price is a disgrace after his run in the Derby and has to be backed. I thought he showed speed at Epsom and I also thought he ran very well in the Guineas after being switched from the 4 trap to come and race on the near rail.I think he is definitely good enough to serve it up to the older horses and we will see if The Fugue is good enough to concede weight to a group1 three year old.

I'm still pondering the issue of fillies & mares in this race because I'm not convinced that there is not a factor working against therm.

I certainly can't be bothered, even if i had the means, to check all the races since 1886 but the fact that there have only been 2 female winners in all that time should at least ring a warning bell.

I have been able to look back as far as 1988 and whilst it is true that not many have tried ( in itself an interesting fact)those that have have been top class.
2013  The Fugue  5/1
2011  Snow Fairy  10/1
2010  Dar re Me  7/2
2006  Ouija Board 2/1F
2003  Islington 9/2
2000  Shiva 4/1
1997  Bosra Sham 4/7F
1997  Kooyonga 7/2F  (WON)
1991  In The Groove  3/1
1989  Indian Skimmer 11/2
1988  Triptych 3/1
      Indian Skimmer 4/1

At the odds we might have expected to see perhaps 3 winners in this time instead of just the one. Myabe it doesn't look significant but if the past 25 years is  representative of the previous 75  runnings then maybe there should have been maybe 12 winners in total instead of just the two.

Sandown, did you do a similar race profile for the PoW? As that race also had a poor record for females.

Surely the only thing to be gained from such stats is further proof that most fillies and mares kept in training are up against it at the highest level against colts? I can't have that a particular race is against a female if the female is good enough. I'd say it's significant that very few were the first choice in the market, so the public are already aware of the fact, although it could be argued that some mares' chances were still overrated. I'd say that hardly any of those runners went into the race with solid recent Gp1 form as 4yo/5yos against males. Bosra Sham would be the exception, but as already been said she went off the boil after Ascot.

Your point about their market position is dealt with by more comments re expected number of wins given the prices that they were sent off at.

In view of the overall record of fillies & mares, it is surprising how many went off at shortish prices, don't you think? No doubt most punters take your view that if its good enough it will win. Then that's my point , isn't it? They don't seem to win as frequently as they should.

In view of the overall record of fillies & mares, it is surprising how many went off at shortish prices, don't you think? No doubt most punters take your view that if its good enough it will win. Then that's my point , isn't it? They don't seem to win as frequently as they should.

I'd say most are aware mares are up against it and that's why they're rarely first choice, but I'd argue that they don't seem to be aware just how much they're up against it and still overrate their chances. Actually, looking at those prices I may be completely wrong about public awareness, as I don't believe many of those deserved to be favourite on form anyway and went off too short as second/third choices.

I know of that theory and I'm not dismissing it, possibly there is something in it, although it does seem that more is made of it with fillies, personally I think I've seen about as many improved colts during the autumn and it's always a good move to follow any improving horse of either sex. Danedream could've been said to be such a 3yo filly, but as a 4yo she still won the KG in July.