When most people are trying to decipher just how bad the Ascot ground is it was poor stuff for RUK to ignore the time and cut straight to a load of waffle on a Catterick fillies maiden. If the on screen the can be trusted, which isn't always the case, then the ground on the round course doesn't appear to be too much softer than last year, which was plenty soft enough but not extremely heavy.

For me, CDA, Noble Mission and Free Eagle are the only three with form this year good enough to take this race. I have CDA and Noble Mission very marginally ahead and if this race was run earlier in the season I'd favour those two. However, Noble Mission really peaked at Chester and the Curragh and while he's still been running well since then his form has dropped a few pounds. Possibly the break will freshen him up and these ideal conditions might just see him return to his very best but I wouldn't be sure of it.

CDA has been a marvellous campaigner, in the last two seasons I've rated him lower than his very best but have still been surprised at the high level of form he's shown at the age of 8. He too had a busy early season campaign and returned lame after the Coronation Cup. The question is whether he can return to his early season form. His latest run didn't reveal whether he can as it was a slowly run race, he quickened from the front and was the best horse in the race but it wasn't run to show what he can really do. Obviously the hope would be for the race to bring him on but that has to be taken on trust.

I have Free Eagle with only 1lb to find on these terms, and while I don't go in for the hype that a horse could've won by lengths more if ridden hard, I think it's reasonable to think he could've at least found 1lb. The huge factor I see in Free Eagle's favour is he's the one I most expect to run his race as he's obviously a fresh horse. I've never subscribed to the 'bounce second run after a break' theory where young horses are concerned. I don't know for sure how he'll act on the ground but I'm not expecting it to be a problem while it doesn't appear too heavy. If either of the two older horses mentioned are on song they certainly won't be easy to beat but I believe when a horse looks almost guaranteed to run its race it is greatly favoured, as many horses simply don't run to their very best in most races. I was hoping for Australia to run and get a better price on FE but there is still just enough value in his price for me to back him.

RotW for me along with Pethers Moon and     Sheikhzayedroad  ,afraid of Free eagle and would not grudge CDA the win on his 60th start but  at the prices thats it for me ,actually a great race and one to savour rather than lose on .

sensible folks will be on Free Eagle and last start did raise eyebrows but this is different and will be a war

Free Eagle never seemed to be travelling comfortably even during the slower paces so maybe the ground wasn't to his liking but no excuses for backing him as the ground was known and it wasn't a bad run. Well done Noble Mission backers, a worthy winner and a horse that I think has been underrated by some. Pity about CDA who was obviously well below his best. Well done Al Kazeem backers too, I'd seen nothing in this year's form to think he could put in a run like that, those who suggested the ground would bring out the best in him were right after all.

terrific ride on the winner judged the pace superbly

Great race - pity Cirrus couldn't at least get involved as I love his trainer. He was beat a long way out so presumably feeling something.
Free Eagle ran a cracker and if he stays sound should be the older horse to beat next year.

Yes well done, sint, for the opening post.

How many of the wining jockeys received what are in essence all weather bans today?

I am not sure George Baker (fine ride) being so delighted for James Doyle as soon as they passed the line is ruthless enough to cut it at the top table in any sport.

Absolutely delighted for connections. Who would have thought it at the start of the season? He didn't even make the TTTF lists! What surprised me today was the guts he showed when he was joined by AK a furlong out. I was sure he would fold as he has in the past. But today he stuck his head out and battled back and showed huge courage. Lady Cecil really needed it but she and her team should be congratulated for finding the key to this horse and for getting him spot on for his big day.

Brig with the greatest respect this was not a race won just by tactics. It was run in a very good time for the conditions. If what you are saying was correct you would not expect to see the horses in behind the front two dropping off as they did. Watch the replay and you will see most of the field were under pressure some way out. They couldn't go with the front two. You can put a line through it if you wish but some of us predicted it and it was blindingly obvious that NM would lead and play catch me if you can. The simple truth is that none of them could.

Well it was quite different from the Eclipse wasn't it. In the Eclipse they gave the front three far too much rope and couldn't make up the ground in the straight but were closing late on. Here the field were closely grouped and the front two simply galloped clear pulling away from the rest of the field and leaving them strung out. Nothing to do with tactics.

*I'm not sure which horses ran to form etc.

Sea The Moon winning German Derby - http://youtu.be/-9S9MnCzTDA (note lucky lion behind)


Lucky Lion beating Noble Mission - http://youtu.be/M-_Lsye6iMw

One of those one off performances that German racing fans will be talking about for years, It's so hard to know what effect such a performance does have on the racehorse.

Simlar comments I would make of the Breeders this year,which is bad for racing,we send over the B team, and the Arc lacked the Derby winners? Its time racing started looking inward,the public well aware the racing being diluted.

On a positive note, the All Weather may be able to have our Olympics,with planning and the chance of structure,and hopefully rules of having to compete(run ) in qualifying events on the AW,a shared end of season event is possible,something simple for the public too follow(if you don't qualify you don't run).

Cheers all. Made up for the seething state I was in after the qe2. Think night of thunder should have won

Cheers brig! Good shouts with al kazeem, too remorse.

I'm sorry Brig but in this case it doesn't make ANY sense and you are reading this race very poorly imo. Please watch it again. You call it a sensible pace but actually both commentators and pundits on C4 and RUK said it was a searching pace. This was no soft lead. This was not a case of those in behind not reaching the leaders it was a case of the front two drawing further clear with only Free Eagle able to stay anywhere near them. You are basically saying that whoever lead that race would have won it. Completely false. NM took no prisoners from the outset and they all tried to stay with him but only AK was able to.

The general consensus in the RP today is that it was the best race since Grundy v Bustino. That was a year or two before I got into racing but I can certainly say it was one of the finest races I have seen. It can't just be dismissed as lightly as you are trying to.

It's getting very tiresome reading posts after big races claiming that the result was down to a slow pace. We even get this when the times are fast.

Oh dear MJ.