We all knew NOT had the best form but it was whether he would turn up in it. Pure class, another wise head-nodder after the event club member. PRAT.

In fairness to NOT the time was surprisingly slow given the size of the field, leading to a bunched finish with some moderate runners like Cable Bay finishing close up, so it isn't conclusive whether he has improved or not, he may show more in a truer run race. However, he's probably going to be priced up fairly short next time so I'd still be looking to oppose him.

Edot - Solow is a French trained horse.

I won't pretend to have a handle on Able Friend, apart from seeing the obvious that he's pretty good. He is a 6yo though now and from experience I'd say generally horses start to lose a touch of speed at that age. I guess it depends on how good he was to begin with. Solow is another that is difficult to pin down, he had some decent form last year but you wouldn't say he was quite a top notcher. I've argued before that some horses do improve at the age of 5 but the fact is most don't. The question is whether he has really improved or will he turn out to be another impressive Dubai winner that doesn't look quite as good back on European turf? Win or lose I couldn't be backing either of those two at the prices with the doubts mentioned and therefore it's true that NOT wouldn't look too short at the current price. It could look a different market nearer the day though so I'll be waiting to see.

I would agree Figgis on the top 2 in the betting- I would take them on over here at Royal Ascot on the straight mile. I only wish I could of grabbed the 16/1 on Toormore as I think he had it all to do from his draw. Given fast ground I'd think he could turn it around now he is back to making the pace.

Backed

Agree re your points on Solow Figgis, it does seem he's come from nowhere, he was raced over 2 miles at one stage! But for a 5yo he is relatively lightly raced, 13 runs, and 8 of them have been wins. I think it's a case of maturity and the trainer Freddie Head working out what's best for the horse. He looks the real deal now and if he were trained by anyone else i'd probably be suspicious too but if Freddie Head says he's the nuts then i'd trust it tbh.

It's possible given how the race was run that one or two runners weren't able to show their real superiority (not that it was an excuse for my bet as she was in the right place) but I'm sure there are a few that were flattered to finish so close.

On the QE2 thread I actually said it was a poor ride and he should've won, however I still would've had it as poorer than his Guineas win.

HKAccie, ah right, I did wonder if it was something to do with some kind of different birthday standardisation over there but don't know much about it, thanks for the info.

Hi HK Accie, is NOT genuine will he perform the same twice?

WD winners.

Looks a very fair price now

Able Friend

December Hong Kong Mile (Group 1)- Gold Fun (2nd) (-4 1/2l) very consistent but he has not won over a mile since 2013 as a 4yo, since the HKM it could be argued he is better now ( form with Dundonnell Peniaphobia and Aerovelocity)  at less than a mile.  The Japanese Grand Prix Boss (3rd) was not what you could call unbeatable in Japan previously. World Ace (4th) 5l behind in 4th has been beaten twice in Australia by the same distance. Glorious Days (5th) just makes up the numbers. Tie that in with Trade Storm (7th) (-6 1/2l) annihilated by Solow in Dubai, and beaten by Lasix pumped upKarakontie (-2l), and Custom Cut(-1/2l) either side of winning tin pot Grade 1 in Woodbine, I’m willing to take him on over a straight mile at Ascot.

Comparison with line of form through Captain Cat -10.25 lengths in December behind Able Friend and -6l behind Night of Thunder yesterday is incomparable.IMO. Headgear on in Honk Kong- cheek pieces first time (rather than a hood -17l or blinkers -16 1/2l which he has worn before)? When he finished last after that Dubai never happened. Roger Chartlton is on record - wrong decision running in Hong Kong, he ran no sort of race for no apparent reason. His previous race was good as given too much to do behind Sloane Avenue (112) Cladocera (111) (well behind Solow) Group 2 performers in Dubai. Captain Cat is playing for places in Group 1’s over here, although arguably his finest performance came when he was fifth, beaten only four lengths, in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot at the end of the season (-3 1/2l and 3 l behind Night of Thunder and Toormore) when he travelled easily over good horses but couldn't quicken on the heavy ground. He was poorly drawn on Saturday in 14. IMO.

I would not be worrying about Able Friend as much as Solow. Freddie Head does not see many geese as swans. By June he won’t have been beaten for 2 years other than over 1m 7 1/2f  in Prix Vicomtesse Vigier (Head said the horse fooled him at first) but his Dubai form is suspect with US turf horse Mshawish just behind The Great Gatsby,  and Euro Charline (Beverly D?) and Earnshaw close up to the grey. Would question TGG form there.

The key here is Freddie Head, like sintonian argues, and in agreement with harry callaghan's view on improvement, and what’s in his head over the difference between Charm Spirit and Solow. Freddie Head on Charm spirit- “I think he is as good as the best milers I've trained. He is a real fighter and warrior. He's a champion.” After the QE11 where Night of Thunder and Toormore were unlucky.On Solow: "He's a great horse and is improving all the time. "I knew he was very well but this was his biggest test. "He showed what a good horse he is. He's amongst the best I've trained."

Me personally I’m a Toormore fan now on Saturdays run from a poor draw and back to a pacer. Tim Palin, racing manager for Toormore's owners Middleham Park Racing, said: "He's a big horse, but has filled out nicely and grown over the winter. The problem he had at three was he was a bit weak. "Richard said he was a bit gassy, but I'm not using that as an excuse and we're delighted he's run with credit in a Group 1." Richard Hannon- Night Of Thunder- "He has been off a long time, and, having looked as if he was going to win a length, he got tired, and Toormore got within a neck. There was only half a length between the pair in last year's QEII at Ascot, and they are both proven Group 1 horses. I am happy that Betfair Sportsbook was out of line on Toormore after the Lockinge for some time (10Am Sunday going by Oddschecker) and allowed me 16/1 for the QueenAnne.

Same could be said of Moore and comparisons with Viva Pataca.

I won't be getting involved until AF gets on the plane, still a 10% chance he won't make it. If AF does get beaten it would be good to see whatever beats him go to Sha tin in December for a re-match. Moore hasn't said he's unbeatable just that this will be his toughest task yet, he's now got to prove he is the best and not just rely on his rating, which is what we all want to see.

Bit of a late gatecrasher on this one but I wasn't impressed with the Lockinge yesterday and I don't think connections of Able Friend will be too worried about NOT or Toormore. I will be surprised if the winner of the Queen Anne comes from this race.

Able Friend's form was advertised today, Dan Excel won the big G1 in Singapore beating Military Attack (solid and consistent G1 horse) by 1/2 length. Able Friend breezed past Dan Excel on the bridle and won without the Magic Man moving a muscle in his previous race (Champions Mile). I think the form from Hong Kong has a more solid look to it than Solow's win in Dubai and yesterday's Lockinge.

Aerovelocity won the Krisflyer G1 Sprint at Singapore today as well, before that he won the Hong Kong Sprint G1 and then the Takamatsunomiya Kinen Sprint G1 in Japan (first non Japanese winner). Back in October Able Friend gave Aerovelocity nearly a stone in weight and finished 1 length behind him in a 6F G2 handicap which was AF's first race of the HK 2014/15 season. Able Friend is a very special horse, he wasn't at peak fitness that day and it was just a warm up race... what he would do to a now multiple winning international G1 sprinter off level weights over 6F is a scary thought and that's not AF's optimum trip either!

I suppose it comes down to the topsy turvy world of Southern Hemisphere and Northern Hemisphere horses. I’m not crabbing his wonder horse status in Hong Kong but he’s no Frankel or Black Cavier to me. The question is after 7 races (from Oct 2014 to May 2012 as a 5yo in the 2014/2015 season) and a trial race at the start of June, all at Sha Tin: will he be able to travel 6000 miles and run to 120+ on his first trip out of the country and on a straight course like Ascot. As to a rematch if Able Friend gets beaten why would those who beat him want to travel to Hong Kong in December for £1m rematch instead of going to the Breeders’ Cup Mile in Keenland in October for £700,000 and be pumped up with Lasix, and in the hope Wise Dan doesn’t turn up. Don’t make sense to me?

It is easy to knock the Lockinge form ( and Toormore’s form in Turkey) but I think we have two English trained top class 4yo horses that have a whole season of improvement ahead of them with the European championship mile races in June til August. Hughsie and Hannon’s, and Palin’s talk on Toormore lead you to think there is much more to come. BV and PP’s 12/1 and Sky’s 6/1 on Night of Thunder is disrespectful and I hope they are kin mugged for it. I wouldn’t be backing against Hannon’s two now and both Able Friend and Solow are allowing good prices in the Queen Anne. All bo locks if Solow is a Goldikova though. IMO

Madhu - why do you think a straight mile will inconvenience AF? He's a 1300b horse so he's massive so think going in a straight line will be easier for him then going around a bend. I'm still not convinced he'll turn up either so all of this discussion may be moot. The turning up at Sha Tin to face him is a pipe dream, unfortunately he's got to turn up in Europe to prove his rating isn't false......Solow bottled it in May so hardly likely to turn up in December.

Why is 6-1 NOT disrespectful - how would you price it up with regards to AF and Solow, I presume they are doing it on their Intl ratings as that's all there is to go on at the moment? Once we know AF is on the plane I'll happily back him if you put up a decent price as you're so convinced he isn't that good I assume you'll be happy to take my money.

Anyway, it's going to be a cracking race if they all turn up and run to their ability, hopefully they get good ground too.

Hi Madhu - think Xtension has been the only winner with his nuts that is retired so not much to judge against. He did beat Presvis, Cityscape and African Story - think Cityscape was a fair yardstick for G1 so you could say it's a merited g1 race. Though Xtension did only win 2 races in HK! I'm usually all for the European horses and always want them to come here to run especially when there are Aussie horses running  but I just feel AF is different to anything I've seen in HK before (only 7 years here) and think he'll win all things being equal - perhaps I'm just a crap judge (highly likely) and he just looks better than he actually is.