Frank in America (or Canada actually)

Second last year to Johnny Bear, who repeated his victory, Hawkbill, who often goes from the front, again attempted to make all under Spencer. However, the five-year-old was ridden along four out and then weakened to finish eighth of the ten runners, much to the annoyance of the jockey, who felt Tiz A Slam, who finished sixth under Steven Ronald Bahen, had spoiled things.

"He got harried by the other horse the whole race," reflected Spencer, who won the Northern Dancer two years running on Michael Bell's old favourite Wigmore Hall.

"It ruined his race and mine."

"I'm being harassed, Betty!"

He was actually but I can't see Bahen did anything wrong. Didn't think you could criticise Spencer though,the horse appears to have gone at the game.
Wasn't impressed by his earlier ride on Glitters which was more like the Frank we know and love,sitting well last,in a race which looked to be run at a slow pace. Having said that when he did give the horse a bit of a chance it wasn't good enough to get anywhere near.

He was actually brilliant there on La Pelosa

Not bad at all.

Every time I've heard Appleby interviewed about this horse, he stresses in his opinion the horse is much better suited to racing on soft ground.

So what do they do? Take him to the other side of the world to race on firm ground. They ran 12f in 2.25, that is rattlingly fast and it's not as if Woodbine is a rabbit track.

I presume you're talking about Hawkbill and not tonight's winner GEORGE 

Yes, salmon spray, as indicated by the reference to 12f. Apologies for any confusion.

Best RPR came on soft when he won the Eclipse, and he doesn't appear to have won on anything quicker than officially good ground in his career.

Not sure why that was great ride by Spencer.

Yes, the horse was drawn badly but he was almost certainly on (by far) the best horse in the race and the race was run to suit.

The bluffer in the ATR studio was ridiculously over the top. If you are going to go overboard about that you need to do likewise for the far bigger pile of duff rides.

Generally, there are very few great rides but plenty of bad ones.

I wouldn't say it was a great ride,for once if anything he hit the front too soon. I didn't think he was going to hold on tbh but it was a vigorous effort.