City Of Troy excuse bingo

In season (nap)
Aurora Borealis (nb)

I was going to do a top 10 reasons why list but the last time I did this Constitution Hill actually got Covid 19 lol

Who had "became tired" on their card?

The performance of CITY OF TROY (USA), which started favourite and finished unplaced, was considered. The representative of Aidan O'Brien’s explanation that the colt became tired on his seasonal reappearance in a strongly run race, was noted. The Veterinary Officer examined CITY OF TROY (USA) during routine testing and had nothing to report.

No doubt something else will come to light in the morning.

became tired

Load of old bollocks flat racing. Unraced 2yo never raced on grass hoses up. Unbeaten odds on fav top trainer/jockey runs like a drain.  Pure guessing game anybody who prefers this carp to NH racing needs their head tested.

Storm Alert 04 May 24 17:59 
Load of old bollocks flat racing. Unraced 2yo never raced on grass hoses up.






Bit like that unraced Enable at Newcastle first time.

Didnt Ghanaati do the same . Never raced on grass before winning 1000 GNS?

Enabled somehow subsequently got beat in her next conditions race, her 1st on grass...

Can’t even afford a can of red bull for Troy lol

The Lads have suggested a  couple of Hours Extra Sleep before its next run

geoff m 04 May 24 18:14 
Didnt Ghanaati do the same . Never raced on grass before winning 1000 GNS?






I remember Ghanaati winning at Lingfield AW but didn't know of her next race.

She ran twice @ Kempton,3rd/1st.

Ghanaati won twice at Kempton before the 1,000gns

Yeah 3rd and 1st

Why do some punters still look down on AW racing?

I backed ROSALLION each way

I did seriously consider the winner but no form on grass made me put a cross through it

It also had fitness on its side but even so I’m not sure ROSALLION would turn the tables?

As for OBRIEN, he’s full of statements just to please the press, but why not? His obligation is to the owners, they pay the bills, what I mean is when it comes to his short priced ones his owners are by and large millionaires, they aren’t bothered about getting money on odds on shots, they ARE worried about stud fees, what price he doesn’t even race again?

I also think he’s a bit like the Man City manager as in he’s got the best “players”

If he’s that great how come AUGUSTE RODIN runs like a champ, runs like a pig, runs like a champ, runs like a pig etc

How many times has he won with the “wrong one”

Anyone one else old enough to remember for example other world beaters such as APALACHEE…

As for tomorrow I think the French filly is pretty solid

All the best

Another One Cool Cat

Air Force Blue

I blame the Greeks.

Good morning Shropshirelad

I’m sure not having form on grass would have been a fair reason to be put off however he was allowed to work on the rowley mile to get the experience of the dip .

Air Force Blue (AFB) is a classic example. His run in the 2000G (4/5 fav) was as bad as yesterday by City Of Troy; AFB bombed at odds-on in the 2000G. Then he was downgraded to sprinting, and his form still did not improve.

The horse clearly had not trained on, period! But, connections never admitted to that!

I think City Of Troy could be a repeat. Of course, the jury is still out.

Excuse bingo: "he was upset in the stalls" says Aiden. The horse was loaded last and in the stalls for 2.5 seconds. Tell us another. Was Francesca the only pundit brave enough to say how small and light the fav looked?

Francesca may need a lesson on decorum. I think she takes after her dad who dared to "antagonise" the arrogant owner of Postponed by refusing to agree to the horse running in some silly races in Meydan and foregoing a win in The Ar.

Mr Cumani was vindicated; Postponed was beaten to Found and her stablemates in The Arc despite thrashing them at Epsom prior.

They'll never tell us the true reasons it flopped.
The truth is usually tied in with the way the trainer has handled it, and the agenda set out, (the winner yesterday never ran as a 2yo.)

But check this out:

Total earnings for winner Notable Speech, including the The Guineas.  £283.550
Total earning for City of Troy. £367.007.

Ignore what the trainer says and let the money talk for him.  Then the truth might start to emerge.

The "silver" bullet approach convinced and swayed many backers of City Of Troy. I'd be amazed if he runs at Epsom without another run in public prior eg Dante, etc. This or packed-off to stud is more likely than turning up at Epsom without another run, I believe.

truehoncho 04 May 24 23:12
Tbf it's not AOB's fault. Anyone who ever thought that horse was going to be a superstar clearly don't have a clue about horses. He is quite simply a poor looking thoroughbred that was never going to train on into anything special. He is narrow, shallow girthed and small and always has been. Some were betting him at 3/1 last July for today's guineas. The media and other industry commentators are never ever going to say anything negative about a Coolmore horse as they are all on the gravy train. The winner looks very decent as do the 2nd and 3rd. On teh whole I think it was an above average Guineas, we shall see.

honcho knew

Watching the race back, when you compare COT racing alongside Haatem (who was on the go all season as a 2YO and had twice been trounced by COT), he looked physically inferior to that rival.

You'd think they'd have a good idea as to whether or not the horse had trained on, and if he hadn't they wouldn't risk diminishing his stud value by running him? Strange. Will we see him again?

george,imo..the betting alone told you they expected it to win..they know the time of day.

how many flops do ewe think ive scene in the last 50yrs?..and im knott talking penusses.

Rico, as asked, is he another Air Force Blue? Who was also sent off odds-on for the 2000G after a stellar juvenile season.

Ron Wood in his analysis for the RP writes:

"...but a somewhat precocious pedigree and lack of real physical scope adds weight to the idea he might just have been a 2YO."

its was strong in the betting all day...they are one of the best operations in the world..they knew what they had....it flopped..sew have plenty others.

So I take it we can safely dismiss COT's easy win  by 6 lengths in the Group2 in its second race last season.
And treat it's saunter home by 3.5L in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes last season, as if it never happened. In which incidently, Raceform has COT rated higher than the Guineas winner.
Never mind The Dewhurst prize being slightly more valuable.

I can also mention the third in the Giuneas beaten 3.25L. Was beaten twice by COT last season, by 6.5L and 8.5L

These events never took place?

You don't have to dismiss anything, Dr Crippen

And the good news for those of you who wish to keep the faith, should we see him again on a racecourse, is that you're going to get a price for him, as plenty will be looking to take him on after yesterday's dismal showing.

I did think there might be one of two options now for the horse:

1. They find something 'amiss' and retire the colt to stud.

2. Give him a break and wait for a piss-weak Group race at the Curragh in which to run him to try and redeem his reputation / go out on a win.

Relocate him to America, and stay there. Also, I do not want to hear anymore about the prowess of Justify as a sire.

Another classic winner that started life on the AW

There's a messaage in that WP.

Climate change
That why they ran on the AW
Need good ground conditions

Yes Dr Crippen. I think starting your horse out on the AW looks the right way to go for future success.

You do have to wonder.  Just like Auguste Rodin did last season he has been a non event in the Guineas.
He was foaming at the mouth after a furlong.
Just ridiculous.

No WP, you've missed the point.

Were the Coolmore clan at Newmarket today? I believe every trainer with a runner in the 1000G was interviewed except AOB? Or did that miss it?

That O'Brian looks a shifty eyed bugger.

If he walked in a room soaking wet and said it were raining I'd check before I'd believe anything he said.

But that goes for all of them.

ITV Racing reported that AOB wasn't at Newmarket owing to problems with the plane taking him there.

Does anything work in Ireland?

reason it was strong in the betting all day down to  media hype trainer saying its the best 2yo we have ever had ,ryan moore claiming he couldnt pull him up and media types fawning over the dewhurst win among others ,even the barstewards podcast said well the gns is sorted no need to go through it city of troy wins ! all this helps push the narrative !

even the barstewards podcast said well the gns is sorted no need to go through it city of troy wins

They've got Matt Chapman on this week's show

AOB says it was 'unruly in the stalls'

abso pmsl..it wasnt in the stalls 3 seconds and hardly moved.

francessca was about the only one i heard who had the balls to say what she thought about the lack of size in his frame when  cot was cantering down to the start she would be a better judge than me sitting at home watching it on the box ,   the vibes coming from ballydoyle all winter were positive , they wont gun them at home but they should be able to get a handle of whats grown over the winter and what has not , will they say what they know i.e he has not grown as we woulda liked since the dewhurst .........no they carry on giving the stuff the media want to hear and what they badly  hope will happen i.e they still have superstar on thier hands ,fred and denise offering odds against tells us something , highly possible they knew things may not have been what the public were being fed . of course it could be another auguste rodin but it wouldnt carry my money after what i saw on saturday.
yes i did take the 11/10 denise was offering for £40 but as explained that was more to cover my arshe if he was indeed a superstar and no i didnt lay him on sat ,i am a greedy b,stard andvery seldom lay other than to put in a short priced keep lay on some of my selections .

the clue was in the betting..that alone tells you it was expected to win.

i know 6-7 people inc myself who tried to bet the evens with b653..non got more than £10

denise must have you down as a mug foyles.

who knows rico she can have  me down as  mug all she likes as long as her odds compilers keep putting up odds that i think are too big and i can get on at i am happy to be called a mug ....... you and the 6 people you know who could only get £10 on must be vastly superior in knowledge at  gambling  than me ..............may be i should change my name to foylesmug

He obviously didn't run a race Saturday.His form was the best
on offer,already beat Haatem,3RD Saturday & comfortable wnr
of the Craven by 6 1/2 & 8 1/2Ls when they met.Also much too
good for Alyanaabi (5TH Sat') in the Dewhurst.
Whether he's trained on or that performance is down to something
else,only time will tell.

ythe clue is in the betting ...that alone tells you it was expected to win ..........really ..i would say it was more down to the hype around the horse (plenty saying its short but a master training it ) the tabloids bigging it up as the 2nd coming and fellow mugs backing it on the strength of media hype ,podcasts saying the gns is best left alone its cut and dried etc , plenty of weekend punters  agreeing with  the hype it and punting it !

im certainly no big winner with b563..rarely bet with them, mainly obscure sports bets.athetics etc and have bet losers..and i was only offered £10..just becos they offered evens means abso fck all...they went evens plenty horses that cantered in..its an offer to entice people into a betting addiction that ends 99.8% of the time in tears and debt.

or didnt you realised this?

foyles ffs are you kidding me? they are one of the shrewdest operations in the world..if it wasnt expected to win it wouldn't have been strong in the betting all day.

as ive said before slys have restricted me to pennies , opened an account with fred 2 bets took 80/1 on a horse early it got backed into 33s tailed off 2nd bet 20s into 16s iirc well btn ......next bet sorry maximum £1 ew .....lads very rarely bet with them but am up by a few hundred no problems when i do bet. bills who i never won with when i try to bet online with them  the cartwheel comes up  so prob doing me a favour there ,corals can still bet with but just use em occasionally , paddies and sportsbook 30 p ewmax ......bet 365 was upn over £3k when i opened an account after luckdown the odds i play at i get loads of losers and the occasional winner which usually wipes out the losses ,i seem to do well at the start of the flat till june then the shorter priced horse seem to do better and although i still bet i reduce stakes till around october then the stakes go up as i find the bigger priced horses have more chance .jumps is not great usually small fields which are no good to me .generally only play the bigger jumps meeting seriously . my stakes are not big nowhwere near stewybs  an average bet for me is around £40 -£50 which will be peanuts for some but a score or pony ew on a 33/1 winner wipes out plenty of losers and i get my fair share of big priced winners .

Let's not forget all the reasons Bet366 offered evens in the first place.....

If you asked their trading guys would it win they'd have practically all said yes to a man , so why the even money..

-Potential new customers
-Encourage loyalty to their chosen customers , hence the £10 - £40 restriction range to allow what they see as allowing a genuine customer business spread whilst keeping the overall liability within the business model.
-Great marketing opportunity to show how generous they can be by utilizing a high profile horse race.

What are they actually giving away....

-Depending on the restriction anything from £3 to £12 approx which they're obviously comfortable with , before anyone says they're attracting turnover on one horse so they're giving away £10-£40 no they're not in their eyes as they're a bookmaker who's prepared to lay a very lop sided book anyway on a high profile race , full of triers , no handbrakes and extremely happy to let the unpredictability of sport take care of the percentages long term which is why they offer this perceived value and are not the only bookmaker to do so.
When these examples win the customer has winnings in the Bet366 a/c which is another upside when creating these concessions.

They're one of the biggest and most successful bookmakers on the planet guys and know exactly what their doing and it stretches way beyond the idea of giving £3 to £12 away on a high profile race like a classic.

The concession wasn't offered particularly due to the face they thought the horse would be beaten but because it was an opportunity to enhance their business in so many other ways than risking losing a few quid on probably the highest profile horse in training.


Good luck today all   

Foyles, interesting comment at 10.58. We were on the members lawn after ITV went off air and Oli Bell came in (without a members badge I should add!!!) with some of his mates for a pint. Sat next to us and we asked him if there was any word on CoT. He said that , off the record, Appleby had said to him (Bell) in the paddock that he thought the favourite looked pretty small. I am no paddock judge so can't help but there we are.

yes donegal but they ie connections wont tell you that , they wont  say he has not grown an inch over the winter,light framed etc  , but spill out everything has gone well ,we couldnt be happier with him etc !

my question on the 2,00 gns thread was ..at the odds, is city of troy value ? my reasons for being against him are on there !

did OUR KEVIN pick COT out in the paddock as been small or was it his paddock pick ?

Anything from Nick Luck's weekend programme about City Of Troy? No further comment from his trainer?

Seabiscuit is showing on Freeview Ch 34. That is Frankel!

Francesca did say to AoB that he seemed small but he quickly replied he was 16.1 hands and when you stand into him he is quite big, at which Fransesca looked quite bemused.

truehoncho 04 May 24 23:12
Tbf it's not AOB's fault. Anyone who ever thought that horse was going to be a superstar clearly don't have a clue about horses. He is quite simply a poor looking thoroughbred that was never going to train on into anything special. He is narrow, shallow girthed and small and always has been. Some were betting him at 3/1 last July for today's guineas. The media and other industry commentators are never ever going to say anything negative about a Coolmore horse as they are all on the gravy train. The winner looks very decent as do the 2nd and 3rd. On the whole I think it was an above average Guineas, we shall see.

Good post. I think the ground may be important to him. Don't think he will ever be at his best on top of the ground.

easy analysis from honcho post event..wd on that.

Derby next,S/Life.

Knackers yard
After Derbi

Icy
@icyestretro
·
5 May
Breaking

"City of Troy won't be seen on a racecourse again."

Icy called the Heffernan split weeks before the press did, but will he be right this time?

wooden horse troy

Straight to Epsom, according to his trainer, providing everything goes well in the next couple of weeks. Caveat emptor!

'I probably treated him like too much of a god through the winter' - Aidan O'Brien reflects on City Of Troy Guineas blowout

Looked small to me when i saw it on tv.

Looked small to me when i saw it on tv.

Did it didn't look small when it won the Dewhurst?

Did it not look small when it won the Dewhurst?

'unruly in stalls'

fo aiden ydc..wat utter sh1te

Just seen the interview.

Who had he lost because "his heart rate went up when in the stalls and then didn't readjust when they opened", on their bingo card?

wasnt in the stalls for 3 seconds and pinged out..

https://www.sportinglife.com/racing/results/2024-05-04/newmarket/786897/qipco-2000-guineas-stakes-group-1-british-champions-series

14:08

The interview can be seen here:

https://www.racingtv.com/news/city-of-troy-staying-on-derby-path-says-obrien

Tbf, Aidan also said they might have left him short of work because they thought he was doing everything so easily. Mind, when Gary O'Brien asked did he think COT could do an Auguste Rodin and bounce back, his answer wouldn't have you brimming with confidence.

I've just seen the Francesca interview:

"When I look at him in comparison to a lot of the others, he's looks on the smaller side..."

"No, I stood into him, he's 16'1, I couldn't believe it"

https://twitter.com/itvracing/status/1786763577279357411

AOB more fckn patter than a centipede with flipflops...#walofs

In the interest of balance, Icy doesn't always get it right

https://twitter.com/davidjp100/status/1786775811976020244/photo/1

faeces in a carrier = bag o sh1te

I see you've introduced yourself to him

yes

I do wonder who they think is buying all the **** they come out with!!

Every year a new 'best ever' and then every year a new excuse.

No other trainer in history has talked their good horses up more.

For obvious reasons when you are running that kind of business, but it does rather open you up to look a bit silly at times and it is not really necessary.

People have eyes.

Old Oaksey had a great phrase namely, handsome is as handsome does.
He;ll be back.  Auguste Rodin was.
And if he isn;t, so what?
Did any of the stone-chuckers and after timers back the winner?

He;ll be back.  Auguste Rodin was.
And if he isn;t, so what?

So he'll be back, but hang on, he might not be.

Thanks for the expert analysis.

Today's Aiden gem: "when he went into the stalls he stood straight up straight away."
Have a look at the replay on YouTube and tell me that's what you see.
"I hadn't done enough with him in the winter" is his more helpful observation.

Nothing to thank you for.  Keep up the bitters old son - they suit you. 

If City Of Troy was under-cooked then AOB is professionally injudicious on this occasion; Luxembourg was "rushed" in 2022, and the horse sustained an injury and missed Epsom.

However, repeatedly giving another possible reason (excuse) for his abysmal performance is disrespectful and hurtful to backers is unprofessional, disrespectful and treating backers with disdain.

What he said about Ylang Ylang eg she trained like a horse needing further eg Oaks was highly plausible (the market indicated so/weak money).

Just a matter of interest. What would be AOB best ever trained 2yr old 2024? Auguste Rodin (2022); City Of Troy (2023).

AOB yest...

'when he got into the stalls he jumped about a bit and didnt get a chance to relax'

what absolute and utter drivel..it wasnt in the stalls 3 secs and most certainly didnt jump about.

Just shows what a waste of time it is listening to trainers.

korr wrecked sparra marra.

Over raced
NOW