Horses too far back with a ton in hand getting beat.

Recipe for disaster in the long term, backing hold up horses NH, flat turf or AW. I think it was Andrew Mount did some stats on this. Only about 17 percent of races won by hold up horses.

tbf it's been like it for time cuz

Brazilian rose has won its last 2 races being held up

stepping up in trip this time the last attempt at this trip which it just won he finished  on fumes on a more forgiving track so was always going to be held up today according to the previous. Form - the horse was actually challenging at the furlong pole and faded rather than finished never nearer on the bridle

I don’t think there was anything wrong with this one although I agree some look like mistakes and as someone else says hold up horses in general come with a risk

Jan 22, 2025 -- 2:32AM, maysoon3 wrote:

Brazilian rose has won its last 2 races being held upstepping up in trip this time the last attempt at this trip which it just won he finished

Parts of that I agree with, but the first 7F try was on debut and got tired near the line yesterday as was given so much to do on the worst part of the track. Still stone last at the 2F pole yesterday.
Stella Hogan Monday was even worse. Watson experienced enough to know a 52 rated class 6 handicapper isn't going to pick up like a rocket ship and make up 10L in the final furlong.
SH will certainly win a similar race next time if not so back at the top of the straight.

I think Brazilian Rose might have been beaten further if he had gone sooner.

Just my opinion. but I take your point generally.

The first 3/4 of most races here are run at a crawl with nothing changing position. The last 2 fur.

a race breaks out. It makes sense for trainers to run at a distance at which the horse can be on or

near the front. When a horse is held up in rear there can only be 3 reasons

1: There is no intention to be involved ,in order to get a lower handicap.
2: The horse is running at a shorter distance than suits.
3: The trainer/jockey have made bad tactical decisions.

I haven't done the research but ,on the flat at least, it's likely that a very high percentage of

races are won by horses in the first three, 2 furlongs out.

I agree it was strange decision on Brazilian rose regarding the track position as on both its previous wins it came up the other rail (like bantz did) away from other horses and it looked like they could have done the same again

Also agree those lowly-rated horses - jockeys cruising out the back or even in midfield like they’re on dancing brave and then they ‘press the button’ and they find for about 2 strides and then flatten out and finish 6th or something

17 percent

First 3 winners at Lingfield all big prices. Is this the week to let the strugglers win something? My only bet was Diamond Dreamer place only and I was interested to see how quickly his in running price fell even when last in a 5f race. I know about Sky delay but this was beyond that. I only backed it because David Probert usually rides out for a place. Otherwise it is the worst days racing since it was all frozen off.

hayley sitting last 2f out..had 2st in hand though.

Eggsackly with the stable mate fav

16 to 6

When a horse is held up in rear there can only be 3 reasons


Wrong. Complete ignores draw and horse's required run style

Heirarchy had a stone in hand. Unfortunately the stone was in the stables !

I would be interested to know why a horse needs to be held up last rather than (say) fifth. I quite understand that some will pull up when in front but do they know the difference between being 5th or 10th in a 10 horse race? If a good jockey knows the pace is too quick then fine, but to sit last off a slow pace is asking for trouble.

sageform , agree totally. Jamie Spencer thinks 'needs holding up' means 'sit last'.

Hate to see a horse held up last flat or jumps. Only got to make the ground up somewhere using up energy. The king of getting them btn over jumps is Sheehan, some howlers by him this season or is he riding for the pink side? Martin Pipe had it sussed, make all, all over.