“Certain Reasons”

[barjon]

When Gosden was talking about Commissioning’s run yesterday he said “……..Frankie was surprised (on debut) as he said he couldn’t pull her up as she went all the way to the very end and it was quick ground there to. She was just getting rolling with a furlong to go there, and it was slightly the same today she met the rising ground and flew. The July Course is much easier for the horse to handle and there are certain reasons for that………”

Any idea what those “certain reasons” might be?

[Slim]

Stiff finish.

[barjon]

Yes, but why does that make it easier to handle? I just wondered if his choice of words indicated something more.

[Euronymous]

The Dip. A lot of horses become unbalanced.

[barjon]

Yes again, but “easier to handle”? As I said to slim, it just seemed a strange choice of words.

[reet hard]

IIRC there's more uneven ground on the Rowley (side to side) than on the July, and remember Frankie saying as much for the defeat of a hotpot he rode on the track.

[barjon]

That’d fit better, reet.

[jinnyj]

I’ve ridden both and the Rowley Mile is very much more difficult for a young horse to handle. The dip, although not great, comes at an awkward time when you’re about to go through the gears to accelerate at the finish. As you go rapidly from fourth, briefly into third, then second gear, you hit the dip before engaging first gear for that final thrust the last furlong. And for a young horse that you are trying to keep balanced, it can be hard. Older horses have in general learnt how to organise their legs and it’s not so obvious. Some older horses though who tend to gallop heavier in front (on the forehand) can also struggle.