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Thread: Clockwatchers' Corner

  1. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by MrFrisk View Post
    Leshlaa is in the 2:05 at Newmarket on Saturday. I think the Queens horse looks a weak fav. The going is the concern.
    Question for me is - are any of them going to be suited by the going?

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  3. #22
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    Mr Lupton (courtesy of Mr Frisk) engaged 7.25 Windsor, Mondsy - ground should suit.
    Last edited by reet hard; 21st May 2017 at 10:18 PM.

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    Looks to have a fav's chance, and ATR's clocker naps him. However, likely lack of a strong pace could be a problem and a bunch finish wouldn't be in his favour.
    Dancing Star has been well backed, and could be the one to benefit.

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    ignore the 25/1 boil-over and that went pretty much to script.
    ATR sectionals will tell the full story, but the final furlong was run (relatively) much quicker than Mr Lupton's win at Newmarket which suggests the field wasn't coming back to him the same.
    ML's mark shouldn't go up for this, and the trainer has the stated aim of the Wokingham or Steward's Cup, where the pace would suit much better. Whether he's good enough is a moot point but R Fahey's probably right to peg him as a 'twilight horse' (between h/cap and group class), and he's unlikely to prove up to that level.
    Worth looking out for in other big field contests where there's likely to be a strong pace, though.

    All imo. of course, but the lack of other opinions is disappointing.
    Last edited by reet hard; 23rd May 2017 at 7:05 AM.

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    I appreciate the low-down on how the race went, reet, but as I've often said I tend not to follow midweek racing, partly because results such as the above are too common for my liking. I've also said many times I tend not to offer strong opinions until I've crunched numbers for myself, which I don't do until I've got the hard copy in front of me, which will be tomorrow at the earliest (and won't include yesterday's race).

    It looks like 'clockers' are very much in a minority and even I don't consider myself one but am interested in hearing the views of those who are.

    I understand your frustration.
    Illegitimi non carborundum


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    Where's EC1 when you need him? I feel sure this thread would appeal to him.
    Ah! but a man's reach should exceed his grasp......

  9. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by reet hard View Post
    ...the lack of other opinions is disappointing.
    [/I]
    I know next to nothing about time analysis and certainly don't produce my own figures, but I'm reading this thread with interest.

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    pleases keep it going reading this thread with interest as well

  11. #29
    Senior Member Desert Orchid's Avatar
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    I think recent results prove one thing: that hard races take it out of horses.

    Leshlaa was well beaten after putting up a monster time on 1000G day. Mr Lupton was also beaten yesterday by a horse that should have had little chance of so doing.

    I don't follow these things closely enough but maybe someone who does could keep us informed of when the fast-time horses tend to return to form?

    I know the 'bounce' theory suggests 42 days. Could it be the same for fast horses. Did Nick Mordin have a theory about it? (I have his book somewhere up the loft.)

    I do recall (30 years ago?) when Pipe and Scu were the big thing in NH races that some of their horses would put up huge time performances before losing at odds-on then coming out and verifying the original form, sometimes going on to improve again. At the time I wondered if they were just at it but maybe horses just need time to get over a big run and the bigger the run the more time they need?
    Illegitimi non carborundum


  12. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by Desert Orchid View Post
    I think recent results prove one thing: that hard races take it out of horses.

    Leshlaa was well beaten after putting up a monster time on 1000G day. Mr Lupton was also beaten yesterday by a horse that should have had little chance of so doing.

    I don't follow these things closely enough but maybe someone who does could keep us informed of when the fast-time horses tend to return to form?

    I know the 'bounce' theory suggests 42 days. Could it be the same for fast horses. Did Nick Mordin have a theory about it? (I have his book somewhere up the loft.)

    I do recall (30 years ago?) when Pipe and Scu were the big thing in NH races that some of their horses would put up huge time performances before losing at odds-on then coming out and verifying the original form, sometimes going on to improve again. At the time I wondered if they were just at it but maybe horses just need time to get over a big run and the bigger the run the more time they need?
    There are always the conspiracy theorists (I'm sure we've all cried foul at one time or another) but to look at it in the way you are doing just could be the way forward. The 42 day between runs makes a lot of sense.

  13. #31
    Senior Member Desert Orchid's Avatar
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    Mordin also suggested, if memory serves, that horses can run [badly] during those 42 days and still return to form after that.

    He also suggested, I think, that a big improver might be able to build on a hard race within the time scale.
    Illegitimi non carborundum


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    I’ve crunched some numbers from the Chester meeting to see how they stack up and if any well-handicapped three-year-olds can be identified.

    Wednesday
    The times point to pretty fast ground. Two races appeal as possible indicators of the going and give the other times on the day a lot of sense. The two races are those won by El Astronaute and Russian Soul. I think the latter might have been unusually well handicapped for its class and given its age [nine] but it was arguably let in lightly relative to its all-weather rating.

    The upshot is that one race stands out a mile as being faster than expectations and will hopefully throw up at least two good handicap winners. Here And Now (Becket) and Stradivarius (Gosden) had their field well strung out and their respective 7lbs and 4lbs rises arguably still leave them dangerously well in.

    The Lily Agnes form looks okay based on times with the winner posting a raw unadjusted figure of 75.


    Thursday
    After allowing for rails movement, the going difference into day two was negligible but the form across the card sets a poser. Was there only one true race or was that race very fast? The race in question is the Vase. If the time matches the official ratings, every other race was between slow and very slow, except maybe the 2yo race, the winner of which is only 3lbs off the Lily Agnes winner. I’m reluctant to let unknown quantities dictate my figures but I have to allow for the possibility that the Vase was a better race than it looked. Before allowing for WFA, it was 17lbs faster than the Huxley Stakes won by Deauville.

    Friday
    A similar scenario emerged on day three of the meeting with only the Conditions sprint race won by Judicial posting a good time. The worrying implication is that the Dee Stakes might not have been much of a trial for the Derby based on its time. Even the new OR of the fourth, Mirage Dancer (raised 11lbs to 98 for this), suggests the winner is only around the 105p mark. Other than that, the form across the card is largely forgettable.

    I hope to do York soon and post my findings but it might be next week before I get round to it.
    Illegitimi non carborundum


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  16. #33
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    Quote Originally Posted by Desert Orchid View Post
    I think recent results prove one thing: that hard races take it out of horses.

    Leshlaa was well beaten after putting up a monster time on 1000G day. Mr Lupton was also beaten yesterday by a horse that should have had little chance of so doing.

    I don't follow these things closely enough but maybe someone who does could keep us informed of when the fast-time horses tend to return to form?

    I know the 'bounce' theory suggests 42 days. Could it be the same for fast horses. Did Nick Mordin have a theory about it? (I have his book somewhere up the loft.)

    I do recall (30 years ago?) when Pipe and Scu were the big thing in NH races that some of their horses would put up huge time performances before losing at odds-on then coming out and verifying the original form, sometimes going on to improve again. At the time I wondered if they were just at it but maybe horses just need time to get over a big run and the bigger the run the more time they need?
    I know Suny Bay certainly agrees with this. He's pointed out several times horses that are well ahead on the clock and urged caution because they will bounce. I seem to think every time he's made the point on here he's been right.

  17. #34
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    Curiously enough, Sunybay and I rarely discuss times! All these years and I didn't know that!

    Anyway, I managed to trawl through York late last night (couldn't go to bed after watching the programme about the Lisbon Lions - still high as a kite!) and there were one or two results worth mentioning. I'll do so later. It's a glorious day outside and I've a lot of work in the garden to catch up on!
    Illegitimi non carborundum


  18. #35
    Senior Member Desert Orchid's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Desert Orchid View Post
    It's a glorious day outside and I've a lot of work in the garden to catch up on!
    After four hours out there, I think I've overdone it. I feel queasy...
    Illegitimi non carborundum


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    Emenem entered in the opening race on Derby day.
    Alcohol, because no good story ever started with "I was eating this salad..."

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  21. #37
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    Certain to get in, and jocked up - 12/1 currently.

  22. #38
    Senior Member Desert Orchid's Avatar
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    I'd want to study the race before diving in, though. There could be something in there I haven't looked at yet (ie from a smaller midweek meeting).
    Illegitimi non carborundum


  23. #39
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    With my RP sub having expired (and I instructed them not to renew it) I'm grateful for the link to the ATR tracker.
    Illegitimi non carborundum


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    Look out for James Garfield ( George Scott trained ). Ran third in the 2.20 at Leicester today at an unfancied 14/1. Gave them a good 5 or 6 lengths leading the stalls yet pulled his way up to dispute for the lead inside the furlong marker before just fading to be beaten around 1 length. Well worth watching out for.
    You should not confuse your career with your life.

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