Sea the Stars

Tricky one tomorrow in the Juddemonte. Not sure myself why they went for York ahead of Leopordstown. Its possible yet I suppose they might run it in the ch stakes there but Oxx has made it clear this is the preferred route, and Oxx is a Legend amongst legends. A decent pace at York is crucial for StS with such a small field and its likely to turn into a serious battle of wits between Murtagh and Kinane. The scenario entering the race is facinating, 4 runners 1 the Oxx horse and potential great v 3 from Ballydoyle, two of them being pace-makers! It is indeed a match between StS and Mastercraftsman. Kinane and Oxx showed the Coolmore Mafia how its done at Epsom and tactics will be crucial again tomorrow, wouldn't be surprised if Kinane takes it up even earlier than he did in the Eclipse.
Has the makings of a cracker and I fully expect StS to prove once again why he's possibly/probably the best we've seen in a generation.
3.45 York, on channel 4

The pace angle fascinates me.

Theory 1:
Mastercraftsman needs a fast pace so he's in full flight for the wire as the race begins in earnest.

Theory 2:
Ballydoyle pacemakers will go slow in the hope that Sea The Stars will pull Kinane's arms out of his shoulders and wasting needless energy. A slow pace may also allow Mastercraftsman to outsprint Sea The Stars. However, if Sea The Stars pulls, then there's a chance Mastercraftsman will too.

Theory 3:
Georgebernardshaw is a sprinter in a middle distance race. He will be able to go a lot faster than your average pacemaker. He takes them along for 5/6 furlongs, Set Sail then takes it up for a furlong or two taking MCM into the race. As a result, the race is run at break neck speed.

Theory 4:
Aidan dosen't think Sea The Stars is beatable today so he makes it a hard horse's race and in the process softens up Sea The Stars up for Fame and Glory at Leopardstown.

I think there is an element of Theory 4 to today - unlikely as it may seem. Sea The Stars will win but I do not think he can run to his rating of 132. He's had a hard season already and to consistently run figures in the 130s takes a mighty animal, possibly a machine.

Also I said on the other thread I'd be backing Georgebernardshaw at 200/1. I'll be putting small money on him but he should be able to run closer to Sea The Stars than the handicappers would expect.

Good analysis loyal. Hadn't considered theory 4 but its quite possible I suppose. The champions stakes is one he targets more than most. Still somewhat extreme looking to run three in a race you don't believe you can really win though. Are you sure STS is being targeted for Leopordstown?, pretty sure I heard it said that Oxx would sidestep this in order to keep him right for the late season. Would be great to see him there and the ch stakes is usually one of the best races on the calender. That would be epic if he ran in Foxrock. A day out to see one of the true greats, think its on the day before the hurling as well, might have to make a proper weekend of it.

I believe The Irish Champion Stakes has always been on the agenda ever since Epsom. As far as I am aware, if he comes out of today fit and well, then Leopardstown is the aim.

The only thing is that it regularly comes up soft there which wouldn't suit. So it would be weather dependant as well.

Lets hope it all works out so. . Would certainly be his last chance to run on his home soil. Something to brag about to the grand-kids

The great horse wins again. Only really responded once Kinane got the whip out but ended up winning handy enough I thought. Dont think MK was ever the slightest bit worried once he followed Mastercraftsman through the gap. Master ran a cracker in fairness and certainly saw out the 10 furlongs but STS is something really really special. Plesae God he makes it to Leopordstown

It'll be interesting to see how the handicappers rate the race. I'd say Sea The Stars ran 129 and Mastercraftsman a 128!

For a stride or two, the champion did look in trouble and Ballydoyle executed the tactics nicely. Johnny slipped Mick and more or less stole two lengths. Still a top performance from Sea The Stars, not as good as his Eclipse run but very good nonetheless. Mastercraftsman ran very well too, he'll probably end up being the English Champion Stakes horse for them.

Leopardstown will be interesting. Sea The Stars is on the go a long time now and he was made to work a small bit today.

Back Gary Carroll on anything he rides. I'm not messing, this lad is only 16/17 and he's one of the best riders I've ever seen.

His ride on Sesanta in the biggest handicap in Europe was stunning. The mark of a good jockey is one who rides winners in races where he's not on the best horse.

I'll refuse to comment on the ride the second horse got.

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:Back Gary Carroll on anything he rides. I'm not messing, this lad is only 16/17 and he's one of the best riders I've ever seen.

His ride on Sesanta in the biggest handicap in Europe was stunning. The mark of a good jockey is one who rides winners in races where he's not on the best horse.

I'll refuse to comment on the ride the second horse got.

would have been great to have got this tip before he won @ 25/1

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:Back Gary Carroll on anything he rides. I'm not messing, this lad is only 16/17 and he's one of the best riders I've ever seen.

His ride on Sesanta in the biggest handicap in Europe was stunning. The mark of a good jockey is one who rides winners in races where he's not on the best horse.

I'll refuse to comment on the ride the second horse got.

Murtagh has mixed the the sublime with the substandard this year. He's taken the wrong options in some big races often making things handier for some of the sharper jockeys around him. Still knots ahead of the likes of Jamie Spencer in the top races but not near the level of Mick Kinane and Kieran Fallon. I agree Gary Carroll gave Mullins one a great ride today. Looks like the real deal this lad.

Spencer is one of the best in my opinion. Murtagh has complicated a lot of rides this season when there was possibly no need to. Today, I could see what was going to happen as the race unfolded. The horse was rode for luck when he should have been switched to the outside early in the straight.

I'd be a big fan of Jamie(and an even bigger fan of Emma!) but put it this way, if I had choice of jockey in a run of the mill handicap/maiden or whatever at Ponterfact and I owned the red hot favourite he would be my first port of call. If(when ) I own the favourite for the Derby or the Arc I think I might give young Spencer a miss. I know he has a decent enough haul of Gr ones but he's had his fair share of nightmares as well. Not convinced he has the right mentality for the big day.

Im told there's practically zero chance of STS turning up on saturday unfortunately.
Rain rain fook off to Spain

Yeah the rain is bucketing down apparantly.

I wonder if he misses the Irish Champion, what will be the plan? There would be just too big a gap between his last race and his next - Arc or Classic. The QEII over a mile would be a good option, George Washington used it the first year he went to the Classic and Raven's Pass and Henrythenavigator finished first and second in both races.

Great news for everybody

Connections of Sea The Stars are banking on the forecast improvement in
conditions to allow the brilliant colt to take his chance in the
Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes.

Already the winner of four Group One races this season, the John
Oxx-trained ace is among a field of nine declared for the Leopardstown
showpiece on Saturday. However, heavy rain that hit the Dublin track on Wednesday has threatened his participation.

The ground at Leopardstown has been changed to yielding to soft, soft
in places after 22 millimetres of rainfall. Although the forecast is
promising, Oxx has consistently warned that the imperious colt will not
run if the ground is too testing.

In a statement issued from his Currabeg stables, Oxx said: "I have
declared Sea The Stars to run, even though the going at the moment is
too soft for him. Given the forecast for good drying conditions, I have
no option but to leave him in the race to give him every opportunity to
run - should conditions improve significantly.

"If there are further heavy showers in the meantime they will ruin all
chance of him racing. But if the showers avoid Leopardstown, we will
delay a final decision until midday on Saturday."

Despite all the rain to have hit the course, Leopardstown general
manager Tom Burke is pleasantly surprised by the condition of the
racing surface.

"This has the potential to be one of the great races," said Burke. "The
track is in better condition than we anticipated - despite the heavy
rain. At present, the weather forecast is encouraging and we look
forward to seeing all nine horses line up on Saturday.

"I spoke to John and obviously we are very glad he's declared the
horse. His participation obviously hinges on the weather over the next
few days and we sincerely hope it works in our favour. He hasn't run in
Ireland yet this season so everybody is looking forward to it, it looks
like being a super race."

Five of the declared runners are trained by Aidan O'Brien, who has so
often come off second best against Oxx's superstar. Irish Derby winner
Fame And Glory is thought to be his first choice, but the handler has
surprisingly declared Irish Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes scorer
Mastercraftsman.

Grand Ducal, Set Sail and Rockhampton are the other Ballydoyle runners.
Dermot Weld's Casual Conquest, Charles O'Brien's Lord Admiral and the
Tracey Collins-trained Loch Long complete the list.

COME ON STS!!

Kinane is a top pilot, clever and methodical but when you're aboard that level of class it looks a breeze.

As an aside, one of our lads was on the legal team that won an injunction allowing him to ride Giants Causeway in some big race a few years ago and in the aftermath of the legalities they were all in the Shelbourne hotel. Our buck was taking a leak with a pal when Kinane popped in to "strain the spuds".
"Top job lads" says the bould Mick, as he reaches into the breast pocket of his coat and slips them a 50 each.
Would he have much money? enquired Junior as he recounted the experience.

The innocence of it .........

Was lucky enough to share a drink with the man in the late hours in the hole in the wall pub off Woodquay going back about 10 or 11 years now. Wasn't shy about splashing the cash then either A legend then and an even greater legend now.

mossbags wrote:Was lucky enough to share a drink with the man in the late hours in the hole in the wall pub off Woodquay going back about 10 or 11 years now. Wasn't shy about splashing the cash then either A legend then and an even greater legend now.

Obviously a top bloke. Anyone drinking with, or dare I say, buying drink for you, must be a legend......

Boxtyeater wrote:

mossbags wrote:Was lucky enough to share a drink with the man in the late hours in the hole in the wall pub off Woodquay going back about 10 or 11 years now. Wasn't shy about splashing the cash then either A legend then and an even greater legend now.

Obviously a top bloke. Anyone drinking with, or dare I say, buying drink for you, must be a legend......

I was but a wee nipper at the time but I think Kinane realized my drinking potential even back then. A man for all seasons if ever their was one.

Horses like Sea The Stars are so rare. He is just such a beautiful traveller or as Aidan O'Brien would say he has a very high cruising speed. Then the way he can quicken, slow pace or fast pace, it dosen't matter to him, he just quickens by horses so easy. I thought he wouldn't top the Eclipse run but today I think he did by about two pounds.

Like Fame And Glory has run a great race in second, a champion in his own right too.

If STS heads to the Arc now, its hard to find something that will beat him. He's beaten the best there is over any distance in the UK and Ireland so its just what the French can produce on the day, possibly the Japanese if they bring a runner or two. You'd imagine by now STS would have shown some signs of his season catching up with him but not a bit of it. There is a horse in Japan who I have in my mind that last I heard was coming over but outside of him I'm not sure.

I though all the talk about see the stars this week was an ad for our glorious football team's fixture .......

[quote="Loyal2TheRoyal"]Horses like Sea The Stars are so rare. He is just such a beautiful traveller or as Aidan O'Brien would say he has a very high cruising speed. Then the way he can quicken, slow pace or fast pace, it dosen't matter to him, he just quickens by horses so easy. I thought he wouldn't top the Eclipse run but today I think he did by about two pounds.

Like Fame And Glory has run a great race in second, a champion in his own right too.

If STS heads to the Arc now, its hard to find something that will beat him. He's beaten the best there is over any distance in the UK and Ireland so its just what the French can produce on the day, possibly the Japanese if they bring a runner or two. You'd imagine by now STS would have shown some signs of his season catching up with him but not a bit of it. There is a horse in Japan who I have in my mind that last I heard was coming over but outside of him I'm not sur

B*****ks from you Loyal as usual. You destroyed a perfectly good analysis with some invocative sh1te you garnered from the Racing Post.....Gobsh1te..... but indulgeable....

[quote="Boxtyeater"]

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:Horses like Sea The Stars are so rare. He is just such a beautiful traveller or as Aidan O'Brien would say he has a very high cruising speed. Then the way he can quicken, slow pace or fast pace, it dosen't matter to him, he just quickens by horses so easy. I thought he wouldn't top the Eclipse run but today I think he did by about two pounds.

Like Fame And Glory has run a great race in second, a champion in his own right too.

If STS heads to the Arc now, its hard to find something that will beat him. He's beaten the best there is over any distance in the UK and Ireland so its just what the French can produce on the day, possibly the Japanese if they bring a runner or two. You'd imagine by now STS would have shown some signs of his season catching up with him but not a bit of it. There is a horse in Japan who I have in my mind that last I heard was coming over but outside of him I'm not sur

B*****ks from you Loyal as usual. You destroyed a perfectly good analysis with some invocative sh1te you garnered from the Racing Post.....Gobsh1te..... but indulgeable....

I'll tell ye the craic now with StS.
Sent my Dad a txt about StS cos he was at the track and the 1st txt I ever recieved back from my old man was today and I quote, 'right up there with Nijinski'
Should emphasise here that its not the fact that he'd be thinking StS is on a level with Nijinski(which personally I believe Oxx's one is beyond) but that I honestly dont believe the old man had ever sent a txt msg b4 in his life. I was literally in shock to recieve it, no word of a lie!

Proof if ever twas needed that great sporting moments inspire us all