Poor ol' Irish Harp just cannot get that rub of the green that makes the difference between winning and losing. Today, starting as third favourite, Iwata-san did a great job with her, finishing just 0.1 seconds down on the winner (firm favourite, as it happens), and a full seven lengths ahead of the horse in third! It was a magnificent performance from all involved, but I imagine that will be her last hurrah. A friend thinks maybe Sapporo is a final option after today's result, although I couldn't blame Sugai-sensei if he drew a line. I stand 100% behind my thoughts on this chap - he's the real deal, and I'd like to take this opportunity to say thanks for the memories. He's provided me with by far the best value-for-money and enjoyment I've had with any of the 28 Carrot Club horses I've had a stake in. The fact she never won is utterly irrelevant.
As for Belle Plage, well, her performance was all too typical of a Carrot horse - ninth, despite starting as third favourite! The flowery pre-race prose was nothing more than BS as usual, and I think we can safely say that's the end of her career, too, as her last two outings have been pathetic. It's all the more annoying when one thinks she showed such early promise, and cost 65% more than Irish Harp.
These two were about the only hope left as the silly season (when making space for too many fresh horses changes those that haven't won into dead wood) draws to a close, as Single Cask will struggle going up in class, and stellar horses like Tenshinramman have been ruined. The way things are going, another nine names will be moved to the 'Earlier Racehorses' column very soon...
PS. Belle Plage's future is indeed in doubt, although I guess like so many of last year's crop, she'll go to an NAR trainer and start winning everything in sight. On the other hand, Sugai-sensei continues to gain my admiration - in fact, he's extremely close to 'hero' level now! Not only can you sense his feeling of frustration being on a par with that of the owners, he's declared one more run for the girl at Sapporo, as he's sure she's a winning horse.
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