After the constant disappointment of Japanese racing - firstly due to the fact that the horses hardly ever race (often due to avoidable injuries), and then run poorly when they do finally make it to the track - the English racing scene is such a breath of fresh air, especially when you are tied-in with Mick Channon and his lad. The value for money element is completely different, with I would say a hundred times more bang for your buck, as is the excitement, for you know Mick's nags will run at their best every time. If they fail, there's a good reason for it, for the desire to win is obvious, along with an unquestionable loyalty towards shareholders. In Japan, it seems that club officials and their appointed oppos feel they have done their duty just by getting a horse in a gate - providing a decent performance is another subject, and most results are down to pure luck on the day. Their loyalty is to breeders and 'the boys'...
Never has this gap been so obvious as this week. Million Ways ran at joke levels at Funabashi, and then Shine Tiara followed up with something similar at Kawasaki. One was retired on the spot, the other should have been and hopefully will be soon. Yet despite the huge expense associated with Japanese racing, that was all the action I had to show for 17 nags in training. In fact, that's all I've had to show for my cash all month.
So Saturday brings with it the Chester meeting. John Egan is up on Sayesse, starting as seventh favourite of eight starters. By the time the sprint came to end, Sayesse had won by a head, claiming his fourth win in 11 races - those 11 races coming over five months almost to the day, by the way.
A few races later, and John Egan is given Masterson in the two-miler at the same meeting. Remembering that Masterson was running for the third time this month, and was the least fancied of the four runners by far, coming second was a superb result. He's picked up a win and two seconds within eight days, and two wins this summer. And yet, there are still thoughts of selling him to add some fresh blood to the syndicate. In Japan, one lucky win signals keeping something for years, regardless of whether it will ever provide the shareholders with sport ever again - and most don't, for endless, feeble excuses for failure or cut-and-paste reports saying "we need a bit more time to get him ready" is not sport...
Saturday, September 10, 2016
Thursday, September 8, 2016
Today's Donkey
Can't moan at the going today, but Shine Tiara still ran plain awful - again! It's obvious that it will never make an NAR racer, as it is perfectly clear that it hates sand being kicked back into its face. With only one NAR track in the country (and none in the Nankan area) having turf, this seals its fate as far as I'm concerned. It just went backwards as soon as it cleared the gate and the leaders pulled in front of it, and then fought back around the outside before fading fast and finishing a very poor seventh - the very poor rating coming because at 14 lengths down it was so far behind the winning group that their jockeys were having a shower before Yano crossed the line. Time to retire it - as in now! Make room at the stable for something that might actually perform like a racehorse should.
In England, Sayesse runs at Chester on Saturday with John Egan at the controls, and then Masterson follows up with the same jockey and track lined up an hour-and-a-half later. That will be Masterson's third run this month, meaning he will have raced more - singlehandedly - than all 17 Japanese horses put together in September! A sad, sad reflection on the poor value one receives out here. Unlike his Japanese counterparts, his results has been fantastic, too...
PS. Shine Tiara has indeed been retired. Now if Carrot were to do the same with Million Ways, who is definitely another no-hoper, along with Massabielle, War Chronicle, Rush Attack and Perfumer, that would make me happy with the Japanese situation for the first time in ages.
In England, Sayesse runs at Chester on Saturday with John Egan at the controls, and then Masterson follows up with the same jockey and track lined up an hour-and-a-half later. That will be Masterson's third run this month, meaning he will have raced more - singlehandedly - than all 17 Japanese horses put together in September! A sad, sad reflection on the poor value one receives out here. Unlike his Japanese counterparts, his results has been fantastic, too...
PS. Shine Tiara has indeed been retired. Now if Carrot were to do the same with Million Ways, who is definitely another no-hoper, along with Massabielle, War Chronicle, Rush Attack and Perfumer, that would make me happy with the Japanese situation for the first time in ages.
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
Donkeys Everywhere
Despite having cost 12,000,000 yen, Million Ways ran like a donkey with piles - again! I don't see any point in keeping this nag, as it's obvious it is never going to perform to an acceptable level again, regardless of the distance or who the jockey is. The only way it will get in the top three nowadays is if there are only three horses in the race; if it has any hopes of winning, it would have to be the only starter. Another useless Carrot horse, Shine Tiara, is in the opener at Kawasaki on the 9th. Anyone that knows me will know that I'm no fan of the jockey after the Magic Key debut incident, but at least the damned thing is running - or at least trying to run.
On the Shadai/Sunday front, Pop Label is lined up to run at TCK on the 20th (entered in the 12R), while Kealoha is being put forward for the Funabashi meeting at the end of the month. Magic Key has of course been that long away, it needs a race test again! That will apparently come on the 13th, and, if all goes well, it should be racing at Kawasaki in the first week of October. No news on Phosphorus, which is worrying, and Another Door is still mid-ban, so that can't race until the tail-end of the month at the earliest.
PS. The Carrot Club report is noting a back leg weakness, and the possibility that Million Ways will have to go back to NF. Why exactly? To replace faulty parts? It's not a car, and I honestly don't see how sending the horse back to Northern Farm will help anyone, except NF's bean-counters. If it does go back, after all the weeks of lay-off at Funabashi, then we can only conclude that, yet again, this is a horse palmed off on club people that was totally unsuitable for racing from the off. Out of six Carrot NAR racers, there's a useless Million Ways that may or may not go to NF for months (it probably will knowing the way money has to be channelled there regardless of it being a necessary move or not); one still has to qualify for racing (another one does too, but it's now on the injury list, so that stage is still a far-off dream), two are knackered and/or recovering from operations, and one is running, albeit so badly that one wonders if it's actually a Thoroughbred or a mule. Fantastic! That's my English black humour, by the way - junk is the real word we're looking for. Even though 'Bugatti' hasn't raced for two years now, he'd still beat any of these, even after giving them a 50-yard headstart. The only sensible move would be to retire Million Ways, and if Shine Tiara doesn't improve big time on Friday, that one should go without further ado, too...
On the Shadai/Sunday front, Pop Label is lined up to run at TCK on the 20th (entered in the 12R), while Kealoha is being put forward for the Funabashi meeting at the end of the month. Magic Key has of course been that long away, it needs a race test again! That will apparently come on the 13th, and, if all goes well, it should be racing at Kawasaki in the first week of October. No news on Phosphorus, which is worrying, and Another Door is still mid-ban, so that can't race until the tail-end of the month at the earliest.
PS. The Carrot Club report is noting a back leg weakness, and the possibility that Million Ways will have to go back to NF. Why exactly? To replace faulty parts? It's not a car, and I honestly don't see how sending the horse back to Northern Farm will help anyone, except NF's bean-counters. If it does go back, after all the weeks of lay-off at Funabashi, then we can only conclude that, yet again, this is a horse palmed off on club people that was totally unsuitable for racing from the off. Out of six Carrot NAR racers, there's a useless Million Ways that may or may not go to NF for months (it probably will knowing the way money has to be channelled there regardless of it being a necessary move or not); one still has to qualify for racing (another one does too, but it's now on the injury list, so that stage is still a far-off dream), two are knackered and/or recovering from operations, and one is running, albeit so badly that one wonders if it's actually a Thoroughbred or a mule. Fantastic! That's my English black humour, by the way - junk is the real word we're looking for. Even though 'Bugatti' hasn't raced for two years now, he'd still beat any of these, even after giving them a 50-yard headstart. The only sensible move would be to retire Million Ways, and if Shine Tiara doesn't improve big time on Friday, that one should go without further ado, too...
Monday, September 5, 2016
Nearly A Hat-Trick
Hot on the heals of a super win at Newcastle on Friday, Masterson gave us our fourth UK race so far this month, running at Brighton on Monday. Going for a hat-trick, or three straight wins if you want to put it that way, he could have perhaps done with a little more distance, as he could only manage a second place. Good race, though, taking his record to 3-3-2.
Lillyput has gone to a buyer in Greece, by the way (it was sadly always the weak link in the Box 41 line-up), and Blacklister might be gone on Tuesday if the bidding reaches the reserve. If not (to be honest, I'd buy him myself if I was back in the UK), we plan to bring him back home to West Ilsley and have some fun with him over the jumps.
Million Ways is out at Funabashi on Wednesday, the trainer trying a shorter distance with Mashima-kun in the saddle this time. The first Japanese runner this month, in reality, a huge improvement will be called for if a decent result is to be achieved. Two days later, Shine Tiara runs at Kawasaki. Again, another massive improvement will be necessary to avoid another embarrassment.
Meanwhile, Magic Key is supposed to be arriving back at Funabashi this week, and all I can say is it's about bloody time! I guess it will be weeks if not months before it starts earning again, and even that is a huge assumption given that the thing has been seven months away at Northern Farm - they can destroy a good horse there in minutes, so god knows what kind of condition it will be in. At least it is a positive move, which is more than can be said for Belle Plage, and War Chronicle's "autumn" return could be next week, but more likely months away. The usual (bad) joke level progress...
PS. Blacklister has gone - a horse better in all respects than all the Japanese stuff put together. And Masterson, that hat-trick was a lot closer than I thought, as he was apparently bumped at one stage, putting him off his stride.
Lillyput has gone to a buyer in Greece, by the way (it was sadly always the weak link in the Box 41 line-up), and Blacklister might be gone on Tuesday if the bidding reaches the reserve. If not (to be honest, I'd buy him myself if I was back in the UK), we plan to bring him back home to West Ilsley and have some fun with him over the jumps.
Million Ways is out at Funabashi on Wednesday, the trainer trying a shorter distance with Mashima-kun in the saddle this time. The first Japanese runner this month, in reality, a huge improvement will be called for if a decent result is to be achieved. Two days later, Shine Tiara runs at Kawasaki. Again, another massive improvement will be necessary to avoid another embarrassment.
Meanwhile, Magic Key is supposed to be arriving back at Funabashi this week, and all I can say is it's about bloody time! I guess it will be weeks if not months before it starts earning again, and even that is a huge assumption given that the thing has been seven months away at Northern Farm - they can destroy a good horse there in minutes, so god knows what kind of condition it will be in. At least it is a positive move, which is more than can be said for Belle Plage, and War Chronicle's "autumn" return could be next week, but more likely months away. The usual (bad) joke level progress...
PS. Blacklister has gone - a horse better in all respects than all the Japanese stuff put together. And Masterson, that hat-trick was a lot closer than I thought, as he was apparently bumped at one stage, putting him off his stride.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)