Will Australia Triumph in the Irish Champion Stakes?

re: Will Australia Triumph in the Irish Champion Stakes?

Kevin — Sun, 14 Sep 2014 20:44:31 GMT

Oh well. Thought they could harness the #4s speed a little better.

re: Will Australia Triumph in the Irish Champion Stakes?

Kevin — Sun, 14 Sep 2014 15:22:52 GMT

One bet today (Sunday). #4 in the 8th at Woodbine.

re: Will Australia Triumph in the Irish Champion Stakes?

Pedigree Ann — Sun, 14 Sep 2014 08:48:43 GMT

One media outlet noted that both of Australia's parents, Galileo and Ouija Board, finished second in their tries at the Irish Champion S. I think both parents were better suited by 12f than 10f at that stage in their lives, and it may be that Australia is getting there now, too. Coolmore want him to be a 10f horse because breeders prefer it these days, but horses' genes don't care what people prefer.

re: Will Australia Triumph in the Irish Champion Stakes?

Pedigree Ann — Sun, 14 Sep 2014 07:38:09 GMT

Wow what a race. The crowd was cheering loudly as Australia took the lead, but it was clear he was flat out. Oh, no, what is this? The grey is making his run. He can't make up the distance can he? Oh, he might, he's gaining, here comes the wire, last lunge..., He got up! Our seats were about 100m before the finish line, so we couldn't be sure that he'd won, because of the angle favoring the outside, until the photo was posted. The two 3yos were again well clear of the older horses in the field. Bit of the air went out of the crowd, who were expecting a coronation, not a tooth-and-nail fight that went against their hero. At least Gatsby's owner and trainer have Irish origins. And his sire stands at Coolmore.

The earlier races, at least, were more pleasing to the locals. The O'Brien 2yo John F Kennedy made a shambles of the 2yo turf mile despite looking a bit green. In the G3 at 10f for nonwinners of a G1 or G2, Free Eagle, from the Dermot Weld yard, came back after a year off the track for an imperious win. And the other G1 on the card, the Matron, went to a longshot from a lesser-known Co. Kildare yard ridden by a local journeyman rider, for whom this was his first G1 victory, I think. He sure celebrated at the wire. Wish I could share my photos with you guys. Took a bunch while experimenting with the new camera in sports mode - many shots in quick succession meant I got some good ones.

I also discovered that the Irish tracks have actually gone metric without making a fuss about it. Distances are listed in the racecard as 'about 1m & 2f (2000m)' Since I get most of my info from GB sites, I thought they had kept the old style distances as an artifact of the sport. Silly me. The rest of the country is fully metric, why wouldn't they change racing distances, too? Just like Australia and New Zealand, when they went metric.

re: Will Australia Triumph in the Irish Champion Stakes?

Little Bill — Sat, 13 Sep 2014 21:50:33 GMT

KD 7) I like the 5 and 6. I refuse to believe that the 5 can't turf.

re: Will Australia Triumph in the Irish Champion Stakes?

TnT — Sat, 13 Sep 2014 21:02:49 GMT

just find Australia has been wrapped in cotton wool his whole career

re: Will Australia Triumph in the Irish Champion Stakes?

TnT — Sat, 13 Sep 2014 20:56:59 GMT

like the 20-1 breezy my way on the sealed track Bel

re: Will Australia Triumph in the Irish Champion Stakes?

Plod Boy Phil — Sat, 13 Sep 2014 20:33:45 GMT

excuse me....

re: Will Australia Triumph in the Irish Champion Stakes?

TnT — Sat, 13 Sep 2014 20:22:36 GMT

hopefully Australia comes for BC now ......gotta get that stud price back up

re: Will Australia Triumph in the Irish Champion Stakes?

Plod Boy Phil — Sat, 13 Sep 2014 19:43:37 GMT

Blarp in the 4th at KD

re: Will Australia Triumph in the Irish Champion Stakes?

Secreteriat — Sat, 13 Sep 2014 18:27:15 GMT

Australia 2nd

re: Will Australia Triumph in the Irish Champion Stakes?

-Keelerman — Sat, 13 Sep 2014 14:54:16 GMT

As post time approaches for the Ladbrokes St Leger Stakes (Eng-I) at Doncaster, Kingston Hill is the favorite at 2-1, but I think he's a bit questionable at the distance and can be beaten. I like the chances and current odds of Romsdal (6-1), third in the Epsom Derby two starts back, and Hartnell (16-1), who is proven at long distances.

re: Will Australia Triumph in the Irish Champion Stakes?

TnT — Sat, 13 Sep 2014 12:27:40 GMT

Australia should romp, disappointed he's off to stud end of this year.

Wide open races today, I'll take trade storm tomorrow.

re: Will Australia Triumph in the Irish Champion Stakes?

Secreteriat — Sat, 13 Sep 2014 09:56:33 GMT

Picks for the day.

Belmont R 7

Noble Damsel Sands Point Daily Double

9 Baffle Me 3 Devilish Love with 5 Sea Queen 1 Ecellence

Arlington PK Pucker UP G3

Tri Box 3 Kiss Moon 8 Stellaris 1 Final Redemption 9 Aurelia's Belle

Churchill Open Mind Win Place 1 Janis's Joy

Kentucky Turf CUP R9

Win/Place Tricky Hat

re: Will Australia Triumph in the Irish Champion Stakes?

Pedigree Ann — Sat, 13 Sep 2014 08:14:04 GMT

I think Bobby's Kitten is up against it. 3yo against older horses, even though he gets the wfa weight break. He has not raced on the Woodbine course, which has a very long (by NA standards) final straight of nearly 3f; this can test the stamina of a horse used to hanging onto a lead on a 1.5f straight. IMHO, Bobby's Kitten has yet to prove he is more Kitten (12f horse) than Forestry (sprinter/miler). Has a new jock, too.

re: Will Australia Triumph in the Irish Champion Stakes?

-Keelerman — Sat, 13 Sep 2014 01:26:13 GMT

I just took a look at the entries for the Woodbine Mile, and wouldn't you know it? Bobby's Kitten is in the race! It looks like a very tough field, but this could be a prime opportunity for fans of Bobby's Kitten to make a score, as he gets into the race carrying just 112 pounds and is a 15-1 shot on the morning line.

Also, it's interesting to see last year's Northern Dancer winner, Forte Dei Marmi, as a 20-1 shot in this year's renewal of the race. Granted, he hasn't won since then, and has been in rather poor form as of late, but if you think he is set to take a step forward on Sunday, you're bound to get a good price!

re: Will Australia Triumph in the Irish Champion Stakes?

-Keelerman — Sat, 13 Sep 2014 01:11:00 GMT

mz;

I am a bit surprised that the Summer Stakes and Natalma haven't been upgraded to grade I. They have definitely produced some very good runners in recent years, so perhaps an upgrade is coming sometime in the near future.

I'm really looking forward to the Sunday card at Woodbine, and will be posting a blog post on Saturday evening handicapping the Woodbine Mile and Northern Dancer Stakes. Do you have any preliminary thoughts on the races?

Pedigree Ann;

That sounds fantastic! I hope you have a great time! I'd love to hear about your day when you get back!

re: Will Australia Triumph in the Irish Champion Stakes?

Pedigree Ann — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 20:21:07 GMT

I'm in Dublin, a 10-minute drive from the course! My son and daughter-in-law (who is more like me than either of my kids) are here, too, on the last few days of their visit with me. Gates open at noon, they sell a few horses (all winners, some very promising sorts - Aga Khan-bred colts who didn't turn into classic types, that sort of thing), then the racing starts at 3:30. The big race isn't til 18.50, which is nearly 7pm. Then I think I go home (hotel) and go to bed. If I can get out of the place.

www.leopardstown.com/.../Important-Information-for-Customers-attending-the-Irish-Champions-Weekend-at-Leopardstown-on-13th-September

re: Will Australia Triumph in the Irish Champion Stakes?

mz — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 14:29:35 GMT

P.S. (Sorry) Australia should cruise but I have a sentimental hope for Al Kazeem. (I think I read that his owners will take him back later and breed him to some of his mares anyways. Maybe he can be a second Starspangledbanner?)

re: Will Australia Triumph in the Irish Champion Stakes?

mz — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 14:28:17 GMT

Hey! Keelerman! Not a slow day in NORTH America. Woodbine Mile. Northern Dancer, Natalma and Summer Stakes. (And when do you think they will upgrade the latter two to Grade 1? I'm thinking that after so many years that the runners in those two races have done well in the BCJuv Turf and Juv Turf Fillies, how come not Grade 1 yet?)