Will They Or Won’t They
Saturday sees the first opportunity for the best of the classic generation of 3yo’s to prove themselves over ground in the Grand Prix de Paris. With a quality field of fourteen runners and a couple who like to go handy, the pace should be on from the start. Ability to see out the distance to the full will count. Not a race for sissies, then.
In summary, hopes of a true run race, where stamina will be the deciding factor in the closing stages. There are many question marks among the best rated contenders, which persuades us to side with Secret Agenda to run like the wind. After that? Probably best to stick with the other mudlarks because of ground, but convincingly? Not quite.
RECAP: ROUNDING OUT THE TOP 5
06/25/2016
| Pos | Gate | Horse | Stable | Jockey | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Secret Agenda | Dixon Racing | Pierre Strydom | 2:20.638 |
| 2 | 2 | Joe Rook | Sootie | Lakita Loberg | 2:22.098 |
| 3 | 11 | Big Bad Eruption | Burgersfortheboyz | Evelin Blaze | 2:23.251 |
| 4 | 4 | Bones Is Your Mate | Bones Graveyard Stud | Hung Borah | 2:23.320 |
| 5 | 7 | Te Quiero | New Scotland Yard | Chase Mccaslin | 2:24.910 |
1. Secret Agenda |
3yo filly from Dixon Racing, Career earnings: $200,000 Overall rating: Reasonable(52) – Mud-lark |
Stable comments: – “Agenda has been aimed at this cup for a while now and her preparation has gone well. Her debut race was in the heat and I was happy with it, hoping she can step up in the final – if she does, she could pop up in the top 3. Biggest dangers look to be Suffragette City who caught the eye in our heat, Bones Is Your Mate who showed good heart to stay on for the heat win and of course Secret Agenda‘s full brother, Joe Rook.”
2. Joe Rook |
3yo colt from Sootie, Career earnings: $1,207,400 Overall rating: Reasonable(52) – Mud-lark |
Stable comments: – “Looking to be up there with the other muddies on this one and especially keen for Joe Rook to show his younger sister Secret Agenda that being the older brother has it’s perks.”
3. Hissyfit |
3yo filly from C M Pace Ranch, Career earnings: $795,600 Overall rating: Acceptable(42) – Fast finisher |
Stable comments: – “
4. Bones Is Your Mate |
3yo colt from Bones Graveyard Stud, Career earnings: $631,542 Overall rating: Satisfactory(49) – Mud-lark |
Stable comments: – “I don’t fancy my chances with Secret Agenda in the race”
5. Craft |
3yo colt from YellonkY, Career earnings: $1,085,237 Overall rating: Satisfactory(48) – Natural champion |
Stable comments: – “It would be hard to compete with mudlarks, so I’d be happy with any money in this race.”
6. Algetyea |
3yo filly from Seahorse Racing, Career earnings: $448,822 Overall rating: Satisfactory(49) – Natural champion |
Stable comments: – “To be honest we aren’t expecting to win any silverware in the Grand Prix de Paris this season, in fact we’re expecting not to! This will, however, be Algetyea’s final cup race (will instead be trained for breeding) so I decided to let her have a bit of fun in the rain anyway, one last time. Who knows, perhaps she’ll surprise and make the top-5? Yes, the wet track will definitely favour the mudlarks and I fully expect them to dominate this race. Joe Rook, his clone Secret Agenda and Bones Is Your Mate all look very impressive. Destined to make up the top-3 IMO.”
7. Te Quiero |
3yo colt from New Scotland Yard, Career earnings: $312,100 Overall rating: Reasonable(50) – Natural champion |
Stable comments: – “
8. Zeditave Kotege |
3yo colt from ARJEE FARMS, Career earnings: $115,000 Overall rating: Acceptable(43) – Fast finisher |
Stable comments: – “Well my thoughts on the race will be that it would as always be a tough one with track conditions XP taking advantage. My horse is a fast finisher so its not going to be a favourable situation for him. Mud lark runners will have advantage if they have enough race distance XP. Finally its on the jockeys and their morale and XP and riding style topped with instructions. It would be an interesting one to watch. Best of luck to all the runners.”
9. Surge Loyal |
3yo colt from Thunderspark Racing, Career earnings: $100,000 Overall rating: Satisfactory(47) – Fast finisher |
Stable comments: – “I’m just hoping for a top 5 finish. There are a lot of mudlarks in the finals and they will be hard to beat”
10. Suffragette City |
3yo filly from daddy coulls, Career earnings: $361,100 Overall rating: Satisfactory(49) – Mud-lark |
Stable comments: – “
11. Big Bad Eruption |
3yo colt from Burgersfortheboyz, Career earnings: $817,200 Overall rating: Satisfactory(49) – Mud-lark |
Stable comments: – “The Eruption ran a nice race to win his heat untroubled. He takes to the heavy ground like a duck to water and will be ridden patiently looking to explode over the final furlong.”
12. Green Beauty |
3yo filly from Green Islands, Career earnings: $338,673 Overall rating: Acceptable(42) – Breakaway |
Stable comments: – “I have evaluated my chances in the GP Final field and believe I am down in the bottom 4 chances unfortunately. If i finish anywhere around midfield I will be happy.
I am guessing that the winner will come from the first 7 horses of my order of preference list below;
1,11,10,2,6,5,7,….4,12,9,3,8
Raizar Rays(Green Islands)
Top 4 Picks:
Secret Agenda–Big Bad Eruption–Suffragette City–Joe Rook”
13. Nurdle Harmony |
3yo filly from Beat the Clock, Career earnings: $52,500 Overall rating: Moderate(33) – Natural champion |
Stable comments: – “
14. Cleon |
3yo colt from Speed Breed, Career earnings: $338,700 Overall rating: Reasonable(52) – Natural champion |
Stable comments: – “If you like playing the lottery and losing, this is the horse to bet on. Cleon is a NC surrounded by ML’s on Slow or Heavy track. Cleon is not experienced at Epic distance to make matters worse. So, a top 5 finish would be the same as winning but stranger things have happened.”