Friday 27th June 2014 - "Frankel's Brother" / Grand Prix De Saint-Cloud Preview

"Frankel's Brother" / Grand Prix De Saint-Cloud Preview

Frankel. Superlatives can never illustrate or capture his greatness, but nevertheless, he was undoubtedly a phenomenon, a freak of nature, a spectacular specimen. Sir Henry Cecil's equine sparked one of the most blissfully heart-warming revival tales to be been told in an awfully long time- both inside racings' body and beyond. Nevertheless, fairy tales come in all shapes and sizes, and the legacy left by the much loved alliance has provided us with another. Eloquent and hugely likeable, Lady Jane Cecil overtook Henry's beloved Warren Place following his passing over a year ago, and one of the horses that has since bloomed under her care is Noble Mission. Breeders will tell you, breed the best with the best and all you can hope for is the best, but Juddmonte's mare Kind and Coolmore's Galileo have built up a profitable coalition. Noble Mission is a full brother to Frankel, and for the first 3 years of his career, was considered nothing more than a consistent understudy. 2014 brought about masses of improvement, and the 5 year old colt is now coming of age, having 2 Group 3's to his name, and a Group 1. Frankel never did voyage abroad, but the same cannot be said for his brother, who now endeavours on a second journey to France for the Grand Prix De Saint-Cloud. With him he flies the flag of British racing, and the hopes that Cecil's wife and Frankel's sibling can advance on their achievements.

Montjeu, Helissio, El Condor Pasa, and most recently Novellist, all figureheads of their generations, won the Group 1 mile and a half contest at Saint-Cloud. In addition, 2011s renewal witnessed the race grow in significance, as winners would directly be granted an automatic invitation to compete in the Breeders' Cup Turf of the same year. Often considered a useful trial for the Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe, the Grand Prix De Saint-Cloud offers a tempting €400,000 purse, which encourages raiders from all around Europe.
 
 
 


Montjeu winning the 2000 renewal by 5 lengths from Daring Miss and Sagamix. Before this he had won the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh. Noble Mission aims to do the same double.

 
 
 
 As it stands, a sextet will oppose Noble Mission in completing his first Group 1 double. Home-grown talent is primarily represented in the shape of FLINTSHIRE, whom himself last raced on British soil, 2 lengths behind Cirrus Des Aigles in the Coronation Cup at Epsom. This form, along with an assemble of admirable accolades from his 2nd season (including wins in the Prix du Lys Longines and most notably the Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris) suggests he will be the chief threat. Andre Fabre is a formidable opponent in any sphere, yet confidence is commanded for Khalid Abdullah's second elective.
 
 
 
 

 Flintshire. A prime contender.

 
 
 
 
MELEAGROS is another hailing from France, yet his abilities have thus far been exposed at a lesser level. Alain Couteil's colt is yet to win above listed class, and hasn't passed the post first in over 12 months. A respectable 3/4 length 2nd on his last appearance in a Group 3 at Longchamp to the re-opposing Spiritjim sees him short of what is required to win here. Place money beckons if this horse is to step up at all on his previous efforts.
 
The aforementioned SPIRITJIM holds more promise. On only 2 occasions has he ever been beaten and he has shown progression this season. Narrowly winning the Group 2 Grand Prix de Chantilly on his last start he also won the Group 3 Prix d'Hedouville in May.
 
Peter Schiergen is no stranger to international success and his German charge EMPOLI although having only ever won one race at his local track Krefeld, has performed admirably in Dubai and the UK. He was behind Cirrus Des Aigles, Flintshire and Ambivalent at Epsom and bids to improve on his luckless travels thus far. 
 
 
 
 

Flintshire (2nd) beats Empoli (blue silks, 4th) in the Coronation Cup at Epsom.

 
 
 
 
NARNYIN, a relatively unexposed daughter of Dubawi (having not raced at 2), faces the colts for the first time in the highest of company here. Under the care of master trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre and owned by H H Aga Khan, she has obvious claims. She resembles 2011 Grand Prix De Saint-Cloud winner Sarafina, who was also a filly- she would go on to place 3rd in the 2010 Arc to England's Workforce, and 7th to Germany's Danedream in the 2011 renewal. Although on paper it appears she has a tough assignment, the faith of her connections is evident, which has to be admired due to their highly professional status.
 
SILJAN'S SAGA completes the current line-up and joins Narnyin in being the second filly in the field. Connections perseverance has paid off after racing in company with high class fillies such as Purr Along and Tasaday, as she won the Group 2 Prix Corrida last time out. She is a useful filly having won 5 races in total, and has more experience than her other female competitor. However, that fails to challenge the properties the others boast.
 
 
 
 
 

                   Noble Mission with Lady Cecil and the team at Warren Place after his Tattersalls Gold Cup win.

 
 
It is sure to be a punishingly competitive race, but the ground conditions will suit NOBLE MISSION and he is fairly adaptable with regards to positioning in a race, although of late his trademark front-running qualities have seen him to best effect. Soft ground is not essential, but it helps the Galileo colt, whereas it may slightly inconvenience others. Frankel started his new career at stud following his final victory in the 1m 2f Champions Stakes at Ascot, he was aged 4. Noble Mission stays further than Frankel, having won a listed race at 1m 4f. Unlike his brother, he was recruited and prepared for another season in racing. Having won £190,869.75 in this season alone, it has proved a worthwhile, wise decision. Having won on 7 occasions (3 of them being within the past 3 months and 2 days), Noble Mission doesn't ooze the same star quality Frankel portrayed- as he was unbeaten throughout an illustrious career spanning over 14 races. There is something ever so endearing about the bridesmaid who has grown to prove his worth, and Noble Mission's popularity is growing as he establishes himself in his own right. 1 year his brothers' junior, Noble Mission could yet grow into an even better horse. As he leaves the stalls on his 19th start at Saint-Cloud, his dynasty will be willing him on.  The form of his previous wins this season have been franked by the likes of Telescope in the Hardwicke Stakes, Contributer in the Wolferton Handicap and Magician in the Prince Of Wales' Stakes (finishing 2nd to The Fugue). Considering the improvement he has made so far this season, if he continues in that vain of form he will surely make indeed his connections, and his big brother proud. Sir Henry, an elegant, softly spoken man, is sorely missed from our sport. Should his wife train a dual Group 1 winner, perhaps a nod, a signature tilt of the head and a wry smile from above would linger longer than anything else ever could.

 

Tuesday 10th June 2014 - USA: Furosemide AKA Lasix

Lasix In America

 

After such a positive response on my last blog regarding California Chrome's Triple Crown bid, I decided to do a little research based blog post. My piece sparked a great debate on Twitter and I thought it would be wise to extend my knowledge, as in reality US racing is relatively foreign to me. Please contact me via Twitter (@mp_horseracing) with any opinions you may have, or to correct me if I have anything wrong, thank you! Credit goes to @chare889, @cynically_me, @sutts109, @cahardinge, @keejayOV and others for contributing to the debate and inspiring me to write this.


Furosemide, commonly known as Lasix, is a diuretic banned in the horse racing industry in many different corners of the world. It appears most popular and present in racing in the US. In 1995 New York became the last state to approve it's use in racing after a prolonged period of refusing to. Lasix significantly reduces bleeding in the lungs or pulmonary haemorrhage induced by exercise. It is controversial for many reasons, one being because it is believed to enhance performance due to it's medicinal qualities. It is injected either intramuscularly or intravenously, usually 0.5-1.0 mg/kg twice/day, although less before a horse is raced. It is detectable in urine 36–72 hours following injection. Its use is prohibited by most equestrian organizations.


To understand the so-called predicament and state of racing in a country so far away, we have to attempt to understand what has caused the current changes in racing culture and modern day society. Today's widespread use of Lasix in the US may be due to the fact that in the racing rules of most states, if a horse bleeds from it's nostrils 3 times it is permanently banned from racing. However, now Lasix appears to have become a trend, its use is not stably controlled and therefore could have detrimental effects to the future of bloodlines in almost every horse in America. This needs to be recognised as a potentially, incredibly serious issue. Short term use may benefit performance, however in the long term the positives are outweighed dramatically. It could be just one of the contributing factors to the lack of Triple Crown winners in recent years, although at the same time it could be purely coincidence. Although veterinarians have split opinions on Lasix, even by US racing supporters, it is not considered a purely innocent drug, Lasix is used to mask flaws in the make-up of todays' racehorses. On the other hand, there are many talented racehorses with US bloodlines that run on Lasix that are more than able to put foreign-bred horses in their place. Is Lasix in any way responsible for their abilities? Can it's use be sustained at such a rate and not have any derogatory consequences?


The breakneck speeds and scorching paces set in US races may have led to such dense and frequent use of the substance. Obviously this is a generalisation and stereotypical but from my little experience it seems that it is partially correct. Faster speeds in the early part of races mean slower speeds in the latter stages, this encourages excessive use of the whip. Often US racing is difficult to watch due to the lack of regulations regarding whip usage. It is not painting a good picture for the wider public, yet as mentioned in my previous blog, the attention surrounding California Chrome on Saturday was second to none. Evidently there is a balanced to be reached. This is another topic I wish to do a blog on in the future. In contrast, others would argue champions such as Seattle Slew and Secretariat didn't need or use Lasix (they could run lightening fast, naturally- this surely is what racing is all about), as they achieved historic recognition on the track in its absence. If a horse is destined for greatness, in my opinion it will not require the additional aid of medication nor the overuse of the whip. Whether this be in the US, or in any other area of the world. This is what segregates the top class horses from the slower ones. If a Triple Crown horse is harder to come by because of this, then so be it, that's what makes history, history and not just something that happens every few years. It is important to note that scarily, many horses bleed through Lasix, it's success is questioned. This suggests carelessness in use and dependency/reliability upon its continued administration. It will breed weaker generations of the Thoroughbred and this action, over time, will decline the breed and limit its durability.


In the UK, we often hear of disappointing performances from high profiled horses, some of which are also due to bleeding, or bursting of blood vessels. A random example would be Time For Rupert in the 2011 RSA Chase at Cheltenham. This proves "bleeding" occurs worldwide but does not necessarily mean horses are certified "bleeders". Horses can recover quite quickly from such injuries and in a way it can be seen as a natural occurrence. I am in no means saying racing in the UK is superior to that in the US, as both have problems in different areas. We also know that due to the recent scandalous revelations of Mahmood Al Zarooni and Phillip Fenton, drugs in racing is a serious issue indeed in the UK and worldwide, and under both codes. I believe if Lasix, or any drug, is not absolutely essential it should not be used, and the majority of the world in terms of racing, seem to agree. It is the management of collective and convictive attitudes that could see the world of racing turn a corner.

Sunday 8th June 2014 - No Crown for California Chrome

No Crown for California Chrome

 

Last night at precisely midnight, I was awake, hoping to witness the first US Triple Crown victor since Affrimed in 1978. For California’s bronze hero, it wasn’t to be. Art Sherman’s colt was another to join the same ranks as Smarty Jones, Big Brown and Sunday Silence, among others, having failed at the final hurdle- the ultimate test, the Belmont Stakes. The memories of Secretariat’s fairy-tale, War Admiral’s dominance and Affirmed’s scintillating battles with Alydar, have painted the history of the Triple Crown. For racing fans all over the world, California Chrome was hope that the thoroughbred racehorse was once again vastly superior to its rivals, beholding all of the qualities required to reach the ultimate vein of superstardom.

 

 

California Chrome and jockey Victor Espinoza.

 

 

Having never before witnessed a potential Triple Crown winner negotiate Belmont Park’s demanding 1 ½ miles at the time it occurred, I was in awe to discover the support behind what was, and often is, a remarkable story. It appears although California Chrome’s bid for the Triple Crown is now void; the stories continue to circulate in the dramatic aftermath of his brave effort. He officially dead heated with Wicked Strong for 4^th position. I’m sure I was not the only surprised spectator to hear one of his owners, Steven Coburn, and his reaction to the race. Unaware of California Chrome’s injury (a bloody gash to his front right foot), Coburn criticised the nature and method in which entries are determined for the Belmont Stakes. He displayed his opinion on how it is unfair for horses that have run in both previous legs, the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes.

 

 

The injury sustained by California Chrome during the 2014 Belmont Stakes.

 

"If you've got a horse, run him in all three...This is the coward's way out." and "If you can't make enough points to get in the [Derby], you can't run in the [Preakness and Belmont]." were his comments following the race. Obviously due to the high pressure scenario and such a build up, it is understandable he may have been disappointed or angry, and thus used those emotions to display his hurt. Having reportedly shouted at his wife after the interview, it appears to me Coburn threw his toys out of his pram. I personally do not think this is fair or indeed an admirable representation of his horse, or his appreciation for him and what he has achieved. For California Chrome is not aware, nor should be responsible for such an outburst. I am saddened as it subtracted from what was a brave performance by a tough horse.

Whilst fully understanding Coburn’s feelings on the final test in the Triple Crown, I oppose him in that he understood the nature of the sequence before declaring to run his horse. Therefore he surely cannot complain having made the decision to run him. The nation and beyond was hugely excited by the spectacle provided and could have proved a contributing factor to said decision, yet in reality the choice was made by him and his partners alone. Tonalist (Joel Rosario/Christophe Clement) won the Belmont Stakes having won the Peter Pan Stakes prior, beating re-opposing bridesmaid Commissioner (Javier Castellano/Todd Pletcher) by a head. 3^rd place belonged to Medal Count, who was the only horse to have raced in one of the previous two legs, having finished 7 ½ lengths adrift of California Chrome in the Kentucky Derby. He did not contest the Preakness Stakes. You can see Coburn’s frustration as if a horse could only race in the Belmont, given its participation in both the other legs, California Chrome would now be another winner of the Triple Crown. I would like to add I believe his jockey, Victor Espinoza, gave him in my opinion an intelligent ride, and was one man to take out of the incident. I feel he acted with great dignity and pride in his horse, considering he was under perhaps the most pressure of all.

 

 

Victor Espinoza

 

However, Coburn's wishes would undoubtedly mean the Triple Crown would be easier to claim- is this really what racing fans want? I believe the mental and physical constitution of a horse needed to win the trio of races is part of what makes the Triple Crown so valuable and special, in both financial and sentimental aspects. Previous winners of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont have all had the same challenges as California Chrome. Whether it has been due to luck, ability or any injuries sustained during the race, Chrome was not to join them on the illustrious roll of honour. Whether his injury bared any relevance to his finishing position remains to be seen, yet connections do not believe it to be a very serious one.

The purpose of this piece was to outline my own views on the events that unfolded. I think it would be remarkable if here in the UK such showbiz, glamour and fame was incorporated into our sport as it was for those precious moments before the 2014 Belmont. Our sport desperately needs champions to immerse itself in the forefront of the wider public’s imagination. Perhaps people need to look no further than Coronation Cup winner Cirrus Des Aigles, who ironically won Epsom’s 1 ½ mile test injured himself, on Saturday. Corine Barande-Barbe, his trainer, is an inspiring, elegant , engaging and endearing character who adores her 8 year old gelding. For me, she reflects what horse trainers and owners should be. People may say because Cirrus Des Aigles is not an entire racehorse, he is less likely to be admired by the public, as he cannot run in certain races (for example the Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe). This however is a totally separate issue, yet fans of horse racing alone, for now, are 100% behind the veteran. I’m sure you will join me in wishing both him and California Chrome successful recoveries.