Wins the MacKinnon Stakes in the mud today at Flemington.
World's best racehorse, hands down. This will be cemented on the first Tuesday in November, if he wins.
I haven't seen as good a horse as him in a very long time.
Wins the MacKinnon Stakes in the mud today at Flemington.
World's best racehorse, hands down. This will be cemented on the first Tuesday in November, if he wins.
I haven't seen as good a horse as him in a very long time.
Owner Dato Tan Chin Nam has confirmed now the horse is definitely starting on Tuesday.
Dato Tan Chin Nam said.A horse like that must be given a chance. He's a good horse and a good horse can overcome shortcomings.
Whether he win the Cup or not, I think he can be declared Australian Horse Of the Year for the 2010-11 season already, even it is only spring! Incredible.
Four Group 1 wins in the space of 6 weeks, will be five on Tuesday if he wins again.
Unheard of these days.
I reckon his autumn will read something like this:
* Group 1 CF Orr Stakes - 1400m @ Caulfield
* Group 2 St George Stakes - 1800m @ Caulfield
* Group 1 Australian Cup - 2000m @ Flemington
FRESHEN UP ----> float to Sydney
* Group 1 Ranvet Stakes - 2000m @ Rosehill
* Group 1 The BMW Classic - 2400m @ Rosehill
* Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II - 2000m @ Randwick
I know it is unlikely to happen, but you can't stop me from thinking of this though ...Originally Posted by doriemus
* Group 1 Dubai World Cup - 2000m @ Meydan
Actually I reckon if he were to go to Dubai, they would probably aim for the Dubai Duty Free. A perfect race for him. The distance is perfect and its on turf. Maktoum is at Flemington today, and I am sure he would be doing a "mass marketing" campaign to Chin Nam for the Dubai World Cup meet. But my gut instinct tells me that Bart will not leave Australia with him.
I keep going back to 1996, when he had Saintly sent to Japan for the Cup over there. The horse who was on fire at the time, having won a Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup, was an almost certainty of winning the race. Then trouble struck hours out from the event, when he contracted severe travel sickness, was dehydrated and fighting for his life.
He somehow made it back to Australia, got better for the autumn, won the CF Orr Stakes first up, then he broke down a day later with a tendon injury, and was never seen on a racecourse again.
It was a real shame, because one can only think what might have been, as Octagonal, whom had a lacklustre spring, came out and was the dominating force in the autumn of 2007.
But in saying that I think after the autumn of 2011, they will have to seriously consider leaving Australia. Its nice we have a horse who is just so dominant, but there really is nothing left for him now in Australia. Once you get past the major WFA events such as the Cox Plate, Australian Cup, The BMW, Mackinnon Stakes, QE2, Ranvet Stakes, Yalumba Stakes, Underwood Stakes and Doomben Cup you don't have much left to do. He has already won 4 of those races, and I can't honestly believe the Doomben Cup would add any further or significant value to his future career and already glamorous resume of 5 Group 1 wins, including the Cox Plate twice.
YOu really think after Saintly nearly died that theyd risk another going on a long flight OS? There are plenty of wfa races for him to keep going around in witout having to risk everything and go OS for a handful of races. Doubt he'd turn up in Bris either. Autumn campaign to Aust Cup and Sydney then back for another Cox Plate in the spring. If they keep sound there isnt any need to go elsewhere and its not like they need to promote him as a stallion not tht they want to be jetsetting all over the place either.
Old time owners enjoy racing and winning here so that us the public can enjoy our champs instead of eatching them on tv at 1am.
Rubiton, gut instinct tells me that they would not risk the horse and leave Australia, especially after the Saintly episode in 1996.
But then again, the same winning team went to Hong Kong with Catalan Opening in 1997, and won the Hong Kong Bowl. Bart also did take Rogan Josh too Hong Kong in 1999 after the Melbourne Cup and Sandown Classic. Like Saintly, he also broke down in the months following.
Assuming that he wins all the races I mentioned above, which I think he will and with pure ease, what more does he have to prove in Australia? I think all there is left is to annex Kingston Town's feat of 3 consecutive Cox Plate's.
Doreimus, I think you've nailed his autumn campaign. And he will win them all.
Can't see him going o/s unless he is sold. The owner is 83, the trainer just about to be 83. Dato might travel a bit but it would be hard to get Bart on the plane. Between that & the near loss of Saintly, I reckon they'll opt to watch him from the comfort of their home base.
Cummings would love to at least equal Kingston Town's Cox Plate record.
Hong Kong is an 8 hour direct flight though and anything else can turn into the milk run that Saintly travelled on.
Horse doesnt have anything to prove now but these two old blokes obviously enjoy having good horses running in the top local races. And some time back it was reported that our stakes are equal if not better than that in the UK in particular races (cant remember which ones) so its not imperitave to go OS. Lonhro and Northerly never went OS, Sunline did and performed well, Makybe did and failed, Elvis did and won in Dubai but no one puts Elvis (Elvestrom) above the others listed here.
Bart and Dato have been racing horses since before it was fairly easy to send them OS and doubt they've gotten bored setting past horses for the same races year after year. And also we are lucky they own him and not someone who would sell in an instant or a stud that would have him at stud asap. Lonhro was the same with owners who liked racing their horses so we had him racing as a 5yo before going to stud. Everyone going to a spring carnival meetings (except Caul CUp) have had a chance to see this horse in the flesh so far - he was even at the JRA Cup meeting.
And ther e is nothing like being able to see a champ with your own eyes. For instance the media keep calling him black but he is actually a mahogany brown not black like Lonhro was (though even he was official brown but 98percent of him was black).
Confirmed this morning on TVN, the major thoroughbred racing channel in Australia, the horse will NOT race offshore during his racing career.
This is great for the public and the entire racing/breeding industry here in Australia, as we can all appreciate this animal for who he is, and be able to comfortably watch him over the course of the next 18 to 24 months. It also sets a massive benchmark for other racehorses in this country to try and be competitive against him.
The race clubs are going to be big winners too. A great horse attracts great crowds. The PR and Marketing departments will be having a field day when they get to host this horse their track.
I think the MVRC should use this opportunity, to actually promote the Cox Plate to a world wide audience, and get the best gallopers of the world to Australia for this race.
I guess all of these will be changed now. Maybe something like this ...
* Group 1 Prince of Wales - 10f @ Royal Ascot
* Group 1 King George & Queen Elizabeth - 12f @ Ascot
* Group 1 Irish Champion - 10f @ Leopardstown
* Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe - 2400m @ Longchamp
* Group 1 Japan Cup - 2400m @ Tokyo
edit: as an afterthought, it may actually be a good thing that he finished third in the Cup - showing that he is capable and versatile to go that distance, but obviously not his strength.
Last edited by Viva Pataca; 11-03-2010 at 06:14 AM.
He's not a true stayer though he's a 1600-2000m horse which is where he had that sprint at the end. Why would you go to 2400m on those long Europe straights when the horse is far more effective over slightly less and around a bend. Flemington is the one Melb track he has been vunerable.
Latest rumour is Ascot and something else then back to Aust for the spring but that couldjust be to placate Aust fans who have been robbed of what could have been. Its bad enough when they break down but to just sell the best horse in the land when he is so young (yes I know Tobin Bronze and few others went OS but they were a bit older)
Seems Dato was advised into selling the horse without Barts knowledge according to reports this morning.
Good point. Could it be possible that he will go to Pletcher instead of AOB? His running style will suit an American track if he likes dirt.
That' I don't believe. Even I can hear the rumours here in Canada.
Maybe the BC turf after the Arc? Would be nice if the US gets to see him live in action too! Coolmore always likes to send horses over, so it wouldn't surprise me.
Sea The Stars - perfection in equine form, a horse of a lifetime!
Hopefully link to report from paper. Read into it what you will
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/ba...-1225947548181
Bart was left out in the negotiation. It is possible that he had asked if anything's happened and was being denied. It was only after it was confirmed (or close to being confirmed) that he was told what had been going on. He felt he was being betrayed, or disrespected. So he was upset, he spoke up, and that's absolutely understandable. His team did everything right and spent so much time on the horse and now he is gone.
From a business standpoint, it totally makes sense to sell high. This is the best time to sell. It is not like they are retiring him now. I'm not Australian/New Zealander but I can understand the pride this horse brings to many people. This talented little baby you all saw last spring has now grown up. In a very short period of time, he has achieved something so unique, and he did it so easily and in such a manner that is so unconventional. He is not just one of many talented Group 1 winners anymore. He is something else. He is the next GREAT. England you had your Sea The Stars, America you have your Zenyatta, and now it is Australia's turn. And throughout the weeks in the carnival, Dato's racing manager has been denying again and again of any potential talk of sales. Finishing third in the Melbourne Cup was very good, but that also means there are unfinished businesses - a third Cox Plate and another run in the Cup. Achieving those feats will 200% crown him above Kingston Town, Tulloch and Phar Lap as the best Australia has ever produced with no room for any ambiguity or argument. So the excitement, anticipation and dream remain at a climax point after the Cup. And then BOOM! He is going to Coolmore and leaving the country in a few weeks time .... end of story.
So first reaction is "W T F! What've we done wrong? Why are you doing this to us?" Just imagine if Zenyatta was scratched on Friday before the BC Classic because she's sold to foreign interest and will point to the Dubai World Cup next year and is leaving Shireffs, as we speak. That's the reaction.
Last edited by Viva Pataca; 11-04-2010 at 12:25 PM.
The problem I think most of us have is the way the Racing Manager has gone about it.
A couple of weeks back he comes on tv, and actually said the horse would never race overseas. The only time he would, was when he standing at stud.
Then days before the Cup, we will wait until after the Cup.
On Wednesday, this same man confirms the horse is sold and will never race in Australia again, and is heading to Ireland to be trained Aidan O'Brien.
I mean seriously there are ways to go about this, its about being consistent, and being honest. All he had to do was say "there are currently negotiations going on, and unfortunately due to the strict nature of them, they cannot be discussed until after the Cup is run on Tuesday." Easy. First line confirms there is something happening, second line does not mention names, and then confirms that it will be advised after Tuesday.
If he had handled himself like that, I am sure there would not be as much negativity as there is now in the air. The people I feel for are Bart and the staff. They are the ones who actually made this animal who he was.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks