British 2yo Racing - 2011 Race Result :- 93 : Mon, May 16th

BRITISH 2yo RACING - 2011 Season Race Result

Race 93 : Mon, May 16th
Windsor 6:30, 5f Conditions (3)

2011 Season Home
2011 Results

[Est] is the B2yoR Rating. Green indicates a 55+ level,
Cream between 30 & 54, Pink less than 30.
Wnr = previous/LATER 2yo Winner. Letter is Race Type.
Hf = Position at Halfway. Green indicates making places to the finish.

GOING	TIME	RcPc	VP
GFG	59.96 [Compare]	0	None

	Horse	SP	[EST]	Run	Wnr	Trainer	Dw	Hf	Run Notes
1	Bannock	8	59	3	m/L	M. Johnston	5	1	LdgPr Erl, Ld+0.5f, Cmf Ld, IncrPc-2f, PO, 1Clr-1f+ RL, PO, Po Lt
2	Magic City	0.4	61	3	m	R. Hannon	2	7	BOk PHld, H-2 Erl, SFre+0.5f & Hld, H-2 +1f, Prg-1.5f, 4th-1f & Eff, ko, PO ins-0.5f, Po Lt
3	Signifer	9	52	3	a/N	M. R. Channon	6	3	BkWL, Hld Erl, H-1 +0.5f Drop-in 2R, Eff-2f, Po, Fd Lt
4	Foxtrot India	6	55	2	m	P. Winkworth	3	6	B-1 PLh-1, Last Erl & Resp, 3R+1f Sttld, SwcL-2f+, Eff-2f PO, Po ins-0.5f, po Lt
5	Middleton Flyer	125	38	5	s	P. D. Evans	1	4	P-1 Hld, 2R+0.5f Sttld, Dv-2f+, Outpcd-2f, Hmp-1f+, po-1f, Fd Lt
6	Ortea	50	45	3	m	P. D. Evans	7	5	BOk Wdst, Ngl Erl TTR, 2R+1f Ngl, Dv-2f Cent, Outpcd-2f, po, Fd Lt
7	Steady The Buffs	66	34	4	a	H. B. R. Palmer	4	2	B1, Ld Erl & Jnd, Hdd+0.5f & LdgPr, Dv-2f+, Outpcd-2f, po, Fd-0.5f+

SUMMARY

GFG produced by watering as 21mm applied in last 7 days. Going stick 8.6 reading. Stands' rail out by 6 yards at the 6f pole narrowing down to 2 yards at the Winning Post. Stiff to Strong breeze as a half Tailwind from the right.

Hannon on his website before the race = "We thought Magic City would follow-up at Ascot, but the ground was very firm and he never strode out with the same freedom that he had at Newbury and was beaten by Miss Work of Art. That filly has since won a Listed race at York, so we probably bumped into one, but I still maintain that Magic City did not run his race at Ascot and it was no surprise when he came back with sore shins. He is fine now and from his low draw he should take some catching."

Hannon after the race on his website, in aside = " Windsor might have been a disappointment - the boss tried new tactics on Magic City in an attempt to get him to settle and they backfired on us"

As a number of e-mails pointed out. Mixed messages from the Hannon side and the race lost by overdoing the Hold-up Tactics. Magic City had looked very good at Newbury pressurising the others with his pacemaking from the start and then pulling clear with a sustained effort in the last 2f and not really stopping. They then tried to hold him up in front at Ascot and the same effort was not there but the reason muddied by whether he found the ground a bit firm. [Aside - worth recording that a number of trainers seem wary of ASCT and Robin O'Ryan, Fahey's right-hand man, said after MWOArt's YORK win that they had a number of 2yos come back from the Royal Meeting in 2010 jarred up and never got them back running to full potential. Therefore, Royal Ascot was something they would have to consider carefully now with lots of later season targets.].

Which meant you might have thought bouncing out here and setting a stiff, sustained but not over-racing, pace down the rail might be the answer. The first race had suggested that was the way. Instead MCity hauled back by Hughes in two stages to sit in the last pair with FIndia and 4L off the lead at halfway. Just an average pace set with Bannock able to sit comfortably with the limited STBuffs. Bannock then able to pick up the lead inside 2f out, cross to the rail, and show the solid kick he has to be 2L+ clear 1f out. He only stalled a little late on and still 2L+ clear of FIndia and Signifer. Magic City actually ran very well given that Hughes took time to find a gap and didn't make his final effort until coming to the last 1f. Closing up to be a neck behind Bannock at the line. But, not showing a sharp kick and taking 0.5f+ to get past FI & Signifer but then continue that effort right to the line.

Thinking back to a horse like Canford Cliffs he won by a long way at Newbury on debut then ran away with Hughes in the Coventry but still won. They then took time to turn him into a hold-up and kick horse but the long-term results have clearly been worth it. What they see Magic City as perhaps dictates what they do with him. Libranno was alllowed to be a pressurising front-runner last year and won two Group races but has looked Listed class at 3yo. If Magic City is a 2yo then let him lead and use his sustained effort to drag the finish out of the others. If they think he is a 3yo+ Group horse then take the time, and reverses, in going throught he teaching process.

FIndia just medium sized in this group and made his effort at the usual 2f out mark and ran to potential. Clearly ready on debut as the Winkworth better ones tend to be and average scope at best. Useful input to understanding the quality of his first run given the way the form 'seems' to be 'working out' very well. A bit more nuance required in predicting the future from the result.

Signifer and indication of the ordinary pace and ran too freely early and another negative for the apprentice jockey who does not look on top of the job enough to cope with extra problems at present. Finished closer to MC than at Newbury but by starting in front of him.