BRITISH 2yo RACING - 2014 Season Race Result
	Race 88 : Tue, May 20th Nottingham 2:00, 6.1f Maiden (5)
2014 Season Home 2014 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 Video VP GGF 73 [Compare] 0 None Link

SUMMARY

GGF from G on Decs,. Heavy Showers possible before race. Quotes from Paul Webber after the race on RUK = "Paul Webber, best known as a trainer, also acts as racing manager for owners Denford Stud and confirmed the Coventry Stakes, a race the Hannons have won with Canford Cliffs (2009) and Strong Suit (2010) in recent years, was on Dr No's agenda. 'Prince Faisal (owner of Denford Stud) bred both the sire and the dam, so it's particularly exciting and his son named the horse. Six furlongs is fine for now. I've spoken to Richard Hannon and he says he's always been his Coventry horse and hopefully that will be his aim.Whether we can slot in another race or not, I wouldn't have a clue, but we'll look forward to that (Royal Ascot)." Come on,Richard Jnr., run your 'Coventry Horse' in the usual NWBY maiden. This race a £10k bonus race and along with a number of early 6f events often attracts better class runners who have been ready but need 6f and/or getting a win in before Royal Ascot. Which was the case with Aktabantay who had been talked up as a Norfolk or Coventry horse by his trainer after his debut. In 2011 the first 3 in that edition were a dual Conds winner who tried Group races, the Norfolk Stakes 2nd and a Listed winner who tried Group races. 2012 had a Group 3 winner in 4th and 3 other horses who rated 80+ including one who didn't run again at 2yo but rated 100+ early in his 3yo season after two valuable wins. 2013's winner did not run again at 2yo but the 2nd-4th all tried Group races with the 4th home - Cable Bay - ending the season with a 2nd place in the Group 1 Dewhurst. In that context this year's field looks at least up to the normal level recently. Very interesting race in a number of ways and ought to be 3-4 who can rate 90+ in the field and an interesting test as to which of the 4 candidates someone would pick now to be the highest rated of these at season end. An interesting Race Shape which was made by the way Ryan Moore rode Aktabantay who is an enthusiastic galloper and doesn't have the most efficient movement style at present. Moore keen to hold onto him and try to make him race more settled and professionally. Ryan perhaps got out of the battle with the horse with some progress and a 0-0 draw but Aktabantay still not using his energy to the best. Not pulling nor out-of-control but always wanting to go a bit faster than the jk would let him and head to the right most of the way testing if could find a way to slip past the hold or wear the jk down. This average, say slower pace for these horses, made problems for a number of other jockey with free-running and not being able to hold onto their horses. So, along with a so-so pace and horses wearing themselves out using energy inefficiently the final ratings don't reflect the abilities. Given another go at it you wonder if Moore would have just upped the pace a bit and see if Aktabantay would settle then, perhaps he knows the horse wont settle and you have to keep on top of him. Which all meant that Dr No looked like the worldly wise professional and gave Hughes an armchair ride while the problems swirled around him. A solid kick 2f out and 2L clear into the final 1F and finishing the race off ok. Matured well since FTO physically and even more so mentally. Less up behind, still strong and well muscled and moving smoothly through the race and picking up on demand unlike FTO. How much of the "..always my Coventry horse.." is blowing smoke? Does Junior say that to all the 'boys', Paul? How would Dr No look walking around down at the Coventry start next to an O'Brien better one like War Command or Power, or a top one like Dawn Approach (the last 3 winners). Would he be a 'Parbold' or 'Roman Soldier' to the O'Brien winners or a good one like Olympic Glory to Dawn Approach? If a real quality Irish runner wasn't there could he win it? At a guess he's more Parbold than Olympic Glory and Webber getting a bit carried away. He hasn't shown the sort of 'different' zip that Canfoed Cliffs or Strong Suit did in their Maiden wins, but perhaps with more pace we might have seen better here? Similar questions for Aktabantay who seemed to show something different (i.e. that only the top small % quality can do) on debut with a late race surge once balanced on the uphill. In PRev he is better than expected and not the smaller type Oasis Dream that can be a touch underwhelming. Try looking at these two pictures of him, one from Debut on May 4th and the other at the start here :- As with Lightning Stride who made his debut in the same NMKT race Aktabantay looks a different horse, older and bigger even with the different angles and circumstances. As an aside you wonder how much a tall man holding the camera high up makes those NMKT paddock shots look smaller than with a lower angle? What the picture also shows is how balanced, stood perfectly square and relaxed while he stares into the middle distance. Trying to remember where he left the keys to the horsebox. He isn't a powerhouse though and you would think getting the most out of his rhythmical movement is the key to getting the best of him. The going a bit slower while being held onto here didn't seem to do that and no sign of the notable kick he showed FTO. One idea about that is that he has an exuberant style and a high action in front. He might actually need an uphill finish for that action to 'work' properly with the ground coming up to meet him and flatten his action out. If he turned up in the Coventry with '22' against his name and Moore still you might well want to back him each-way on the off-chance that he settles in behind off the too strong pace then that kick returns on the uphill drag at ASCT. Eually interesting for the long term is Cotai Glory Trainer Hills should be running some oif his best types in the period through to early June (say the 10th) and CG is a very likeable, well made and powerful enough big lad. Two pictures of him AP, one helping to round up the loose Godolphin idiot (Doyle just needs a lassoo) and the other doing his best Russian Rhythm impression :- 'Likeable', wouldn't be the word jk Doyle would use about CG and the horse gave him a torrid time in the race. Racing too freely as Moore tried to tune the pace and may well have given the worst example of pulling and FFH that will be seen this season. Nearly 3F of it and Doyle having to put his entire bodyweight and leverage to not get entirely carted. If you want to blather about 'strength' in jks then that would be a worthwhile example. Many smaller or less 'young' jks wouldn't have managed to hold him. CG clearly still raw mentally and physically but with a bigger frame. More power than Cable Bay who was unplaced in the race for Hills in 2013. Produced an ok effort at 2f out given the palaver and only really let go when Dr No crossed him towards the last 1F. CG still had enough about him to see the problem coming and skip around Dr No but then couldn't get going again. Might well have a punt on him being the best of these if he develops well. His size and frame suggest a 7f type but his full sister was a tearaway 5f type in 2013 with a bit of zip above her lesser frame. Old man Fallon didn't manage to hold Final Decision when that one started pulling and eventually got pulled through to the leading line despite having used the back of several other horses to delay the inevitable. Another solid effort before the fade. A solid sized one with some length and range and typically a more ready and fizzy debut as befitting Godolphin. Ought to be 85+ and perhaps over OR90. Appleby has looked an untypical Godolphin trainer on his record with debuts so far in 2014 and has produced a number of duff debuts lacking physical and mental snap. His pair of solidly built lads here looking underdone and needing the run to tighten up. None of that hard fit FTO along with a sweating and wired-to-the-moon attitude. Skygazer a shorter and chunkier block one. Ok depth and power and ought to be 75+. But loose TP and generally stupid in the race and a poor effort 2f before some late plugging on. Perhaps he will develop with racing unlike the Godolphin norm which has tended to be peaking FTO/STO and then probably regressing. But clearly needs a lot fixed at present. Star Citizen another squarely built and deep block and ok power. Bit more length and range than Skygazer and also a bit underdone. Ok effort in the last 2F and might have shown a bit more if not having to be switched out from being blocked in 2R on the rail. Ought to ok for 80+. And finally, really useful to have Gideon Jukes in the field for comparison. He looks out of place in the field as if a 13yo boy has found himself playing with the under 18s Rugby Team. GJ takes you back to images of looking at fields of 2yo in Auction races at Thirsk, where he might well be one of the better lookers. Here, he just looks small and overpowered and lower to mid 60s. On the plus side he races competently and gives it his best shot to hang onto the bigger lads in the last 2f but dusted off in the last 1f. Can he go back and play with the under 14s at RDCR STO, please.

Back to Top of Page