A trip to Hampshire to visit Exbury gardens may well be more exciting
Night At The Exbury
Grade III
A mile and one quarter
Firm Turf
$150,000
All horses, 4 years old and up
Race ID:3889.6214
I am not sure why I am at the seaside but I am. The English Channel is not to warm this time of year either. This race is usually run at Saint-Cloud one of the Paris tracks. That is another piece of bad news as the cuisine is excellent at the Paris tracks as well. If you ever get a chance to go to France it is well worth visiting a Paris track mid week great food central Paris quality) at a cheap price.
This race is named after a very good racehorse and Arc winner Exbury (named after gardens in Hampshire [the real one!] www.exbury.co.uk) the only racehorse better in terms of merit to race this century is Dubai Millennium which puts things in perspective. This race is usually run on heavy ground but somehow for France it is firm. The ground staff are on strike again no surprise there.
This is the first group race to be run in Europe on turf each year and is seen as an early season trial for the Prix Ganay if any of these horses make that race I would be surprised.
MILLVIEW PLNS (ENG) SINGSPIEL (IRE) x DIKTAT (GB) x COSSACK WARRIOR (AUS)
Singspiel is a real dud in the sim when you consider he has had as many black type horses as Montjeu for the three years 2006-08 in real life. Very few are top class but nevertheless very few stallions world wide produce so many stakes class horses. This horse though has won only one race. His last start over 10f was his best lifetime effort. That being said and the fact this is a poor field I still cannot make out any case or hope for this horse making the first three.
THE EXECUTIONER (KY) CRYPTOCLEARANCE x RUNAWAY GROOM x TOM ROLFE
This horse has been switched to turf recently. Four runs and four top two places. This reads very well in the context of this field. His dirt form suggests 9f is a great trip for him but over 10f seems to stretch him to far. We therefore have to strike a balance between his ability and the trip. It would appear that he has place claims but a win seems unlikely due to the trip.
DANISHA (ENG) DANSILI (GB) x THEATRICAL (IRE) x KRIS S.
This horse is bred on similar lines to the Arc winner Rail Link. He though appears to have matured early. He was a very good 2yo and early 3yo. He has recently changed hands after struggling for connections in stakes graded company. It would appear that other horses have improved past him with age. The trip looks beyond his best and recent graded form gives little or no hope of him winning.
SHOTOUTOFAGUN (FL) RED BULLET x LEAR FAN x INHERENT STAR
It would be interesting to find out the last time in real life a horse bred from a stallion standing outside of Kentucky in the USA had sired a group winner in Europe. They are very rare indeed. Looking at the international classifications they appear very rare period. This fellow has won no more than an nw2x. He is though getting better with age and stays the trip. That being said you would have to say it would be a major shcok if he was good enough to win a graded race.
WAMPUS CAT (IRE) HAWK WING (IRE) x STORM CAT x LE FABULEUX
His sire has been a serious dud at stud. The problem being the Woodman mental attitude is coming out to strongly in his offspring. Coolmore sold him to India but he is now in South Korea. This is a decent horse. He likes the 10f trip is graded placed and appears to be improving as well. This is a short and weak field. The owner must have every hope this horse can get in the money in a race of this type.
FROM SIN CITY (IRE) THEATRICAL (IRE) x COPELAN x BOLD AND BRAVE
Theatrical was from Nureyev first crop when he was in France. He stood for about $40,000 which must have been the deal of the decade as it looks cheap today let alone then when stud fees were much higher. Theatrical though is an influence for stamina and this horse seems to follow that pattern. He is a decent allowance horse and the trip should be no problem. His previous attempts at stakes and graded races are not a source of confidence in his ability to handle the class hike. His chances therefore of winning appear to be slim.
TOWN PRINCE (IRE) BALLINGARRY (IRE) x MAJESTIC PRINCE x PETRONE
This horse has been an outstanding horse in the sim. He is a multiple graded winner and loves the 10f distance. The phrase that sums it up though is “has been” it would appear from recent races that time has caught up with him at last. This is a shame to see as he was once a excellent horse. I cannot see him turning back time even with this poor quality field which he would have destroyed twelve months ago. The only question then is how far he would win by. Today is looks like how far he will be beaten by. It would be nice to see him earn enough money to get to $2m earnings though.
BOWLED SHANE (IRE) BAHRI x ZAFONIC x CARR DE NASKRA
This horse in some was would be a fitting winner of this race. Naskra the grand sire of Carr de Naskra is out of a Le Haar mare. He was the sire of Exbury who the race was named after. His race record sends out hope that may well be the case. He has won over the trip several times and has been able to handle himself in better quality races than this. He has decent place prospects and could pull of the win with some luck.
FLYING INDY (KY) A.P. INDY x FUSAICHI PEGASUS x STORM CAT
His sire has managed just two grade three winners in Europe in all his time at stud. His best runner in Europe has been Mingun who was more a product of his dam than sire. It shows how big a difference a sire’s ability can have in different continents. That being said this horse seems to have an ideal profile for 2009. this year ahs seen a lot of horses break through at grade level. This horse is improving likes the trip and is in form. If this race follows most others this year he has a great chance of winning his first graded race.
As for my selections they are as follows:-
Flying Indy – on the upgrade and has the typical 2009 graded winner profile.
Bowled Share – well placed and can obtain some more black type
Wampus Cat – the only other horse without a negative perspective going into the race