The Winners' Enclosure - Wild Debate Over Ladbrokes Final
Ladbrokes Monthly Final - 1000m Colts
Over time, the RaceClubs.com community has served up its fair share of controversy but nothing in comparison to the post race debate that followed the outcome of this challenge final. Questions asked and judgement made, the racing fraternity is divided. The shenanigans that allegedly took place concerning the winner of the race, Gerd Der Bomber, have all but overshadowed what was a remarkable win. It doesn't matter what went on prior to the horse going to post in this race, we must not be distracted from the fact that it was a performance worthy of winning any challenge final. All too often, the name of sport is being brought into disrepute, whether it's performance enhancing drugs in athletics, dodgy cricketers taking bungs from betting syndicates or offshore bank accounts opened and named after your dog to avoid paying taxes. It shouldn't really matter but it does. We live in a cynical world that is all too quick to point the finger. Good men have been tried over accusations, their reputation smeared only to be cleared of any guilt or wrong doing. Before the virtual world goes nuts, it is important to remain focussed on the beauty of the game and celebrate performance and glory, without prejudice! The Ladbrokes Finals usually throw up some betting opportunity but this final was void of a market. The manner in which the race was won speaks volumes for that decision. Hazarding a guess, post race, the winner would have been very skinny in the market and proved his worth with devastating effect. I have to hold my hands up at this point and declare that I did not see this coming and paid very little in the form of compliment to horses ability. Yes, the horse had performed well enough to warrant a mention in a positive light but had I known what beast lies beneath the jockey, the pre-race hype would have been something else. Carrying 124lbs to victory is special enough but to carry the burden and win by over a length to some very decent sorts is nothing short of mesmerising. Do we have a sprint monster in the ranks here? Everything might just have fallen in place for the horse, the trip, the ground and the draw coupled with a good run of the race. There was not a lot of yielding form to view and it might suggest that there were no natural yielding lovers in the race, that's one view but you may not agree and we could well be seeing the future king of the sprint scene, Gerd Der Bomber. If he is what many think he is, this little debacle isn't the first and certainly not the last time his name will be murmured. Zarkandar (UK) had Derekw10 dreaming of the ideal result for him and his recent acquisition, commenting that it would be the quickest return to investment he would make should his charge go on and win the final. In truth, the colt never really got going and ran midfield throughout. It wasn't a bad run by any stretch of the imagination but his owner, who sets himself such high standards, may not be totally happy with the outcome. As expected, my own charge settled nicely at the rear of the pack, ready to pounce, not! In fact I was very pleased to see him finish ahead of a couple and in relation to the field he was up against and the run of the race he got, you can see why I was not optimistic over his chance. One that did surprise me was the run of Watergrass Hill. Ever consistent in his races, he is becoming something of a "top jockey magnet" after securing his seventh in eleven races, not that his owner will be complaining. Eventually finishing third, he never looked like getting past the pace setter, Darry Strawberry, who was such an enigma of the race, he even managed to escape a mention in my preview, although I will claim he was always at the forefront of my thoughts as a potential winner. His lead lasted until halfway, a sitting duck to the winners' powerful run up the inside rail. The Sky Castle Stables pair ofElementte and Sense Of Style were always close up but both were treading water entering the final three. Banzaii Danielsan was a strong fancy at the off and it was a little bit disappointing to see him not up with the front group early on. His fate was sealed by halfway and despite a late surge towards them, the front pack had flown. The quality of the horse is clear to see and with a bit of luck in running, on another day, it could have been a totally different story. Murrumba Downs brought to the race, the horse with the most solid effort over yielding but it was not to be Like A Zyrtec's day. Settled in midfield with a clear view of the leaders, the Jacques Girard ridden colt didn't quite have the extra ignition of pace needed close home, to trouble the running away, Gerd Der Bomber. A good run was on the cards for Full Monte Carlo, yet the Liveoak Stables trained, couldn't quite overturn his unsatisfactory draw, ten of the rails. Of the wider drawn horses, he ran a real nice race but it is no consolation if you finish in fifth place just outside the money but I fully expect bigger and better things from this horse in the near future. The going probably didn't agree with Kakapuka and his added 2lbs for a sprint qualifying race the previous day, wasn't going to help his cause. Nothing else really got into the race, a race dominated by a devastating turn of foot late on up the inner. Whether you agree with how the horse found his way to the stable and ultimately, a challenge final, you must agree with what it did at the track. It made winning a challenge series title look easy and if the horse is that good, I for one will be looking forward to see what it does at the track next, after all it's what happens on the track that counts, not off it! Congratulations Scheer Stalle with your fantastic championship win!
No comments:
Post a Comment