It pays to run a mule on #April Fool’s Day

It pays to run a mule on April Fool’s Day

The 1st April not only marks the start of a brand new season of virtual horse racing on RaceClubs.com but also April Fool’s Day. In keeping with tradition, and all things foolish, the Race Programmer also likes to turn the community on its head and reward the worst runners instead of the best. It’s the one day when to be competitive you have to perform at your most uncompetitive best! 

All 2 year old horses competing in graded races will be eligible to win one of the following prizes if they place last in any April Foolsgraded race that has a minimum of five runners: 

G1: £9.45 
G1: Low: £3.15 
G2: £1.26 
G3: £0.63

Claimers, Rated Races and Free Races are excluded. 

There will also be an additional lucky draw for all the older horses who come last in any of the April Fools graded race that has a minimum of five runners. One horse from each of the following grades will win one of these prizes: 

G1: £37.80
G2: £15.75 
G3: £9.45 

You don’t even need the best horses to win in the April Fools races, you just need your horses to perform at their worst! All prizes will be paid on the 3rd April 2012

The RaceClubs.com Team

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The kind of successes that deserve crates of champagne- and not the cheap stuff either!

Congratulations to the classic Challenge Series winners on RaceClubs.com 

If Amber Fields and Sky Castle Stables were nursing hangovers after celebrating their wins in the Challenge Series sprint races then they’re going to need dialysis after their classic races. 

Amber Fields went from first time Challenge Series winner in Wednesday’s Sprinters Challenge Final Juvenile C to double winner yesterday in the Classic Challenge Final Juvenile C. Both of his horses Toodles and Harjab (ENG) have done him proud. That’s the kind of success that deserves crates of champagne to celebrate, and not the cheap stuff either! 

Sky Castle Stables did a double Challenge Series victory, winning both the The Derby 3Y C - Gr 1 and King George Classic Challenge Final 4-7Y C with Duc De Richelieu and Service Resumes. He’s not only celebrating his 50th Challenge Series win (and 51st) but also beating Shotgun-mike’s records for winning the most Challenge Series. Shotgun-mike struck gold in the Queen Elizabeth Classic Challenge Final 4-7Y F with Eccellenza Suecia but does he have enough horsepower in his stable to reclaim his title as the King of Challenges? 

Wrs Stables and RedHalo Racing aren’t strangers to the winner’s circle as they won the Classic Challenge Final Juvenile F and The Oaks 3Y F - Gr 1respectively. This would be Wrs Stables fifth Challenge Series title while RedHalo Racing just won his sixteenth. 

It’s probably a rhetorical question, but does one ever become blasé when winning multiple Challenge Series titles? Or, is it a case of never being too rich or too think or too successful at virtual horse racing on RaceClubs.com?

Congratulations to all the winners in last night’s Challenge Series race over the in the classic distances! 

Trainer	Horse	Challenge  Series
Amber Fields	Harjab (ENG)	Classic Challenge Final Juvenile C
Wrs Stables	Gracious Lady	Classic Challenge Final Juvenile F
Sky Castle Stables	Duc De Richelieu	The Derby 3Y C - Gr 1
RedHalo Racing	So Theatrical	The Oaks 3Y F - Gr 1
shotgun_mike	Eccellenza Suecia	Queen Elizabeth Classic Challenge Final 4-7Y F
Sky Castle Stables	Service Resumes	King George Classic Challenge Final 4-7Y C

The RaceClubs.com Team

The future of horse racing is online at RaceClubs.com
horses, racing, championships, sponsorships, entertainment 

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Meet the winners in last night's Challenge Series races for virtual horse!

Congratulating the fastest Challenge Series Sprinters on RaceClubs.com 

 Last night’s winners all deserve a round of generous applause following their victorious Challenge Series races.

 RaceClubs.com’s 32^nd Challenge Series races saw Sky Castle Stables hitting his 49^th Challenge Series title, followed by The Face’s 8^th title, Unconte Stable’s 4^th title and Holmang Horses’s 3rd title. They’re virtual veterans in the horse racing community but we don’t think any Challenge Series victory is less exciting than the first, second or third title. These trainers have invested an entire season, in some instances even more, training their horses and perfecting their placement strategy. Last night, all that blood, sweat and tears paid off handsomely as their horses sprinted into the winner’s circle to collect the most prestigious Challenge Series titles.

 

Amber Fields and Jsl Racing literally went from rookies to Challenge Series winners within their first six months in the virtual horse racing community on RaceClubs.com. Amber Fields has competed in eleven Challenge races to date before winning the Sprinters Challenge Final Juvenile C title, followed by Jsl Racing who won the Sprinters Challenge Final Juvenile F with his first attempt in a Challenge Series race. They can feel especially proud of their accomplishments within such a short time of joining RaceClubs.com because there isn’t a trainer who has been through the Sales Ring who can’t say they envy them.

 

An interesting note on Amber Fields and Jsl Racing’s horses, Toodles and Queens Indian, is that they never bought their champions through the auctions but pulled them out of RaceClubs.com’s Sales Ring which just goes to show that while champion horses can be bought but it takes a champion trainer to race them to victory.

 

RaceClubs.com would like to thank all of last night’s Challenge Series runners because great victories are only possible when the competition is equally great in stature.  We would also like to congratulate all the winners in last night’s Challenge Series races for all horses over the 1200m sprints.  Well done on making all of us proud and envious at the same time!

Trainer	Horse	Challenge Series
Amber Fields	Toodles	Sprinters Challenge Final Juvenile C
Jsl Racing	Queens Indian	Sprinters Challenge Final Juvenile F
Sky Castle Stables	Moonlite Sky	Nunthorpe Sprint Final 3Y C - Gr 1
Holmang Horses	Virginia	Nunthorpe Sprint Final 3Y F - Gr 1
Unconte Stable	A Bad Day For You	Newbury Colts Sprint Challenge Final 4-7Y C
The Face	Woodcote Forever	Newbury Fillies Sprint Challenge Final 4-7Y F

The RaceClubs.com Team
The future of horse racing is online at RaceClubs.com
horses, racing, championships, sponsorships, entertainment 

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raceclubs.com's Challenge Series is challenging enough, so Graham Clifford from the BBC shared the lighter side of virtual horse racing with us!

Day 1 of the Challenge Finals – Sprints review

With Graham Clifford

From red to amber in the flash of an eye

Firstly I’d like to point out that ‘Toodles’ is the name of a dog. Never have I tuned into the Cheltenham Gold Cup and heard “here comes Kauto Star followed by Toodles”, if I did I would have thought Ruby Walsh had brought his pet poodle along with him! But in America yesterday in record virtual temperatures the 2-year-old from the Amber Fields stable showed he’s all horse! 

What a sprints final for juvenile colts it was, it had everything. On home turf Wayne Bailey brought Toodles to the front early on and I have to admit I thought perhaps he’d gone too early. Having never won a challenge final before I, and I’m sure most of you, was rooting for Toodles but as the line drew closer and Kakapuka from the shotgun-mike stable narrowed the gap the signs looked ominous. But that finishing line came just in time for Amber Fields and Wayne Bailey who afterwards dedicated the win to Monica Lewinsky. 

Before the race Toodles’ boss threw rivals off the scent by stating “After a massive mistake on Monday Toodles is not fully fit. Live and learn” but it turns out he was playing mind games with the other owners! Well done Amber Fields, let’s hope this big win is the first of many!

Queens Indian gives rivals a royal roasting

They love the British royalty in the States and after Queens Indian’s sensational run in last night’s Sprinter’s Challenge Final for young fillies they love them even more. It was one of those races where calling in too soon would almost inevitably see you backing the wrong contender. That didn’t stop a hot dog vendor beside me shouting “Sweet Toot has it in the bag, oh boy wait till I tell Jessie May.” Seconds later he was back on his stall cutting rolls with a vicious frown across his face, I got the feeling Jessie May would have his virtual guts for garters later in the evening for waisiting all the hard-earned cash! 

This was JSL Racing’s first ever appearance in a challenge final and they’ve made it one from one! See it’s not that difficult is it! Amid the celebrations there was one funny moment when a local camera crew surrounded the winning owner asking for him to sing. “But I don’t sing” he replied. The startled reporter looked at the camera after a few seconds and sheepishly said “I’m sorry guys and gals, this is JSL not JLS”.

Super Sky Castle win brings magic number even closer

By the time these end of season finals conclude tomorrow evening Sky Castle Stables will surely have hit or surpassed the 50 challenge final wins mark. It’s an eye-watering tally which he shares with the Shotgun_Mike stable – but which one of the two giants will capture the half century victory amount first? The latest challenge final win for Sky Castle came in the Nunthorpe Sprint Final for 3 year old colts last night from Moonlite Sky with the grey Oriental Xpress from the same yard finishing in second. 

Classified as a ‘Legendary stable’ the Sky Castle’s owner is carried around by three burly men when he visits the world’s virtual tracks lest his feet step on something sharp. In parts of China he is revered as a God Like figure and 79% of Peruvian men aged between 18 and 35 said in a recent poll that the Sky Castle stable owner is the man they model themselves on. Incidentally John Prescott came second in that poll.

Virginia wins for Norwegian in Virginia! 

Yep that’s right folks Virginia from the Holmang Horses stable actually won last night’s Nunthorpe Sprint final for 3 year old fillies in the US state of Virginia! And in another coincidence winning Jockey Wayne Bailey is the chairman of the US branch of the Virginia Woolf fan club. “I had no idea of the symbolism of this win” said the Holmang Horses’ stable owner from Norway last night before adding “excuse me who did you say you were again and why are you reversing the charges?” 

Despite having well over 1,000 wins since joining the game on November 4th, 2007 this is just the stable’s third challenge final win and the celebrations lasted long into the night in Scandanavia. ‘Virginia’ actually had an awful start to the final and was third from last before the first bend.

Dubai double for suave French jockey

After riding both winners in last night’s Newbury Sprints finals for 4-7 year old colts and fillies French sensation Jacques Girard is being touted as a future French President. Though he has trouble spelling and counting as is known as something of a recluse Girard is seen as a superior candidate to those currently in the race to lead France. Last night though all he could is smile as he rode ‘A Bad Day For You’ from the Unconte stable to victory in the colt’s sprint race and half an hour later repeated the feat when he guided ‘Woodcote Forever’ from the Face stable home with a hair to spare in the Filly’s sprint final. 

The future of horse racing is online at RaceClubs.com
horses, racing, championships, sponsorships, entertainment 

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ESPN.com explains why the yearling ales are the best time to stock your stables!

Yearling sales: Stock your stable

Updated: March 16, 2012, 1:30 AM ET

By Edward Bell | Digiturf.com

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Digiturf.com's Yearling Sale is the most anticipated sale of the season, and with good reason too because it gives players the unfair advantage that everyone wants when competing against each other in virtual horse races.

 

Yearlings are the unfair advantage that every serious trainer on Digiturf.com wants in their stable. They're the best financial investment any trainer can make before each season begins.

 

Even though yearlings are only one year old horses and cannot be raced competitively against other horses, they prove to be a valuable resource for trainers wanting to stock up their stable. An added advantage is that yearlings can be trained in advance of the next season, which gives trainers prior knowledge of their new horses' preferences and capabilities. In a nutshell: yearlings get trained as one year olds so they're ready to race as 2 year olds. Best of all, they get their first month's stabling free, which also includes free food and tack equipment. They're virtual horses so they can only compete in online races, which means you can literally train them into the ground -- or cyberspace!

 

Virtual horse racing games are computer simulated horse races but they're also becoming a dime a dozen. Some are simple slot machine games while others are role-playing games that even a bored monkey could master in minutes. The unique selling point that makesDigiturf.com stand out from the field is that they created the first skills-based horse racing game that allows players to race their own virtual horses against other players in high stakes races, championship racing and for cash prizes. Little pony games are cute butDigiturf.com is for men who like fast horses, strong whiskey and cold hard cash. Come to think of it, women who play Digiturf.com seem to like it too.

 

Right now the virtual horse racing community is preparing for Digiturf.com's Maiden Championship Finals: 54 qualifying races building up to 6 championship finals over 12 days and worth $4,200. The Maiden Championships kick start the new season with fast 'n friendly qualifiers that will have all juvenile horses ready to tackle the divisional races. All you need is a maiden juvenile horse, and it doesn't even need to be a champion.

 

The Maiden Championships are also a fun way to learn all about Digiturf.com's seasonal Championship Series which is worth over $320,000 in cash sponsorships. Digiturf.comschedules 3 racing seasons a year, each one lasting 4 months, so Digiturf.com is proudly celebrating their 34th season (or 11th calendar year) in the virtual horse racing business.

 

If you were to join Digiturf.com today, and took advantage of everything they have to offer, starting with the yearling sales, Maiden Championships and Seasonal Championships, you can safely say you'd never want to own a horse again -- unless you could race it online atDigiturf.com.

 

It starts with you opening a free stable -- and finishes with you in the winner's circle!

 

Digiturf.com is a simulated online horse racing game where players develop their skills and strategies in owning, training and racing virtual horses against others from around the world. The horses are computer generated but the stakes are real.

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Challenge Series preview: Nunthorpe Colts Sprint Final on Raceclubs.com

Nunthorpe Colts Sprint Final 1200m Dirt 28th March 2012

This Season's Contenders

Horse : Oriental Express, Commander King, Moonlite Sky, Kenny's Army

Trainer : Sky Castle Stables

In a race that is dictated by the draw, inside draws having a distinct advantage, you'd have to say that the yard have hit the jackpot with three of their four runners gifted a run of the rail. Oriental Express gets the plum draw but this one is better suited over further and could feature more in next terms Newbury. Fast ground will suit, even if the trip is a little on the short side. Commander King, looks similar in his make-up and should benefit from a longer sprint trip. He does have winning form over 1200m and like his stable mate before him, will show up best on fast ground. I would favour him to out perform Oriental Express. The muddy runner could be Moonlite Sky, he has some notable form over 1200m on the surface and should be able to make good use of his inside draw, unlike Kenny's Army, who, wider in the field, may struggle a bit to overcome a poor starting position. He does seem useful on the dirt with a bit of kick back but it is a tough ask in this race. Of the foursome, for me, it's Commander King on fast or Moonlite Sky on muddy.

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Horse : Quantum Zen

Trainer : Eire Stables

This lad has been a busy body so far in his young career, taking in all manner of races. He would prefer muddy ground, despite some decent efforts on the fast goings. I just feel that this horse will need further to show his full potential, his better runs have come from 1400m and upwards. Despite this, he is positioned nicely and shouldn't be overlooked in this race and though he may not be a natural 1200m runner, there should be something in his tank to warrant a good show.

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Horse : Jesters Quicky

Trainer : Murrumba Downs

A capable horse, who won't be put off too much by the going, though both his career qualifying wins have come on dirt. He is probably a more natural 1200m runner than those previously mentioned, which will contribute to his cause in this final. The draw has been kind and his yard will want him to make the most out of that. The one doubt I have about him is that most of his trials to get to this final came in second instance races but you can easily discard that when you view his most recent effort over course and distance behind Maslak.

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Horse : Boogie 2nite

Trainer : Steakpie

His only winning form, leading to this final, has come on a surface, void of any give in the ground. That said, when it has come muddy, he has shown some consistency, which may indicate that he is just at home on either. The recent race that was won by Maslak, could be a vital clue as to the outcome of this race, also an early season trial won by Big Lad's Loaded is full of information. A versatile colt, Boogie 2nite will be relishing this test and he is a likely front runner in this race.

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Horse : Knockout Punch

Trainer : Shotgun Mike

Knockout Punch, drawn midfield, is the sole representative from the Shotgun yard, an unusual scenario, as we are used to seeing a sea of green all too often. His auction price is a little deceiving, being part of a multiple horse lot, nevertheless, the package looks to have been a bargain at just under £100 a pop. He will rely on fast ground to entertain the masses to the highest degree, muddy will only serve to scupper his full potential but it wouldn't be too much of a heartache. If he can get clear of those around him, he might have a chance or he could just get swallowed up in midfield with no room for manoeuvre.

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Horse : Alexander Pushkin

Trainer : Vasya

Another fast ground horse will represent Vasya in this race. He has gone about his business this season, without setting the world alight. I would put that down to misfortune rather than bad placement as he has always ran above his capabilities of the race outcome, random allocation can be cruel at times. Strangely though, his best qualifying runs over the trip have come on muddy but the form book can lie sometimes, those races were lesser quality and you'd have to say his eggs are all in one basket come race day, it's fast ground or plan for next season.

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Horse : Scar Face

Trainer : Squeaky Clean Stable

As we move further down the race card, we approach the horses who have been extremely unlucky with the draw. Quality matters when drawn far from the rail and Scar Face seems to have class in abundance. One of the few natural 1200m runners in the race, he won't be bothered what the going is on the off, he loves the dirt. His owner will not like the draw but a win from this position in the race is not beyond him. In fact, I will stick my neck out and say he will make the frame. Apart from a bit of bad fortune in his last outing of the series over 1200m, he has been faultless. A look at his 1200m form on the dirt will tell you all you need to know about this horse. He is up there as one of the favourites, despite his bad early position.

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Horse : Regle Le Monde

Trainer : Glenloch

He finished fourth in his juvenile championship race, behind Sir Spezial on yielding ground. That day, the race was run over 1400m but he won't be too inconvenienced by the drop in distance. However, he is going to have to step up on last season's effort if he is going to figure in the shake-up here. He is handicapped by his draw in this final and a blast from the stalls is his best hope for success. Despite some decent form when the chips are down, it is hard to fancy him here.

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Horse : Maslak

Trainer : Heinz

If this horse was drawn nearer to the rail, I would be punting him as the potential champion. I know this horse is classy enough to handle 1200m in his stride but the negatives are plain to see. Last season he came a close second in the juvenile championship but the more I look at him, the more I get the impression we won't be seeing him winning this. He has won on both muddy and fast ground, which will serve him well, though his task in this race is very difficult and I think he is best watched.

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Horse : Best Terms

Trainer : Derekw10

Best Terms enjoys a race on the mud, more than he enjoys a race on the fast. He won't enjoy this race at all, well, his owner won't, even if his charge does come home with ears pricked, I can't see him winning this. There are better natural 1200m runners to his inner and not even all of Derek's enthusiasm for this game can change the fact he is drawn in the car park and his chance has gone.

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Horse : Speed Extreme

Trainer : Cobra Race Farm

It is amazing how influential the draw can be in this game. Speed Extreme, demonstrates this quite well in his form book. Given the stall of doom in this race, it is difficult to be enthusiastic about the horses chance in this race but with fourteen possible outcomes, somebody has to be here I guess. He performs well on the dirt and a bit more fortune pre-race would have seen him do quite well, I think. However, coming out of stall fourteen is not good and if memory serves me right, I have never seen a challenge winner come from this berth and I don't think that statistic is about to change anytime soon.

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Challenge Series preview: Cesarewitch Colts Final on Raceclubs.com

Cesarewitch Colts Final 3200 Turf 30th March 2012

This Season's Contenders

Horse : The Death Machine, El Legendario, Obsessive Cure, Proud Hero

Trainer : Shotgun Mike

The Death Machine will have no problem with the distance but maybe turf is not quite his cup of tea. All six of the horses victories have come on the dirt, muddy ground, which leads me to believe that next seasons final will be more to his liking. He has never won a race on turf but that statistic shouldn't be dismissed lightly as he possesses enough ability to run well here and some decent form is viewable on the surface. El Legendario is a final stalwart, this race will mark his tenth appearance in a glitzy career that has already bagged the juvenile and three-year-old championships, it would be a fitting end if he were to win here and with it, the triple crown and retire a champion of each age division. There is no doubting his stamina and he will be doing a rain dance for yielding, he may well be able to shoulder his penalty with ease which gives him a chance! Obsessive Cure has winning form on dirt and turf but most notably on firm ground. He does have lines of form on yielding but at a guess he will require the rain to stay away to produce his best. With only a small penalty and youth on his side, we could see him go well in this and future renewals of the race. The last of the foursome will run off the minimum weight. Proud Hero has placed in both his challenge finals, Kieran Doyle mounting him to fourth place as a juvenile and three-year-old, a repeat effort here could see him play a big part in the outcome but he is going to have to achieve something he has never done in the past, winning a staying race on turf within the challenge arena.

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Horse : Super Sonix, Earthquake Mcgoon, Vladimir Vysotsky, Flirt Around

Trainer : Sky Castle Stables

It is likely that Super Sonix will struggle a little with his 4lb penalty and will need every bit of help he can muster to figure in the shake up. Good ground seems to be his main hope but I do not feel confident of this chance in this company. Being born into a generation that includes Papa Sangre and Tytan, the wins are always going to be hard to come by. Yet, Earthquake Mcgoon has handled this pressure well, even if he hasn't won too many. He has always been there to hustle the monsters and lines up here, hoping for firm ground. No weight penalty at the moment but a run in the King George a day earlier than this could contribute, should he win there. You would have to say he is not without a chance in this. Four races and four places in the series, since an auction transfer to the yard, Vladimir Vysotsky has earned his place in this line-up. He will benefit from rain and although his best form is on a muddy surface, he has only ever been out of the money in one qualifying race run on soft or yielding. A bit of rain will serve him well and 2lb extra may not be too harsh for the horse. Flirt Around will compete in his first challenge final. This horse was a massive price at auction in his juvenile year and has since found his way to Sky Castle for a fraction of the price. He is obviously classy and will relish conditions. He doesn't have to carry any extra weight but one statistic that is worrying is that he has only ever headed the field in one qualifying race, a small field St Leger trial. There is a nice line of form through Bamboo Bob which looks encouraging and it may be good ground, he is best at.

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Horse : Tec

Trainer : Garcar

Tec has never won a race amongst challenge opposition over the marathon of 3200m. He appears weighted out of this race with some quality animals holding far better chances at their weight. It would be an incredible result if we called this one home as the champion, alas, I don't think that will happen, no matter how poorly others in the race may perform. 

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Horse : C K Brown

Trainer : Liveoak Stables

C K Brown ran well in this last season, without making the frame. That race was on a fast American track, a surface he may not be best at. I think he will benefit from a return to the turf and may need some rain to show just what he is all about. As a juvenile, he ran a really sound race in midfield, behind Adrenaline Rush, over today’s marathon trip and he can take a lot of confidence from that effort. A similar push to the line, with a little more luck in running will see him show up well. I'm not sure he can win this but he does look well in at the weights.

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Horse : Bamboo Bob

Trainer : Ginger Richards Stud

I better watch what I say about this horse as I don't want to feel the wrath of one of the most verbal trainers at RaceClubs.com. We all know how much the yard hold this horse in high regard but for all the big-ups the horse gets, the fact remains that he has not yet shown his best in a challenge final. I would contribute that, more to, bad luck than anything else, as he has not got the going he desires in those races. You won't hear a bigger cheer in the virtual world if this one comes in, nor, will we ever hear the last of it. However, in my appraisal, an opinion only, don't bite my head off Ginger, I don't think he can win this. Bold presumption I know and I have opened the door for these words to be forever remembered by the yard, if proven wrong. I just think that other horse who yearn the same going, are better or better weighted in the race. Controversial, exactly how I roll baby!

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Horse : Khi'gilan

Trainer : Green Bay Stable

This horse is best on muddy and it might be worth pointing out that the horse has never won a race over 3200m. This trip may test his limits to the maximum capacity. Yes, he has run some decent races in his defeats over this distance but in a final contested against some of the best 3200m horses, the virtual world has to view, I think he will struggle. He also went his entire three-year-old season without a single win, something that is unheard of, when you factor that he was a juvenile classic champion, in some style at that! This can only mean that he might not have trained on as well into his next season. A return to the winners' enclosure has materialised this term but I find it all too strange, unless of course, he has been severely bagged but that doesn't add up when there are so many riches to be won as a three-year-old, maybe he has been very unlucky.

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Horse : Assalamu Alaikum

Trainer : The Sledgehammer

Most of his races have come with a bit of give underfoot, which strongly suggests that this one will need rain, anything else could put an end to his charge, before a hoof has touched the hallowed turf. I don't like the fact that a cheap win was taken just after his last qualifying win, adding an unnecessary 2lbs. This is a very strong race and he may find a good few too good. It will be a debut challenge finalist for The Sledgehammer and despite the expectation of a runner in such a big race, I feel that the yards time will come, though not in this final.

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Horse : Designer Beast

Trainer : North And South

The horse oozes class on muddy ground and is no slouch on yielding either. If the ground comes up on the sound side, his chances in this are likely to be very slim. On the other hand, a bit of rain will do the horse wonders. His 4lb added penalty is a bit steep for him to carry on turf and if this line-up appeared in next seasons final, on identical weight, muddy ground, he would be amongst the favourites. I feel that this race will be a tough ask for the horse as others appear stronger on soft or yielding ground.

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Challenge Series preview: Queen Elizabeth Classic Final on Raceclubs.com

Queen Elizabeth Classic Final 2200 Dirt 29th March 2012

This Season's Contenders

Horse : Majestic Fantasy, Tarnyar, Eccellenza Suecia

Trainer : Shotgun Mike

Majestic Fantasy looks comfortable on the dirt and her form suggests that she would not be too inconvenienced by either fast or muddy but to produce her greatest effort in this final, fast ground would suit. She has been extremely unlucky in all of her four finals and this race may just be her time to shine. 2lb extra on her back will not effect her too much. In comparison, Tarnyar's 4lb penalty is likely to slow her somewhat and that could be the telling factor for her chance in this race but the interesting runner of the trio is Eccellenza Suecia. It's hard to believe that she is still only on five wins and appears to have been around for ages. She is probably better on turf than she is on dirt but I have a suspicion that she will run a major race, if the ground comes up muddy.

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Horse : Champagne Opel, Chicquita, Wakeful

Trainer : Sky Castle Stables

After winning last season, she will be aiming to become the first filly to win the Queen Elizabeth, back to back. There has only ever been one horse to win this race twice in their career and that was Trouble N' Strife who hit the line in front in 2006/2007 but they were not consecutive. If Champagne Opel is going to complete the feat, she will have to rely on muddy ground over fast, as I think her 4lb penalty will be difficult to muster on the sounder surface. She has a couple more seasons to try and emulate Trouble N' Strife’s two wins in the race and she cannot be omitted in this. Chicquita has an almost perfect record on fast going over 2200m, four from five efforts have produced a win, all in challenge company. I guess her chance will rely on this ground but she does look to biting a little more than she can chew. A place with a good run is not beyond the realms of possibility. The one that jumps out is the third runner in the silks, Wakeful. She was outstanding when winning The Oaks on muddy ground and a repeat of that run will see her go close, very close. I think she has the upper hand on her stable mate, on muddy, and although she has never recorded a win on fast ground, she has consistency in her make-up. She has been aimed at this, rather than combine her efforts in the Cesarewitch, which could be a tip in itself. A very likely winner of this race with the run of the race and conditions to suit.

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Horse : Olivia

Trainer : Thechosenone

Olivia won the biggest riches on offer when winning the juvenile series on yielding ground, yet, since that win, she has gone completely off the boil. She hasn't won a race in twenty outings, her last win coming six days after her juvenile championship success. Muddy ground will serve her better than fast but even off the minimum weight, it does seem a difficult proposal to mention her as a potential champion based on recent efforts. A return to form looked ok when last tackling the dirt, with the blinkers off, she ran a close second. I wouldn't say she is the outsider of the race, no way, she has pedigree but can she put it all in on the night and emerge a dual challenge champion? Maybe, who knows!

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Horse : Pam's Angel

Trainer : Halligan Racing Club

2200m in challenge company, seems to be a bit sharp for Pam's Angel. She has won over the distance, however, the three wins have come in lesser company, two in graded races. That statistic doesn't whet my appetite to suggest she will be a danger in this. I think this test will be too stern and her extra 4lb penalty will only add to the challenge she faces. She is young enough to have another pop at a Liz, though I think if she is to turn up to a track with winning aspirations, it will have to be over 2400m.

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Horse : Special Delight, Mighty Metropolis

Trainer : Derekw10

Both of the yards runners in this final are of very similar quality. Both will prefer muddy but the edge would have to go to Mighty Metropolis by virtue of no weight penalty. They both appeared in The Oaks final, won by Olivia, and on that day, Mighty Metropolis held her stable mate with a little in hand and she can do the same in this race also. There are horses who will yearn the same conditions, who have better attributes but with a good run, either of this pairing could make the frame.

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Horse : Tyche

Trainer : Green Bay Stable

Tyche doesn't perform well on muddy ground and everything rests on receiving fast conditions to race on. She has struggled in her three challenge final appearances in her career and now in her final season, has one last chance to put that form behind her and produce a decent effort. If she is to go out with a bang, everything will need to go in her favour and that could mean others failing, it looks a tall order.

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Horse : Lady Angler

Trainer : Pkr Player

Lady Angler is an interesting prospect in the race. She is clearly a 2200m specialist at which, her best efforts have come on muddy ground. Her two qualifying wins over the trip have come in second instance races, which may indicate she is a little behind a few of these in terms of quality. That said, she doesn't look like a horse that you would immediately strike off your list but with better animals around her, it will be difficult to win this, though, with a little lady luck, I think she can run a decent race.

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Horse : Natusik Polukhina

Trainer : Julissilas

This horse has had the right going, at the right time. The dual champion is right up there with the best on fast or firm going, the goings that have brought the silverware home for her previous master. A recent auction sale, her new yard will be hoping that her rich vein of form in 2200m finals, continues. The task in hand will be made a little more difficult with 4lbs added, since she last won this race, two seasons ago. She, like Champagne Opel before her will aim to become only the second horse to win this race twice in their career. Tricky, yes, impossible, no!

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Horse : Foxy Mama

Trainer : North And South

Lining up in her first challenge final, she is faced with a very difficult challenge ahead. There is no doubt that the trip is ideal and she is a mud lark. There is a line of form from her Oaks campaign that reads well in defeat. She had three of this final line-up behind, with only race winner, Wakeful, a half length or so ahead. It is fair to say that, Olivia and Chicquita would have the upper hand on that form, they did not get the run of the race there and can easily reverse that effort. I don't think any post race discussion will have her being congratulated as the winner but she may surprise even me!

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