mckenzie

Top run but can't work out why he went so wide around the home turn? Lost a few lengths at least.

That's also led to a lack of innovation. Other sports try new concepts and ideas to survive, keep relevant, attract new followers. Too often our administrators and leaders seem to sit around waiting for the government to come up with the solutions.

She had some great battles with Addeybb who proved himself at G1 level in the UK. But at this stage I think she's past her best. It's a bit like when Sunline lost a few lengths as a 7yo. VE has done a lot, run in 2 Melbourne Cups, 2 Cox Plates, 2 Oaks, Caufield Cup, among many others and I don't think there's anything left in the tank.

The going didn't look too heavy back in the day

Good race. I’m not surprised the filly struggled against the tough older horses. I do wish we had more top level 2400m races down here.

Makes Levante look pretty good too, she beat Artorious on the stand side race in the Newmarket.

Thanks, Trackside coverage is very poor, cuts to music right after they cross the line. Not sure why they can't take the Sky Racing Australia coverage which has all the aftermath and interviews.

Interesting words from John Gosden about staying races and the breeding industry in the UK.. seem to be going the same way as Aus & NZ... Stradivarius was among the big names limbering up for Royal Ascot on a sunlit Warren Hill on Thursday, and he was no doubt on trainer John Gosden’s mind as he spoke about the modern breeder’s misgivings over stamina-laden stallions. The eight-year-old will bid for a record-equalling fourth Gold Cup at the royal meeting next week, but with this campaign due to be his last, a stud career beckons and it is one likely to revolve around National Hunt mares, as has become customary for top stayers from the Flat, with even middle-distance Group 1 winners increasingly catching the eye of jumps’ breeders. One such is Nathaniel, who Gosden trained to win the ten-furlong Eclipse and 12-furlong King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, and who despite the best marketing efforts of Newsells Park Stud covered 77 National Hunt-oriented mares in his 2021 book of 136. Nathaniel has sired three Classic winners, including the Gosden-trained great Enable and last Saturday’s Derby hero Desert Crown. His former trainer said: "There's become this terrible tendency here to become a bit speed to a mile-oriented, and anything that stays isn't commercial. "I think we've got an aversion to staying races. A very good horse won the Derby this year who is by Nathaniel, but the problem is you get in a situation where breeders think because they get a mile and a half they don't want that horse, it's not commercial and therefore they walk away.” Gosden, who began his training career in California, added: "We're going to wind up like American racing, which is getting shorter and shorter, and it gets very one-dimensional." https://www.racingpost.com/bloodstock/i-think-weve-got-an-aversion-to-staying-races-gosden/561196

It reminds me of those propaganda news stations in Russia & North Korea where if you go off the official government line and say what's really going on you're likely to be never seen again. Would be great if Luke had a podcast where he could say what he wanted without wondering if he'd get invited back again.

Yes he's a great talent. How good would it be if he had a weekly show to discuss racing issues, interview guests, look at international racing etc.

I'm not convinced. She won the Chipping Norton well. The Queen Elizabeth was a write off for most horses with the track, look how many top ones performed below their best. The Ranvet was the one race that could possibly be classed as a disappointment, but VE is a horse than can put in the odd below par effort, look at the Turnbull last year. She doesn't love 2000m, once she gets to 2400m+ she's in her zone. I think a decent spell and she could have come back and run well in the Spring, if she was weighted out of the Cup the Hong Kong Vase, Japan Cup etc could be options if they wanted to travel. I'm not sure a new trainer, jockey, country etc at this point in her career is the best idea.

Nature Strip and Home Affairs are heading to Royal Ascot.

That's what great champions can do. Unfortunately it's been a long time since we've seen a real champion here that can bring crowds to the races and capture their imagination.

Savabeel's fee is listed as private this year so hard to compare.

Perhaps they need to look at the programming of this race. Group 2 and 3 races for mares earlier in the season seem to get bigger fields. You used to get a pretty big field of mares trying to get a Group 1 win or placing but not so much the last few years.

Could it be time to try one of those slot races? They're having a harness one in NZ next week and there's a growing number in Australia. Could create some new interest and get some of our best racing against each other.

Yes how exciting. Replacing a historic piece of land and NZ sporting history with a load of generic buildings.

That's true. So many races now something gets to the lead and drops anchor to try and get a soft run then make it a sprint home. It does also seem there are less frontrunning horses now. Back in the day you would get those horses that put the pressure on from the start and tried to break their opposition. Now it's about cheap sectionals and riding conservatively. Certainly makes the racing less exciting.

I think the main issue at the moment is working out exactly what the purpose of Trackside is. Is it to cram as many races in as possible, or to provide good coverage of less meetings? Are the presenters there to have proper discussions about racing? Two channels is just not enough given the amount of races they are trying to show and make it a decent and entertaining product. The presenters are an easy target but I think management is to blame for the output and direction of Trackside. Until they prioritize quality broadcasting over quantity of races then viewers are going to continue to be frustrated.

Sprinter of the Year could be interesting... I'm not sure today's performance will count for Roch N Horse given she's now trained out of an Australian stable?

Big runs by both mares. Roch N Horse was tough and Levante unlucky to be on the wrong side but good to see her beating some of their best sprinters after getting a long way back. Lots of options with both mares now that they have measured up over there.

I didn't think he did too badly, tried to get her off the rails early on. Ellerslie races over 2000m+ tend to be messy stop-start races, possibly the tight bend out of the straight is to blame in putting riders off going forward and ending up flushed out. Today there was no pace, something shot around to the lead, then slammed on the brakes and a number of horses got a check. Not great when that happens.

Unfortunate end but she has been a great mare and had a brilliant sprint. Unlucky to get wet tracks in some of her biggest races.

Good to see her get a Group 1 after jumping brilliantly. If she can keep doing that and put herself in the race she's going to be hard to beat in the future.

From my understanding the races were moved because the track was too firm even though rain was forecast. Some questions need to be asked about who made the decision and what inspections took place.