Congrats Veyron, Rogan & Linda

[rdytdy 5,343]

What a result for the trio!!

Beautiful ride by Rogan, slowing them to walk, make that a crawl and in doing so made it virtually impossible for Shez Sinsational to come from last and win.

That was Veyron's ninth win at Ellerslie from thirteen starts with two G1 seconds there added in as well.

I was chuckling away from the 800m as he had the race won from at least that far out.

Congrats to the Veyron team

[Gruff 2,800]

Just a typical norval ride rdytyd.Hes won this race setting a canter in the past,i Would love to know the pre race plan for all the other runners..looked as though they were all just hoping they had enough of a sprint to get 2 nd

[rdytdy 5,343]

I can't recall Rogan ever winning this race previously Gruff. I'm pretty sure that this his first win in it.

[Gruff 2,800]

You may be right rdytdy,Hes dropped anchor that many times im getting cross overs,oh well it works for him and others seem to play along so good on him,just hope one day soon we will actually get to see one of these wfa races run truly

[GONSTA 1,148]

I was on Veyron but you've got to admit that was a deadset farce of a race. Looked like a barrier trial... If that's the sort of racing we are trying to promote to the rest of the world then NZ is the laughing stock of racing... You never see them going that slowely in H.K ever.

Well done to Veyron, to all involved with him. Terrific horse who has been handled / placed brilliantly.

[Gruff 2,800]

On paper veyron was 1.70,sharrock and bosson knew this so why ride so cold?Shes sensational was terrific,bosson had won all day using the inside and being wide was a no go zone there yesterday,the swiper camp got it right earlier as they knew it was their only chance of winning.As soon as bosson decided not to move before the 1000 he had no choice but to find cheaper inside runs.Very unusual race and the 63.80 trifecta was a gift

[Centrofold 147]

_{This has always been one of my favourite races here. . Great to see the best performed horses finish first, second and third. Congratulations to the connections of Veyron, a very well deserved win.}

[eastern whipbird 82]

Bosson had a reputation some years ago for riding half asleep. He reverted to type yesterday and should have been prosecuted for failing to give the mare every chance. He would have gor 12 weeks at least in Aus

[Catalano 951]

Agreed. How could you still be last turning for home and expect to sprint 380 metres more than half a second quicker than Veyron. That is just incompetence and the jockeys involved should have been spoken to by the Stipes for not giving their horses every opportunity. For mine, Bosson (and a few others) should have been given a meeting off to think about things.

ps - I didn't bet on the race.

[mckenzie 608]

Agree with the comments above, can't for the life of me understand why Opie didn't move early. Good win by Veyron, in an ideal world I would like to see that stake increased on this race with the aim of it becoming the premier WFA race in the land. It always gets good horses and now that it's Boxing Day's flagship race it could do with a bit more promotion.

[tipsmit 18]

Congrats to Veyron and team. I think Opie deserves more credit than hes been shown here. His record at the moment is red hot and he has been getting horses in good/winning positions all over the place. Have to trust his judgement I say whether right or wrong after the race and we all get it wrong sometimes but I l trust opie to get the best out of his rides. I did bet and had it the other way round

[Gruff 2,800]

The fact he got it right all day before this race (albeit on the best horses,and on pace)makes this ride even more bizarre.The only other rider in this race that had any bearing on the result was sam spratt,this horse held the key to the race and i cant understand why she never led,george simon eluded at the 700 to the race being a 'tactical affair'this couldnt of been further from the truth, the only camp that went into this race with a game plan was the winner,but ultimately this plan relied on others incompetence.pity Duckworth lewis wasnt in and trailing,made to order

[rdytdy 5,343]

If you did a pre analysis there were only two horses that looked likely to lead Veyron or Spinning Dancer.

When they jumped Sam Spratt did go forward on Spinning Dancer as Veyron jumped away a bit awkwardly from the one gate but Rogan quickly pushed Veyron up on the inside of Spinning Dancer and clearly had the plan to lead. So Sam dropped in to a trailing position round the first bend and then in the back straight sat outside Veyron as Rogan dropped anchors.

It has to be remembered that Veyron was a thirteen race winner including G1 wins with a rating of 110 and Spinning Dancer a two race winner with a rating of 74 and had never raced past 1500m. Also add in the fact that Spinning Dancer who had only raced four times previously had only led at his last start and had trailed in all other three starts. So instead of taking on Veyron whom Rogan had shown that he wanted to lead and making her mount work hard, her best chance at the 2000m was with a slow pace also. As it was he still never got the distance but still beat two home.

Remember Shez Sinsational was the favourite and the one to beat and a true run race was always going to favour her, so does Sam force the pace and set it up for Shez Sinsational on a horse racing past 1500m for the first time or gives her mount a better chance by racing handy on a slow pace and hoping to finish off.

WFA racing especially at 2000m throughout history have shown to be tactical affairs and this one is probably no different. The Veyron camp went in with a tactical race plan and it worked out to the letter. The best horse and best ride won on the day.

[porky 900]

Congrats to all involved...to be honest I thought she,s sinsational would win and as the field packed up I thought veyron was gone...inside and pace the key. Top ride...take nothing away from O.P...He,s a Champ

[Gruff 2,800]

Id love to know what sharrock told o p pre race,everyone knew if spratt didnt go to the front then handbrake norval would dictate a walk,it was discussed by the parade ring before the race by amatuer grandstand critics,the same scenario presented shes sensational two starts back and they went forward.You didnt need a crystal ball to work it out,so why did the champion sit on his hands?

[porky 900]

I agree with o.p...doomed if he did,doomed if he did,nt..

Just watched jason the trackman and he said they on a bit of untouched ground today on the inside...rail out a bit.

Give us a hand out here in amatuer puntland before it all pans out today. What barriers do we back?...Frontrunners or swoopers?

[chiknsmack 488]

He wouldn't have been doomed if he'd sat outside Veyron in a canter. Sure he was never going to make up 6L over the last 600m of a walk and sprint. And going even earlier (say from the 900) would have see her running out of petrol. But if he'd gone up early and sat on his hip as they walked? I'd back Shez Sinsational to make up 0.6L on Veyron over the last 600m.

She didn't jump well enough to get there from the start, but when the brakes went on she could've circled them - with bugger-all effort given how slow they were going - down the back to sit outside him. Then she probably wins and everyone lauds Opie as a genius who took the initiative when no-one else did.

Instead he did nothing, gave away the race and defended himself with "If I'd tried I would've failed, so why bother trying?". I'd hate to put a jockey on who before the race had decided there was no way to win and so didn't bother trying.

NB: I'm not talking through my kick. I'm a Shez Sinsational fan, but I like Veyron (and even Opie) too. I do hate jockeys that sit back off slow paces and throw away any chance they had of winning by either not recognising they're in a bad situation, or realising but not bothering to try to get out of it. And conversely I love jockeys who realise that you want to be on a slow pace and off a fast one so, whenever they find themselves off a slow pace, they try to get onto that slow pace and give their horse a chance.

[Gruff 2,800]

When the dollars are up you expect competition.if this was your normal rating 65 walk who gives a hoot,it isnt and people have shelled out the hard earned some working long hours not seeing their kids for weeks at a time,then backing one of the better horses to grace our racetracks,then beaten by a miler over 2000.bosson is one of the best we have,and rode a race youd expect from craig grylls.

[porky 900]

Have a look at Satin slipper in the last at Taupo video yesterday Gruff,.look at stipes report and your opinion please.

[Gruff 2,800]

Didnt look flash porks but the horse had been slow in the past and it looks as though the blinkers went on for the first time? Riding back on fence can promote that sinking feeling at times.......but the eclipse stakes ! The ride by colgan looked awful,he stood in for a late myers and lost on what looked the biggest cert beaten all day.looks an exciting prospect fantastic honour.impressive

[Pukemoe 22]

I think that O P thought that the pace was going to quicken and when it didnt he got a fright, because shez such an honest horse she tried and flew home, I love Veyron but I also think that Shes Sinsational should have won that race hands down, dont think that O P did her any favours.

Well done Veyron, because I think that saying that he is JUST a miler is a bit low, he is a very talented horse and the best horse won on the day, thats racing - all the ifs and buts in the world cant take it off him and the connections, you take every win and we all work hard to get our horses to the races, just goes to show once those gates open you dont know what will happen.

[porky 900]

Exactly Pukemoe...Thats why these other 2 examples of bad jumps (outside barriers) and 2yo,s that have a mind of their own but top jocks on board explain themselves...Both o.p,s and vinnies were top rides under the circumstances.

Gruff you have been named well and should apologise to Vinnie and be made to watch his rides on both Habibi and Fix (3 y.o,s) for the entire evening followed by the Fantastic Honour (handful)...all drawn the carpark may I add. 

[Gruff 2,800]

Watched the race ten times porks,im happy with my assessment,nobodys perfect and myers will show vinny how its done next time

[porky 900]

Gruffy,I fully agree with ya...A big grey filly of huge potential...But on that occasion she was all stirred up,drew wide,didnt jump well, threw her head about and wouldnt settle so Vinny gave her a crack with the whip to behave...she settled and Vinny gave her enough time to compose herself before unleashing strongly down outside.

 

 

 

Correct me where i,m wrong Gruffy.

[Gruff 2,800]

The issues were compounded due to lack of pace,he needed to get going sooner,this was 1100 m was it not?will be interesting to see if this horse races handier from here on in.now veyrons getting up in the weights these nz 2000m wfa races will suit him down to the ground,they are rarely run with any tempo so may win at few more without breaking into a sweat