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#1
06-28-2007, 02:24 AM
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The Coral-Eclipse
Racing Post.....
George Washington set to lead O'Brien's Eclipse attack by Brian Fleming and Rodney Masters . AIDAN O'BRIEN gave the go-ahead on Wednesday for George Washington to run in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown a week on Saturday, when the brilliant but mercurial colt will take on the hugely impressive Derby winner Authorized. The Ballydoyle trainer, who ran eight colts against Authorized at Epsom, is planning a four-pronged challenge for the Eclipse, which he has won three times in the past seven runnings. Duke Of Marmalade,beaten a neck by stablemate Excellent Art in the St James's Palace Stakes, will be joined by Epsom disappointment Archipenko, who started the well-backed 13-2 third favourite for the Derby only to trail in last of the 17 runners, and fellow Epsom also-ran Admiralofthefleet. However, one of the big potential rivals to Authorized at Sandown dropped out when it was revealed that Breeders' Cup Turf winner Red Rocks will not only miss the race but also the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascotat the end of next month. O'Brien, successful in the Eclipse with Giant's Causeway, Hawk Wing and Oratorio, said: "George came out of his last run well along with Duke Of Marmalade and the plan is to run both of them along with Archipenko and Admiralofthefleet in the Eclipse on Saturday week. "Mick Kinane said the combination of the track and the trip probably didn't suit Archipenko at Epsom. "Oratorio came back in trip to win the Eclipse two years ago after disappointing at Epsom, so it worked out well for him." George Washington, who is 5-2 second favourite for the Eclipse with the sponsors, will be tackling a mile and a quarter for the first time on turf at Sandown. He finished sixth behind the recently retired Invasor in the Breeders' Cup Classic on dirt on his one attempt over the trip before his short-lived career at stud. Having been brought back into training after suffering fertility problems in his short time as a stallion, he was staying on late when finishing a close fourth behind Ramonti over a mile in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot. Brian Meehan, who won the Eclipse last year with David Junior, said that Red Rocks, who had been a 7-1 chance with Coral, would miss the race, having returned a dirty scope two days after running fourth behind Manduro in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot. The Manton trainer said: “Red Rocks will miss the Eclipse and King George. However, as we've said all along, his number one target will be to attempt back-to-back wins in the Breeders' Cup Turf." 
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#2
06-28-2007, 04:43 AM
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I hope George Washington beats Authorized by a furlong
__________________
Avatar ~ Nicky Whelan  and now we murderers because we kill time
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#3
06-28-2007, 11:40 AM
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Although I like George Washington, I hope Authorized beats them all by a furlong and legitimizes his Derby effort.
It is time for another great Derby winner. Sir Percy just isn't cutting it.
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#4
06-28-2007, 12:02 PM
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The horses Authorized beat were nothing more than average and slow. Lucarno couldn't win a weak race at Royal Ascot, and it too two miles for Mahler to win. The Irish Derby looks even worse!!!
__________________
Avatar ~ Nicky Whelan and now we murderers because we kill time
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#5
06-29-2007, 12:18 AM
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#6
07-01-2007, 06:20 PM
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Last i read on Percy, the connections were debating retirement.....
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#7
07-04-2007, 11:06 AM
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Pressing is out, George iffy, Mashaahed unlikely.....
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#8
07-04-2007, 11:33 AM
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It's gone from looking like a brilliant race, to a pretty weak group one if George and Duke of Marmalade don't run.......
How lucky has Authorized been with the rain we have had this summer???
__________________
Avatar ~ Nicky Whelan and now we murderers because we kill time
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#9
07-04-2007, 11:40 AM
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This is getting silly now with the list of who won't be / probably won't be going.....
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#10
07-04-2007, 08:25 PM
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__________________
 #Grand
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#11
07-04-2007, 08:31 PM
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Jesus, I'd be happy to see him or Cato win if George is out..... I'm just gonna wait for the final field. Too disappointing otherwise..... Last edited by my miss storm cat : 07-05-2007 at 02:02 AM.
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#12
07-05-2007, 11:39 PM
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Pressing now possible for the G1 Bayerisches Zuchtrennen.....
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#13
07-06-2007, 09:48 AM
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Analysis by The Man On The Spot and reprinted from the Sporting Life website:
George Washington: Was the top rated horse in Britain and Ireland when retiring in 2006 and his return to action in the Queen Anne showed the ability - and odd quirk - is still there. He would be a fascinating contender if lining up but there have to be concerns over the ground for a horse with such natural speed, especially as he steps up to ten furlongs. He is bred to stay but looked to be running on empty in the final quarter mile of the Breeders' Cup Classic on his only attempt at the trip. Firm conclusions can't be drawn on that, it was his first race on dirt after all, but there are enough question marks against him to understand his persistent drift in the ante-post market. Kandidate: Clive Brittain has sprung bigger surprises than this in his time but while the five-year-old has returned better than ever this term, he is a Listed/Group Three performer. His limitations were exposed by Red Rocks in the Gordon Richards Stakes over course and distance and throw in the fact he was well below form on his only start on a soft surface, and you have one of the first runners to be discarded. Notnowcato: Showed willing attitude to edge out Dylan Thomas in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at Leopardstown two starts ago before being brushed aside by Manduro and the same horse in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes last time. He was caught flat-footed as the two principals quickened two out that day and would surely have benefitted from a more positive ride. There will be no excuses this time and the presence of a pacemaker for Authorized will also suit Notnowcato. He lacks the flashy profile of the front two in the market and has seven pounds or so to find with both but is a rattlingly good Group One performer who is running over his best trip and on ground he can handle. At around 5-1 he looks an each-way bet to nothing. Admiralofthefleet: Won the Dee Stakes at Chester before failing to make much fo a show in the Vodafone Derby, seemingly failing to stay the mile-and-a-half. He drops back to what should be his optimum trip and the ground won't be a problem but he is a good stone behind the "big three" here on all racecourse evidence. Archipenko: Looked a three-year-old to follow when winning the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown but the form has taken several significant knocks since and this colt made no show in the Vodafone Derby. That was too bad to be true but even so there is nothing in his previous profile to suggest he is an Eclipse winner-in-waiting. Authorized: Stood out on form for the Vodafone Derby and confirmed his superiority over his peers with a brilliant win, producing a telling turn of foot to settle the race in a matter of strides inside the final quarter of a mile. Much has been made of Motivator's failure to go on from a similar Epsom win but Authorized has done nothing to suggest he will go the same way. The drop to ten furlongs won't inconvenience him, especially with a pacemaker employed, and neither will the ground. It remains to be seen how the three-year-olds will stack up against the older horses though and while Peter Chapple-Hyam's colt is the likely winner, he is no betting proposition at odds-on. Champery: He is here to set the pace for Authorized and the team will be pleased if he can lead them at a good clip to the two furlong pole when Frankie Dettori and the favourite will be expected to do their job. Champery should at least do his part. Yellowstone: The weakest contender among team Ballydoyle and hard to see how he can figure in the finish having been an also-ran in the Vodafone Derby and third behind Boscobel in the King Edward VII. Conclusion: The dry weather forecast offers hope that George Washington will run but will he really be at his best on what is sure to be an easy surface over ten furlongs? Authorized will be but he is untested against the battle-hardened older horses and at the prices an each-way bet on Notnowcato makes most appeal. He will be ridden differently than at Ascot last time and will relish a scrap up the hill if he can take the favourite off the bridle.
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#14
07-06-2007, 12:14 PM
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A strong breeze has led to drying conditions at Sandown today, which is great news for George, i hope he can win.
Notnowcato has everything in his favour and should run a big race. Authorized is overrated in my opinion. It all depends how soft the ground is tomorrow, he needs it soft.
__________________
Avatar ~ Nicky Whelan and now we murderers because we kill time
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#15
07-07-2007, 09:52 AM
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Cato wins..... a great win considering he had to race on his own when his jockey thought the others would follow him to the stands side, but they didn't.
__________________
Avatar ~ Nicky Whelan and now we murderers because we kill time
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#16
07-07-2007, 09:52 AM
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Good for Cato!
Very happy he beat Authorized! George 3rd.
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#17
07-07-2007, 10:04 AM
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Just to go off topic for a minute, do you remember Sand Cat? he was entered today..... I think The Tatling was too.....
... and The Geezer ... and Reverence! Do you know how they did?
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#18
07-07-2007, 11:34 AM
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The Geezer finished last of four. I will never know why Godolphin bought him, not one of their best moves. Reverence ran well, but the ground probably wasn't soft enough for him today and he faded into 5th or 6th place in the end.
__________________
Avatar ~ Nicky Whelan and now we murderers because we kill time
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#19
07-08-2007, 02:35 AM
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Happy Reverence is back. The Geezer..... poor thing with that awful name. Aaaah well. Poor Sand Cat. Maybe next time....
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