2 Euro BC short-odds favorites

[horses4courses]

The 2 obvious Euro banker bets on BC weekend are readily apparent.
They are defending champions. Both should be even money, or less.

Midday (F/M Turf)

Goldlikova (Mile)

The only caveat might be a very soft turf course - not great for Goldlikova.

The Euros will, also, have a strong hand in the BC Turf.
Cape Blanco (Aiden O'Brien) and Artic Cosmos (John Gosden) are being considered for that race.
Should they make the trip, they have strong chances.

I don't believe the Euros have any contenders for the Classic.
Safe to say that a US trained horse will take the biggest race.

[OTM Al]

The connections of Makfi have suggested they may come, so a soft course may be doubly dangerous for Goldikova. Sure know what exacta I would play there though!

Midday is peaking right now. I worry that they will keep her in form til November, but she certainly looks better than anyone that is over here.

Capo Blanco IMO was the best 3yo middle distance horse this year. He could be very dangerous in the Turf, but there is another import I am far more interested in, one who has already raced here once.

Despite Arctic Cosmos' win in the St Leger, I don't see him as a real threat. He stole that race, which won't happen in that way over here. This is one type of situation Euro jocks never seem to learn from.

[point given]

The connections of Makfi have suggested they may come, so a soft course may be doubly dangerous for Goldikova. Sure know what exacta I would play there though!

Midday is peaking right now. I worry that they will keep her in form til November, but she certainly looks better than anyone that is over here.

Capo Blanco IMO was the best 3yo middle distance horse this year. He could be very dangerous in the Turf, but there is another import I am far more interested in, one who has already raced here once.

Despite Arctic Cosmos' win in the St Leger, I don't see him as a real threat. He stole that race, which won't happen in that way over here. This is one type of situation Euro jocks never seem to learn from.

Chinchon ?

[OTM Al]

Chinchon ?

Kinda looked interesting didn't he? All depends how he does in his last prep (I think they took him back to France?) and who else from over there that shows up.

[gm10]

The only Euro I definitely wouldn't take on is Midday. Proviso is good, but there is always the lingering question what has she beaten? Good horses like Battle Of Hastings, true, but Midday has faced tough mares this year and certainly hasn't regressed.

Goldikova is a bit more vulnerable this time against a very good bunch, including Paco Boy, Makfi and who knows, the excellent Canford Cliffs.

I've liked Arctic Cosmos since the Gordon stakes at Goodwood, and at 10/1 he is definitely worth an ante-post bet, but the Turf might be an open race.

The Juvies Turf will be very interesting. I have one in mind which will the nap of the Cup if he ships, but I doubt he will.

[Dahoss9698]

Kinda looked interesting didn't he? All depends how he does in his last prep (I think they took him back to France?) and who else from over there that shows up.

He ran yesterday I think and was 6th of 6 in the Prix Foy.

[OTM Al]

He ran yesterday I think and was 6th of 6 in the Prix Foy.


That is correct. Going was listed as soft. French result charts that I've been able to find are pretty sparse with info. Byword, who is also a decently thought of runner finished 5th. Just watched and it was a merry-go-round race. They all lined up in a straight line early on and pretty much stayed that way. The Japanese horse was the only one that improved his position from 3rd to 2nd. Can't take that too seriously unless the ground is soft again at Churchill and it looks like a soft front end.

[gm10]

That is correct. Going was listed as soft. French result charts that I've been able to find are pretty sparse with info. Byword, who is also a decently thought of runner finished 5th. Just watched and it was a merry-go-round race. They all lined up in a straight line early on and pretty much stayed that way. The Japanese horse was the only one that improved his position from 3rd to 2nd. Can't take that too seriously unless the ground is soft again at Churchill and it looks like a soft front end.
I suspect that the chart is or will soon be available at racingpost.com.

[Dahoss9698]

That is correct. Going was listed as soft. French result charts that I've been able to find are pretty sparse with info. Byword, who is also a decently thought of runner finished 5th. Just watched and it was a merry-go-round race. They all lined up in a straight line early on and pretty much stayed that way. The Japanese horse was the only one that improved his position from 3rd to 2nd. Can't take that too seriously unless the ground is soft again at Churchill and it looks like a soft front end.

Yeah I just don't know if he's a contender in the BC based on that perfect trip, race collapse win at Monmouth. There isn't much here to beat, but he's shown he's not up to par with some of Europe's better horses, which he might see here.

[OTM Al]

Yeah I just don't know if he's a contender in the BC based on that perfect trip, race collapse win at Monmouth. There isn't much here to beat, but he's shown he's not up to par with some of Europe's better horses, which he might see here.

Clearly it all depends on what does show up and the condition of the turf. That Longchamp surface is a far cry from, if I remember correctly, a very firm Monmouth surface that day. To me, turf racing success is more about good trips than even in dirt racing and the good horse has good trips because he is good. Strong enough to be able to give a little ground to be able to put himself in the clear and moving well in the stretch and not get trapped down on the rail, or able to pop through a brief hole.

I know we do sometimes see a merry-go-round like the Prix Foy whith a very soft front end that lulls the jocks to sleep, but one would expect the Turf this year to be a much fuller field than last when all the best went to the Classic instead and that such a result is harder to pull off in a big field.

Anyway, he did look quite a bit better than our turfers, at least that day, so I can't throw him out of the hopper just yet. I'd sure take Capo Blanco (another who bombed in his trip to France) over him if he showed up though and likewise toss anything that shows up that came out of the Derby.