St Leger Stakes - 15 Sep 2012 - 16h40 SAT

Overrated from the start from what I have seen.Kid got boxed,but it was hardly an abysmal ride,he just got unlucky and that happens to the very best of them.

True champions overcome despite things going against them,and Camelot was unable to do that.

Well I was sad but not broken from a punting angle, but if Camelot runs in the ARC , I will be having a punt a decent odds and would be happy if someone like Hughes is given the mount.

Is this not a reason for every racecourse to have a false rail to help the horses coming from behind and on the fence? I do agree though that Camelot had a lot of time to get there.Pulled out right behind the winner for a run. Hate seeing top horses beaten though.

I agree and disagree. A similar incident happened to Donovan Dillon a week or so back...It was unlucky, but a top jock would not leave it up to luck. (My opinion)

Craig Eudey Wrote:

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> Is this not a reason for every racecourse to have
> a false rail to help the horses coming from behind
> and on the fence? I do agree though that Camelot
> had a lot of time to get there.Pulled out right
> behind the winner for a run. Hate seeing top
> horses beaten though.


how much longer do you want the straight to be? He rides too many aimers and looked too confident yet in the Derby he came wide avoiding the traffic, why change tactics?

O'Brien Rues Pacemaker Decision


Written by AAP
Sunday, 16 September 2012 19:16
Trainer Aidan O'Brien has defended his son Joseph's ride on Camelot in the St Leger and blamed a lack of pace for the colt's second to Godolphin's Encke.

O'Brien said his decision not to run a pacemaker for odds-on favourite Camelot in his Triple Crown bid at Doncaster was a mistake.

Joseph O'Brien returned to the enclosure in tears but his father came to his defence, believing Camelot was undone by a lack of pace.

"No-one thinks more about this horse than Joseph," O'Brien said.

"I can see the way the race unfolded, where he went and why he was there.

"He had to wait for the gaps as they came. If he had come four wide in the straight I'd have been going mad.

"How many times do I do it and make a hash of it (running pacemakers) and then I made a hash of it by not having any.

"He ran a great race but just got beat. It's disappointing for everybody but that's the way it is. That's racing."

The last horse to complete the triple crown of the 2000 Guineas, Derby and St Leger was Nijinsky in 1970.

Encke gave owner Sheikh Mohammed his sixth St Leger trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni and jockey Mickael Barzalona their first.

"Mickael rode a beautiful race and when he kicked at the two-pole (400m) he put the race to bed really," Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford said.

"We came here thinking he was a really solid place chance but he has won fair and square.

"What we loved about that race was the turn of foot he showed, that stands very well for next season and he will stay in training."

The day didn't get any better for O'Brien with 11-4 favourite Fame And Glory unplaced in the Irish St Leger at the Curragh.

Devon Air I am talking in general and not just this ride. Saw too many horses beaten due to not getting a run and think that with a false rail/spur the right result would have been put up.

Craig Eudey Wrote:

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> Devon Air I am talking in general and not just
> this ride. Saw too many horses beaten due to not
> getting a run and think that with a false
> rail/spur the right result would have been put up.

I agree with a false rail, but a great many don't. Traditionalists? Not always the best horses winning. Similar story with racecourses.eg Greyville

False rail my pipe,4 furlong run in on one of the fairest flattest tracks in the country.The jock thought he was on a champion and put him there with every chance (if he was a champion),he wasnt a champion and got out paced by a horse rated way below him...

The form of Camelots Guineas,Derby And Irish Derby wins have not stood up

100%

I thought it was a superb ride by Barzalona and he got first run and stole the race.JO saw the sudden spurt of the winner and started to get serious but the bird had already flown.

Two big questions............... Why the stable-compainons pace-makers were scratched?Why keep a horse that runs on strongly on the inside of horses boxed on the rail?

O'Brien thought the pace would be fast ... Camelot's one possible weak point was his unknown stamina at the distance. The O'Briens likely reckoned on others in the field trying to push the pace, hoping to tire Camelot out. At the same time O'B jnr stuck to the fence to minimise the distance ... same reason ... makes sense on a horse of suspect stamina.

But it didn't happen the way they thought it would, the pace was slow and Camelot got boxed in in a bunched-up field. He certainly wasn't outpaced ... he was running faster than the winner and went from 4 l behind to 1/2 l at the finish.