Dewhurst

[NoChanceToDance]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

That would be me.

I really did think he'd win.

Easily.

Aaaah well..... not too disappointed. New Approach is indeed a very nice horse.

Must go and sulk about Maraahel some more.....

I'm not saying he isn't a nice horse, but he isn't good enough to mix it with the horses that filled the placings yesterday.

Suroor and Crisfrod were very disappointed, which also back up they both thought that the horse had coped fine with the races he had. Suroor was quoted in the paper beforehand saying "he looks fresh and well and i've been very pleased with his work".

He is doubtful to go for the English or Irish guineas now, instead he is likely to follow the same route they went with Shamardal and run in the French Guineas, which will be much easier pickings for him.

What i liked about New Approach was that he looked like he was the first horse beaten, but he never gave in. Kevin Manning said the further they went the better he felt, which goes well for both the guineas and the derby. Also, Bolger had said that the horse hadn't done any serious fast work before this race. He had done a piece of half pace work to help him settle and that was it.

Fast Company will give him something to think about, and Raven's Pass should be better on fast ground, but both will have to pull out more to beat New Approach.

I really like Bolger, he never ducks a battle. New Approach had everything to lose yesterday and most trainers wouldn't have run him. Actually, i'd say every trainer bar him wouldn't have run him. He decided to run just because Godolphin were going there, to prove he was the best 2yo by some distance, and boy did he do that.

[brockguy]

interesting article from the racingpost.. Godolphin havent seemed to be able to get their 3yos from Dubai to Newmarket 100% so it doesnt bode well for Fast Company... If it is quick ground, I think Ravens Pass will give NA a good run for his money.... but the scary thing is that the horse with the most amount of potential improvement from 2 to 3 is the 2year old champ.. he could be 10 lengths better than these next May..

from racingpost::
THE fact Sheikh Mohammed has a stake in the Dewhurst first and third, as well as the second, fourth and seventh via Godolphin, will have no bearingon running plans next year, it was underlined on Sunday.

The sheikh bought a 50 per cent share in Dewhurst winner New Approach last month, and as reported in the Racing Post also purchased a stake in third-placed Raven's Pass on the eve of the Darley-sponsored race at Newmarket.

An agenda for those two colts will be mapped out by trainers Jim Bolger and John Gosden, in coalition with Sheikh Mohammed, over the winter.

Whatever plans are agreed for New Approach and Raven's Pass, they will not dictate where Fast Company, Rio De La Plata and McCartney run.

Dewhurst fourth Rio De La Plata was the only one of that trio to carry the Godolphin silks on Saturday, but runner-up Fast Company will join the Dubai-based operation within the next few days.

McCartney is expected to be transferred to Godolphin, having carried Sheikh Mohammed's maroon and white colours for trainer Mark Johnston at Newmarket.

Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford said: "Rio De La Plata has come out of his race very well - he's in fine shape. We were pleased with him, even though he didn't run up to his best form. He was about a length or two below that."

He added: "He's had a long season and deserves a break. He'll be going to Dubai for the winter, along with Fast Company.
"We'd like to thank Fast Company's trainer Brian Meehan, and his team at Manton, for the fantastic job they've done with the colt.

"In the Dewhurst he fully justified Brian's faith in him, which he expressed in the build up to the race. He ran a huge race in defeat and, all being well, we will bring him back for the Guineas in May."

Meehan expressed his belief that Fast Company was unlucky not to beat New Approach, who prevailed by half a length.

He said: "I've thought the world of him throughout, and was really pleased with his performance. He did it really well on his previous start at York and Saturday's was one of the best Dewhursts since I've been in the game.

"The winner looks very good but had the rail. Would we have beaten New Approach if we had been on the fence? It would certainly have been very close. Mine's run an absolute cracker."

Meehan added: "Godolphin gave me the opportunity to train him until the end of the year and it's been a great experience training for them for the past three months. They're very easy people to deal with and put so much into the industry.

"My job was to hand the colt over to Godolphin and that will happen after he's had a few days to recover."

Between 1997 and 2005, Godolphin saddled either two or three colts in the 2,000 Guineas each year, but for the past two years have been represented by just one.

[NoChanceToDance]

I didn't realise they had purchased Fast approach.

I don't understand why Godolphin don't bring their horses back earlier. Sometimes they only have two weeks to recover and it just isn't long enough.

One fast ground Raven's Pass will get closer to New Approach, but i can't see him beating NA.

[NoChanceToDance]

Just a thought, and i might even get called mad or insane for saying it, but the OFT might want to have a look into the Godolphin operation and if at any point they do, they could be forced to change their game plan.

The OFT have long said racing isn't competitive as it should be. Well, with all this purchasing that Godolphin are doing (they now basically own the classic brigade for next year), where is the competition coming from?

I'm sick and tired seeing them buy everyone elses horses just because they haven't got horses of their own that are good enough. It's ruining the sport in my opinion, there is already a distinct lack of competition in some of these Group races we have without Godolphin coming along and snapping up all the good horses with a big chance of not seeing them run against eachother next year. Hopefully Raven's Pass and New Approach will square up again, but i doubt the others will be there.

I know many of you will say "but you dislike Godolphin so you have a biased opinion", but i'm talking from a racing fan's point of view. They can't keep buying all of the opposition. They are supposed to have the best breeding operation in the world. So why aren't they using it? Their flag bearers this year: Rio, Ramonti, Blue Ksar, Echo Of Light etc etc.... none of them were bred by Darley. So, what's going on? They have the use of some of the world's best stallions and no doubt some of the top mares. Why should they need to buy the oposition?

You only have to look at Juddmonte, they very rarely buy any yearlings and very rarely buy horses in training from other people, but look at the success they get, they stick to what they breed, and they do well.