Gentleman's Deal

Robin1982

I was hugely taken with Gentleman's Deal's winning performance in the Winter Derby today. Leading very slow early pace, then half-way through comfortably stalking Alfie Flits (once that horse had injected some pace), and then quickening again through a gap at the top of the stretch to win nicely.

Kincesm here would know better than I would, but I doubt if there has ever been a better Danehill dirt horse (7 out of 7; he's won at Southwell, Wolverhampton, Kempton and Lingfield now; track record breaker) - in fact, whether there has ever been a better British AW performer. His victory today means he (hopefully) will accept the invitation to the Hollywood Gold Cup in June.

In fact, considering he is still an entire (and is an actively breeding stallion), is out of a 1000 Guineas winner (Sleepytime, great family), is sired by Danehill (now deceased), and seems to only act on dirt (a good sign if you ask me - complete opposite to normal Danehill's), he must be, well, priceless.

However, his trainer Mick Easterby now says that he'll go for the Lincoln, where he's hoping for "good" ground. Even more bizarrely, he's 8/1 favourite - even though he has never come close to his dirt form on turf, even though he's racing off a mark 20lbs below his AW rating.

If he was mine, he would be on the next plane to the US. Can you imagine his value if he won a Grade 1 over there? He's a huge horse (17.1 hands) and the top dirt horses over there tend to be, like him, gallopers.

Interestingly, Coolmore own his full brother (Spanish Harlem, 3yo colt) and have even won a maiden with him (heavy ground no less). They really never miss a trick...

BrianTheMessiah

I, too, was very taken with his win. I didn't think he'd act on a track like Lingfield, especially in such a competitive affair. It'll be interesting to see what they do with him now, although I wouldn't run him at the weekend.

Volcán Masaya

I wouldn't get carried away lads. He won a Mickey Mouse G3 against Mickey Mouse horses at Mickey Mouse Lingfield.

Btw, Poly =/ Dirt, as has been seen with the introduction of the surface in the US. Check out the results at Keenlands fall meet, dirt form was turned on it's head. Do a quick perusal of US racing boards, punters were screaming left and right with many claiming they wouldn't bet racing at tracks with Poly. If anything it seemed to favour horses with a turf pedigree or running style.

It is interesting however that he is covering mares while still racing. He must be quite the laidback easy to handle horse.