Flat season 2013 highlights

BangBeater

Didn't spot this thread on forum yet so I said I'd start it off as the flat season draws to a close yet again.

What was your highlight?

What was your disappointment, etc, etc?


For me, to kick it off, hats off to Johnny Murtagh for obtaining a training license and at the same time, still riding big winners this season. Becoming a proper legend in my opinion.

diomed

Highlights:
Not hearing the Frankel hype.
Having one good winner.
Treve winning the Arc in style.
Godolphin caught using steroids.

Disappointments:
Dawn Approach forced to run in the Derby when he had zero chance.
The lame excuse from the trainer when 9/4 2nd favourite Toronado was 6th of 6 in the Juddmonte International - he didn't stay 10f, admit it.
Godolphin steroids use forgotten.

kiers47

Visually treve winning the arc was unreal.
No Nay Never at Royal Ascot.
Dawn Approach vs toronado at ascot was a brilliant finish.

I'd go with the three in that order.

Johner

Highlight:

It's nearly over.

Disappointments:

It's not over.

UrbanSea

Johner wrote: »

Highlight:

It's nearly over.

Disappointments:

It's not over.

Knew that one was coming.


Treve Treve Treve

Johner

Highlight would actually be Al Kazeem winning 3 Group 1's in a row and Farhh coming back to win the Champion Stakes.

Disappointment would be that Farhh was injured for most of the season.

jimjamcos

Farhh for me too. Two great wins and two lovely prices!

byronbay2

Highlights:
1) Treve winning The Arc easily from an "impossible" draw and with a slow start. Amazing acceleration to pull away from a high-class field.
2) Novellist winning The King George. Again, great burst of speed to leave the field trailing. Can't imagine he would have troubled Treve in The Arc, though.

Disappointments:
1) Not having Frankel around - how he could be called a "hype" horse is beyond me - but we have our memories. Greatest flat horse of my lifetime (no disrespect to STS) and I hope people remember how he destroyed this year's hero Farhh (by 6L over a mile, 7L over 10 furlongs) without turning a hair.
2) The way The Aga Khan treated John Oxx.

Slattsy

Johner wrote: »

Highlight:

It's nearly over.

Disappointments:

It's not over.

Post. Of. The. Year.

tryfix

There were some very nice juveniles perfomances this year. War Command in the Coventry, Toormore in the National Stakes was really impressive the way he quickened twice although the collateral form looks so so. Australia was awesome at Leopardstown and the collateral form is top class.

Novellist and Treve put in two champion performances worthy of any era and the battles between Dawn Approach and Toronado were very memorable.

Itziger

Other than Treve in the Arc, it's been so so.

Imhof Tank

Probably get slated for this but I thought the Queen shouting home her Gold Cup winner at R Ascot, with her racing manager beside her in the stand going mad was good.

For an aul wan who is normally so hard faced - she seemed a really good sport that day.

hucklebuck

Imhof Tank wrote: »

Probably get slated for this but I thought the Queen shouting home her Gold Cup winner at R Ascot, with her racing manager beside her in the stand going mad was good.

For an aul wan who is normally so hard faced - she seemed a really good sport that day.

It just so happens I am a roofer

The highlight was a woman who is worth millions from in essence being on the dole all her life having a gold cup winner and watching it from one of the best seats in the house?

In a nutshell is that what you are saying was the best part of the flat season?

Imhof Tank

hucklebuck wrote: »

It just so happens I am a roofer

The highlight was a woman who is worth millions from in essence being on the dole all her life having a golf cup winner and watching it from one of the best seats in the house?

In a nutshell is that what you are saying was the best part of the flat season?

No, it is far more nuanced that that.

I am saying that she showed some genuine human emotion that day watching her filly win. It was a rare moment. You never see that from any of the big flat owners who look like accountants in the winners enclosures. You virtually never see any emotional reaction from the Arabs.

mr.jingle

Highlights: Arc day in general was brilliant Maarek, Moonlight Cloud and Treves performances.

Cecil getting an Royal Ascot winner days after his death.

The rise of another batch of Irish young jockeys King, Murphy, Keane the big winners.

Johnny Murtagh showing great training and jockey skills

Downsides: Godolphins Al Zarooni getting caught drugging horses.

The death of Henry Cecil a true legend.

John Oxx's terrible season and losing the Aga Khans backing.

klairondavis

Highlight

Ballydoyle not dominating the domestic Group 1s.

Lowlight

Cecil passing away.

maalummoja

The ease of following JP Murtaghs mounts across the water and cleaning up big time

Maybe another on the cards this Saturday ? ALTRUISTIC

walrusgumble

Best:

Without doubt, Johnny Murtagh in the big races, Sole Power redeeming himself at Ascot against Shea Shea;Novelist, the horse who kept running after the Post, the Royal Diamond v Ernest Hemingway battles during the summer, his rides on Gordon Lord Byron.

Lethal Force at Ascot , ensuing Shea Shea would not win a major race on British Soil

Trading Leather winning the Irish Derby and War Command steam rolling Ascot ridden by Seamie Hefferenan

Chris Hayes emotional reaction winning on his first Group one on La Collina.

Godolpin getting caught with drugs, couldn't happen to nicer group.

Disappointments:
Dawn Approach being thrown in as a Derby horse

Reckless Abandon not getting a chance to shine

Death of Cecil's Thomas Chippendale ,after a brilliant win ridden by Murtagh, at Ascot.

The media, in particular Claire Bloody Baldings fawning over Frankie Dettori. Not content to thinking Frankie would have win Longchamp on Treve but also the nerve to waffle on about him when Richard Hughes, the main player at Hannons yard, won on Olympic Glory, recently.

UrbanFret

Highlights it could only be treves arc and moonlight clouds dominance again.

Lowlights Henry finally succumbing to that awful illness and the average hughes champion again.

kiers47

UrbanFret wrote: »

the average hughes champion again.

Ha made me laugh.

walrusgumble

UrbanFret wrote: »

Highlights it could only be treves arc and moonlight clouds dominance again.

Lowlights Henry finally succumbing to that awful illness and the average hughes champion again.

Richard Hughes , average? A bit unfair, surely ? He can get wins outside of his father in law's yard , too , ya know

Soft Falling Rain

Galician, Broxbourne and Broughton all saving my hole on different occasions. I like nothing more in racing than a horse that you can trust to give an honest account, and these 3 always give that. That's all I can ask for, win or lose regardless.

Actually, in general, I've really enjoyed following Mark Johnston this year.

SRFC

Soft Falling Rain wrote: »

Galician, Broxbourne and Broughton all saving my hole on different occasions. I like nothing more in racing than a horse that you can trust to give an honest account, and these 3 always give that. That's all I can ask for, win or lose regardless.

Actually, in general, I've really enjoyed following Mark Johnston this year.

You are a brave man following Mark Johnsons horses,they are as likely to be tailed off and out with the washing as winning from the front and not for passing,impossible yard to predict.

Soft Falling Rain

SRFC wrote: »

You are a brave man following Mark Johnsons horses,they are as likely to be tailed off and out with the washing as winning from the front and not for passing,impossible yard to predict.

I suppose that's a risk you're taking on any horse though? I'm sensible enough to acknowledge that luck plays a big part in punting and thankfully enough, more often than not I've been satisfied when backing his horses this year.

That, however, could completely turn on its head over the next year.

brandon_flowers

Not a big flat fan at all but Jackie Bolger winning the owners championship breaking Coolmores dominance is definitely a highlight. When you consider Aidan O'Brien had something like 95 different winning horses in the season and the Bolgers have to compete against that firepower in every race.

Connor King and Colin Keane having 70 winners between them is another.

Lowlight was the death of Henry Cecil.