Week 2 - Race Discussion

[markwales]

Post your thoughts on this weeks races on this thread.

Some interesting looking races...none of the Sim Big Guns are out this week, or so we think. I'm sure we'll find a few new starlets in action on Wednesday night.

I'll post a few race previews tomorrow, including the SimFair race, the Derby Trial at Leopardstown.

A lot of wide open races.....you think these are wide open? wait until you see week 3's handicap races!!

Mark.

[markwales]

Whilst we're on the week 2 race discussion, I'm a bit disapointed that there were no entries into the selling races....you guys asked for them, and then didn't enter anything !!

Should we continue with Sellers? or are claimers the way to go?

I'm not having a go....I just simply want to get the format right for everyone.

[TheOldhamWhisper]

I'd keep them in - I think Week 2 was always going to be 'quiet' as Week 1 always attracts lots of runners and Week 3 sees the first of the classics.

Is everyone OK with how sellers and claimers work?

I'm looking forward to the handicap races (might get a few quid back into my bookies satchel!) and just so that everything is kept above board, I have been assigned handicapping duties but Mark actually handicaps my own stable.

[mathare]

Can you just run through how sellers and claimers work for my own peace of mind please? I think I know how they work but I would like reassurance

[markwales]

Sellers - The winner is put up for public auction in the forum

Claimers - ALL horses are available to be claimed for the set price. I haven't posted about this yet, however all claims must be sent to me BEFORE the race via PM or email, and I have set up a spreasheet which will give me a random winner for each horse.

Hope this helps.

[mathare]

Cheers for that Mark.

I wasn't sure if it was just the winner of a seller that went up for auction or all entrants.

[markwales]

Week 2 Penalties.

The following horses are carrying Group Race winning penalties this week.

Race 3 - Blackjack Magic +6lbs
Race 4 - Buck The Trend +6lbs

Both have won Group 1 races, and are dropping to Group 3 this week.

[TheOldhamWhisper]

Sellers - The winner is put up for public auction in the forum

Claimers - ALL horses are available to be claimed for the set price. I haven't posted about this yet, however all claims must be sent to me BEFORE the race via PM or email, and I have set up a spreasheet which will give me a random winner for each horse.

Hope this helps.
Just a further small but significant point regarding claiming races:

The horse becomes the property of the claimant as the race begins. Any prize monies however, are paid to the original owner. This is not as significant in the Sim as in real life, where horses can be injured and out for a considerable period of time but you should be wary of horses running in a claimer after running for consecutive weeks - if they get injured whilst racing, they will not be able to race or train!

[TheOldhamWhisper]

Whispering Downs stable have a fairly quiet week this week (as do most stables) with only 3 runners going to post.

Elsie P will have her work cut out in race 2 at Newmarket against the very classy looking Sandstone Stormer and Bossa Nostra who filled the top two places in last week's Maiden Fillies race at the Curragh. Freemo looks a very speedy lady and has top jockey on board and I watched Inside Pocket schooling last week where she looked like a veteran entering the training stalls. An absolutely wide open affair, but I expect Sandstone Stormer to confirm her early season superiority over Bossa Nostra. Even at this early stage in their respective careers, this pair could well be fighting out the finish of next years Group 1 sprints!

Beach Comber has been very difficult to place and the stable have decided to run him in the Leopardstown claimer. I truly believe this horse has not produced his best yet, but we will take the risk of losing him on the claim to try and pick up a little race.

Getoffandpush heads off to France for the 'specialist' distance Maiden race. He will probably struggle to break his duck this time, but we are hoping he will come good sooner rather than later.

Good Luck to all participants this week.

[yerotsluap]

A great week for the YLN stable last week with King Lebron qualifying for the Derby and Field Of Cloth Of Gold qualifying for the Oaks, as well as a very impressive first run for Meer Meer in a 2 year old sprint. The two classic qualifiers are being rested up until their respective classic races, whilst Meer Meer is back out at Chantille looking for quick back to back wins in the colts listed 7f.

The majority of the rest of the stables horses are to stay in training this week to look for more suitable distances and going.

Connections hold high hopes for Renaissance Prince who is running in the 2m listed race at Sandown. It is expected that he should be up near the front of the race and in the mix towards the finish.

Filly Bex Legs is making her debut at Leopardstown and we have high hopes that she could be a good sort but until we see them out on the track its anyones guess as to how they will perform.

The YLN stable holds the current ante-post favourite for the 6f group 3 pavillion stakes at Leopardstown, in Don't Cross The Boss. The stable is confident of a decent performance but the ground may not be right for him and as such the length of odds for him are very short.

Gold Or Platinum is entered in the Oaks trial at Leopardstown and is well thought of by the stable. All runners in this trial qualify for the Oaks so hopefully the ground will allow her to accompany Field Of Cloth Of Gold to the classic.

[Onlyforfun]

Not much happening among the 3yos at FFF with nothing much expected from our 3 runners.

More happening among our 2yos, where 4000 guinea purchase Granite Godfather makes a quick reappearance after a disappointing showing first time out. Hopefully this race should help us assess more fully where training is required, but as he is seen more as a middle distance 3yo, his best is hopefully yet to come.

Impressive debut winner Sandstone Stormer, a bargain buy at the sales, also makes a quick reappearance. She is also expected to step up to middle distances as a 3yo, so getting some experience is more important than a win here but if the ground comes up right, she has a great chance.

In the 1m Maiden at Sandown we're double handed with Andesite Arena, who looks a real stormer of a buy and Tuffa Terror. If Arena can reproduce his form on the gallops on the racecourse he should take all the beating. Terror is relatively undeveloped at this stage in the season and we have hopes he can carve out some success in the lower Groups later on.

[markwales]

Just a quick note to let you know that 'Race Comments' will return to the results page this week!!

It's not often I have time to do them, but with the new batch of 2yo's on the scene I thought I'd take the time to give you a bit of a heads up about their performances.

[Thierry Henry]

Quiet time here at the Va Va Voom stable.

We are still away on our summer training camp in Menorca, where the older horses have been fine tuning, and the 2 year old newcomers have been put through their paces to assess their ability!!

We will be returning home in a few weeks though, where the stable will definitely see some racecourse action!

[Merlin]

Merlins Magic Moments stable are just observers this week - however, we have a few spies at the races - assesing the opposition to our potentially high class filly - watch out boys...

[John]

The second week of the second season and the SSS yard are looking to add to their success of the first week. We are entering the well-bred 2yo Pristine Dreams in a bid to lose his maiden tag, although he looks to be up against some classy opposition in the shapes of Andesite Arena and Wild Goose. Irrespective of the opposition however, we have high expectations that he will get within the placings if he gets his desired ground.

Elsewhere we have three 3yo's entered. The White Stripe is still yet to win a race and the yard have found it a tricky task in placing this colt in the right class. He is up against some classy-looking horses. Carrantouhill looks the part from Laf's Stable, and Death To Ellis is also well-fancied. Also we are finding it hard to oppose debutant Coupling from WBJ who has all the ticks in the right boxes and could be a major threat.

When the racecards were published we were a little disappointed with the number of runners entered for the 1m Conditions Stakes race. Infinite Persuasion will gain the stable some valuable money, however this race won't be a true reflection of his ability. He has the experience though and finished 3rd in a race of large field, albeit a maiden, so hopefully he can win here.

Last of all, Best Showmanship makes his second start in a fine bid to be amongst the Derby field at Epsom in Week 5. We are confident of his ability although there are big threats in the race. In my opinion this is anyone's race, although the PPP yard have had nice wins from Alan's Alibi on undesired ground, and the keen looking Gov Lepetomane is in with a fine shout. Eire Express is the last of our major worries and has shown class throughout Season 1.

Good luck to all participants this week.

[alianzalima]

The SOF stable is taking a look at the 2 year olds this week to see if there are any potential stars out there. We had a nice one last week with Dog and Pheasant getting off to a winning start.

Duke of Marlborough is in the first at Newmarket. Against two that ran last week we are not confident of victory however at least a place is guaranteed. I drove past the establishment that he takes his name from today and it was all boarded up and awaiting demolition to be replaced by a block of flats. Not a good omen.

Mongo is in the Guineas trial. A group winner last season and has as much chance as the others in this small field and will take her place in the guineas whatever the outcome in this race.

Over at Sandown we have Lili Von Schtupp running in race 8. This horse has yet to win and is unlikely to do so here. I think we will wait for the handicaps with this one. Has a very good consistency rating of 98 which unfortunately means it is always consistently at the back of the field.

In the next race we have Oast House who has a chance given the figures but the jockey lacks experience and will need training up over the next few weeks.

Race 10 sees another newcomer in Wild Goose who is expected to do well in this race. Black Horse in race 13 at Leopardstown also is an unknown quantity. We know enough about Hedley Lamarr in race 15 and unfortunately this Group race attracted more than four runners so we will not be picking up any easy place money this week. Gov Lepetomane is in the Derby trial and this is the best race this week. Still seeking a first win but has performed well in the past and may have a chance if the others fail to perform.

At Chantilly we run Sticky Wicket who is out for the experience before being trained up for the longer distances and Sheriff Bart is in the group 3 event. He is due a good run and maybe this is his week.

After this week we will have a better idea of where we are with our 2 year olds except for the one who is not ready to run yet Duck Pond who seems to be destined to run 1m2f races only.