Forgotten Rules one to follow
I think it is no exaggeration to say that he was undoubtedly the most exciting horse we saw for the entire seven days.
The beauty about the four-year-old, by Nayef, is that we simply haven’t a clue as to how good he really is.
Earlier on the Friday evening, I asked D.K. as to how good he thought Forgotten Rules might be and his reply was: “I don’t know, we will find out tonight.”
The horse arrived at Galway on the back of just one outing, in a bumper at the Punchestown festival in late April.
His reputation preceded him and he went off the even money favourite to beat 17 rivals.
In theory it wasn’t very good value, because the contest housed many unknowns and those of us who backed him were relying totally on the judgement of the people closest to the horse to have it right.
There was plenty of talk for others in the race, particularly Gordon Elliott’s Alamein. Indeed, one punter you would have expected to be with Forgotten Rules actually went with Alamein. I distinctly remember feeling mildly queasy when hearing that.
But there was absolutely no need to worry and what followed was simply poetry in motion.
Forgotten Rules travelled like a dream through the race, coasted into the lead for Robbie McNamara up the inside about three furlongs out and just exploded in the straight.
McNamara only asked for the minimum and yet Forgotten Rules crossed the line 13 lengths clear of Alamein, who was in turn comfortably away from the third.
The problem heading to Galway, however, was that there had been no test of the Punchestown form in the meantime.
Neither Alamein nor the third home, Dessie Hughes Art Of Security, have been seen since.
But the deep impression Forgotten Rules made at Punchestown was far from misplaced.
The eight lengths thrashing he dished out to the 100-rated Shu Lewis at Galway was, to say the least of it, impressive.
You couldn’t fail to be blown away by the manner in which he faced the hill and the way he ran all way to the line.
We now know he’s a good horse with a fair engine, but there is still so much to learn about Forgotten Rules.
If he does, as indicated in the winner’s enclosure at Galway by Weld, head for the Irish St Leger then that is going to reveal a lot more than his only two races thus far.
Since the Irish Leger was first opened to older horses in 1983 it has produced some great winners.
Serious horses have landed the prize, such as Vinnie Roe, on four occasions, and dual winners Vintage Crop, Kayf Tara and Oscar Schindler, as well as Yeats. We await, with eager anticipation, Mr Weld’s next move.
Galway racecourse manager, John Moloney, was quoted in Tuesday’s Racing Post as describing his beloved festival as a “resounding success.”
No one in their right mind would argue with him, considering everything literally went like clockwork
The increased attendance and betting figures speak for themselves and the fact almost 140,000 were on site for the week-long festival was testimony to the enduring popularity of a meeting that, thankfully, continues to defy logic.
There is, however, one thing that can certainly be improved and it is the final day of the meeting-the Sunday.
I would contend that what was on offer last Sunday just wasn’t good enough and is not a fitting way to end. Six of the eight races were brutally difficult to solve handicaps and such contests, at least for a lot of punters, are a total turn off.
What was left at Galway was a bad beginners chase and a bumper that went to a 2-9 shot, Windsor Park.
You would hope that by next year more imagination will be utilised when deciding just how the Sunday card should be constituted.
Johnny Murtagh’s Chicago Girl started off this season with a rating of 105. At Naas on Monday, rated 103, she contested a maiden.
If the handicapper’s assessment was in any way accurate, she was a certainty. Indeed, you could argue that a mark of 83 entitled her to win.
In theory, Chicago Girl should have been odds on, but punters, at least those who knew her well, didn’t want to know and she left the gate an easy to back 7-4 favourite.
She struggled home a poor third behind Newton’s Night and a 33-1 English import called Sweet Cherry.
Now Sweet Cherry used to be trained by Philip Makin and her last run across the water saw her finish fourth at Ffos Las off a mark of 49.
She had no official mark at Naas, but has now lodged on 70. Chicago Girl has been dropped 5lbs to 95.
Sweet Cherry beat Chicago Girl a length and a half at Naas-at level weights. If they meet in a handicap in the future, however, Chicago Girl will have to concede her 25lbs.
Handicapping is the toughest job in the game, but why is there such reluctance to drop horses substantially? After all handicappers have no qualms at all about bumping them right up.
I think just about everyone is aware at this stage that Chicago Girl isn’t within an ass’ roar of being a 95.
