I was checking through the long range futures markets for the spring and thinking how few "iron horses" we seem to have these days-the type of durable G1 performer who goes around in a stack of races and keeps performing season after season.

Now it seems the spring is a succession of stories of horses out with injuries, retired early, or one hit wonders who have a good spring but never repeat.

I decided to do an analysis of the 90s vs 2000-2011 focusing on the local runners in the Cups/Cox. I drew up the following criteria to define an Australasian iron horse in the context of those races-

-Must have won a G1 in Australia
-Must have started at least 50 times in their career. Had to pick a number and that seemed a fair one.
-Must have won or placed in any of the "Big Three"

Results-

1990s starts/wins/2nds/3rds
Shuzohra 57-15-8-9
Sydeston 65-19-7-10
Super Impose 74-20-24-8
Castletown 102-16-9-11
Solvit 52-15-7-4
Air Seattle 57-7-7-5
Rough Habit 74-29-16-7
Count Chivas 53-7-11-3
Iron Horse 72-11-4-9
All Our Mob 74-13-17-15
Skybeau 79-8-7-5
Catalan Opening 52-9-8-11
Tie The Knot 62-21-9-8

2000-2011
Douro Valley 58-8-8-7
Yippyio 59-14-9-6
Mr Prudent 73-10-8-6

13 for the 90s vs 3 since.

Adding in the criteria that the horse must have won a G1 WFA race in Australia gives-

7 for the 90s, Sydeston, Super Impose, Castletown, Solvit, Rough Habit, All Our Mob, Tie The Knot

vs

1 since, Douro Valley

Douro Valley looks the odd one out there, with a sole Group 1 win in the Caulfield Stakes and one Group 1 placing in the Caulfield Cup.

So clearly the true top grade, durable iron horse is now much more of a rarity than 15-20 years ago.

No doubt there are a range of opinions why.

A few notes on the near misses-

Scenic Shot is currently at 74 starts, but with a best Cups/Cox effort of 5th in the 2009 Cox Plate.

Zipping (47), Mummify (48) and Master O'Reilly (48) were close to the 50 start criteria, but obviously so were a few of the 90s horses so even adding them in the point would remain.

Sunline was eligible for both decades but only had 48 starts.

Distinctly Secret (63) placed in a Caulfield Cup but never won a G1 in Australia.

Grey Song (65) and On A Jeune (54) missed out because they never won a G1.

Durbridge (72-21-8-7) and Juggler (60-15-16-10) missed out due to their respective best placed efforts of 6th and 4th in the Cox Plate.

All In Fun (115) is the most recent 100+ starter to run in both Cups and the Cox, five times in total from 1994-1998.

I've tried to put together a decent mix of proven G1 performers and a few unexposed up and comers.

Green Moon 1600-2400m
Ocean Park 1600-2000m
Niagara 1400-2000m
Say No More 1600m
Dubosc 1600-2400m
Julinsky Prince (3yo) 1200-2000m
Dundeel (3yo) 1200-2500m

This may seem an odd post but I get occasional requests to suggest tried horses to buy, or give opinions on horses people have been offered. In this case I'm going to go first and suggest one if anyone is looking for a 2000+ type with plenty of upside.

I found a horse in NZ a few months back I was very keen on called Dubosc. He'd basically been robbed by interference at his first start in January, before completely thrashing his rivals in a 1600m maiden at his 2nd start by 4.5 lengths. The 3rd horse/beaten fav in that race has since run 7th in the NZ Oaks and finished 2nd and 1st in two Listed fillies races.

At Dubosc's only start since he ran a late closing 3rd over 1600m on a tricky wet track he didn't look at home on. They nomed him for the Australian and SA Derbies and I was waiting for any sign he was going there so I could have a large bet. Instead he went for a spell.

He's by Star Way (last crop) out of a French mare who was best off around 2000m. Dubosc himself seems like he wants at least 2000m to show his best.

In short, if anyone asked me which NZ three year old I'd want to own as a pure racing prospect for next season, I'd say Silent Achiever, Ocean Park, Dubosc in that order.

I now see he's been bought by NZracehorses, to be trained by Ciaron Maher and they're still selling shares. If anyone is looking to buy into a potential topliner then that's RC's tip for 2012.

Note-I have no financial interest, just better I post this than have someone ask me in a few months and I'd have to suggest a more limited horse. I'll post this on the two forums I frequent and will keep track of how it turns out.

What's everyone on? I've played it fairly quiet so far.

Doncaster-Backed Niagara at $18.50 place, thinking they'd win in via the Prelude, but with him going around in the Ryder instead that's got messy as he could very easily miss a Doncaster start unless he wins on Saturday.

Oaks-Very keen on Thy as a roughie in a race that lacks depth, have backed mostly for a place at odds between $13.50-18.50, small win bet at $71 too.

With the talk about our lack of stayers of late I thought I'd mention a couple of nice ones that won today in NZ.

At Te Rapa Wisecrack (by High Chapparal) bolted in the Rating 80 2000m by nearly 5 lengths. He won 2 of his first 3 last season before running unplaced in the Derby-probably wasn't ready for it but they just had a go because of the stake. He resumed with a 5th over 1600m a couple of weeks ago in a strong form race and the way he won today at just his 6th start suggests he'll have no trouble with open company.

Down at Riccarton another four year old in Tropical Storm made it three wins in a row in a solid R90 2000m field. Since debuting over 1400m in August she's won her next three at 1800/2000/2000 and should go even further in distance, being by Storming Home out of a well performed 2400m winner.

The 2000 Guineas was won by Rock 'N' Pop, by Fastnet Rock out of NZ Derby winner Popsy, who was by Sir Tristram and has already left a Brisbane Cup runner up in Lilakyn (by Danehill so 3/4 to Rock 'N' Pop).

Zabeel also has a couple of lightly raced ones going through the grades in style-

Three year old filly Zurella got her 2nd win in three starts today over 1600m and looks a group class 2000m type at least. She may run in the G1 Levin Classic in three weks.

He also has a nice four year old in Zabisco going around in the Group 2 1600m on Wednesday at just his 9th start-Wall Street won the same race in 2009 at his 9th start against a similar quality field.

On the Melbourne Cup thread we were mentioning Empire Rose running down Vo Rogue in the 88 Mackinnon but I couldn't find it anywhere on youtube.

So I went hunting and found an old tape with some 80s races on it and I've uploaded a few-quality is patchy at times and the vid didn't have whole races but it was the 80s...

Empire Rose 1988 Mackinnon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5k6J7L1pb0

1986 Cox Plate version with Bill Collins since that's the one I'm used to but most of the Youtube ones seem to have a different caller?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cu_umn8F-WY

Kiwi 1983 Wellington Cup
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEh_a-LHCco

Our Maizcay 1995 Caulfield Guineas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGpO1EOcy18

A couple of Bonecrusher's post-Cox Plate wins, when he was not quite the same horse but still good for a close finish

Comeback race in 1988
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaDYoJbf3WI
1988 Air NZ Stakes beating Horlicks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhBJxCqjvu8

I don't usuaully go on after a win but in this case I've been forced to cross the line.

As many of you will know, our forum has a resident self proclaimed expert on all things Euro, Patsy. This is despite the fact that if wanting info on a European horse I'd be 1000 times more likely to ask Rex.

Having followed So You Think since after his debut win, I took interest in Patsy's "I've backed SYT" thread.

Here's what Patsy had to say on the Arc-

"i fear Sarafina hugely,and Workforce and Hiruna D'amour and Snow Fairy but So You Think each way at $6 is in my opinion a fabulous bet on going that will suit him..

i personally think he should be around $3.75,he probably is in Australia"

Here's what RC had to say on the ARC

"Don't like it at all and wouldn't have started it at 2400m in Europe personally.

Sarafina to win, Danedream best roughie."

With Patsy mentioning 5 horses and not getting the 5 length winner from Germany, I hereby declare I'm staging a coup and Patsy should now be referred to as "self proclaimed expert on European racing that doesn't involve Germany"

I intend to take the forum title "Baron Von Carrot of New Zealand and Germany" (unless anyone on here has trademarked that already)

In the future, if anyone has questions about German form, or wants an indepth discussion of the strength of this years Sausagehoffen Stakes, feel free to ask.

This is the usual spring thread where you get to throw out something you like for any of the major races, particularly the Cups/Cox.

The Caulfield/Cox noms are out next week, whereas Melbourne Cup noms are now a month later.

Anyway as previously stated, my guy for the spring is...

Rebel Soldier (Ire)
around $100-1 for the Caulfield Cup

Ran 2nd at the trials last week. It's rare that I'm impressed by a trial at Tatura that I haven't even seen, but the fact he actually managed to run faster than another horse is a positive sign, as in two raceday starts in Aussie he hasn't yet managed to beat anything.

By all reports he was utterly berserk as an entire. As a result he is now somewhat less entire. I hope he has now settled down and become a refined equine gentleman who delights in galloping very fast and not trying to eat his handlers.

I'll go for White Knight ($41 best odds) in the first at Warwick Farm. Has a gear change and more distance should help.

Strikes me as particularly good place value at $7.80-$10 depending where you shop.

I'll go for Crafty Irna at $17 in the Adrian Knox. She was just getting going late last start over 1600m and I've already had a place bet on her for the Oaks.

The highlight for me in the NZ from a non betting perspective will be to see how Guiseppina goes in the Breeders Stakes at her first G1 start. Currently $3.60 on fixed odds which I would have taken on a dry track but slow track currently is a question mark as her only failure was in the slow last season. She's been absolutely brilliant lately against lower grade fields.