Just provided one half of the Epsom Derby winner.

Time to come out of your mums basement K Dill. But leave Bop Bag down there- Im sure he won't chew through the gimp ball.

Had to do some work recently that meant, among other things, looking back at So You Think's career. Bringing up an old one here, but by god I wish they had kept this horse to 8-10F in Europe, instead of going on some ill thought out 2400m, to 2000m to dirt to tapeta campaign.

If he doesnt get cut off in the POW by his pacemaker and then Moore goes on him way too early.

If they had have kept him fresh for Champions Day, instead of pouring in the work to turn him into a 2400m horse for the Arc.

If they had gone for the Breeders Cup Turf (instead of saving SNA for it - a horse he had already beaten), which in a race you cant stretch a 2000m horse out to (tight track), instead of putting him onto the dirt. Dirt kils atrium of foot (look at Roaring Lion this year). And then chuck blinkers on him so he pulls himself into the ground. Heroic in running as well as he did.

Then top it off by going to Dubai onto the tapeta (would have walked the Dubai Turf).

I really do like Aiden OB as a trainer, but it was a train wreck to watch.

But it was great to see him looking more like a bull, and back to somewhere near his best for the final couple of runs.

Great little article this one. At least AOB was big enough to admit it was one disaster after another

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So You Think Back to His Best in Prince of Wales's Stakes
20/06/12

1 So You Think 4/5 Fav
2 Carlton House 7/2
3 Farhh 6/1
11 ran Distances: 2¼l, ½l, nk
TIME 2m 3.86s (fast by 1.74s)

Aidan O'Brien's So You Think recorded his 10th Group One victory in the 150th Anniversary of Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot.

So You Think
© Racehorse Photos

So You Think
Trainer O’Brien blamed himself for not getting the best out of So You Think earlier, after the former Australian superstar looked back to his very best when winning by two and a quarter lengths.

“We felt that we had this horse in a place that he had never been before with us,” said O’Brien. “We have had him a year and a half and it has taken me a year and a half to learn how to train him. We’re just pleased to now have him in the place where everyone in Australia said he was. He’s one of those special horses and I’d like to say sorry to all the Australian people that I’ve made such a mess of it for so long. We were rightly getting a fair hammering from people in Australia but we needed to pull our socks up.

“I was probably working him too often, too long and too hard. I was killing him by making him grind but even so he was still very competitive.

“We went back, we listened to everybody, including all the interviews, and what Bart (Cummings) was saying in Australia about him - the things to do and the things not to do. We review everything, took all of the information and it probably took me a year and six months to start listening.

“We listened to it at the end and everybody at home got it together. We felt that he was in a place today where he had never been before with us, so obviously we are delighted. I was delighted to hear (Bart’s comments) because he was speaking from the heart and I was probably over-working the horse and galloping the speed out of him instead of letting it be natural.

“Joseph was very much of the opinion that he was going to ride him that way and wait. Everybody was of the opinion that he was all speed before he came to us and I suppose that I set off on the wrong leg with him - started trying to make him stay a mile and probably worked him too long, too often.

“It is often a hard thing. We knew that we only had a few runs left and we knew that he had run in all the top races but there was just that little thing missing. We knew that we only had maybe today and Sandown to get it back, so we listened. Joseph and the lads were confident that it was going to come but you can’t be confident until it comes.

“The boys will talk about (the Coral-Eclipse at) Sandown and they will make the decision. We had in our head that Sandown would be the cut-off point but we will obviously be pleading now that we have him in a different place. It will be a big business decision but we are just delighted that we have got him back to where Bart had him and what all of the people in Australia said he was.

So You Think has been advertised for a fee of AUS$66,000 for the 2012 southern hemisphere breeding season at Coolmore Australia and part-owner John Magnier said: “He looks a picture and is a horse that travels all over the world. He won three Group Ones last year, two this season and 10 overall so I say to people what more could you want? It’s hard to work in two hemispheres, they are completely different environments.

“Aidan’s been happier with this horse this year than he has ever been I think the Eclipse will be next and the plan will be to go to Australia after that, he’s probably done enough racing after that.”

As a self confessed troll you may want to read this Bop Bag.

Its not pretty. But does explain your type in a nutshell. I now better understand why I annoy you so much.
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"Trolling can be viewed as being motivated by envy and jealousy. The anonymity of the internet can be a way of individuals expressing their personal frustrations with their lot in life. They gain a form of perverse satisfaction in expressing hate at objects of desire, such as fashion models, sports stars, celebrities, wealthy people and high achievers. It can breed narcissistic behaviour, which can be defined as an obsessive interest in your own appearance, extreme selfishness and a craving to be admired by others.

There needs to be more robust research into the role of trolling in society in order to better understand the motives underlying the behaviour. However, some research findings so far would indicate that those individuals motivated by trolling share some similarities with sadists as they appear to enjoy harming and intimidating people. Some might also have some symptoms consistent with psychopathy (particularly a lack of empathy or remorse as well as antisocial behaviour).

The link between psychopathy and cognitive empathy could be a lethal cocktail as those engaging in trolling can quickly realise when they have got the reaction when pressing another’s buttons of vulnerability.

Trolling can be seen as a status-enhancing activity as they feel more important when they attract the attention of other readers or when they spark debate on social media platforms. They may even feel more important in that moment than they do in their so-called real life where they might struggle with personal relationships and with the challenges of occupational hierarchy"

I'm sure most are familiar with the story of how Strawberry Road was given one of the most inept rides ever seen in the Arc. the story goes that Singo had to be physically restrained from ripping Starkeys head off in the paddock after the race and that Starley was put on a retainer by the winning connections yet never had a ride for them!!

Anyway, poor old Strawberry Road didn't have a lot of luck overseas. Heres an article written by the highly respected Andrew Beyer.

If youre not sure who AB is think speed ratings in America. Yes, hes a yank, so no bias here. This article was written leading into the Breeders when Strawberry Road was beaten a narrow margin by Champion filly (TF 135) Pebbles.

https://wapo.st/2F6syUa

Merchant Navy has just won first up for AOB in Ireland. In the process he beat the likes of Brando and Tasleet and did it giving away weight (keep in mind he would be getting weight in Australia) as he was carrying a G1 winners penalty.

Slightly slow to break and made up good ground from the tail to pass some good sprinters. The pleasing thing for connections is the fact AOB said beforehand he would need the run and would come on leaps and bounds for Royal Ascot.

Keep in mind SSB was unplaced first up for AOB before winning at Royal Ascot. Very tidy effort and the first reacted immediately.

I was at Randwick on Saturday and Ive got to say that its going to be a sad day when they do finally retire Winx because she will be irreplaceable. But once again she was a joy to watch, and that acceleration she possesses is ridiculous.

There will always be debate to how good a horse actually is, and Im now convinced she is one of the all times greats not just of the Australian turf but of world horse racing.

The top two horses from turf and dirt racing of the last 50 years have been Frankel and Secretariat, and neither travelled, so I dont buy into the 'you have to travel' to prove yourself.

So what would it take to beat Winx?

I will use TF ratings simple because they are global. To steal a line from Gary Crispe

"everyone who follows racing has an opinion but Timeform ratings, which have been around since 1948, is recognised as the global standard for measurement of thoroughbred racehorse performance and has a process to compare the champions"

Timeform rated her weekend win at 134. Incredibly this is the sixth time she has broken the 130 mark, and on each and every occasions she has won by a margin running away.

Thus it is fair to say if there was an out and out champion horse in Australia that could press her she could find more. How much more? Im not sure, but lets go low and say 3lbs-4lbs (I feel it could be more). If thats the case, she would be able to run to 137/138. Keeping in mind that being a mare she gets a 3lb allowance from older male horses.

So to answer my own question an older male horse would need to run a 141 plus to beat her at her best, and as mentioned above, Ive been conservative with her upgrade if pushed.

So who could beat her?
Theres only been one horse run 141 plus since 1968- Frankel

Fairburn

47 of your last 50 posts have been aimed directly at me. And thats over a period of more than 6 months.

That in itself is weird enough. But the fact you've rarely conversed with anyone else over this period suggests not only are you trolling me, but even worse, you're stalking me.

With a strike rate of 94% aimed purely at one person its easy enough to see you're not here to use the 'anonymous' forum, but you're here trying to bully me.

Is it something personal? Something to do with the Ascot straight 6F course maybe?. Do I know you in real life?

Whatever your issue is Ive offered to take it outside the forum to the PM section, but in true attention seeking troll like behaviour you have refused.

The easy option would simply be to permanently ban you, but I shouldn't have to, no one should. And then what would you do? You would have no purpose in this forum.

With the trials not to far away I thought it would be a good opportunity to throw up a predicted top 8 for this years NRL and revisit after the Home and Away season.

Heres mine in order

1 Roosters
2 Penrith
3 Melbourne
4 Cowboys
5 Eels
6 Sharks
7 Broncos
8 Tigers

K Dill

I was going to post this in your "lay a 300/1 shot in the Melbourne Cup" thread. But I think it deserves its very own, don't you?

Once again you have been caught out lying, bit like your WACA debacle. So which one is it champ, website or no website?

Rather ironic that a proven liar insinuates that others are telling lies when in fact, they are telling lies!

Busted again champ.

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Author: Khaptingly Send message to this user
Subject: Re: 2017 Melbourne Cup Lays

Time: 11/11/2017 2:32:10 AM

You know nothing about the website G W Rex. What claims are you making this time? My tipping website is still going strong has been for beyond a decade.

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Author: Khaptingly Send message to this user
Subject: Re: Sepoy - another overated horse

Time: 28/2/2012 6:23:53 PM

You still banging on about a website Rex. I have never had a website.

I service my clients by SMS, thats about the best I can manage with my lack of I.T. knowledge.

Fair to say the Everest has exceeded all expectations. The ATC must be delighted with the numbers coming in.

Imagine what it will be like when it goes to a 2 day meeting with the Everest itself under lights etc?

http://bit.ly/2yzRMWf