Australian Racing has been blessed with a number of genuine
Champions through out its history including Carbine, Phar Lap,
Benborough, Tulloch and Kingston Town. But horses of this class
don't come along on a regular and yearly basis.
Despite this almost every year the press beats up a promising horse as a champion, and those
new to racing get dragged along, watching keenly as the victories
mount up, believing they are indeed witnessing the real thing. Then
suddenly the so called unbeatable champion starts to lose his
temporary edge, and begins losing races, and just as
quickly the press write them off as a "has been" or a "pretender", & go looking for
there next champion.
So what makes a genuine champion?
Just because a horse is winning big Group races on end, this alone
does not make it a genuine proven champion. The key to finding those
horses that are real champions, is the style they show to win there
races.
A genuine champion will usually show these traits.
Begin smartly from the gates, settling on the pace when racing over
a suitable distance.
Settle with ease, and race inside or outside horses.
Have the tactical acceleration to make a run mid race without
apparent effort.
Be able to race wide without cover , and still finish off the race
strongly.
Be able to step up gears when asked for an effort.
Dash clear well from home, and go to the line keenly, without having
to be pushed right out.
What do these traits indicate
The horse is mentally on the job.
The horse enjoys her/his racing, and is happy to race where placed
by the jockey.
The horse is only cruising during the run, being able to accelerate
to a faster speed when asked.
The horses has a far superior top speed.
The horse has superior endurance
The horse is keen to gallop, and believes his right place is at the
front when it counts.
Why are these traits needed to be champion racehorse.
If a horse is winning races while being tardy from the gates, racing
back in the field, being pushed mid race, finding flat spots when
initially asked to quicken, being pushed right out and winning by
small margins, this all indicates that if the horse even loses just
a touch of form, he will be finishing with the field. While this
type of horse may continue to win races in the near future, it is
probably only a matter of time until he comes back
to the field and loses a string of races. History is littered with
these type of horses that the press use them to drum up interest and
sell papers.
Smart young horses will often gain confidence by winning, and
continue to win by putting in gut buster runs. But when this same horse
start to bust it guts and lose, it will quickly lose it confidence,
and genuine will to win. Even winning races with gut busting runs
can flatten a horse. Remember Miss Andretti chasing, and then
beating off Gold Edition down the Flemington straight (no turns to rest
around), and then going from invincible to just another horse? Miss
Andretti never again showed anything close to her brilliant best,
flopping in Japan, and uncharacteristically finishing well back
against comparatively average fields back in Australia. Gold Edition
also failed so dismally next start that she was immediately retired
to to the breeding barn.
There are a few outstanding horses in recent times that have well
and truly earned
the Champions tag, these are the types of horses that as young
horses quickly found
the winners circle in good class races, then absolutely creaming the
best fields at there peak, and in later years, despite being aged horses, still had
enough ability in reserve to continue to win the top races, despite
obviously being lengths below there best.
Examples of these genuine Champions include
Manikato, superb 2yo, unbeatable as a 3yo, and continued to win
Group 1 races as an ageing horse despite bad legs, and even a heart
attack.
Kingston Town, showed all the traits of a champion as a young horse,
but when he lost his dash as an older horse he still had enough in
reserve to compete, and beat the best. Obtain a video of Kingston
Town as a 3yo, and you will soon see the winning style, and traits,
of Champions.
Placid Ark, had so much speed on the rest, even made the super mare
Special look second rate, only crippling injuries brought him back
to the field.
Sunline, showed that champion dash when asked for an
effort, often bounding away from the field
with barely a hint from the jockey.
So next time you hear the press beating up the next Champion, apply
a little common sense and ask the tough question. This horse is winning race after
race at the moment, but does he show the long term traits of a
genuine Champion, or is it just another case of him being a "press
champion"?
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