Comments on: Men with cats http://www.bertsblog.co.uk/horses/men-with-cats.html Betfair's Andrew Black on Horse Racing, Betting, Betfair and Random Musings Thu, 24 May 2012 13:53:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: Michael F http://www.bertsblog.co.uk/horses/men-with-cats.html/comment-page-1#comment-265 Michael F Wed, 29 Aug 2007 17:24:00 +0000 http://www.bertsblog.co.uk/horses/men-with-cats.html#comment-265 Many thanks for the feedback, Bert. It's much appreciated. The doubts you express are no doubt shared by the owners of all the top two-year-olds in this very competitive year but what a great worry to have! Winker really does look the part at the moment and let's just hope he does indeed continue to progress. If he runs in the Champagne Stakes that should give a real clue to how good he is. I don't know if you'd be as worried about the O'Brien entries as some of the likely English runners, such as Dark Angel, Maze and Sir Gerry - I thought that one looked terrific at York. It should be a great race. I love the name as well - from my memory, the original Winker Watson was known as "the world's wiliest wangler." It's all a good schoolboy play on words and let's hope your winker is as wily a wangler as the Dandy's. Many thanks for the feedback, Bert. It’s much appreciated. The doubts you express are no doubt shared by the owners of all the top two-year-olds in this very competitive year but what a great worry to have!
Winker really does look the part at the moment and let’s just hope he does indeed continue to progress. If he runs in the Champagne Stakes that should give a real clue to how good he is. I don’t know if you’d be as worried about the O’Brien entries as some of the likely English runners, such as Dark Angel, Maze and Sir Gerry - I thought that one looked terrific at York. It should be a great race.
I love the name as well - from my memory, the original Winker Watson was known as “the world’s wiliest wangler.” It’s all a good schoolboy play on words and let’s hope your winker is as wily a wangler as the Dandy’s.

]]> By: Bert http://www.bertsblog.co.uk/horses/men-with-cats.html/comment-page-1#comment-264 Bert Wed, 29 Aug 2007 09:40:45 +0000 http://www.bertsblog.co.uk/horses/men-with-cats.html#comment-264 Michael, I think it might be a decent year for colts - a number of those in the early season pattern races look as if they may be progressive and there have been a number of exciting maiden winners recently (not to mention New Approach). It all concerns me for Winker but we have a huge opinion of him - I think he's a genuine freak and it'll take another freak to top him. I've got two concerns about the horse - 1) something will go wrong with him and 2) he'll peak early and won't progress as much as we would like as a 3yo. The concern that his rate of improvement will slow is likely to happen as he is so far forward already that it's hard to see where the physical progression will come from, but he could be so good by the time his progression slows that it won't much matter. He's entered in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster and he may run in this. He isn't in the National Stakes (at the Curragh) but we could supplement him and we would at least consider it. He's in the Middle Park and the Dewhurst and could run in both - we haven't looked out any further than this. We don't think he's a sprint type (despite being by Piccolo) and he may already be better at 7f than 6f. Michael,

I think it might be a decent year for colts - a number of those in the early season pattern races look as if they may be progressive and there have been a number of exciting maiden winners recently (not to mention New Approach). It all concerns me for Winker but we have a huge opinion of him - I think he’s a genuine freak and it’ll take another freak to top him.

I’ve got two concerns about the horse - 1) something will go wrong with him and 2) he’ll peak early and won’t progress as much as we would like as a 3yo. The concern that his rate of improvement will slow is likely to happen as he is so far forward already that it’s hard to see where the physical progression will come from, but he could be so good by the time his progression slows that it won’t much matter.

He’s entered in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster and he may run in this. He isn’t in the National Stakes (at the Curragh) but we could supplement him and we would at least consider it. He’s in the Middle Park and the Dewhurst and could run in both - we haven’t looked out any further than this. We don’t think he’s a sprint type (despite being by Piccolo) and he may already be better at 7f than 6f.

]]> By: Michael F http://www.bertsblog.co.uk/horses/men-with-cats.html/comment-page-1#comment-260 Michael F Sat, 25 Aug 2007 17:33:02 +0000 http://www.bertsblog.co.uk/horses/men-with-cats.html#comment-260 I am waiting eagerly for Winker Watson's next appearance and hope he can enhance his position towards the head of the 2000 guineas market, in what is shaping up to be a very good year for the colts. Any news on his likely next engagement, and how he is at the moment? I see he's entered in all the big end of season 2yo races including the Dewhurst, the Middle Park and the Racing Post. I've backed Winker at 25-1 for the Guineas but it's looking mighty competitive from across the Irish sea with New Approach's win today together with Myboycharlie. I'd love to know the latest... Michael I am waiting eagerly for Winker Watson’s next appearance and hope he can enhance his position towards the head of the 2000 guineas market, in what is shaping up to be a very good year for the colts.
Any news on his likely next engagement, and how he is at the moment? I see he’s entered in all the big end of season 2yo races including the Dewhurst, the Middle Park and the Racing Post. I’ve backed Winker at 25-1 for the Guineas but it’s looking mighty competitive from across the Irish sea with New Approach’s win today together with Myboycharlie. I’d love to know the latest…
Michael

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