REBEL'S ROMANCE A BEST SELLER

A familiar theme of this column is to reassert the racing horse before the breeding cart. The reverse has been a repeated error throughout the season by the trade media. The revenue from stallion advertisement obviously dictates on both column inches and priority. This is a dreadful trend. For instance, on the TDN homepage of Sunday’s edition the headline read: “CITY OF TROY BOWS OUT AS TRIUMPH AND DISASTER CONVERGE AT DEL MAR.” Below was a photo of the finish to The Turf, with the caption: “Rebel’s Romance just holds off Rousham Park.”

Rebel’s Romance won the race having bolted clear early in the straight. It was his fourth Grade One victory this year and his fifth win in six starts, in six different countries. He has won fifteen times from twenty two starts. He is a shining example of the sport in a number of ways. He is durable and a testament to the skill of his trainer. He is a globetrotter, which should enable a competent journalist to promote our sport both internally and externally and he is a big, good looking individual which should make it easy to give him an identity.

He is a gelding, so of no value to those who prioritise the stallion business above the racecourse. This is a pursuit that captivates a few wealthy interests, but jeopardises the reach and support of the sport.

City of Troy is a very good horse but has never come close to justifying his trainer’s fanfares.  After all, he has at least one horse every season that enjoys them. The bold attempt to win on dirt was admirable and it created a lot of interest in the pursuit. Unlike many, I thought the Southwell excursion was valuable for our sport - if nothing else it showed a couple of thousand people are prepared to turn up to see a top racehorse in action in the flesh, without the need for the lure of gambling. Well done to Coolmore and Ballydoyle for highlighting this. Hard lines for a brave attempt, but he was a supporting act.

The winner of The Turf has been in training for five years and kept his enthusiasm, his ability and should be the headline story in the six countries where he has successfully competed - Charlie Appleby and Godolphin travelled him there and gave the locals the chance to see a successful international competitor.

Similarly meticulous handling was rewarded in Sydney when William Haggas’s Lake Forest won the Golden Eagle, catching the admirable Lazzat late on. Few commentators have remarked that Lazzat was half a length away from earning more in this start than the price that he had been retained for at the Goffs London Sale. Perhaps it would be fair to reflect on that decision in the light of this performance.

Let’s hope that Goliath can replicate the achievement in Japan.