2011 King George VI ＆Queen Elizabeth Stakes

[luxonus]

big phil

novices dont win gold cups the last time the pipes tried it they got gloria victis killed.grand crus will not stay 3m 2f.not yet anyway

[transductiongold]

This is supposed to be England's premier race for older horses? A 5 horse field with a break-down and a horse wandering away to no-man's land.

[GBeret83]

After being all but written off after his disappointing run in the English 2000 Guineas last season, it was really nice to see St Nicholas Abbey come back as a 4yr.old with a very solid season. I don't think he ran a bad race all season. 2 G1 wins in the Coronation Cup and BC Turf. Plus a G3 win in the Ormonde Stakes at Chester, along with very respectable efforts in the King George, the Prix Foy, and the Arc De Triomphe. I'd love to see Ballydoyle make him their Gold Cup horse next season. JMO.

[round999444]

It is uncanny. Is the won horse strong?

[erunori]

すんごい斜走

[zeusuize]

はいー落馬ー

はいー骨折ー

[horseloverbecca14]

R.I.P Rewilding

[CharlesOlney23]

1,2,3 in this race all have huge Arc chances.

[fuckthediet]

This was completely horrible. Sad to see this happen to any horse but one of his quality is just even more shocking. The whole race seemed a mess to me... what the hell kind of pace making was that???

[GBeret83]

It's always a horrible day for racing when any horse breaks down in a race. But Rewilding looked primed to become the best middle distance horse in Godolphin's stable. If he wasn't already? I think he just had started coming into his own when he won the Great Voltigeur at York last August. Then followed that win up with back to back G1 wins in the Sheema Classic and Prince of Wales. You hate this for Nathaniel, too. Because it really was a big deal that he beat WF and SNA in this race, also. JMO

[terrancy07]

Very very sad day for horse racing on a huge scale. RIP Rewilding. Fair play to John Gosden on his analysis of the race, he cared for the injured horse and spoke about the horse's injury....

....now lets get to the race itself.

I was happy because i backed the winner, the race was a farce in itself, Depussy (worse pacemaker ever,also i know its Debussy really!) was given a shocker, what were they thinking, Race suited Nathaniel,he's a no hoper for the Arc, SNA & WF obviously need a stronger pace

[similian0]

that would have been a battle inside closing stages for sure. very sad to see that happen.

[grincher2006]

rewilding was a very good improving horse. sad to see in any race.

[schardy80]

Very sad to see this happen to Rewilding. He was moving into this race nicely when he broke down too....

[RuffianQueenOfRacing]

R.I.P Rewilding! <3 <3 you were flying!

[melroyfernandes1]

I was there watching on the rails where Rewilding came to a stop & could see his leg dangling. A guy next to me went to jump the rail to go get him. Was a very sad incident to witness. I had bet Workforce and could see him drifting in the straight. I hear that Rewilding struck into him in on the bend but didn't see anything on the vid. If it comes up soft in the Arc then he's a big player. That's twice i've been to Ascot & not backed Nathaniel, so i wont back him @ Longchamp. GET ON! R.I.P RW

[SvendBosanvovski]

@melroyfernandes1 I agree. I have seen many horses - very good near champions - breakdown badly when at the track. It is palpably distressing for the spectators, because we all come to develop an empathatic releationship with the horses. Such is their courage that they will get to their feet and continue to chase the field with a snapped cannon. I have seen seasoned jockeys cry uncontrollably while comforting a dying horses. Not all racing people are hardhearted.

[d9y8l7a6n5]

@SvendBosanvovski Well said, especially the part about us spectators developing love for certain horses we come to see time and time again and develop before our eyes. Indeed I've been witness to similar events as you have, and yes horsemen are every bit as heartbroken as the fans. Its really terrible when it happens.

[SvendBosanvovski]

@d9y8l7a6n5 When I was a boy it seemed that the race book was really peopled with personalities. I knew nothing about handicapping or reading a form guide, but I understood the attribute of each horse like an old mate. There were the flashy old greys, the precocious 2yos, the fractious fillies, the wild old ropgue gieldings and so on. You knew who the champions were, but there were those old triers that would win the occasional welter that you had a warm spot for becuse he was a trier.

[bgardiner2000]

@SvendBosanvovski I've had the misfortune of seeing this first hand in the paddock at home. Not a pleasant experience at all. But it does remind you of the frailties of the thoroughbred. You grow such an attachment to them... it can be a traumatic experience to anyone to lose one. Let alone losing one as good as Rewilding.

[SvendBosanvovski]

@bgardiner2000 So very true, BG.

[Stamolka1986]

If you look at Rewilding's right foreleg as he's running while the horses are in the stretch, you can see it actually break, and that's why he fell sideways to the right. Tragic, very tragic.

I am curious to see how Nathaniel will fare in the Arc. I would like to see him in this year's Breeders' Cup Turf here in the US, if he can make it that far.

[championsofeurope21]

Workforce would have won had he not lost so many strides in hanging left, still all congrats to Nathaniel and William Buick, R.I.P Rewilding, death of a great horse who beat So You Think

[d9y8l7a6n5]

Tragic what occurred to Rewilding, one of my favorites, i teared up upon reading about it, and seeing it just broke my heart. The stretch run is quite exciting, though Workforce should have won, had he not been intent on drifting to the far outside, but its definitely overshadowed by Rewilding's tragic breakdown. May he rest in peace, and enjoy the wide open spaces he now has to run in and enjoy, R.I.P big boy, we only got to see a glimpse of your true talent. Good luck to Nathaniel in the Arc.

[SvendBosanvovski]

Overshadowed by the tragic breakdown Rewilding, many questions will remain about the value of the form here.  As we can we, Workforce lost many lengths by drifting towards the grandstand fence. I hadn't seen him do that before. Had he gone straight he would have won. The time of 2m 55.07s was the slowest ever for the race by about 10 seconds, underscoring the exceptionally slow early pace on the good to soft track.

[d9y8l7a6n5]

@SvendBosanvovski Actually the final time was 2:35.07 seconds, not 2:55.07, making it a tad slower than some runnings, but not THE slowest ever in the race. Indeed strange what Workforce staged in the final straight, that cost him a lot of ground, and yes indeed the race. But credit where its due to Nathaniel, who looked strong in the stretch, but also drifted out quite a bit himself, he will get more mature as he progresses, best of luck to him in the Arc.

[SvendBosanvovski]

@d9y8l7a6n5 Are you sure? I don't doubt you, but the Sporting LIfe site still has the slower time posted. I'll check Racing Post .

[SvendBosanvovski]

@d9y8l7a6n5 Yes, you are right. I got that time from the Sporting LIfe site, which still has the slower time posted at this time of writing. Racing Post has it as 2m 35.07s (slow by 5.07s) as you suggest. That does make a difference to the form analysis. In a bigger field with a solid pace and a first class jockey, I would have my money on Workforce, rathyer than Nathaniel.

[d9y8l7a6n5]

@SvendBosanvovski Thanks for confirming, they may want to correct that time they have posted if they haven't already, 20 seconds is a HUGE difference in time. I agree with that assessment, though Nathaniel was impressive here, the Arc will be larger. Personally its tough for me to analyze this race, Nathaniel received 12 pounds from the elders which gave him a weight advantage, but Workforce threw away his shot drifting to the outer rail. Nathaniel better this day, but Workforce blew his chance

[SvendBosanvovski]

@d9y8l7a6n5 Rewilding was on the threshold of greatness. He will always be remembered as the horse that beat So You Think. A dreadful loss. I agree with your other comments. Who will win Wednesday? If Frankel is as good as Timeform claim he should, with the pull in the weights, win comfortably. But Canford Cliffs is an exceptional miler. In fact. three of the four best on the planet will meet in the Sussex. For the record, I think Canford Cliffs will win it.

[d9y8l7a6n5]

@SvendBosanvovski I also side with Canford on Wednesday. I think Frankel might be a tad overrated on Timeform, and facing Canford in his first try against older will certainly not be a walkover for him, though it may just be between them two with only two other entrants entered. Frankel's jockey can't pull what he did at Ascot in the St. James's Palace, I think he will be caught this time if he does that again. Whatever the outcome I look forward to a great race Wednesday, but Canford for me.

[SvendBosanvovski]

@d9y8l7a6n5 Yes, it is one of the most intriguing races of recent years. It could be Frankel's moment of truth, or he may confirm what many have believed for sometime. Tactics will be interesting. If CC is able to track behind Frankel, he will be very difficult to beat. If therr is a muddling pace, you woulf have to think Frankel would win the sprint home with the pull in the weights, or perhaps, as some are predicting, it will be a boilover. I can't wait

[ASupremeOwl]

@SvendBosanvovski 2mins 55? Eh? 6/1 looks about right for the Arc. He will be a better 4 year old IMO if hes kept in training. Such a tragic loss of Rewilding though. A great horse... RIP

[SvendBosanvovski]

@ASupremeOwl Yes, I copped a dummy pass on that one. I admit to being perplexed when I saw that time (2m 55) posted by Sporting Life for a good to slow track. Yes, Rewilding could have been anything. He was already rated the best middle distance horse on the planet after beating So You Think. His last two wins were his best.