Graeme Hawkins

Compare Gothic formline to Tellina as the former is one of the horses people are unhappy about as a one-time winner merit rated 97, while the latter is a Graded winner rated 103.

Firstly Gothic beat Tellina the only time they met and at level weights. Ok, so you could say that the latter didn't stay the 2400m. However, over 2000m Gothic was beaten 1,75 lengths by Wylie Hall, add one length because he received 1kg so that equals 2,75 lengths. Tellina beaten 7,15 lengths by Wylie Hall at level weights over 2000m. Ok so he pulled up sore, so lets give him another chance and say, but he finished second in Grade 1 SA Classic by a shorthead. However, Love Struck beat him and the latter was beaten 4,5 lengths by Wylie Hall over 2000m at level weights. One final chance for Tellina then, he won a Grade 2 over 1600m. He beat Gitiano by 1,05 lengths. He confirmed this in the SA Classic beating Gitiano by 2,2 lengths. However, Gitiano beaten by Vercingetorix twice by 3,55 and 4,75 lengths, the latter horse being the one Wylie Hall got within 0,25 lengths of. So this all points to Gothic being a better horse than Tellina and there are two runs (Derby Trial and Derby) that can be used as evidence, yet the former is rated 97 and the latter 103. This doesn't mean that the handicappers have no idea, all it shows is the difficulty of rating young unexposed horses.

Furthermore, the above is just one example of how it doesn't matter who is left out a case can be made for those horses. Gothic's owners would have probably written a letter to Graeme Hawkins if their horse was left out. Who would want to have the thankless job of being a final field panellist?

This whole panel thing puts a damper on the July...(td)

Not if Run for it wins

that's true, the new frankel of sa racing...()

gregbucks Wrote:

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> This whole panel thing puts a damper on the
> July...(td)

It surely adds to the race ... if horses were just selected on MR, weeks of debate and discussion would be lost

gregbucks Wrote:

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> that's true, the new frankel of sa racing...()


He doesn't need to be Frankel to win this race......Just needs to run to any of his Met/July runs and improve maybe a length and he should be very competitive.

I know you fancy Pomodoro but with 60kg's..............I reserve my right

They lucky Full Combat isn't running else it would of been the second 2 year old to win a July...

gregbucks Wrote:

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> They lucky Full Combat isn't running else it would
> of been the second 2 year old to win a July...


Pity about that godawfull draw next week. He is a serious racehorse that. I still think he will just about win that 2 year old race!

Tipster Wrote:

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> gregbucks Wrote:
>

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>

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> > This whole panel thing puts a damper on the
> > July...(td)
>
> It surely adds to the race ... if horses were just
> selected on MR, weeks of debate and discussion
> would be lost


If it is correct to ignore handicappers assessment of MR's for the July it suggests they can't be trusted,which also suggests that all other MR handicap races are then a farce.............you blokes in Natal are so busy crusading that you have lost the plot entirely!
I have a number of horses rated differently to the "official" figure so should I get to handicap a couple of races a month......lol
Is disrespecting the official handicappers ratings not bringing the entire system and industry into disrepute?????

Don`t believe for one minute that GH made the decision himself,do you think guys like LIPS would keep going back on the panel if one man had carte blanche?

Read steve reids comment in the sportingpost and ppl will see its not all hawkins fault

hibernia Wrote:

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> Don`t believe for one minute that GH made the
> decision himself,do you think guys like LIPS would
> keep going back on the panel if one man had carte
> blanche?

.....GH is the most outspoken of the panel and as convincing as he can be..... has the biggest influence....we await the rationale behind certain selections and omissions.....: