Re: Dawn Approach

Well I did say that many on here would agree with Jim’s methods and Sir Harry, Andy and Ginge prove that. I don’t have a problem with that opinion and you all get your fill of the horse so I am sure you are happy. Does it really matter that a great horse looks ordinary? It’s just good that we get to see him as often as possible no?

Sir Harry, just a couple of points about your response –

Dawn Approach has not run one bad race he has run two.

I have never stated that he is "not running well lately" just that he ran poorly on Sunday.

Declaration of War has finished 3rd and 4th in his last two outings so hardly proof positive that he has taken his races well – just better than Dawn Approach – hardly surprising as he is a year older.

Toronado has indeed only won 1 Group 1 race but to be fair to him has only run in 3. He is what we would call a progressive horse whereas DA won the first two year old race of last season. Toronado may well win one or two more by the time he retires at the end of his 4 year old campaign – a campaign I doubt DA will be getting.

My point about DA getting credit for bouncing back is that they will have done little or no work with him in between the Derby and ST James as there would not have been time. So the horse has recovered remarkably well and deserves credit for that as opposed to the trainer doing anything special. If you want to give Jim credit for running him then fine but, let’s be honest, Jim runs them whatever doesn’t he? It was hardly a big decision "he is fit, he is not lame, let’s run him."

I don’t see how any of us could possibly know what would have happened if he had been handled by a different trainer. We can only guess at how they might have been handled and the sort of campaign they would have been given and there is nobody better than Sir Michael when it comes to that. The likes of Sir Michael always talk about doing what is best for the horse. Can we say the same about Jim in relation to DA?

Every trainer has their methods and they ALL make mistakes from time to time. I suppose my point about DA is that this always looked likely to happen. It is great to see horses running a lot but you cannot go to the well too often.