A SMALL ANALYSIS OF A BIG TOPICWell the basic analysis didn't disgrace itself.The barriers wrecked a potentially superb field.I suggested that you needed to find the best (or best treated) amongst the top five in a Group One Handicap, and to then add the best "up and comer".Only ONE of the five drew reasonably, and he won the race.And the up and comer would have won comfortably from a better draw. As it was, the run for third was outstanding. The connections must have been looking ruef

A SMALL ANALYSIS OF A BIG TOPIC

Well the basic analysis didn't disgrace itself.

The barriers wrecked a potentially superb field.

I suggested that you needed to find the best (or best treated) amongst the top five in a Group One Handicap, and to then add the best "up and comer".

Only ONE of the five drew reasonably, and he won the race.

And the up and comer would have won comfortably from a better draw. As it was, the run for third was outstanding. The connections must have been looking ruefully at that 400/1 they took months ago!

So, in a big field of topliners, there can be an argument for watching the draw. The riders had to decide what to do with the mission they'd been landed with. Two of the five horses were given hard runs. One was so far back you couldn't hit him witha 303. He powered home. The other probably went for the wrong race for him this autumn: he's taking time this preparation to find form.

The runner up came from barrier 1, but to be scrupulously fair the fourth placegetter was a wide starter. Racing is rarely a "put in take out" proposition for the punter.

The Oaks? Well, I'm a bit harsher than some here. The favourite should have won by panels. I have no idea why the second favourite dropped back to last early and stayed there, whilst the favourite started chasing far too late, and was the best thing beaten at this elite level for ages.

Again, winners can laugh.

The Galaxy was won by probably the best up and coming female sprinter in the land. It was one of those wins that set your backbone tingling. At the distance you were tearing up your tickets, unless you really knew how she races best. It was a classic ride on the best part of the track.

So we learnt what?

Maybe, just to take away one lesson of value, that there are easier races to make a dollar on. Maybe the Group One-ers are (in general) for a few optimistic exotics, whilst the serious long term investment strategies are for the long term.

If I got that across, it'll do!