Both Denman and Heart Of Dreams have gone from chocolates to boiled lollies this campaign and both need to become reinvented horses. Although there were excuses made for Denman the bottom line isshows he was terribly disappointing for a horse of his touted ability in Saturdays Australia Guineas. Yes, he did miss the start and was pushed forward to sit outside the leader but his journey towards the lead was not a punishing effort. Yes, he was tuned for the previous Saturday but again is that an e
Both Denman and Heart Of Dreams have gone from chocolates to boiled lollies this campaign and both need to become reinvented horses. Although there were excuses made for Denman the bottom line isshows he was terribly disappointing for a horse of his touted ability in Saturdays Australia Guineas. Yes, he did miss the start and was pushed forward to sit outside the leader but his journey towards the lead was not a punishing effort. Yes, he was tuned for the previous Saturday but again is that an excuse for such a lacklustre effort. Surely, the Peter Snowden stable know how freshen up a horse for a one week delay and the 21 days between runs should not have been such a great worry either.
Heart Of Dreams simply cannot run out a strong 2000m as in Saturdays Australian Cup he was the horse you wanted to be on as far away from the finishing line as the 1600m mark. I could not make up my mind whether to back him for the place or risk him. I went for the latter and I was spitting chips at the home turn because all he had to do was provide a quick sprint and I felt the place bet would have been a formality. Halfway down the running I was happy as he was weakening, then he kicked for a few strides and I started to curse and then he weakened again to allow the outclassed Moatize to beat him for third.
As a punter, based on Saturdays runs, I need to forget both horses as betting propositions BUT these are two top class horses and a change of tack could find them winning at good odds in races not perhaps first considered as major goals. Denman is approximately $17 for the Doncaster and who is going to be emphatic and say he cannot win a race where the pace will be on early and where he may drop back early and steam home. Heart Of Dreams is not in the Doncaster, looking at Vic TAB odds for the race, which surprises me actually, so will the stable rest him and perhaps target Brisbane for a run or two or just pull the plug and wait for the Spring? Time will tell.
Both horses need reinventing as racehorses otherwise history will show them as potential stars that did not quite make the grade. That would be a massive loss to the horseracing world and one hopes both stables find the keys to future success for both horses.