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Issue 38 May 25 2000
The 2,000 Guineas was the first time I have been able to see Giants Causeway and this class act was the paddock pick. In the race itself he was unable to hold the late burst of Kings Best but this most impressive of individuals has his best days to come and he has to be the horse to beat if he contests the Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh. In any case he should stay further and will be an interesting prospect over ten furlongs

SA Issue 39
Giants Causeway was beaten on merit and the times for the races suggested that the ground was very nearly good so there were no excuses on that point. Aiden O’Brien was confident enough to relate that the horse now heads for the St James Palace stakes at Royal Ascot to take on victor Bachir and that he expects the horse to progress as the season develops.

SA Issue 46
The first edition of Paddock Adviser which appeared in Issue 38 we suggested six horses to follow and a review of the subsequent performances from the nominees has included some fine displays.
Giants Causeway was just pipped in the Irish 2,000 Guineas but went on to win the St James Palace Stakes before confirming the confidence held by Paddock Adviser that he would stay the ten furlongs trip of the Eclipse.
The Eclipse Stakes, run prior to the Saturday, saw the first crossing of swords between two of the above horses and Giants Causeway prevailed over Sakhee. Paddock inspection gave the nod to the Irish runner by a whisker and he won well. He looked his best yet and should continue to thrive.

Sports adviser Issue 56 September 28 2000
Giants Causeway looked in tremendous condition and after being cool for most of the preliminaries started to jig jog and became warm after being mounted. He gave a typically gritty performance, losing nothing in defeat.
Having given the horse as one to follow in the inaugural column it now seems light years away as the colt has since assumed a character all of his own and a place in the folklore of the turf. Still, not a bad call.

SA Issue 147 July 11 2002

Web users on Paddock Online will remember the description of Giants Causeway before the Sussex Stakes as being ‘big and well’ and Aiden O’Brien indicate after the race that the colt had put on something in the region of 40 kilos in weight.

SA Issue 95 July 5 2001 Royal Ascot

From the same subversive whose moles extend to every county and parish in the Emerald Isle, came the strongest information of the week. Apparently confidence in Johannesburg representing the Tabor/Magnier/O’Brien combo was sky high and the juvenile colt went off one of the best backed horses of the week. The clear paddock pick, he looks a ‘machine’ and should do well in his first year. It is early days as far as next term is concerned but already the right noises have been made for the Two Thousand Guineas.

Sports Adviser Aug 30 2001 Issue 103
It was good to see Johannesburg, described as a machine in Issue 95, take the Prix Morny in style on Sunday. He will be rested before signing of for the year in one of the Autumn Group Ones.

Issue 38 May 25 2000
At York last week I confirmed that Sakhee, trained by John Dunlop, had done really well since Sandown and was worth backing. The colt won well and is now a real contender for Epsom. However the very firm going did not help his action and he won in spite of the ground. He is capable of much better and this handy well made sort can do himself justice providing there is no sting underfoot. The form of his Sandown trial has not stopped working out.

SA Issue 41
Sakhee was flagged up for those who view the Sportsadviser Website after his appearance at Sandown in April and was included in the list of horses to follow in this column a few weeks ago. The colt fulfilled all expectations by finishing in second place, five lengths clear of the third. It would have been nice to win but he simply found one too good on the day.

SA Issue 46 July 20 2000
Sakhee gave a gallant display in the Derby and finished clear of his field when second to Sinndar who subsequently slaughtered the opposition in the Derby. Likewise Sakhee was in supreme order and could not be faulted in the parade ring. There was no indication that his Epsom exertions had taken anything out of him and his running was disappointing. Perhaps the rapidly drying ground was against him and it may be possible that he will always need a bit of cut to be at his best, while a distance of 12 furlongs could be his optimum trip. In all he deserves another chance.

SA Issue 62 9 November 2000
Sakhee was unlucky enough to meet Sinndar in the Derby and that colt proved himself to be the best Classic horse to have come out of Ireland since the peerless Nijinsky some 30 years ago. Sakhee came clear of the rest of the field but it was not enough to land this writer a six figure punt.

SA Issue 98 26 July 2001
Another of last year’s contenders to stay in training is Sakhee and he entered the ring at Newbury last Saturday in a bid to re-establish his place in the official rankings. Sakhee first caught the eye of writer when perusing the breeding of the John Dunlop two year olds. His dam was Thawakib who was also owned by Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum. It is nearly ten years since Thawakib went through the Houghton Sales at Newmarket. The Sales are a time consuming affair as horse pass through in an endless Indian file. While this procession continues horses are viewed in and out of their boxes. Trainers swap their suits and ties for casual clothes and on this particular evening it was John Gosden, relaxed in his brown suede Gucci top, who spent the most time viewing the Sadlers Wells yearling later to be named Thawakib. Put simply she was the only class act on show that night. John would have been disappointed not to get the horse but sibling hierarchy prevailed and Sheikh Mohammed had to give way to his elder brother Sheikh Hamdan on this occasion and the filly was sent to Arundel. Thawakib was an elegant rather than powerful type and would barely have made 16 hands in height. She was still at her owners stud recovering from injury when John Dunlop held an open day at Arundel in the May of 1993 and returning after the briefest of training preparations she was good enough to take the Ribblesdale Stakes at the Royal Meeting. After a promising but fairly modest first season as a two year old, Sakhee made his bow at Sandown in April for the Thresher Classic Trial over ten furlongs. Not a big horse, Sakhee was dwarfed by the very tall Pawnbroker in the paddock. Reported to have missed work he looked some way off peak fitness but was noted as the main Derby contender for sunscribers to www.sportsadviseron Paddock Online. It was also noted that his action was longer than that of Thawakib who rather like Salsabil had a quick economical action. Sakhee then won the Dante Stakes before succumbing to Sinndar in the 2000 Derby. He was then unplaced in the Eclipse which was his last race of the season. Since the he has been transferred to the Godolphin establishment and has also been under the surgeon’s knife for an operation to his knee. It is inevitable that when he entered the paddock the four year old would be some way short of his best and this was reflected in the market where he drifted from long odds on to the 4-5 marker before returning the 8-11 favourite.

Sport Adviser 30 August 2001 Issue 103
There were some good winners during the week sufficient to pay for the bacchanal. Sakhee started proceedings on the Tuesday though bets were subdued by the fear that the Grade One race may come too soon after the colt’s win at Newbury where he was less than fully fit. Pre race inspection revealed that the son of Bahri had done well since the outing and had filled a deal but the description ‘big and well’ may have been more pertinent rather than ‘hard fit’ and there was some trepidation on the part of this writer as Sakhee was being asked to take on a top class field when less than fully fit. Such doubts were unfounded as he won in fantastic style decimating the opposition. The inference is that the best is yet to come and Sakhee should win again in the Champion Stakes or the Arc. There was no scope to belittle the race as Medicean looked magnificent beforehand and both Black Minaloushe and Grandera had done well physically. Readers of this column will need no introduction to Sakhee as he was the nominee for the Derby last year in the inaugural column at a time when Kings Best was still favourite. Though he was no match for Sinndar he was clear of the rest of the field at Epsom and the form was good enough to win the Arc, barring the Currabeg colt. Having improved again the Arc is his for the taking this autumn should connections declare him – even allowing for the running plans of Ballydoyle.

SA Issue 162 October 24 2002
The race (Champion Stakes) was devalued by the omission of Sakhee who was retired to stud before the race. His career was traced closely in this column and his win at Longchamp in the Arc capped a brilliant career over middle distances. Hopefully he will be as successful as a sire. Postscript: Despite being drawn in the Car Park Sakhee was one of the most impressive winners of the Arc ever!

Finally, once you have the Racing Channel, no matter what you want to watch at some stage the system seems to revert to the 416 number.

Recently, after watching the latest episode of X Files the TV flicked to the TRNI racing from America. Without a Racing Post or a Sportsadviser to provide a helping hand the significance of the action was mostly lost but the transmission from Del Mar on the Californian West Coast left this viewer dumbstruck. Apparently there is a two year old who makes Arazi look like a cripple running on nails. Her name is Tempera and come the time of the Breeders Cup sell all your worldly goods, catch a flight to the Big Apple, catch the rattler from Grand Central Station to Belmont Park (cost $7) and lump it all on this good thing for the bet of a lifetime. You have been warned!

Postscript

Can you spot a champion from the TV alone? As a youth my interest in racing was fired by the peerless Nijinsky. Even when I see the films of that horse now he was clearly class incarnate. Though not the same as being there to see them in the flesh my prognosis for Tempera scares me even now. In all my writings I never made so outrageous a forecast as this one. When I saw the race some 13 weeks prior to the Breeders Cup I swear I did not know if the race was a seller or what. The mysterious switching of the TV, from the X Files at that. I then make the biggest forecast of my life – Spooky Mulder or what?? To cap, Tempera took the Breeders Cup Fillies Juvenile at 12/1 to prove herself champion two year old filly of that year.

Sports Advisor 17th April 2000
Crimplene has made up into a quite beautiful filly for Clive Brittain and is much more the finished article than last year. Reported after the race to be in season she is much better than the bare form of the race.

Sports Advisor 23rd May 2000
In the same trial at Newbury I also noted that Crimplene trained by Clive Brittain had made up into quite a beautiful filly. A talented sort as a two year old she was a workmanlike robust juvenile but has since streamlined into a classy looking sort. Bearing in mind that most thoroughbreds do not develop fully until they are 5 years of age most of the horses racing are the equivalent of teenagers. Their growth and development can therefore be quite noticeable and at times profound. In the case of Crimplene she fulfils some of the comparisons of the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale by turning into the Splendoured Swan. She won the German 1,000 Guineas after Newbury and can enhance that success.

SA Paddock Profiles 29 May 2000
It was with a mixture of elation and no small amount of relief that the column was able to get off the mark last week at the first time of asking with the victory of Crimplene in the Irish 1,000 Guineas at a price of 16/1. I hope you were on. Philip Robinson rode the perfect race and always had the filly in a prominent position. From a long way out it seemed obvious that she was the one holding the call.

Clive Brittain was jubilant after the race and confirmed that she now heads for the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot to renew rivalry with Lahan.

Sportsadviser.com will be covering the Royal Meeting exclusively and I hope to let you have the latest progress from the paddock on these fine horses on our Website.

Sports Advisor 26th September 2000
Crimplene was in excellent condition but there was a slight suspicion that having been ‘roughed off’ after the Prix Jacques le Marois that she may just have needed the run. She had the very worst draw and in any case it is always difficult taking on colts of all generations.

To sum up she is still one to note when taking on her own sex.

Sports Advisor 7th Nov 2000
Crimplene could not deliver last Saturday but her three Group One victories confirmed her ‘Fairy Tale Princess’ title in taking the Irish One Thousand Guineas before scoring in fine style at Royal Ascot and Goodwood.

Postscript
There are pivotal moments in nature. When the chrysalis becomes the butterfly. When the girl becomes a woman. When a flower blossoms for the first time.

Crimplene enjoyed her catharsis during the winter and spring of 2000 and she was able to take 3 Group One victories as well as winning the Group Two German 1,000 Guineas. A top class filly.

Sports Advisor First Paddock Report 6th December 1999
Sandown staged a fine two day card on the weekend and although lacking runners on the Friday there were some class acts on show.

Looks Like Trouble trained by Noel Chance is the ‘Young Pretender’ for the Blue Riband at Cheltenham in March and his appearance before the Bovis Chase would have had his supporters in raptures. A sleek classy sort, to compare him with most other Chasers is to liken a Rolls Royce to a bunch of Dump Trucks. Although jumping big early on, he then honed his skills and jumped with efficiency as the race proceeded.

He will take the world of beating in the King George at Kempton prior to a crack at the Big One.

RFO 21st Dec 1999
Looks Like Trouble who has the potential to win this prestigious prize before going on to prove himself at the Cheltenham Festival.

Noel Chance has a worthy successor to his Blue Riband victor Mr Mulligan in this Royal and Sun Alliance winner but whereas the former was a huge ‘orange thing’ Looks Like Trouble is a much sleeker version of a racehorse being a most attractive well made sort who would not look out of place at Royal Ascot. After finishing second in a maiden Point to Point in Ireland he ran fifth to Brother of Iris in his first foray over hurdles and failed to score before switching to the major obstacles. After a couple of hairy efforts he won his first race at Doncaster jumping well and confirmed his sure footedness by winning at Sandown before scoring at the Festival. His victory at Cheltenham was devalued by the fall of Nick Dundee but he beat the rest fair and square. Looks Like Trouble is a class act and can win well.

RFO 11th Jan 2000
Over at Wincanton Looks Like Trouble will contest the John Bull Chase only if the ground is good. Heavy rain stopped him in his tracks in the King George and the Mole is still a big fan. If the going is on top the coffers will be divested in the Gold Cup for this superb individual.

RFO 1st Feb 2000
The Mole is not one to let life’s slings and arrows get in the way of a good time but the festivities over the Christmas and Millennium were definitely dampened by the demise of Looks Like Trouble in the King George Chase at Kempton and a pall hung over the burrow.

Post race reports filtered back to the roost that the horse “had not gone a yard” on the testing surface and that the run was best forgotten.

While that view was backed up by assertions from trainer Noel Chance that the horse was sound in wind and limb, what was needed was a performance that left no doubts that the horse was fully functioning in all departments and this was confirmed in no uncertain terms on Saturday.

At Cheltenham the son of Zaffaran made ample amends by winning in exhilarating fashion. Making all the running his fencing skills were simply breathtaking and for a while it looked as if he were preparing for the Champion Hurdle rather than the Gold Cup as he left seasoned chasers in his wake. Pilot Norman Williamson was modest enough to ascribe the fright at the last to jockey error as he wanted to play safe but the horse had other ideas and the hiccup was due to crossed wires between the pair. There will be no doubts when the dazzling duo come to the last in the Blue Riband itself.

The column mentioned before the King George that this superb individual would not look out of place in the paddock at Royal Ascot and it was interesting to hear connections state that they thought he possessed more speed than Mr Mulligan. Rumour had it that there were some individuals prepared to pick holes in Saturday’s performance. If so let us hope the same souls have the bottle to back their opinion by laying the horse at the biggest price for the Gold Cup. Moley will be first in the queue.

RFO 14th March 2000
You can forget the Olympics, the World Cup, the FA Cup, the Millennium Celebrations and Crufts, its Cheltenham week for Racing fans and the world can wait for the next three days.

If looks could kill they probably will in the Cheltenham Gold Cup when the Noel Chance trained Looks Like Trouble attempts to conquer the last frontier on his programme.

Doubts about the going being too soft have been put to rest and this outstanding looking individual can add to the emphatic victories gained over course and distance on his last two appearances at the venue.

A winner of the Sun Alliance last year he has yet to get the full credit for that win and put a disappointing display in the King George behind him with an emphatic display of fencing in the Pillar Chase and again won by a distance which put him back in contention for the Blue Riband. Moley has never been tempted to scan beyond Looks Like Trouble this year and the champers is on ice in the burrow in expectation of a fine win

Postscript
I think I headlined this horse 4 times during the campaign leading up to his winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup. He looked like a Rolls Royce and won like one!

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