“I Think He/She Will Get Further”

[leepeach]

Can someone tell me why trainers regularly say “I think he/she will get further”?

if a horse is winning at say 1m why bother running it at 1m 2 or 1m 4?

is it purely for the challenge?

[richard-westwood]

A couple of reasons ....sometimes connections have high hopes and might have a particular race they would love to run in i.e the derby etc ........or some horses aren't very quick ....they can win at a mile in lower grades but stepping up in distance can nullify the lack of speed and allow the horse to jump up in form allowing it to win in higher grade /higher prizes races ....you see it all the time .....

[Zilzalian]

It is more often used with reference to two year olds on the flat, the pinnacle being the Derby, with jumps its more about where the horse will fit in with the opposition, If we take Constitution Hill as an example there will be trainers of good horses looking at different options to avoid running against it. So in summary and simplifying things with a loose example, its about maximising a horses options. On the flat Guineas-Derby- St Leger. Jumps might be Champion Hurdle- Champion Chase-Gold cup-Grand National.

[Trotter]

Often this is in the context of a horse just having won a race and the trainer is celebrating with connections and then someone comes and sticks a microphone under his nose and ask 'where's he going next' and the trainer has to say 'something' ........ so it's generally all cliches. ' He's a nice horse, we thought he had a chance today, jockey gave him a good ride, he might get further, we don't know what's next, we'll get him home and think about it tomorrow'

Also I do think some trainers talk about trips (and going) to big themselves up as the great scientific experts who know everything to within an inch ..... maybe to convince owners that's a lot more complicated than it really is. Gosden is particularly prone to this ....... 'He's won nicely at a mile but 24 hours pouring over his breeding suggests he won't get a mile and 20 yards ...... leave it all up to me, I'm the expert, you just pay the bills'

 

[leepeach]

Thanks guys for all your answers. Much appreciated.