Watch & Learn: Timefigure analysis from Graeme North
Last week there were ten Group races in Britain and Ireland. The juvenile highlights of the week at Newmarket were the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes and the Cheveley Park. Lezoo won the latter race. Commissioning won in the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Rockfel Stake. Graeme North gives his analysis of time figures. He also gives some handicaps analysis. It's the eighth time this century that the fillies have covered the six furlongs faster. They are 1.59 seconds slower than the previous year. There is a 4lb upgrade to Lezzoo's timefigure.
Blackbeard won the Robert-Papin, Morny and Middle Park races. He has come up against the same small set of horses in his last three races and the only rival that could have given him a race in the Middle park was the Gimcrack runner-up Marshman. Blackbeard has beaten his stable-companion The Antarctic and Persian Force each time. The Middlepark was a different race tactically from the more steadily-run Mornsy.
The Royal Lodge was won by The Foxes in a 32 timefigure with a big upgrade. Nostrum won the Tattersalls Stakes in 93 timefigures with 20lb upgrade and overall time performance of 113. Graeme North will follow Nostrums with interest next year.
Waterville won the Irish Cesarewitch on Saturday. Aidan O'Brien's description of the progressive winner as 'too shy' reminded him of Kajagoogoo. Lot Of Joy covered more ground than Echoes In Rain. The winner has been cut for the Cesarwiz. The race is a tough one for three-year-olds.
Graeme North's article about Dusky North in the Ayr Silver Cup was wrong. Timeform validate official times. There are many official timing errors every year. The returned time for the race was found to be incorrect. The difference between a hand time and an electronic finishing time is around 0.30-0.40 seconds. It is double checked by downloading the races into a video editing facility and rechecking the official time. Graeme follows a couple of independent accounts who have a keen interest in accurate timing data. They confirm the time was incorrect and they are investigating the matter.
