Trakus report on Igugu and Await the Dawn - VERY interesting!

For those who were disappointed about Igugu's third placing last Thursday, I picked up this Trakus article via Dubai Race Night. It is really interesting! There's also some info on Await the Dawn's performance. There are some informative tables in the article, but they wouldn't copy across unfortunately. The bolding is mine.


2013 Dubai World Cup Carnival – Night 7 Report

Igugu’s loss in perspective with sectional time data

Igugu was all the talk before Thursday’s meeting at Meydan, and she was all the talk after this year’s renewal of the Balanchine (G2), finishing third as the 1-5 favorite on the international tote. Say nothing of her 13-month layoff and long, grueling quarantine, or that Mike de Kock runners are now a combined 2-for-22 when first-up this season, but this was as good a losing performance as you will ever see.

Finding the right superlatives to quantify Igugu’s performance is a challenge. On the surface, the final time was a new course record set by the absolutely deserving Sajjhaa, clocked in 1:48.58.

While almost the entire domestic (non-Carnival) season is contested on the all-weather track at six different distances, turf races are run over varying lanes, and at eight distances with two of those being approximated due to the rail settings (2,400m, 2,410m, 2,435m, 2,800m, 2,810m, etc). In other words, there are too few races to get a meaningful sample size for comparable statistics in turf races at Meydan. That being said, four annual group-level stakes are run at 1,800 meters, and we can at least view some measure of equivalent comparison from this admittedly very small sample. Below, find the leader’s sectional time at each of the first three points of call in those races.

Table

For perspective, Igugu showed the way through the first 800 meters of Thursday’s race 0.53
seconds faster than the next-fastest 800-meter point of call in the three group level stakes at
1,800 meters each season at Meydan. That race, the 2011 Balanchine won by River Jetez, saw the first three sectionals set by longshot Tinaar, who finished the race last of eleven, at least some 38 lengths behind the winner – the official designation was “distanced.” This year, Godolphin’s Dark Orchid made the running with Igugu as well, racing just off Igugu through the first 800 meters, and drawing even heading into the 1200-meter point of call. Dark Orchid finished sixth, 19 ¼ lengths behind Sajjhaa, and 15 lengths behind Igugu.

The now third-fastest first 800 meters in the above-listed group-level stakes at 1,800 meters was last year’s Dubai Duty Free, won by Cityscape. The time of 48.64 seconds was set by Await The Dawn (who will be discussed in detail below from his performance this week). In the Dubai Duty Free, Await The Dawn finished last, beaten at least 35 lengths in a performance otherwise rated as “distanced.” So, just to clarify, the two horses who led through the fastest first 800 meters in group level stakes at 1,800 meters on grass at Thursday’s race, each finished last, with an official margin of “distanced.” Igugu finished third beaten 4 ¼ lengths behind a new course record. The individual sectional times from the Balanchine are below.

Table

Await The Dawn sizzled, but what does it say for Hunter’s Light? Earlier on the card, Await The Dawn established a new course record for 2,000 meters on grass. With even fewer races run at this distance at Meydan, including no stakes races, the record is more a statistical fact than a trophy-worthy accomplishment. Still, the first race on the card was a $175,000 handicap, and they did, in fact, give the winning connections their trophies.

What makes the performance of Await The Dawn newsworthy is the form-franking that accompanies it – this fella ran what might have appeared to be a rather dull ninth in the Maktoum Challenge – Round 2, two weeks ago. In that race, and as highlighted in the Trakus Report following it, Await The Dawn ran the second-fastest final 200-meter split despite the bloated final finishing position. Detailed at the time, the first three positions only changed amongst three horses throughout the race, and the 800-meter and 1200-meter sectionals were the 3rdand 4th slowest times of any 1,900-meter Tapeta race in the last three seasons at Meydan. However, almost every horse in the race kept-on, quickening considerably as the race .

The final time landed in the top-third of the fastest races at the distance after early sectionals were in the opposite extreme. So Beautiful, who finished second this week behind Await The Dawn, was eleventh behind Hunter’s Light in the Maktoum Challenge – Round 2, and the sixth-place finisher in that race, Mushreq, came back to win Thursday’s Al Fahidi Fort. How true the pace was in the Maktoum Challenge – Round 2 is still questionable, but three deep also-rans have come back to run very well.

Txs Mav

Still think Soumillon should be shot.

thanks Mav....(tu) and I won't pick my nose whilst driving through potholes....

spoke to person whose opinion i respect very much and he said he felt igugu was looking for 2400metres and also would be better with sting out the ground,he thought she could be very competitive in the forthcoming english season with a few fillies and mares races within her grasp

Imho I think she's better in open company...... one of those gals that loves to stick it to the boys......the race was too thin and set up for the winner......she went too quick in the 1st 2 fractions .....not a train smash for being off track for a year.....

Muhtiman Wrote:

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> Imho I think she's better in open company......
> one of those gals that loves to stick it to the
> boys......the race was too thin and set up for the
> winner......she went too quick in the 1st 2
> fractions .....not a train smash for being off
> track for a year.....


Kind of like Ruby, likes to stick it to the boys....

?.....hey stop baiting Ruby......got to see a close up pic of her.....and she's a sweety .....don't blame her for posting what she did...... as she is obviously been harrassed by someone here......Stick it 2 them Ruby.....