Racehorse TALK

Bacause of his stamina to run 1600m around Caulfield it will help no end running up the hill at Newmarket in the July Cup.

Sort of looked the winner at the 300m

Weight definitely told

I'd agree with that.

Main Aim was being pushed all the way to keep up and was finishing strongly when it was all over, he is looking for further.

Good race  , dissapointing result  .

Same here chaps. Struggled to keep up from 200m out...next start could be a 1400m race at Leopardstown.

Do think we tend to over-rate some of our sprinters, and this bloke certainly fits into that category.  Yes, he is a multiple G1 winner, but so what--he is still fairly limited.  Compared to some of our real good sprinters of the past he wouldn't get within furlongs.  He may very well go onto win a good race over there, but so what

BGM

What was his last run in in the spring?

Starspangledbanner 5th In UK Gr2 Debut
Australia's dual Gr1-winning 3YO colt Starspangledbanner (Choisir-Gold Anthem, by Made Of Gold) lumped top-weight of 9st 12lb (62.5kg) but faded to finish 5th against older horses (after being with the leaders at the furlong) in his European debut overnight in the £100,000 (A$165,000) Gr2 Duke Of York Blue Square Stakes (6 furlongs) at York. NZ Rich Hill Stud's Darley shuttler Bertolini (Danzig-Aquilegia, by Alydar) added a group success in the race (boasting a field of 12 classy sprinters) when 6YO entire Prime Defender (Bertolini-Arian Da, by Superlative) was ridden by Robert Winston for trainer Barry Hills to score a half-length victory over fast-finishing favoured 3YO colt Showcasing (Oasis Dream-Arabesque, by Zafonic) & 5YO entire Main Aim (Oasis Dream-Orford Ness, by Selkirk). Prime Defender took his record to 7 wins & 9 placings from 41 starts. (May 13)

I don't think we over rate our sprinters I think we probably under rate theirs, the same as we under rate our stayers.

I haven't seen the replay but the above would give away how they thought he would go?

The stable talked up the chances in the media but surely that was a smoke screen when you see the price and take into the fact he lumped 62kgs, he's either not going well or not ready.

Seems strange when he is a stallion prospect that they wouldn't have him ready to go everytime 

He firmed back up to around $6 by jump time.

Aidan O'Brien has confirmed that sprint sensation Starspangledbanner is bang on target for the Darley July Cup at Newmarket next week.

The Australian import transferred his electric pace from the Ballydoyle gallops to the track as he made all along the stands rail in the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot last time out.

The four-year-old has hardened into 9-4 favouritism with Paddy Power for Europe's richest sprint on Friday week.

O'Brien said: "His work before Ascot was incredible. We knew from his first half-speed that he was fast and he had speed we had not seen before.

"We knew he was exceptional and that he was a big, powerful horse. He was class before we got him and he was good enough to win over a mile in Australia.

"He has seemed in good form and hasn't done an awful lot since then, but it is so far, so good. The faster the ground, the better it will suit him as he has that speed."

O'Brien added of his future career: "He could run in the July Cup and then go to stud to stand in Australia that season, but we are taking it one step at a time."


AT THE RACES

Give him another prep up to a mile and watch him destroy the best in the world

At least in Aust racing i thought races at 1400m would be a cracker.

12.10AM tonight punters - check your watches.

Hope the champ kills 'em