Jan Brueghel, Starmer, Economics & Bay City Roller.

​The Brueghels’ were painters. There was Jan the Elder, also known as ‘Velvet’, a fact breeders will want to note when naming the offspring they breed from Jan Brueghel the St. Leger Winner, Jan Brueghal the younger, basically copied the style and subject-matter of his father and gained so little fame no sobriquet was attached to him. Then there was Pieter Brueghel, also known as ‘Peasant’ Breughel, who was influenced by the mad art of Hieronymus Bosch. He was followed by Pieter the Younger, also known as ‘Hell’ Bruegel due to his fascination with depicting the devil, hags and robbers. If he were alive today he would doubtless be court painter to the United Nations or the World Economic Forum.
Sadly, not one member of the Brueghel dynasty was noted for painting racehorses. Perhaps not one of them could master the art of painting a horse in movement, unlike many of their profession who thought horses raced with a gait not dissimilar to a rocking-horse and have suffered ridicule for all the years after their death.
Jan Brueghel, also known as the ‘Equine’ Brueghel, gallops with the grace of a Keily Hodgkinson and the power of an express train and could turn out to be one of the better St. Leger winners of recent years. Not that it has changed my view of the St. Leger, that it is a classic dying on its feet and is in need of reinvention, though this year’s renewal, I must admit, was a zinger, a race for the ages, as some might say. Illinois played his part in a sizzling finish that perhaps went to the horse with greater depths of stamina, while the second might go on to prove more effective at 12-furlongs. The downside of yesterday’s St. Leger is yet another Group I or classic at 12-furlongs+ has gone for export. Where are the British-trained stayers? Yes, Economics, but how often will we see him beyond 10-furlongs next season?

Unlike Ed Chamberlain and Lee Mottershead, I see no value in having the most unpopular Prime Minister in the history of the position attending a high-level race-meeting. His wife, perhaps; his children, undoubtedly. But not ‘Two-Tier’ Kier, a man who has no problem with putting the lives of the elderly and frail at risk by withdrawing their winter fuel allowance, while greedily and hypocritically accepting thousands-of-pounds of tax-payers money through fuel allowances granted to him and his ministers on ‘expenses’. The man should be banned from the sport, not lauded as good publicity, which to most of us he is not.

How good is Economics? How reliable as a marker is Auguster Rodin? Certainly, we have learned that Economics is a fighter. Yet scrapping for a win is not a trait that can be placed alongside Auguste Rodin’s attributes. Economics is almost certain to win the Champion Stakes at Ascot and will complete his first season with a very high rating. Next season we will discover if he deserves the accolades being laid at his feet. I am also, rather like his brilliant trainer, not of the opinion that he will improve for 12-furlongs and I doubt if William Haggas will be in any hurry to find out as the money and stallion value is pegged to 10-furlong races in our modern speed orientated world. Oh, I thought Marquand was exceptional yesterday.

On ‘The Morning Show’, we were given a glimpse of Bay City Roller coming off the lorry and walking into the racecourse stables. As soon as saw his head I fell for him. In the parade ring my initial thoughts were doubled or trebled. During the race I watched with eyes that might be described as ‘smug’. I doubt he will ever win by far and might battle for victories rather than win ‘Nijinsky’ style. But he is a racehorse and I wish George Scott plain sailing with him between now and next April. If he were mine, I would stop for this season and dream of what might be to come. He is by New Bay, so there is a chance he might stay 12-furlongs. I hope so, as these 10 and 12-furlong horses I find rather boring.