One of my favourite maxims: ''Knowledge is power.''
Never a truer word has been said.
Readers may be aware, we study each and every two-year-old horse trainer pre-Flat season. It is a job which needs to be done and very revealing. However, it is also a boring process like watching paint dry. Then, upon conclusion of a given horse trainer, it is like realising the abstract is actually a scene of perfection. The data reveals both the strength and weakness of a trainer. Some, have very little strength at all. To understand weakness is as good as understanding strength.
I noted yesterday, that Robert Cowell's horse Brigadier had poor statistics to win the 5:00 Kempton. In some sense, the data I used was flawed because it was detailed for his two-year-olds but I used it as a guide for this three-year-old. Brigadier was unplaced in fourth (to be fair it was a blanket finish).
From my study of the two-year-old horse trainers I have will note a few trainers to leave well alone when they run fancied horses either their first or second start.
It should be noted that every horse can defy even the worst statistics. The beauty of two-year-old horse racing is that anyone can find a super horse. Remember Julia Feilden back in 2007 and Spirit Of Sharjah. A trainer, a lovely lady I have met a few times, and she waited such a long time for a super horse and that's exactly what she found in Spirit Of Sharjah. He finished third in the Norfolk Stakes (Group 2) at Royal Ascot.
Another local trainer who achieved the highest standard, Pam Sly, winning the 1000 Guineas in 2006 with Speciosa (pictured).
A wonderful horse.
3 High-profile 2yo horse trainers to leave alone:
Robert Cowell
His two-year-old fancied runners on their first and second start often disappoint.
Stuart Williams
Very little chance of winning on debut (unless gambled).
Ed Dunlop
Debutantes have basically no chance of winning when priced over 14/1 on debut.