 Tim Carroll 's Bio | |
|---|---|
| Tim started off as a jockey in Australia before pursuing a media career. He is a highly experienced and respected racing presenter who has been based in England since 2005. Tim has travelled the world covering many of the major meetings, including Royal Ascot, The Epsom Derby, The International meeting from Sha Tin, The Dubai World Cup, The Everest, The Saudi Cup and The Breeders. He is currently a presenter for Sky Sports Racing, specialising in both the local and international scene. Tim is a regular contributor to the At The Races Website where his twice weekly tipping column on Hong Kong racing has gathered a strong following. | |
ParisLongchamp Racecourse – Track Analysis (Prix du Moulin de Longchamp Day):
ParisLongchamp, where holds more than half of the G1 races contested in France, is an interlaced right-handed track with five different combinations, including three circular tracks, large (2750m), medium (2500m), small (2150m), a straight course (1000m), and there is also a chute which begins at the furthest point away from the stands on the right hand side, this is known as the ‘new track’ (1400m). The chute joins the large circular main course before taking in both the false and main straight. The track does go up and down with the highest point (back of the course on the right-hand side) – the “Boulogne” section, where horses indeed “disappear” briefly from the grandstand into the woods – being nearly 30 metres above the lowest point (bottom of the course right-hand side).
All three circular courses join the main straight, with two winning posts in use, depending on the race distance. The straight-course dissects the large and medium circular tracks before joining the back straight of the small circular track in the centre of the course. They run the straight races right to left as viewed, the same as they do at Sha Tin over 1000m.
This year, six turf races from Prix du Moulin de Longchamp Day will be simulcast to Hong Kong.
The 2000m G3 La Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte start is from the far side of the course on the large round course. On leaving the barriers they have a straight, but uphill run for nearly 600m before arriving at the highest point of the track near the 1400m chute (new track) whilst turning onto the sweeping home bend. This leads onto the false straight then onto the home straight for the uphill run home. There is no evidence of any barrier bias.
For the 2400m Class 2 Handicap and Class 3 Handicap, both of these races are run on medium course. The 2400m start is from the left-hand side of the track. They jump from a short spur just off the small course and cross that track twice before entering a lengthy back straight, which leads onto a bend, then follow the same route as 2000m. The nature of the track layout lends itself to horses that are ridden to conserve energy and delivered with patience. Barriers are of little importance in smaller fields, but in larger fields, results suggest horses drawn middle to low have an advantage.
For the two 1800m Class 3 Handicap races, the start is from the far side of the course opposite the main grandstand on the large round course. On leaving the barriers they have a straight, but uphill run for nearly 400m before arriving at the highest point of the track near the 1400m chute (new track) whilst turning onto the sweeping home bend. This leads onto the false straight then onto the home straight for the uphill run home. There is no evidence of any barrier bias.
For the G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp over 1600m, the start is situated approximately halfway down the back straight, and runners have a relatively short run to a sweeping bend that heads downhill, where they then bottom out before taking in both the false and home straight, which has a slight but testing uphill run to the finish. Over 1600m there is a barrier bias to horses that are drawn low. This is predominately due to the short run to the first bend.
Last year’s Prix du Moulin de Longchamp was run on Good to Soft ground, and saw a field of nine go to post. On leaving the stalls, GOD BLESSING went straight to the front, with TEXAS to the outside, as DREAMLOPER tracked the speed on the fence, whilst the favourite, COROEBUS sat mid division. GOD BLESSING ran them along at a decent gallop, which ensured there was no change in the order until they came into the straight, where the entire field where being urged along off the strong gallop. Unfortunately, the favourite COROEBUS, went badly wrong at the 400m mark, losing the rider in the process. At this point, DREAMLOPER had moved up on the outside to lay down a serious challenge to GOD BLESSING. At the 200m mark, DREAMLOPER went straight by the tiring GOD BLESSING, going onto win easily by a widening five and a half lengths, with ORDER OF AUSTRALIA picking up the pieces late to grab second, and the equally late finishing, THE REVENANT, back in third.
The weather forecast suggests mostly sunny days leading up to race day. The last ten renewals have seen everything from Good to Soft ground, but if the forecast is correct, there is a strong possibility that there will be Good in the description on race day.
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