Youmzain has run out of chances

I see that Mick Channon is at a loss to explain the poor run from Youmzain in the Hong Kong Vase last Sunday.

He's a funny old horse and to be honest I'm not really sure if I like him or not. To think he has finished second in three Prix de l'Arc de Triomphes is absolutely phenomenal and in theory, if you take out Sea The Stars, he "won" one of the best Arcs in recent history.

I don't know what it is, and I can't put my finger on it, but there's just something that I don't quite like about him.

Because of his efforts in some of the best G1's in the world (don't forget he's won twice at the highest level in Germany and France) everyone keeps saying what a great horse he is and how if any thoroughbred deserves to win a prestigious international race, then it's him.

I tend to have a slightly different perception on the habitual bridesmaid (or best man) however.

If Youmzain wasn't as good as he is and was competing in low level races but kept finishing second, most people would say: "That horse isn't one to trust, he's a right old dog."

However, because he races at a much higher level, everyone is quick to make up hard-luck stories and state what an admirable performer he is.

No one is doubting his talent, least of all me, but the fact that the six-year-old has come so close to some of the best horses in the world, and I'm not just talking in France, his finish in the places in the Coronation Cup at Epsom will also go down as one of those "unlucky" occasions.

I wonder if he really is genuine but unlucky, does not like putting his head in front or, quite simply, is not good enough?

His trainer was quick to nominate the Dubai Sheema Classic as his charge's next assignment and said that he didn't appear to face the visor (that's the horse, not Mick!).

Certainly a great horse to own, simply because he usually earns some prize-money, I think the globetrotter has run out of chances.

Fallow for fallon

It wasn't a very good weekend either for Kieren Fallon who was out of luck aboard the aforementioned runner, and also failed to score in the Hong Kong Cup aboard Presvis.

Despite showing his customary late speed, Luca Cumani's charge didn't appear to respond as quickly as connections would have hoped and in the end he finished third.

The winner, Vision D'Etat, and Presvis could meet each other again in the Dubai World Cup in March, and this is further testament as to how much the race has opened up since the decision was made to stage the race on Tapeta rather than the old-fashioned dirt.

For the past few years the Sheema Classic and Duty Free have been much more competitive than the World Cup itself and have often overshadowed "the big one" but with trainers and owners now prepared to run their charges on the new surface, everything looks set to change.