Pace making in England is an interesting and controversial aspect of racing. We’ve seen Frankel and So You Think have pacemakers in the last 2 weeks and they have helped them win.
It creates alot of imagination if we had Pacemakers in Australia, Would Atlantic Jewel be as good or better with say Shadowfax as her pacemaker or would Frankel be as good or better without Bullet Train.
In the Group 1 Coronation Cup on the weekend at Epsom we saw St.Nicholas Abbey sit off pacemaker Robin Hood and trounce his rivals but without Robin Hood they would have been no pace and St.Nicholas Abbey may have over-raced in the led and been beaten by Red Cadeaux.
In Australian Racing the best example of a Pacemaker I could find was Doubtful Jack for Black Caviar when she races at Group 2 company, I know half the reason is to build up the number of horses in the race but it leaves Doubtful Jack as a scapegoat no chance of winning.
Kawtuban an Irish horse bought out by David Hayes in the early 90’s is the first example of Pacemakers from being sent to australia and as I know of there hasnt been any others when any success that have came out here.
Pacemakers are usually a horse who has performed well at that level but is there to set up the other horse e.g Bullet Train to Frankel, Robin Hood to So You Think and Windsor Palace to St.Nicholas Abbey.
It brings up an intresting discussion as to why there is no pacemakers in Australia.
If they were though these Horses I think would be pacemakers to the champions:
Shadowfax-Atlantic Jewel
Doubtful Jack-Black Caviar
Fast Clip-More Joyous
Raceway-Pierro
King Diamond-Manighar
