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The Roar

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Past the Post: Caulfield and Randwick wrap

All Too Hard, another horse retired early. (AAP: Julian Smith)
Roar Guru
11th October, 2014
18

Sydney was at it again when Peter and Paul Snowden continued their recent dominance of the Caulfield Guineas (1600m). Shooting To Win, aided by a brilliant steer from James McDonald, proved a touch too good for hot favourite Rich Enuff.

Wandjina wound up late for third just ahead of Kumaon.

Full credit to the winner, he had the charmed run and gun ride. But if you backed the favourite, you’d feel a tad hard done by. The horse wanted to pull hard from about the 1200m to 800m mark, while copping pressure from Almalad, who was a big flop.

Rich Enuff quickly beat him off and went for home on the turn, but he was left a sitting shot, and it took a super colt in Shooting To Win to eventually nail him.

Almalad was dreadful, and he was probably the only real failure in the race apart from Looks Like The Cat, but he can be forgiven due to the fact he was three wide no cover for the entire journey. Chivalry warmed up late and appears as one of the hardest to beat in the Derby should Kav head that way, as is the case with Moonovermanhattan.

Fawkner went straight into Cox Plate favouritism with a strong win in the Caulfield Stakes (2000m), holding off an eye catching Criterion, with Side Glance, who was beautifully ridden by Jamie Spencer, sticking on for third.

The best of the beaten brigade was clearly Sacred Falls, who went back from the wide gate and savaged the line late for fourth, narrowly ahead of Happy Trails, who got badly hampered on the turn by Crackerjack King, courtesy of a peeling Nick Hall on the winner.

Dissident should be forgiven given he bled. He will come back in the Autumn and prove to be a worthy WFA contender.

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Can the nickname, ‘The Fighting Tiger’, which is held for the former champ Northerly, be given to Trust In A Gust? He was just so powerful, gutsy, determined, outstanding and courageous in winning the Toorak Handicap (1600m). He sat outside a strong tempo set by Solicit, quickly put that mare away on the turn and held off all of his rivals to his second successive Group l and provided Brad Rawiller with his 17th.

Speediness came between runners and surged until the 75m, then the winner found again and was pulling clear late. Rank outsider Desert Jeuney loomed as the winner on the turn, but the class factor just beat him late and he narrowly held on for third ahead of Akavoroun.

Arabian Gold was given every chance by Craig Williams, getting the drag up behind the winner, but was beaten 600m and dropped out of it. She will go back to the Myer, but would want to improve.

It wouldn’t be a feature race day without Chris Waller winning a major, and that came thanks to the Thousand Guineas when Amicus, ridden superbly by Hugh Bowman, wore down Queenslander Traveston Girl to win narrowly, with Sabatini in third.

The two flops were Go Indy Go and Lumosty, who just couldn’t get into the race from the back and I think they can be forgiven, more so Lumosty, given she is on the rise. Go Indy Go was forgiving, as well as disappointing.

Many have applauded the idea about bringing the Thousand Guineas forward to this day. I personally think it’s much worse than racing it on the Wednesday. No horses from the Flight Stakes or Edward Manifold backed up, because a seven-day back-up is virtually impossible for a three-year-old filly who is trying to win two Group l events.

What I’d do is scrap the Caulfield Classic (2000m) and bring back the Norman Robinson, and instead run the Thousand Guineas on Caulfield Cup Day. It’s a fortnight after the Flight and Edward Manifold and it gives a horse two weeks leading into the Wakeful Stakes (2000m) on Derby Day. I’d keep the Ethereal Stakes (2000m) as well, as it gives fillies a chance to see if they can run the 2000m. If not, come back to the blacktype 1800m race on Oaks Day.

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Rubick showed he will take a power of beating in the Coolmore with a dominant on pace win in the Schillaci Stakes (1000m). What made the win so impressive was that he was taking on proven Group l runners, it was his first run as a three-year-old and against the older horses. He deserves to be near the top of the betting for the Coolmore.

Platelet was first up and had the dream run behind the speed and ran to the line well for second, ahead of Overreach, who would have lost no admirers with her third placing given she was first up in 18 months.

Big Memory got himself a start in the Caulfield Cup with a win in the Herbert Power (2400m), holding off Signoff on track and in the stewards room. Let’s Make A Deal was close up in third, while on face value the eye catcher was Protectionist, but the winner did want to lay out in the straight, so the Germans run may look a tad flattering in what looked just an even Herbert Power.

Three things I learnt from Caulfield
1. Again, Sacred Falls has the Cox Plate at his mercy
2. Protectionist won’t be winning a Melbourne Cup
3. Don’t rule out Earthquake in the Coolmore Stud

Most, nearly all experts, thought the Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) would be a two-horse race at Randwick, but never doubt the Queen Of The Turf, Gai Waterhouse. Hampton Court, who is part-owned by James Packer, powered home over the top of Sweynesse and First Seal to win by a widening two lengths and jumped straight to the top of the betting for the Victoria Derby.

Sweynesse was given every chance by Shinn, but was beaten by a better horse, as was the case with the First Seal, who got unbalanced 500m out, then had her chance in the straight.

Three things I learnt from Randwick
1. Hampton Court is the one to beat in the Derby
2. There is a nice race in Danesiri
3. Aomen will win the Railway at Ascot

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