Ahoy Roarers! Hopefully you’ve all enjoyed the winter spell, but now we have to get stuck into the spring, and it all started on Saturday at Caulfield with the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m).
Boban, despite being on the worst part of the track and on a rain affected surface, which he hates, produced an amazing finish to grab Entirely Platinum right on the peg to win the major.
It was a peach from Glynn Schofield, and the ride won the horse the race. The two eye catchers for mine were Prince Of Penzance, who produced a lovely warm-up for his Caulfield Cup assault, and Happy Trails, who went to the line under a hold and should have finished much closer.
Gold Symphony had the edge in fitness over his main rivals in the McNeil Stakes (1200m) and that proved to be the winning edge with a narrow win, aided by a peach from Bossy. He was solid in winning, but the black booker was clearly Ready For Victory, who is my early pick for the Guineas.
He was unbelievable in defeat and his last 75 metres was excellent. As for stablemate Prince Of Brooklyn, he lost the plot a bit on the turn and at the top of the straight, but he worked home OKnlate.
Bounding, in my opinion, could become the best sprinter in Australia this spring. Her trials have been unbelievable, and she lived right up to those with a donkey licking of her rivals in the Heath 1100 Stakes (1100m), aided by an absolute peach from Kerrin McEvoy. She proved far too good for her rivals, and I’ll be surprised if she doesn’t win a Group 1 this Spring.
While all that was happening at the Heath, at Rosehill, Exosphere stamped himself as the main threat to Vancouver after a dominant win from last to claim the Run To The Rose (1200m). Sam Clipperton gave him an absolute peach, and the Godolphin colt savaged the line to win with real purpose.
Press Statement was excellent in running second, Holler was brave, as for the hot favourite Japonisme, he simply didn’t handle running 1200 metres on a wet track. I still think he is above average, so don’t be surprised to see him freshened up for a crack at the Roman Consul/Coolmore double, similar to that of Brazen Beau and Zoustar.
Three horses to follow from the weekend
1. Bounding
2. Ready For Victory
3. Scarlet Billows
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