For many people – and certainly for me – horse racing is an enjoyable sport to follow because it challenges you to make assessments on what you see.
Sometimes when you watch the races you’ll witness a performance from a progressive racehorse that is so incredible it defies belief.
If the performance is truly incredible, it will only be properly understood in time.
But that won’t stop racing’s followers from trying to assess that performance immediately after the race. The beauty is that, in time, those assessments will either be upheld or be made to look silly. It’s part and parcel of following racing.
In my opinion, the most incredible performance in Australian racing in 2013 came from Bull Point in the Golden Rose (1400m, Group 1, three-year-olds).
I don’t think it was the best performance of the year – in fact, I’d say it was a long way off – but for sheer ridiculousness it was unmatched.
In a race won by Zoustar, the colt who has since proven to be perhaps the best sprinter in Australia, Bull Point couldn’t keep up.
With 900m left, he was at least six lengths off the second-last horse and probably 60m of the leader.
If watching the race you thought he was injured, then you had the same thoughts as me. Actually, he was tailed off because he couldn’t keep up. He was too slow in the early part of the race, plain and simple.
Just for the record, Bull Point showed sufficient early speed to be the front-runner in his Golden Rose lead-up.
In those circumstances, to run third to Zoustar in the Golden Rose, beaten only a few lengths, in a race that saw the on-pacer Dissident hold second, was unbelievable.
To assess the Golden Rose was incredibly difficult. In the end, I concluded Bull Point’s run was only possible because the pressure of the Golden Rose was so bruising that initially Bull Point was out-paced but that same pressure paved the way for him to storm past most of the tiring pack in the straight.
I thought the run of Dissident therefore, to ride the pace and hold on for a narrow second, was incredible.
It’s an interesting side plot but in hindsight you could certainly argue I got that initial assessment wrong.
Because if Dissident was the best run in the Golden Rose then why did he follow it with a sixth in the George Main (1600m, Group 1, weight-for-age) and fourth in the Caulfield Guineas (1600m, Group 1, three-year-olds) when the two great swooping runs in the Golden Rose came from Zoustar and Bull Point, who are undefeated since the Golden Rose?
Zoustar won his next start (1200m, Group 3, three-year-olds) effortlessly by half a furlong before claiming the Coolmore Stud (1200m, Group 1, three-year-olds) emphatically, and probably the title of the Australia’s best sprinter in the process, on Derby Day.
Bull Point, on the other hand, returned to the races on Saturday, first-up after the Golden Rose, to win the Manfred (1200m, Group 3, three-year-olds) by about a length against a bunch of relatively well-regarded three-year-olds.
In six months I’m not sure how we’ll view the 2013 Golden Rose. But I’m confident we’ll still say it unearthed two of the stars of Australian racing – Zoustar and Bull Point.
And make no bones about it, Bull Point is a shooting star. He entered the racetrack as a two-year-old after being sold for $960,000 as a yearling. He won on debut after using a sharp turn of foot in the final furlong at Randwick.
He would then meet Eurozone at Rosehill in a race we at The Roar predicted would be a clash of two promising horses.
Eurozone out-sprinted Bull Point to win by less than a length and he would later taste Group 2 success in September’s Stan Fox (1500m, three-year-olds).
Bull Point then smashed some second stringers before finishing a dour fourth to Eurozone at Randwick in August.
He would tune up for the Golden Rose with a fighting second to the promising Stamina, who has not been seen at the races since.
In the Golden Rose, Bull Point built off that good second to Stamina by running that famous third but a few weeks later trainer Gai Waterhouse decided to abort a trip to Melbourne for the Caulfield Guineas.
Bull Point, instead, would spell.
On resumption at the weekend in the Manfred, Bull Point looked a better horse than before. I can’t wait to see him in the flesh to gauge how he’s improved physically but athletically he looks lengths better.
Bull Point showed his best early speed to take up a handy position just off the lead. And then in the straight he sprinted powerfully over the 1200m distance to take the lead and hold off any late challenges.
Bull Point is a much better horse in 2014 than what he was last year basically because he is faster. He has more speed.
On Saturday, Bull Point looked like a sprinter and that’s a pretty awesome asset to find in the armoury of a horse that looked certain to get a mile last spring.
With added acceleration and tactical speed he could be a force over a mile.
It seems unlikely Bull Point and Zoustar will meet again because while Zoustar will be aimed at sprints in the Sydney autumn, Bull Point will be contesting the Australian Guineas (Group 1, three-year-olds) over a mile next month and may not race over a sprinting trip again this season.
Nonetheless we should see Bull Point form a rivalry with the Cox Plate (2040m, Group 1, weight-for-age) winner Shamus Award and I’d say he’ll also get a chance to meet Eurozone again.
Right now the sky is the limit for Bull Point.
Behind him on Saturday, the runner-up and long-time leader Worth A Ransom was good in a race where there was no disadvantage to be on speed.
The Quarterback, in third, was very good. He was tailed off at the 600m but picked off more than half the field to grab some ‘black type’ prizemoney for his owners.
He’ll be a winning chance in anything he contests over 1400m or even a mile.
Prince Harada, who ran fourth, has suffered from the enormous boom he has lugged since his soft debut victory.
While he has only won two races (his first two starts), and may’ve been expected to do better on Saturday, I’d say a good autumn awaits.
He was simply too one-paced between the 400m and 200m marks at the weekend but was strong enough late to indicate he would show his best colours when stepping out to 1400m or the mile in the coming weeks.
We can’t be so optimistic about Fast ‘N’ Rocking. He has banked over $500,000 in his career, and was being set for a Group 1 sprinting campaign but he was average in fifth, beaten five lengths.
After a promising start to his career that netted three top-five finishes at Group 1 level, a Group 2 second and a Group 3 victory, he has disappointed at each of his last four starts, running tenth of 16 in the Golden Rose, seventh of 13 in the Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m, Group 3, three-year-olds), last in the Coolmore Stud and fifth on Saturday.
If this son of Fastnet Rock doesn’t improve soon, he’ll be shipped off to stud.
At least Fast ‘N’ Rocking can take solace in the fact he has done enough to earn a chance as a stallion in favour of the dreaded operation he otherwise would have to suffer.
Rosso
Guest
I thought Quarterback was very good but overall time in the race was just ok. The one horse I thought would be much much better was Monkstone.
Andrew
Guest
bull point showed how much a horse can improve at its 2nd prep and be a more complete horse after some race experience and growing time in the paddock. likewise, one can only expect eurozone to be a more complete horse 2nd time around, and did beat bull point twice (bull point beat him home in golden rose). its hard to fathom why one is $6 and the other $26 for the gunineas. huckelbuck is the other one, and i am huge wrap for him. he ran 11.00 and 11.23 for his 600-400 and 400-200 splits on sat. it was a soft easy kill first up, perfect. much better than a tough run. he jumped well, relaxed in run, responded instantly showing turn of foot. i think he will beat all those from the manfred in the cs hayes in a few weeks.
Haradasun
Guest
Yes sorry I needed to clarify. More that there have been a variety of 3yolds who have been winning over the spring. Normally yes a bunch you would say they are no good, but what does it say when the spoils are being shared? There really isn't that much between complacent, long john and savvy nature in my view and likewise prince harada, cluster et all all finished together in the golden rose. Are we in for a vintage season of equally matched champions ? Or will we see this autumn if they can step up to open company? I really don't know yet. -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Justin Cinque
Expert
Cauthen pulled up sore after than NZ run. He's out of the autumn. Yeah I agree about the bunch finishes call but I don't know if there has been heaps with this group. The three sprint-mile 3yo G1s were all telling in the spring. And the Derby was a cracker too.
Haradasun
Guest
What about Cauthen? He also had a bit of ability but went amiss and went for a spell in the Spring. He resumed last week I think in NZ?? Dad always says that when they all finish in a heap all the time they aren't a great bunch so the jury is out on this crop of 3yos. I think the old man has just conveniently wiped shamus awards win out of his memory. The Orr will prove a good gauge! -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Justin Cinque
Expert
Hi Scuba, fair call on Dissident. I haven't given up on him but it's interesting to see how it's panned out since the Golden Rose. He's right there with the best three-year-olds. The article didn't go too far past the Manfred but I thought Hucklebuck won really well on Sat, second horse also good, but still needs to prove he's Group 1 grade. As for El Roca, well he is exciting. His Caulfield Guineas run was outstanding. Probably better than Shamus Award's and we know what he then did off that third.
Scuba
Guest
You're too quick to sack Dissident Justin. Remember that All Too Hard ran a very ordinary race in the George Main the previous year - it's a hard ask for three year olds at that time of year to match motors with the older horses. I expect him to be right up with Bull Point and the others. No mention of Hucklebuck? There's always at least one 2yo or 3yo who comes across from SA and he looked good beating up some second-stringers on Saturday. Also, I think you've missed mentioning just about the best three year old in Australasia in the article too *cough*El Roca*cough*.
Haradasun
Guest
Polanski also trialled very well last week. Kept up with the sprinters. He is also being set for the guineas but could give a sight first up over 1,400 definitely. -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Bondy
Guest
You've got to have Duff their otherwise its not worth watching , that creep R Freedman.
Justin Cinque
Expert
Yes of course. Last prep he didn't get into the finish until he got over ground but I actually had a few small bets on him early and from his first-up run he was attacking the line.
Cameron Rose
Expert
Don't forget Polanski will be resuming in the Orr too. I don't he hasn't been forgotten from a Cups and AJC Derby point of view, but it won't surprise me to see him run a huge race first-up and be one of the toughest to beat in the Guineas.
Justin Cinque
Expert
I must admit Will I'm only half way through yesterday's Retro ep but I like Dufficy's assessments usually. I reckon he has a good eye. I'll be paying close attention to Hughie's comments though. Sounds like a really interesting assessment about Limes. That race was all about wanting to win and what we've learnt about Red Excitement in the last six months is that he is a goer. He wins sitting wide. He wins lugging weight and he wins close races. You'd love to own him!
Will Sinclair
Roar Guru
Hugh Bowman seemed to confirm on Racing Retro yesterday that Limes is a non-winner. He hit the front, had the race won, and then "had a think about it" according to Hughie. That's enough to get out the thick black marker I reckon. (By the way, how much better is Bowman than Dufficy on Retro? He has genuine insights - like his observations on Janoob in running at Rosehill. Very interesting.)
Justin Cinque
Expert
Good points Cam, especially about the Gai fitness edge. The Manfred form will stand up I reckon. The Quarterback and Prince Harada will improve and Bull Point looks pretty good right now. The Australian Guineas should be a cracker. We'll get a look at Shamus Award and Eurozone at weight-for-age on Saturday in the Orr. Exciting times
Cameron Rose
Expert
Good assessment as usual Justin. My initial instinct was to think the first four home were all acceptable, and my fave Fast N Rocking was deplorable. Bull Point was impressively effortless in establishing his margin, Worth a Ransom ran out of his skin compared to what we'd previously seen in town (two previous city runs had seen him beaten by a combined 22 lengths), The Quarterback was arguably the run of the race, giving some smart horses windburn down the straight, while Prince Harada never settled and was still pretty good. The one thing I will say is that of the three horses we think will be major players, Bull Point did have position on the other two. Horses that have tactical speed will always be at an advantage, and you can't knock impressive winning form. The other point is that Waterhouse would normally have her horses fitter first-up than other trainers, so we don't know who will take the most benefit from the race. There still may not be a whole lot between them. Or Bull Point is the horse to beat in everything he contests from here on in.
Bondy
Guest
I've just had another look at the form 3 of BP's last 7 runs he's been slowly away, he needs winkers. He'll be a genuine miler but with Bite the Bullet blood on the dam's side I wouldn't be expecting 2400 metres. Bull Points $6 for the Australian Guineas, to short personally. Prince Harada's been solid in commision in his last 3 runs and has done nothing "the punters bunny", Quarterbacks run was solid and another who needs blinkers or winkers. There is no Our Maizcay or General Nediym with this lot of 3 yr olds. A couple of cowards not prepared to greet the judge Limes and Specific Choice .