Ahoy Roarers! What a fantastic day of racing we witnessed.
Palentino made up for the farcical loss in the protest of the CS Hayes with an outstanding win in the Australian Guineas (1600m), holding off the Derby winner Tarzino in one of the best finishes Flemington has produced in some time.
The race had it all. Slow tempo, mid-race moves, unlucky runners and two star gallopers clearing out. The well backed Xtravagent wasn’t left with too many excuses. I thought he had a pretty good time in front and was just found wanting. I think back to 1200-1400 and you’ll see him win a Group 1 in Australia.
Tarzino was unbelievable considering he was near the centre of the track throughout. River Wild was very good late, as was Vanbrugh, while Risqué was wide throughout and stuck on so well, and Jameka certainly got a pass mark.
Three horses to follow from Flemington
1. Malaguerra
2. Tarzino
3. Hijack Hussy
Meanwhile, at Randwick, in what was one of the great upsets in recent racing history, rank outsider Kiss And Make Up led at a crawl and sprinted clear to score a win in the Todman Stakes (1200m), beating home the $1.24 favourite Capitalist with Weatherly in third.
You can say he (Capitalist) pulled hard and that took the energy out of him, but when you’re an equal favourite for the Slipper, you really should be putting away a horse who came off a Canterbury maiden win.
Credit to the winner though. He did from the front and was comfortably holding them on the line, and the time was very sharp.
Holler jumped brilliantly from the gates and that proved the winning move with the three year old proving too good for some quality gallopers in the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m), beating home First Seal, who was very good ahead of Kermadec, who was exposed early and that told late. The only horse I want to follow from the race is Happy Clapper.
His effort was outstanding first up and he, along with Azkadellia, are my early picks for the Doncaster.
Well if we thought the win of Kiss And Make Up was an upset, what about Le Romain and his gritty win against Press Statement in the Randwick Guineas (1600m).
It was a Group 1 pearl of a steer from Christian Reith, dictating Hugh Bowman on Press Statement and that proved the winning move. I won’t make excuses for Press Statement. He had his chance when clear and the winner was wide all the way, so all credit to him.
The good runs in the race were the stayer Gold Ambition, who will take some beating in the Rosehill Guineas, along with Balmain Boy, who was ridden upside down.
Three horses to follow from Randwick
1. Kiss And Make Up
2. Gold Ambition
3. Private Secretary
Adam Page
Roar Guru
Good point Andrew. But still, if he produced that at Flemington this Saturday fresh, he would have given the race a shake IMO.
andrew
Guest
probably because no horse has won the newmarket first up for something like 90 years, and plenty of good ones have tried. im sure the stat will be raised again this week.
Adam Page
Roar Guru
There is plenty to like about him. My question is that given he ran so well fresh, why didn't they wait til the Newmarket given he has performed well down the straight previously and would be on the minimum.
Pepper Jack
Guest
All the mounting yard people picked up on it. The one's I heard said that he always did it
Observer
Guest
Kudos to the channel seven commentators who picked up on the fact that Xtravagant was agitated in the mounting yards and they thought the nervous energy spent might take its toll in the race. It is hard to get a gauge on how settled the Kiwi invaders are and some never get to the races at all. Take City Court, the boom Kiwi stayer who was targeted for the 1969 Melbourne Cup but he never settled and returned home without starting in anything. Xtravagant was a day late arriving in Australia after transport delays and the trainer felt he deserved to be put out in the spelling paddock after a strenuous campaign. We will need to wait and see what happens with him as they certainly have huge wraps on his abilities.
Tim
Guest
I remember Sepoy being beaten before he won the slipper.
theJudge
Guest
Press statement and First Seal were second up and found out by fitter horses. You'll find xtravagent went out very hard in front! 12L quicker first 1000m than wandjina winning from the front last year
Pepper Jack
Guest
$1.30 on a miler second up over a mile in a G1 race?
andrew
Guest
i thought risque was one of the runs of the day. not many horses win 2nd up jumping from 1200m to 1600m. she got flushed out very early, and exposed for a long way in the straight, basically a sitting shot to be run over. it took two very good horses who had cover and a suck into the race to mow her down. i would happily back her next start if she stays at 1600m. if she goes to 2000m for the arrowfield, she might be one run short again, although back to fillies grade there would be less depth. either way, she won me over as a quality filly, and whilst i think it was poor placement, i can see why hayes ran her here instead of the armanasco last week (which he won anyway with catch a fire). immense talent. takedown was a very good run in syd. couldnt run down the race fit redzel and conceded a lot of weight to it. the form from that 1400m race on caul cup day just grows stronger (mahuta, holler, santa ana lane ran the tri - takedown ran 4th or 5th). clearly a stronger form race than the caul guineas for mine.
Razzar
Guest
Press statements & xtravagants losses had one thing in common. They both were poor value. Theres no good things in racing. Bowman from brr'r 12, had to work PS, but had to yield settling back. the tempo solid, & Rieths superb ride, made PS's task harder. Pallentino is sooo consistant, got the chance to wind up from well out. But as 3yos, we'll have see if the oz guiness was a gutbuster for some of the runners. An absolute great days racing...looking foreward to some great racing over the next 6 or so weeks...brill
Aransan
Guest
Adam, what did you think about the run of Kinglike? It has always been my curse to pick out an emerging horse that runs well without winning and of course the odds are much reduced from then on. The stable obviously has a high opinion of him, even being nominated for the Lightening before scratching and going to Sydney.