Ahoy Roarers! You would have thought after Peter and Paul Snowden left Darley, they’d slowly find their feet and gradually build to success.
However, they are becoming a lethal training partnership, culminating with Capitalist scoring an outstanding win in the Golden Slipper (1200m). The colt was ridden to perfection by Blake Shinn, sitting just off the solid tempo and ready to pounce.
Once he got clear at the top of the straight, the race was over. The horse I liked, Yankee Rose, ran an absolute ripper and would have defied history in another 50m.
Flying Artie was solid, while Telperion was fantastic. The disappointment was clearly Extreme Choice, who was tardy away and just couldn’t get warm. He is better than that – but that doesn’t help the punters who launched into him.
Winx stamped herself as one of the greats with an arrogant win in the George Ryder (1500m). Due to circumstances, she was ridden outside her comfort zone by Bowman but it just did not matter.
She ambled to them at the top of the straight and won with plenty in reserve, beating home stablemates Kermadec and Press Statement, both of which lost no admirers.
Forgive First Seal, who was ridden too close to the tempo. In terms of the Doncaster, I’m very tempted to declare Happy Clapper.
His run was outstanding and will tumble down to near the minimum. But all eyes on Winx, who will wing the Queen Elizabeth and stamp herself as a true champion of Australian racing.
Tarzino looks set to claim the Victorian-Australian Derby double after a dominant win in the Rosehill Guineas (2000m). It was a beautiful ride from Newitt, who took full advantage of the inside draw and had the horse in the box seat.
It looked awkward 600m out but Newitt angled off the inside and from there it was pretty to watch. Montaigne was outstanding in running second, ahead of the tough filly Jameka. But really, it’s hard seeing Tarzino getting beat in a fortnight.
The United States locked himself a start in the Cups for the Spring with a dominant win in the Ranvet Stakes (2000m).
The pace didn’t look to be so hot and he was back near last, but it was a lovely ride from McEvoy who saved ground near the inside, burst through and showed an electric turn of foot. What I really liked is when he was challenged by Hauraki, he kicked and was comfortably holding them.
Criterion ran a much improved race and will be a serious chance in the Queen Elizabeth. The two flops were Mongolian Khan and Storm The Stars, who were disappointing, as was Dibayani. The old boy Weary worked home well and for mine could be a horse who would go close to winning a major if sent to Brisbane.
Griante looked a great outside chance in the Galaxy (1100m) and she took full advantage of the paint draw to claim her first major and it broke a run of outs for Craig Williams, though I suspect he will have a stint on the sidelines for the interference he caused to Terravista. The favourite in all honesty was very poor I thought and there is just no way he will match it with them at Randwick in the TJ Smith. Shiraz and Dothraki filled the placings, but all credit to the winner, who did deserve a Group 1.
Three horses to follow from Rosehill
1. Happy Clapper
2. Tarzino
3. Criterion
sheek
Roar Guru
I know I'm in the minority here, but while I appreciate the Golden Slipper being the top two-year-old race in the land, I'm dumbfounded that it is one of the top four prize money races in the land. Third most valuable in fact after the Melbourne Cup & Queen Elizabeth. It's a helter-skelter bunfight for juveniles, for heaven's sake. There's a ton of races which I think are superior - The Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Doncaster Mile or even Australian Derby, if we must have a Sydney rep race. Indeed, the Doncaster is equal fourth in prize money with the Caulfield Cup & WS Cox Plate. But obviously the GS is designed for the breeders. Win the GS then pack the horse off to stud to continue the cycle all over again. Some breeder, or breeding syndicate, will clean up bigtime at stud, while genuine racing lovers will lament yet another horse being removed from racing too early.
andrew
Guest
our ivanhoe now in to around $4 to $4.50. glad i did my shopping on sunday arvo at the $7.50, which enabled an ew play. will only start shorter if the track is soft (seems highly probable). one corporate had their market open y'day for BMW after likely field was announced on twitter by andrew benzley around 4pm, so i took $4 preferment, $7.50 ivanhow and $34 rising romance. i guess you have to take the overs when the present.
andrew
Guest
i agree. you will get atleast $2.50 on the day for tarzino. jameka is entered for this sat, so if she runs would not run in the derby. montagine also entered for BMW this sat, would need to back up 3 weeks in a row then to run in derby. come 11am on wed, we will know who runs this sat, which by default will give clearer picture to derby field.
Razzar
Guest
Those double figure odds (all in) may not last long. Vanbrugh had brr'r 12, Tarzino 2.... in the Derby, I rate Vbrugh a 6/1 & tarzino a 2/1 chance. For mine Tarzino at a 33% chance of winning is more logical than some rush-of blood punters craming it into odds on. Take unders go under.
Pepper Jack
Guest
No hard tales in the Slipper. Favourite cost itself by missing the start. Didn’t go around a horse and ran by stragglers in the straight. Stablemate had the perfect run, not up to it. Maybe the Blue Diamond took too much out of them. Hard to get 2yo’s to stay “up” or get them to peak twice in a short period. Hard to pick one to follow out of the race. If Tarzino gets the same run in the Derby then it’s all over. Newitt put in the perfect place and did everything right after that. Vanbaugh was the run though. Sat wide, made a midfield run, and very few made ground out wide. One is odds on, one is double figures. Vanbaugh e/w looks better value at the moment. G1 handicap sprints are a lottery. Run the Galaxy again and again, and the results change every time. The United States was impressive. If he backs up this week it will make for an interesting race. Proven at the distance and now proven in G1. The beaten horses were all disappointing. Criterion will need to improve 10 lengths to get near Winx in the QE. Beaten 4.5 lengths, does have improvement in him, but was beaten by The United States and Hauraki. Winx too good. From a Doncaster perspective, First Seal is the one I want to be on out of this. Press Statement maybe better suited to the All Aged then the Doncaster.
Pepper Jack
Guest
Similar odds for the Sydney Cup too.
Razzar
Guest
A little hard to make ground at the Hill yesterday. Times were generally poor for a "good" trak rating. Vanbrugh is ticking over nicely for a tilt at the Derby. His run caught my eye. Backmarkers had thier work cut in Slipper, with such moderate pace up front. Some good run-ons, but all too late.
andrew
Guest
not a bad day for the vics winning 3 of the 5 group 1's from only a handful of runner. extreme choice was a total forive, getting slammed from inwards angling horses either side as they jumped squezzing him back to last. he gets 4 mentions in the stewards reports. none of this was his fault (the highest you could argue was that he was a smidge - half a length at most - to jump). tarzino set to become first since mahogany to claim VRC -AJC derby. our ivanhoe good value at $7.50 in early markets for the BMW on an ew basis.
Adam Page
Roar Guru
Completely agree Tim, with or without Winx in the field, he is the horse I want to be on.
Tim
Guest
Happy Clapper drops 9kg for the Doncaster I think! All over it like a rash