The weekend is over, I’m exhausted from both the footy and the racing. But wow, what a weekend of thoroughbred action it was!
It kicked off in awesome fashion on Friday night in the Moir Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley, won in brilliant fashion by the three year old Extreme Choice.
I was a doubter leading in. I thought his jump outs were just OK and that he hadn’t done a great deal in his two year old season. How wrong was I? He showed a devastating turn of foot when asked by Newitt and left the worlds best sprinter Chautauqua for dead and careered away for a stunning victory that has well and truly secured his career path post racing.
On the turn it looked as if Heatherly was going to get the spoils but she and Wild Rain were just no match for Extreme Choice. Unfortunately Heatherly bled in both nostrils so she’s out for three months. Oakleigh Plate would be the ideal aim for her I suspect.
The two proven warriors Chautauqua and Buffering were solid in defeat. Buffering did all the donkey work outside the speed and was OK late and through the line. As for Chautauqua, I thought he was a special off the back of impressive jump outs, but I think we now know that 1000m isn’t his go. Just totally outpaced, but I liked his final 75m and through the line. Nothing wrong with his effort other than he was a beaten favourite.
The Group 1 focus then shifted to Randwick for three majors, starting off with the Flight Stakes (1600m). And in somewhat of a minor boilover, Global Glamour led throughout to give Gai Waterhouse another win in the race and it also gave Adrian Bott his first Group l. Tim Clark rated the filly an absolute treat in front and she gave a really good kick when asked.
Yankee Rose, on face value, was disappointing, but keeping in mind she will be better over further, her effort in defeat was very good. Ruling her out as a Cox Plate prospect, but the Oaks is certainly there for her. The big flop IMO was Awoke. I was expecting much more from her. Maybe she felt the firm track, I’m not sure, but she is much better than that.
Harvey Norman would have sold out of TVs if Dibayani won the Epsom Handicap (1600m) and for the most part down the Randwick straight, he looked the winner, then out of nowhere came Hauraki with an unbelievable finish to nail his rivals in the very last stride. He was a non winner last season, but something this Spring has clicked with him and he is now a proper race horse. Deserves a crack at the Cox Plate. Whether he wins is another matter.
Dibayani was ridden to perfection by Lane and it deserved the win. Just a freakish performance got in his way. Mackintosh looked the winner too but he just didn’t quite finish it off while Happy Clapper was pocketed for a bit too long, but his effort was very good. Also want to mention Le Romain, who did a power of work chasing the pack to Fabrizio. His effort was enormous.
The talking point was Palentino. As I said on Twitter, the trial at Casterton was very poor and he ran accordingly. And the Weir hoodoo in Sydney continues once again. Not sure where this horse goes now. Perhaps Crystal Mile/Emirates Stakes? Time will tell.
The final Group 1 at Randwick was the Metropolitan and well done to Blake Spriggs on getting his first major with his favourite horse Sir John Hawkwood. He was a rogue once upon a time but he has really turned the corner under John Thompson and the way he looked to travel in the run, it was game over. But as we know, the Randwick straight feels like the longest in Australia but he kept finding and was holding them comfortably on the line.
Antonio Giuseppe lost no admirers. First real crack at the big time and he was outstanding in defeat, as was Allergic. I put the pen through him due to the firm track after what happened last weekend, but he was very good late. There were a few to forgive from the race, most notably Who Shot Thebarman. They crawled in the middle stages and those at the back, most of which were one paced stayers, didn’t appreciate that.
The best was saved for last on Sunday at Flemington in the Turnbull Stakes (2000m) where Hartnell gave John O’Shea his first Group l in Melbourne under the Godolphin banner with quite simply just a stunning win. The race was over 1000m out and the way he cruised up to them on the turn and then put them away – he nearly should be favourite for the Cox Plate ahead of Winx.
Doubt he runs in the Caulfield Cup, but if he does, then he should be odds on.
Jameka lost no admirers in defeat. Her splits were very good but was just no match for the form horse of Australian racing at the moment. Looks the one to beat in the Caulfield Cup for sure. Didn’t mind the effort of Happy Trails either. He was warming to the task late and he’ll be very competitive wherever he heads.
On face value, the two flops were Raw Impulse and Sofia Rosa. Raw Impulse looked to be going well in the run and presented as a chance, but he plodded on, while Sofia Rosa did run decent splits between the 800-400, but she didn’t finish off with purpose. Perhaps she was in inferior ground, but it didn’t scream out as an ideal Caulfield Cup trial.
Have you ever tried your skills in a Racing daily fantasy competition? Put your best picks to the test for one day and see if you can scoop the pot with Draftstars. Looking for great odds on racing and sport? PlayUp is your best bet. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
Without a Fight completed the rare Caulfield Cup-Melbourne Cup double on Tuesday as star jockey Mark Zahra went back-to-back in the big one after…
The race that stops the nation is upon us again. Every horse in the Melbourne Cup has reasons they can win, and reasons they…
Those who want to have a really big collect on Australia’s greatest race, without risking too much, have to look at the exotic bets.
While most of the attention is on Ciaron Maher and David Eustace's Gold Trip, there's no reason why stablemate Future History cannot upstage him.
Champion jockey Damien Oliver is quietly confident his Melbourne Cup mount Alenquer will be passed fit to give him a farewell ride in the…
Melbourne Cup day is here again, and it’s never anything less than exciting. The Cup itself will of course be full of drama and…
