The racing over the last six weeks has been memorable. Every week something spectacular. A veritable meteorite shower of racing highlights and the show has only started to ramp up.
I think Saturday racing offered some snippets …
Almandin
Those disappointed with the run of Almandin in the Bart Cummings Stakes are making a hasty judgement. His work was very strong. The son of Monsun’s last 1000m was on par with the winner, Amelie’s Star, a good horse, and I just loved the strength in the German’s work.
I’m sure Team Williams is quite happy with that performance. He drops three kilos to his Melbourne Cup race-weight and he looked peachy-keen in the paddock parade and that combined with his staying effort suggests he is ready to defend his crown. Don’t worry about his short sharp sprint, it’ll be there on raceday.
Having said all that about one of my 2016’s heroes, without Order of St George in the race this is a most interesting Melbourne Cup and Almandin hasn’t that many Benchmark points to play with like last year.
(AAP Image/Joe Castro)
Humidor Gear Change
I am not going to second guess Darren Weir about his proposed gear change of adding blinkers to Humidor in the upcoming Caulfield Cup.
I am just surprised he decided on that course. Humidor ran very well against Winx. His sectional speed between the 1000m and the 600m was excellent (23.1s) as the only horse to match the Winx surge for that 400m at least. The next best speed in this up-tempo sectional was Assign who finished behind the Weir galloper.
Excluding Winx, his 800-400 metre and 600-200 metre sectionals were the best quarters of any other runner and understandably, he did get expectantly tired over the last 200m after sustained chasing for the previous 800 metres. So for me, he gets a ‘nod and a wink’ and not a ‘bagg’in’.
Humidor suffered a taste of the Winx wobble, a famed magical spell she is known to cast on her rivals. So, all-in-all, I thought he did OK. Most horses usually suffer from the Winx stagger, another magical spell she casts when they try to keep up … ask Hartnell, Highland Reel, Criterion … but Winx might be reserving that ‘super’ pixie dust for the Cox Plate like she usually does.
If you are wondering what I’m babbling about with all this pixie dust stuff, Google the ‘Winx Club’ and her magical dominance may be explained to you.
Changing the gear on Humidor is a roll of the dice. Darren Weir knows what he is doing in this matter but all things considered the stunningly bred Teofilo gelding did good in the Turnbull. Without Winx in the race to puff-him-out, he easily wins.
Derby becoming as tough as nails
The David Payne-trained Ace High was quality-tough in the Spring Champion Stakes. It was a good race playing on a track that was nearly a second slower than recent weeks.
In the hands of his South African mentor, this son of High Chaparral will be hard to hold out when he winds-up-the-wick down the long Flemington straight in a month. Sully was excellent too and expect him to remain a serious VRC Derby contender of the first order.
Main Stage was dominant in Melbourne but has to continue on an upward trajectory. Murray Baker’s horse, Weather With You, worked home okay but had trouble passing Eshtiraak. Let’s see what he does in his semi-final before dismissing him.
Currently, my top Victorian hope for the VRC Derby is the Anthony Freedman trained, Travistock Abbey. There is only upside with him.
I like his pedigree (very much); I like the way he races; I like the way he fights; I like the way he is being put together; I like his trainer; I like his rider … yep, he is a good’un, so I’d be surprised if he wasn’t a significant player on the main day.
So that’s just a few thoughts from last Saturday’s racing. Actually, there is a whole lot to talk about. Egg Tart looked great in her trial last week and her two-year old stablemate, Performer lived up to his name in a red-hot Breeder’s Plate. The first two over the line have certainly set the bar reasonably high for babies and their season has hardly started.
Anyway, just a few thoughts as the carnival ramps-up.
Tristan Rayner
Editor
Generous of you KV! Thanks for confirming some thoughts there...
Johnybulldog
Guest
Ha ha,love ur style Kv!
kv joef
Roar Guru
Quite seriously, i'm pleased you drew my attention to Harlem early Tristan. i did notice him working home quite well inside Almandin but i was more focused on the German. Harlem already qualified for the Caul Cup, is currently 60th in line for the MCup. He is close to Bonneval at the CC weights but i dare say on a perusal of their pace figures ... he may be a quicker horse on top of the ground. That 2 minute gallop in the Naturalism was impressive. The distance between Amelie's Star and Harlem in both races (Nat & BC) remained about the same in the straight although their beginning positions were reversed and he meets her 2kg better. I pretty much know your on top of the above otherwise you would not have mentioned him (again :-) ). But another incident occurred in the BC ... something happened to Harlem inside the distance maybe he resented Dunn's strong riding or he was startled by something behind him that caused him to momentarily lose concentration, turning his head, as if to look behind him before going again. Spot-on Tristan he was real good find. i missed it - getting old. in his autumn prep he went to the sydney cup in three starts, i thought he was very good in that race, especially with hindsight ... he isn't a wet-tracker. He was v.competitive until the 200m when exertion got a bit much for him but he didn't quit. Chad Schofield rode him very well in that race and i think will retain the ride in the CaulCup (?). Really good find Tristan and now all that is needed is ... a G3 track and a barrier inside 8. But remember, young fella, never take the stable's odds ... it's just plain bad manners. Did i just take your next story :-) oops . No ... you've got plenty ...
Tristan Rayner
Editor
KV... when you do it so well, what I am I going to write about? I want to add in Harlem to your 'don't write off' thoughts actually - I don't know if he's a world beater but he was thrown into The Bart Cumming after Hayes specifically said he wouldn't go there. As a friend told me, afterthoughts don't win races. I suspect he entered Cup calculations ahead of time and they wanted to keep ticking him over. The Winx wobble, as Cam said, great line there. Similar happened in the wake of Black Caviar I'd reckon, not that I ever quite thought about it in those terms!
kv joef
Roar Guru
also liked the way Johnny Vinko was sneaking home on the fence with his stablemate charging down the outside to victory. with stablemate Sully, the Busuttin/Young training team are looking to have a very authoritative hand in the Derby if they all get there. it was a big call from them to jump JV from a Bendigo maiden defeat to a Flem. Listed race and prove to be right. wouldn't be the first time a maiden won the VRC Derby :-) . PS unlucky throw at the stumps with the Grandduke hope the exotics were worth something? :-)
kv joef
Roar Guru
Agree Razzar and Cam. The Humidor gut-buster is a possibility. Most don't realise how quick Winx can go. we got a taste of it in Sydney with her 3 heart-stoppers when she was asked to put the pedal to the metal. Humidor is a v.good horse with a current WR122 equal to that of Hartnell. The Caulfield Cup has always resulted in a very average performance on my part. I can never feel happy about the race until a few hours before = a nightmare of variables.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
Tavistock Abbey is ticking along quite well. Johnny Vinko is one I've been given the wink on for the Derby, and although worked home well the last couple, Tavistock Abbey has beaten it well both times
Cameron Rose
Expert
The Winx Wobble! Love it KV. It's a thing alright.
Cameron Rose
Expert
That would be my only query with Humidor, if he can respond off the back of that run. Bonneval was a big winner out of the weekend I think, with Harlem underwhelming too.
Razzar
Guest
Seeing nothing wrong about Almandin right now. Consecutive runs at 2500 carrying steadying weights, and his second run he finishes a few lengths away, raises a few eyebrows? Ticking nicely in my book. Humidor looked to disappoint. But smacked by a Champion that reached her pot distance. Humidor at the 300 was right out of his comfort zone, laying in, and barely responding to his urgings from his his jockey. Hope this wasn’t a gut buster for him... Grandfinal in two weeks.