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
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