Summary/ Forgive File – 19th August 2017

 

 

 

Racing was at CAULFIELD on Saturday on Soft-6 track with rail out 3m. It was a tough day to come wide and swoop home. Many on-pace runners (and leaders) left the rail but doubt it was ANY disadvantage being on that inside section.

 

Thanks to all who voted (and you can do so each week through twitter – my handle is @gatorgately). You clearly voted for WINX in Sydney (fair enough !!) however, from the Melbourne options given you had HARTNELL as Run Of The Day with 16% of the vote, BRAVE SMASH (10%) and VEGE MAGIC (7%) rounded out the podium.

 

So back to HARTNELL. What a dominant return it was. He tracked a genuine speed (48.78 1st-800m) and quickly took over under  ahold before clearing out to win by 2.2L. His overall time was 1-24.06 and his rider Craig Williams reported he was on his ‘’wrong leg’’ a fair bit, add to that, he carried 61.3kg with the ‘’extra weight’’ Craig accidentally had on him… It clearly only adds merit to the win. IF you are looking for an asterix, it was a race where not much changed. Not quite a ‘’Grand Prix Race’’ but yeah, most of the horses simply held their spots here.

 

CHARMED HARMONY led and whilst he was no match at all for the winner he held third, a genuine G1 star, BLACK HEART BART so the effort was good. Yes he was advantaged by give in the track and by the race shape (not much changed) but yeah, good effort. BLACK HEART BART kept closing and was mildly lame post-race so that is noteworthy. Drier the better for him also. HE’S OUR ROKKII sat 4th inside and battled well holding that 4th spot. TOSEN STARDOM battled well also from up handy and HUMIDOR was ten pick of the closers, his last 100m (against race shape) was quite nice.

 

To Listed Regal Roller and VEGA MAGIC was excellent winning with 60.5kg after sitting 3-wide on-speed, he broke clear 200m or so out and held off BRAVE SMASH who was just as good getting into an awkward spot and being held-up a touch, he exploded and they raced away from some very good horses. In fact, there was 4.25L back to 3rd. Worth noting, BRAVE SMASH had 6.5kg less than VEGA MAGIC here. Two great runs!! SANTA ANA LANE worked home well for a clear third but was left behind when runner-up Brave Smash built momentum. RELDAS worked home quite well for fourth. Like the run of CHOCOLATE HOLIC who had good late splits after settling way back and copping a baulk, he too will be better drier. They ran 1-10.04 on Soft ground here.

 

It was only a BM78 but Race 3 was a deep race! They ran 1-4.46 for 1100m off 29.89 1st-500m and QUILISTA led, left rail, and kept going to well for THEANSWERMYFRIEND who raced keen (fresh) just off pace, wide yet still ran home hard living winner 3kg. His return was terrific. Good horse. CHAPEL ROAD had more luck today and was a solid (every chance) third with DUSTY JACK (from off midfield, wider) and LAND OF PLENTY (in-between runners) both hitting the line sweetly and running good closing slits. Sneaky good run from KAZIO (had top-3 last 400/200m splits of the day) but 1100m was way too sharp, especially this track, this day. Hmmm…

 

The Quezette was for the fillies (Race 5) and match-fit CROWN WITNESS sat handy, controlled the race to some extent and kicked-in well when CATCHY was launching, yes winner had fitness edge and a 2kg weight advantage but  good tough effort, CATCHY ran 4th-fastest last 200m of the day, and they did beat third quite clearly, that third filly was PLOVERSET who had rails trail and every hope. SHE’S SO HIGH had the back of Catchy and got left a bit but her late work was nice, she will get further. SEANNIE came from back and wide (wrong day!) yet still ran home hard, in fact her 11.3 last 200m was the fastest of the day.

 

The Vain Stks for 3yo males was a little more competitive (there was only 3L over the first seven) with JUKEBOX running down PLUTOCRACY who had slipped away after racing up handy. Like the run of POSEIDON’S POOL from 3rd-last between runners who took around 1.5L off talented winner Jukebox that last 300m, yes he had the match fitness but the run was super. DUCIMUS was sol=und but no match for the trifecta, do think he will be better drier though. KOBAYASHI showed good speed but raced too keen/ fresh and did not seem to enjoy being restrained mid race, they really slowed this race up mid-point, he needs to settle better, or, be let roll. FULLY MAXED made nice ground too. VERANILLO played up pre-race and is another better suited drier for mine.

 

 

STEP THE PEDAL (back/wide Vs pattern), NOT ONLY FLORINA (amiss), CERTAIN ELLIE (wide no cover), WRITTEN ERA (unsuited back in trip), OREGON’S DAY (run off her legs a bit – she had fastest last 600/400m splits of the day!), RISQUE (lame), BIG DUKE (mile was bit sharp Vs pattern – he ran 3rd-fastest last 400m of day), AMOVATIO (way back and wide), SEANNIE (as mentioned – nice run/ filly), KOBAYASHI (as mentioned), VERANILLO (ditto), WAIT FOR NO ONE (wide/ working), EVIL CRY (came too wide), MONTOYA’S SECRET (way back/ wide), GAILO CHOP (ditto – race/ day pattern against these two), SOUCHEZ (made ground late Vs pattern), LORD VON COSTA (blew start. hit rail turn), REINCARNATE (back and wide) and NEVIS (checked out of race).

 

 

 

In Sydney it was RANDWICK and track was GOOD-3 with rail 3m. They had a cross-wind then a big tail-wind up the straight so there were some very, very fast times/ sectionals recorded this day!

 

Well, pretty much every time she runs it is WINX and, speaking of closing sectionals, check these out: 55.18/ 43.34/ 31.98/ 21.06/ 10.7. Her last 1000m of 55.18 would have been a 1000m track record (old record was broken in race 9 with Super Too and she ran 55.72. Yes WINX had a rolling start but she still had to run 400m before running said split home. Of course, she only just got there but the win was phenomenal given she blew the start hopelessly. What a freak !

 

… Others in that Warwick Stks, well, the return of FOXPLAY was great, she had sweet run and then secured inside run but did look home. ECUADOR led in 48.94 and was only run over late himself, would love to see him back a notch as suspect he is flying again this prep. RED EXCITEMENT kept coming and was very good himself at WFA. ANTONIO GUISEPPE did more than enough also. They ran 1-21.87 (record is 1-20.34).

 

The Toy Show Qlty was Race 7 and SWEET REDEMPTION led in 40.33 1st-700m (around 3L quicker early than 3yo’s earlier in day) and ran 1-14.96 (actually .2 slower than said 3yos). She slipped away and just lasted from the unlucky EURO ANGEL who just needed more room earlier, she still ran home clear race-fastest 11.08 last 200m. IMPOSING LASS sat 4th and ROCKET COMMANDER up 2nd, they both were left a bit when leader (winner) kicked but came again. HETTY HEIGHTS worked home 11.25 after racing with Euro Angel. ZANBAGH home 11.32 did enough for sure.

 

The Up And Coming Stks was that 3YO race I mentioned and it rated very well relative to those older mares given, as mentioned, they have been able to run quicker time despite a slower 1st-700m split. DRACARYS came from off midfield and came wide with no real cart into it yet kept coming and ran 10.7/ 11.2 home. Very good win! GOLD STANDARD was travelling with the winner and came out with him, he was just no match but beat third 2.3L, that thord horse was SANCTIONED who sat up second and battled well but had no answer for the quinella. A few made the forgive file here….

 

The Show County was Race 8 and DEPLOY had the good run one-one but loved his toughness late, the gelding of this bloke has just made him a ripper (genuine) racehorse. He ran 1-8.06 (track record) and held off THE VIRGINIAN who ran a slick 10.45 400m-to-200m then home 11.23 which had him 1/100ths of second quicker than the winner that last 200m. BURNING PASSION was so gallant, he gave them weight, they went by but he just refused to yield easily! SPECTROSCOPE and INVADER were never likely but both did nice work late in fast race…. Home 11.22 and 11.25 respectively.

 

Better give SUPER TOO a wrap given she scorched the turf early (out 22.56 off standing start – 1st-400m) and kept running….. Recording a new track record of 55.72 for the 1000m. LAST WITNESS home 10.42/ 11/06 was very good and GIBRALTAR GIRL  from mile back and wide ran home 10.45/ 11.09… Both excellent in fact !!

 

Oh, FORMALITY ran a race record in race 1 – She was tough holding off ALIZEE in 1-8.83 with trial star CHAMPAGNE CUDDLES warming yup nicely late, her 10.73 last 200m was A) fast and B) race-fastest.

 

ARRESTAR (no luck vital stage), KINGIA (wide), MURAQABAA (back/ wide Vs tempo), INZ N OUT (poor recovery), PETROSSIAN (4-wide), EMBLEY (wide also), ESHTIRAAK (not much room until last 100m – did hit line), TOGA PICTA (badly blocked / hooked out and hit line hard – also, pulled-up coughing), INFERENCE (wide run), CALCULATED (blood one nostril), EURO ANGEL (stiff), SHAZEE LEE (back and too keen), OMEI SWORD 9nearly fell start – ran 11.15 last 200m – race-fastest) and TOP STRIKER (poor recovery).

 

 

– Gator