SUMMARY/ FORGIVE FILE from 20/8

 

 

 

Racing was at MOONEE VALLEY on Saturday on a track upgraded from Soft-6 to Soft-5 from race 7 onwards. The rail was TRUE, the pattern suited those off the inside rail.

 

The podium horses this week: KEN’S DREAM, CATCH A FIRE and FAST CASH. Giving the ‘’gold’’ to KEN’S DREAM though, he went from an Echuca maiden into Saturday’s Mckenzie Stks and led in a modest 37-flat 1st-600m yet was able to run 1-12.68 for 1200m…

 

…why was this so impressive? There were 4 x 1200m races on the day and this 3YO ran 1-12.68 and was within 3/100ths of s second of seasoned older sprinters later in the day (on upgraded track) won by JUST MAGICAL and he ran this time despite the first half of the race being run around 9L slower !! KEN’S DREAM beat DAM READY and there were one-two all the way, the runner-uo had trialled super coming in and they gapped third, that third horse was THROSSELL who was sound home and beat fourth easy.

 

So, race 9, JUST MAGICAL sits off the 35.29 1st-600m and finished too well running 1-12.63 holding off FAST CASH who couldn’t keep up early then flashed late to just miss (12.45 last 200m was race-fastest). SEBRING SUN made a good debut for the Weir stable coming from midfield wide with cover and joining in, fancy he peaked late, fancy he is better drier too! RICH JACK raced tight turning and kept going strongly to the wire, there was just .3 over these four horses. MAGICUS went early and couldn’t quite finish it off, he was 5th. MAGNUS REIGN ran home 12.76 and was sound.

 

The Carlyon Stks was Race 8 over 1000m and HEATHERLY was too strong despite racing ‘’fresh’’ midway, she took over early (off 36.21 1st-600m) and lasted from VIDDORA who measured up very well, she was wide no cover then charged out after Heatherly, she ran 11.65 home, that figure was bettered only by the resuming O’MALLEY who came from last, came wide and attacked wire in 11.62, the fastest all day. Great return him! ENERAL TRUCE was an every chance 4th. They ran 59.82 for the 1000m.

 

CATCH A FIRE was super winning race 3 coming from back, she was forced wide and asked to sustain a long run fresh-up yet beat older mares clearly. She ran 1-13.01 off 36.35 1st-600m (so quicker early than Ken’s Dream, yet slower overall). FOREIGN AFFAIR measured up well (every chance) running second and had match-fitness on-side. VIBRANT ROUGE keeps racing well, she ran home hard late and her 12.13 was clear race fastest, she wants 1400m! NOT A HAPPY CAMPER ran super here off wide run and she drifted back to slower inside lanes in the straight. ROCKOLICIOUS raced tight then was close-up, fancy she wants further too. FRENCH EMOTION made a good return running home 12.18 from back on rail, after being held-up.

 

SWEET SHERRY won the fillies race (race 4) and ran 1-13.37 for the 1200m, it was the slowest of the four 1200m races but they also went a ridiculous 37.82 1st-600m so they were never able to run time. Winner had rails trail then gained inside run (but off rail) so it was perfection for her. TAN TAT BEAUTY attached the line from midfield with cover and MOTOWN LIL was forced wide then rattled home in 11.68, great run Vs the slow speed and one of the faster closing splits of the day.

 

AU REVOIR (lame), CAPRESE (poor recovery), REFUSE TO LOSE (poor recovery), FRENCH EMOTION (limited luck/ room), ZAMZAM (upside/ down), MOONLOVER (slow out/ worst ground), DEZURI (wide), VERSTAPPEN (lame), BAFFERT (mucous), LUCQUES (worst ground), TOOLEYBUC KID (slow recovery), COOLDINI (wide), CHILL PARTY (action/ amiss?), SHIRAZ (luckless), PASSING SHOT (slow recovery), LE BONSIR (took off wide/ early), RUNSATI (led VS pattern) and SHAF (shuffled back/ no guide).

 

 

In Sydney the racing was hot, the track was RANDWICK and the rating of the track was Soft-5 to Good-4, the winners were away from the inside rail.

 

With 50% of the vote you went with WINX over DIVINE PROPHET (22%) and OMEI SWORD (19%)…. No shock for mine! WINX was outstanding, sitting off the slow (50.94 1st-800m) speed and cruising to the lead under a hold (just like recent greats Black Caviar and Maybe Diva before her), she ran amazing sectionals, as she does !

 

… The runner-up was HARTNELL and he might be back to his best? He tracked the winner and got left but battled well to the wire beating leader REBEL DANE who just lasted for third from LUCIA VALENTINE who is never that effective ridden that close, she also battled well. VANBRUGH was the disappointment off the nice trial. They ran 1-23.83 for 1400m.

 

Back to Race 4 and DIVINE PROPHET was restrained to last, came widest and ran over two good ones in DERRYN and THORIUM, what adds merit to the win was the fact said placegetters were one-two in running and ran 41.9 1st-650m. There was a gap to 4th, PRIZED ICON, his effort with 61kg was most pleasing, yes he copped windburn from winner but that winner had 6kg on him from their G1 clash in Autumn. TAJ MAHAL made a good return also after racing keen/ fresh early. Worth noting they ran around 8L quicker early than the other 1300m race (won well by PEARLS) so no shock they ran quicker, 1-16.68 whilst PEARLS recorded 1-17.33.

 

Hard not to be impressed with OMEI SWORD in the Silver Shadow, she sat midfield off 35.05 1st-600m and niggled before the turn then joined in and raced away running 1-9.68, this filly was .24 quicker than older mare TYCOON TARA a race later. Runner-up BACARELLA sat 3rd no cover and was keen yet joined in with the winner, she was blown away late but ran super. QUICK FEET kept closing nicely into 3rd, ZAFINA did nice work late, she wants further now.

 

TYCOON TARA sat up second on 35.25 1st-600m and held off LE ROMAIN in the Show County running 1-9.92. MOUNT NEBO was the best closer, he ran home hard, as did MESSENE who was fresh-up here, the old boy went very well also. Winner was .2 slower early and .24 slower overall than filly OMEI SWORD (as touched on)

 

TORGERSEN (not much room), SHADOW LORD (slow out/ pace against), PINDAN PEARL (blew start badly), ELUSIVE RUNNER (also blew the start, badly), FIVE PENNIES (wide), HIGH TEC (early check), KENT (raced tight as winner went by/ should have finished closer), MANAYA (back/ wide and too keen), ROSE OF MAN (bad start/ good run), FREEZE THE CHARGES (wide) and GLENBAWN DANE (wider!).

 

 

– Gator