Summary/ Forgive File: Turnbull and Epsom Day(s)

 

 

 

Thanks to all who voted on an epic weekend of racing. There were some outstanding individual performances however, the voting was clear-cut that HARTNELL was the Run Of The Weekend, he held 49% of the vote beating EXTREME CHOICE (30%), HAURAKI (19%) and ASTERN (2%)…

 

So… let’s start at FLEMINGTON:

 

 

The track was GOOD and rail was 9m. The pattern was very much suiting swoopers. There was a strong tailwind up the straight so be wary of the fast times and forgive most who did not have cover down the back.

 

Run Of The Day:

As mentioned it was HARTNELL and for the third time in succession, the win was nothing short of outstanding, this time he thrashed a G1 mare in JAMEKA who was coming off a huge win herself. Hartnell ran home 33.55/ 22.51 then 11.55 despite rider ‘’clocking off’’ 150m from home, he ran 22-seconds flat 600m-to-200m, make no mistake, he is a genuine threat to the mighty Winx !!

 

His overall time was 2-01.03 off a moderate 1-16.96 1st-1200m, JAMEKA was, well, clear second best, she followed the winner and chased hard (splits: 33.87/ 22.89/ 11.76) but was outclassed. TALLY sat up second and battled well to keep third from PREFERMENT (better effort) and old boy HAPPY TRAILS (11.89) who did find the line. DE LITTLE ENGINE ran home 11.75 last 200m and is flying for easier/ further.

 

The Blazer Stks was Race 8 and by now, the pattern was well established, the trifecta all came from off midfield and wide: FRENCH EMOTION ridden colder (smart move) peeled to the middle and unleashed a big finale to beat PURE PRIDE who was a bit stiff even she copped an early check then found traffic at a vital stage, she rushed home race-fastest 11.28 to get second from VIBRANT ROUGE (11.37) back out to 1400m. TELOPEA stayed on inside lanes, her effort to run fourth Vs the pattern was excellent for mine. ROCKOLICIOUS was solid for easier. Win time was 1:24.36 off 50.29 1st-800m

 

Back to R4 and Gigai Stks and, despite that strong tailwind, FAATINAH led in 36.54 1st-600m which is walking speed, to put this into perspective on the day, the 2yo’s in race 1 went 34.42 early so they would have been leading this G2 field by around 12 Lengths at the halfway mark. THE QUARTERBACK was only a few lengths away before bursting through scooting home 21.7/ 11.2 and beating WE’VE GOT THIS who came from behind him, his splits were 21.6/ 11.11 and that latter 200m was the day’s fastest, he is going super but just needed more speed on. DURENDAL sat behind them and was a sound third from GENERALIFE. UNDER THE LOUVRE hooked out wide but race was dominated closer inside and nearer the speed, he ran 11.35 home. They still ran a slick 1-9.04 (wind assisted)

 

The Manifold Stks for 3yo Fillies was R6 and SERENELY DISCREET charged over the top of them, as mentioned here off that totally luckless fresh run she looked to have plenty to give that day, well, I guess this proves that true! She came from second-last off a 50.81 1st-800m and stormed over the top running 21.95/ 11.35. Worth noting the runner-up came from last (and right behind her) in BELLA SORELLASTRA and she recorded 22.05/ 11.27. Again it was a run-ons race. WATERLOO SUNSET from off midfield and racing tight key stage ran home wee into third from ANOTHER BULLSEYE who needed up near that inside section so fancy she ran very well here. FROM PARIS WITHLOVE ran 11.71 home and was sound. Overall time: 1-37.52 for the mile.

 

STYLEMAN (went to inside rail), TRENCHANT (never clear), HIGHLAD (early work/ run-ons day/ ends up inside rail/ ran super!), BEACH LIFE (back and wide), MISSILE BOOM (lame), THROSSELL (atrial fibrillation), DANDY GENT (attacked lead mid race/ went well), CHIPANDA (too wide), EXOCET (little luck/ mucous post-race), ELEONARA (never fully clear), CLASSIC DIVA (badly blocked), PEEKING DUCK (covered ground), RAW IMPULSE (poor recovery), TELOPEA (wrong spot), MANAGERESS (upside/ down), CATCH A FIRE (covered ground), DAN ZEPHYR (should’ve finished closer), SANTA ANA LANE (upside/ down).

 

 

To RANDWICK for Epsom Day and track was Good-4, there were some fast time recorded. Rail was 3m. There was no mad pattern evident for mine, winners led and swooped, There was high-wind so cover was helpful.

 

The win of HAURAKI in the Epsom was excellent after drifting back to last, he was certainly helped but a suicidal speed on up front set by FABRIZIO, he ran 58.2 his first 1000m and there was a sub 34-second 600m there, it set up a sizzling overall time of 1-33.87. Back to the winner though, his closing speed off that tempo was exceptional, he easily broke 11-seconds 400m-to-200m (10.82 – clearly race-fastest) then ran home 11.07 whilst many were gasping for air (next fastest last 200m was HEAVENS ABOVE – 11.32 who was also well-back). DIBAYANI and MACKINTOSH had beautiful ‘’suck runs’’ with cover off that hot speed and so often, horses with those runs, in races where there is a tearaway leader, win! Both were home 11.62. HAPPY CLAPPER didn’t ping but kept responding to riding and ended-up .6L 4th (home 11.42) with LE ROMAIN 5th (good effort given he was first out to chase the leader), MCCREERY raced near HAPPY CLAPPER and he too didn’t quicken back at the mile but warmed up nicely late home 11.51, then the aforementioned HEAVENS ABOVE, these seven had 1.7L over them all. Great race !!

 

The Metrop was won by SIR JOHN HAWKWOOD and he did a terrific job, yes he had the perfect run in transit but the leader really upped the ante (tempo) 800m out which should have suited those back with the last crack, the winner was left in front a way out as said leaders fainted early yet he kept running! ANTONIO GUISEPPE measured up very well (albeit with 51kg) and chased hard for second from ALLERGIC who closed 11.00/ 11.36, only fourth horse SACRED MASTER was quicker home (10.87 slick 400-to-200m then 11.32 home). That ran 2:30.47 for 2400m here.

 

The other G1 was Flight Stks and GLOBAL GLAMOUR led before steadying tempo mid race and giving a very nice kick. She went 59.83 1st-1000m so didn’t walk (but were some 9L slower than madman Fabrizio) and held off YANKEE ROSE who was forced to make an early move, then forced wide. She still attacked the line (home 11.48 – race-fastest) but couldn’t reel in the winner. SEZANNE came with the runner-up and was sound but no match for her, they thrashed the rest some 4.5L and ran 1-34.73

 

Many were disappointed with ASTERN, I was not one of them, he went back (as excepted) as leader/ winner RUSSIAN REVOLUTION ran 35.7 1st-600m (say, 9L slower than Howmuchdoyouloveme in final race over 1200m) and held on. ASTERN recorded an amazing 32.29 last 600m, easily day’s fastest, the 200m breakdown splits were 10.8/ 10.4/ 11.08… I hope many sack him and we get some odds next time ??? 🙂

 

Better mention two 2yo races:

 

JORDA had the run but won well despite running about late and ran 57.53 off 23.22 1st-400m split, runner-up KANGA’S EYE (home 11:46) after blowing the start and being held-up was excellent !! LUCKY LOUIE ran home 11.47 and hit line nice.

KHAN won the boy’s division from midfield (home 11:45) and overcoming some traffic issues, he set out after CONDOR HEROES who had led and given a beaut kick, he had no answer late but they had a gap on third, they ran 57.43 off 23.18 1st-400m so…. early report, very little between both divisions.

 

GRASSLANDS (back/ green/ showed ability), MEDAL KHAN (bad start/ bad check!), THY KINGDOM COME (back/wide/new), SPENCER (wide), THE MISSION (poor recovery), NEMRUD (good thing beaten), CALABASAS (lame), AWOKE (too dry), FABRIZIO (umm, yeah), MIGHTY LUCKY (covered ground), PALENTINO (back/ wide/ wrong leg going Sydney way), SENSE OF OCCASION (wide/ still beat many home), STORM THE STARS (lame), GOOD PROJECT (checked out of it).

 

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Bring on Guineas Day !!

 

Gator