Monday Rewind: State-by-state expert analysis on who to circle and who to bin
OUR experts look back at their metropolitan meetings in their respective backyards on Saturday and give us their assessment of the best and worst performers.
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OUR experts look back at their metropolitan meetings in their respective backyards on Saturday and give us their assessment of the best and worst performers.
Nathan Exelby (The Courier Mail)
Eagle Farm
BLITZED
Rosie Myers didn’t give an inch aboard Benzini and steadfastly refused to give Blake Spriggs an out on Sir John Hawkwood. Halting his momentum was probably the difference between winning and losing at Eagle Farm.
BACK
With the Tatts Tiara opening right up after Saturday, Tsaritsa looms as the big improver. Has graduated with rapid strides this time in.
Miss Cover Girl is busting to win a race. Had to go to this tougher race after missing out the previous week and was just found out with the gap between runs.
Sampeah conceded plenty of weight to the in-form winner and should build on the tally of just one win over the coming weeks.
SACK
Jaws Of Steel attracted a lot of support coming off a nice Flemington effort, but fell well short of the required class level at Eagle Farm.
Kuro’s been off the boil for a long while now, but punters keep putting their cash on him. Was $6 to $4.80 here and the money stayed in — again.
Kimberley Star had some admirers at EF, but she’s lacked a killer punch this time in, despite some good efforts on paper.
THIS WEEK
Tuesday: Cessnock, Kembla Grange, Geelong
Wednesday: Doomben, Warwick Farm, Sandown, Strathalbyn, Belmont
Thursday: Mackay, Albury, Taree, Ballarat, Northam
Friday: Townsville, Dubbo, Gosford, Geelong
Saturday: Ipswich, Rosehill, Moonee Valley, Morphettville, Belmont, Gold Coast, Toowoomba, Rockhampton, Newcastle, Narrandera, Broome, Darwin
Sunday: Sunshine Coast, Muswellbrook, Port Macquarie, Hamilton, Sale, Kalgoorlie, Hobart, Alice Springs
THE QUOTE
“That was painless.”
— Tony Pike after Sacred Elixir’s J.J. The dominance of Provocative’s Oaks win would have embedded similar feelings on a day to remember for the Kiwi trainer.
THE TALKING POINT
Eagle Farm is back! No, it’s not perfect yet and it wasn’t ideal to have the inside section viewed as quicksand later in the day, so punters may take time to rekindle their affection for the circuit in order to bet with confidence. But the comments from most jockeys point to it being a great surface in the making.
Danny Russell (Herald Sun)
Flemington
BLITZED
Welcome back to racing, Tony Vasil. First runner back from a few years out of the game, and it’s a winner. Vasil even helped himself to some of the 80-1 on offer for General Truce earlier in the week. Apprentice Brooke Sweeney comes to town and rides her first city winner, on her old mate Leveraction. Expect more metro wins to come.
BLUNDERED
A flood of cash came for Lindsay Park first-starter Wall Street Wolf, but the $2.50 favourite cooked himself before getting to the barriers, sweating up big time.
HOT
Mike Moroney and Jake Bayliss have combined for a winner every Saturday for the past month, in the same colours carried by Chautauqua.
NOT
Favourites in the Stradbroke. They never win.
HORSES TO FOLLOW
Whoop Whoop, Euro Angel, Wall Street Wolf, Araldo Junior
LAST-CHANCE SALOON
Volcanic Ash, She’s Clean
IN THE BIN
Lonrockstar, Hawkspur
Lincoln Moore (The Advertiser)
Morphettville
BLITZED
Nishiazabu was brilliant return to form in the Grand National Steeplechase while Casino Wizard again showed he’s an above average galloper who knows how to win.
BLUNDERED
Twin Tea Bags was the first horse beaten in the Grand National Hurdle, a rare Darren Weir failure in Adelaide. Phillip Stokes’ Royal Guard was another to disappoint after solid specking.
HOT
Matthew Poon landed his first city winner at his first city ride aboard Chapel City, who produced a massive effort on debut, and the former Hong Kong apprentice is set to be in high demand over the winter months.
NOT
Battle Brewing had specking but was never a factor behind Chamois Road, he looks to have come to the end of his preparation.
HORSES TO FOLLOW
Chapel City, Swipe Me Right, Living Large
Shayne O’Cass (The Daily Telegraph)
Royal Randwick
BLITZED
Kris Lees, the son of the legendary trainer Max Lees, is having a year to savour in 2016 highlighted by Lucia Valetina’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes win during The Championships but what of his back-up brigade like Danish Twist? She won the $400,000 Provincial Championship Final on the same day then on Saturday, duly added the Listed ATC June Stakes to her C.V. and was one of two winners on the day for Less (junior).
BLUNDERED
Tunes. The Adelaide visitor was well in commission in Sydney’s two-mile Stayers Cup thanks to his second in the Adelaide Cup back in March but finished out of a place.
WHO’S HOT
Rory Hutchings is soon to be named Sydney’s leading apprentice, the first NZ’er to achieve the feat — with three winners on Saturday, the only question remains is ‘by how far’.
WHO’S NOT
Vassal — very harsh I know beaten a nose and game as he was but they don’t pay much the place as a $2.80 fav.
HORSES TO FOLLOW
Conchita, Grunderzeit, Badajoz, Yasnat (from Canberra on Friday — wow!)
Originally published as Monday Rewind: State-by-state expert analysis on who to circle and who to bin
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