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Mitch Cohen’s Blackbook: Five to follow from Inglis Millennium day

Daily Telegraph’s Mitch Cohen has run the rule over all the action on Inglis Millennium day at Royal Randwick.

Mitch Cohen
4 min read
February 9, 2025 - 12:21PM
Grafterburners (orange) was doing his best work late in the Inglis Millennium. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images
Grafterburners (orange) was doing his best work late in the Inglis Millennium. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Daily Telegraph racing writer Mitch Cohen has analysed all the action from Saturday’s Inglis Millennium meeting at Royal Randwick.

FIVE TO FOLLOW

EXIT FEE (Race 2 – 2nd)

Caught deep throughout the Highway event from a wide draw, this bloke has gone enormous to only narrowly go down. If he can draw a gate in the Country Championships Qualifier he can be a major player.

TAVOLO (Race 5 – 6th)

Apprentice Maddie Owen ended up with a wall of horses in front of her and nowhere to go on a mare that looked to have plenty to offer. Watch for her in easier grade next time.

GRAFTERBURNERS (Race 7 – 4th)

Looked under serious pressure in the straight before hitting top gear and finding the line as good as anything in the Inglis Millennium. When he puts it all together, he will take beating.

BIRDMAN (Race 9 – 4th)

The betting move didn’t come off but all this import’s form says he’s only going to improve as he steps up over more ground than the mile. He’s in for a big autumn.

ROCKOLA (Race 10 – 3rd)

This son of Jukebox hadn’t raced in 60 weeks but showed no signs of any cobwebs with a slashing return behind Romeo’s Choice.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

STEWARDS SAY

Chergui (Race 3): Raced wide without cover from the 800m and did not respond to riding in the home straight. Post-race veterinary examination found him to be displaying mild heat stress and slow to recover.

Anarchist (Race 3): Did not respond to riding in the home straight and jockey Tim Clark was concerned something was amiss. The colt was slow to recover and his condition will be followed up.

Mayfair (Race 8): Raced without cover in early and middle stages and came under pressure rounding the home turn. An endoscopic examination found no significant abnormalities but he will be subject to further examinations.

Beer Baron (Race 8): Shifted near-fore plate on the way to the barriers and had to be replated before being passed suitable to start.

Hezdarnhottoo (Race 10): Raced keenly in the middle stages and was unable to close off in the straight. Was found to be 2/5 lame in the off-foreleg.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

CRUNCH TIME

Algorithmic (Race 3): Ran credibly from the back on debut with the best last 600m of the Lonhro Plate in 33.54 seconds. It included a race best final furlong of 11.69 to nab fourth.

Point And Shoot (Race 4): He was last early but showed off his devastating turn of foot to win, clocking 33.73 seconds for his last 600m. It last four furlongs were all a race-best.

Shezanalister (Race 6): A sizzling return saw her surge home from back in the pack to win in 32.63 seconds, the fastest last 600m of the meeting. She went 10.64 from the 600m-400m and 10.68 from the 400m to 200m.

Within The Law (Race 7): Forced to go back from the wide draw, she rattled home with the best last 600m of the Millennium of 33.98 seconds. It better than winner Rivellino (34.12 seconds).

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

TRACK TALK

“When Kris rang and said ‘you’ve got to ride this one, I reckon he’s pretty good’, it didn’t take much convincing.” James McDonald on Rivellino.

“You could see him in the Golden Slipper, for sure.” Kris Lees on Rivellino.

“I’m pinching myself at the moment the way the stable is going. But there are so many different elements to it, and I say it has been years in the building.” Bjorn Baker after his winning treble.

“His breeder, Mr Harry Perks, was made an Order of Australia recently and he has bred 138 stakes winners. This guy might be his 139th.‘’ Bjorn Baker on Point And Shoot.

“He has got a big circle around the Randwick Guineas.” Mick Price on Public Attention.

“He’s stunning. I’ve loved him since the first time I rode him at track work.” Chad Schofield on Public Attention.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

YOU CAN BET ON IT

Inglis Millennium

Second favourite Rivellino was backed from $6 into $4 and held over 30 per cent of all outlays, with one TAB punter placing $2000 on the colt at $4.20.

Eskimo Prince Stakes

Public Attention won at $4.80 on the TAB Fixed Odds but was still on the fourth line of betting. One TAB punter was smiling after placing a successful $5000 wager at $5, while another had $2000 each-way at $4.80/$1.65.

Open Handicap

Highlights ($16) caused the upset of the day to upset well-backed favourite Headley Grange, who had been rock solid at $2.60 since it opened. Highlights, on the sixth line of betting, held only seven per cent of all investments.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

THE SCHEDULE

Monday: Bathurst, Beaumont Newcastle

Tuesday: Goulburn

Wednesday: Hawkesbury

Thursday: Sapphire Coast, Wyong

Friday: Canterbury Park, Ballina, Tamworth

Saturday: Royal Randwick, Orange, Newcastle, Holbrook

Sunday: Port Macquarie, Dubbo

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

RON DUFFICY’S ROYAL RANDWICK SNAPSHOT

RUN OF THE DAY

The three-year-old Public Attention is the first one to put his cards on the table for the Hobartville Stakes and Randwick Guineas with an impressive 1st up win.

He was well set up fresh and has the substance to continue to improve.

FORGET THEY RAN

I don’t want to make too many excuses for anything on the day but Harlow Mist was held up behind the pack and lost momentum at a vital stage and should have got a lot closer to the odds on favourite Oh Diamond Lil.

THE BLACKBOOK

Don’t give up on Birdman, he was heavily backed late and although he didn’t threaten he still worked home late with improvement to come while World Alliance was good in a tough race first up and also more to offer.

RIDE OF THE DAY

Winona Costin seized her opportunity for the in form Bjorn Baker stable with a perfect ride on the very fit Highlights while Tom Sherry also produced a beauty on Romeo’s Choice.

Originally published as Mitch Cohen’s Blackbook: Five to follow from Inglis Millennium day

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