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Bear attack: ‘Spring carnival horse’ On The Loose at Randwick

Boom stayer Bear On The Loose might just prove he is too good for winter racing when he steps out at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Ray Thomas
6 min read
July 12, 2024 - 2:40PM
Bear On The Loose, ridden by Nash Rawiller, wins at Rosehill on June 29. Picture: Jeremy Ng / Getty Images
Bear On The Loose, ridden by Nash Rawiller, wins at Rosehill on June 29. Picture: Jeremy Ng / Getty Images

Boom stayer Bear On The Loose might just prove he is too good for winter racing at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

A promising English import, Bear On The Loose is striving to score his second win from as many Australian starts in the Toyota Forklifts Handicap (1800m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott will need to make a difficult decision if the gelding wins again – do they keep him in work and allow him to race through his grades or consider a short break in preparation for a possible spring carnival campaign?

Bear On The Loose created a big impression at his first start for the stable when he led most of the way for a convincing win at Rosehill two weeks ago.

So impressive was Bear On The Loose that day he is now into $6 outright favouritism ahead of stablemate Eliyass ($8) for the Group 1 The Metropolitan at Royal Randwick on October 5.

• EXPERT TIPS: James Molony’s tips and race-by-race analysis for Randwick on Saturday

Eliyass won the Listed Lord Mayor’s Cup brilliantly at his Australian debut earlier this winter and was immediately set aside for spring.

So it says something about Bear On The Loose’s immediate impact that he is early The Metropolitan favourite and also a dominant market leader at $2.10 for Saturday’s race.

“This is a natural progression through the grades for Bear On The Loose and will help get his rating up if he wins,’’ Bott said.

“But I wouldn’t think he will go much deeper into winter, we feel he could be a spring carnival horse.’’

The Waterhouse-Bott stable has a particularly powerful entry for their home-track Randwick meeting including unbeaten two-year-old Wanaruah ($2.20 favourite) for the TAB Handicap (1400m) and Zouphoria ($5.50 equal favourite) for the I Love 0% Cocktails Handicap (1400m).

Bott said Wanaruah has trained on well since his impressive Canterbury win on debut and Zouphoria is at her peak after three runs from a spell.

• Ray Thomas’ tips, inside mail for Randwick: $5 best bet

“We feel getting out to 1400m will suit Wanaruah,’’ Bott said.

“As for Zouphoria, she is also going very well and if we get an improving track surface that will help her.’’

Bott believes I’mintowin will appreciate getting out to 1800m for his clash with another highly-rated import, Don Diego De Vega, in the James Squire Handicap.

They both raced at the Rosehill meeting two weeks ago when I’mintowin ran fourth to Highlights while Don Diego De Vega kept the pressure on Bear On The Loose.

I’mintowin had excuses last start as he stayed at 1500m second-up where he began awkwardly and could not get into his favoured position of controlling the speed from the front.

• Turf Talk: Shayne O’Cass tips $41 chance as his best bet of the day at Randwick

“The race didn’t unfold as we expected it to last start and I’mintowin should be forgiven the run,’’ Bott said. “The horse is in great shape and is looking for 1800m now.’’

The Little Pumper and Ha Ha Ha give the Waterhouse-Bott stable a strong hand for the Elite Sand And Soil Handicap (1600m).

Former Irish mare Ha Ha Ha was having her second Australian start when she went too hard in front before fading to finish ninth behind Anagain while The Little Pumper has found form again and comes off a strong all-the-way win at Canterbury.

“Ha Ha Ha had to do too much in the early stages of the race last start,’’ Bott said. “She was second-up after a long break and will appreciate the mile.

“Since we added blinkers to The Little Pumper it has switched him on his last two starts.’’

• Saturday Market Movers: Import heavily backed to win at Randwick on Saturday

The Waterhouse-Bott trained Russian Roni goes second-up into the Kanebridge Handicap (1400m).

Russian Roni resumed with a game third to Kazou at Rosehill over 1200m and is better suited at Randwick.

“I just feel Russian Roni got outsprinted late but it was a very good run,’’ Bott said. “But when he gets out to 1400m and 1600m that is the sweet spot for him.’’

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Winx’s half-sister impresses at trials

Wings Of Desire, a half-sister to all-time great Winx, was an impressive heat winner at the Rosehill barrier trials session on Friday.

The Michael Freedman-trained Wings Of Desire was back near last in her 1023m heat but unleashed a brilliant burst of acceleration to reel in the leaders and win the trial narrowly.

Bred and raced by John Camillier, Wings Of Desire is by Pride Of Dubai, sire of multiple Group 1 winners Pride Of Jenni, Bella Nipotina and Dubai Honour, out of Vegas Showgirl, the celebrated dam of the great Winx, winner of 37 of her 43 starts including 33 races in succession to finish her career.

Winx won a world record 25 Group 1 races and retired with record prizemoney of more than $26.4 million.

• New combo out to continue flying start at Randwick on Saturday

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Dual Derby champ’s half-sister steps out

At Newcastle on Saturday, three-time Group 1 winner Riff Rocket’s half-sister Codetta contests a two-year-old maiden over 1200m.

Codetta, who is by Nature Strip’s sire Nicconi out of Missile Coda, shaped promisingly for trainer Michael Freedman on debut when she ran on strongly late to finish fourth in a 900m scamper at Newcastle last month.

The two-year-old filly is raced by owner-breeder Debbie Kepitis who also owns outstanding three-year-old Riff Rocket winner of the Victoria Derby, Rosehill Guineas and ATC Australian Derby this season.

Riff Rocket is now back in work at trainer Chris Waller’s Rosehill stables in preparation for the spring carnival.

• ‘She’s just getting better as she gets older’: Pride takes Flight at Randwick

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City Of Troy rockets up rankings

English Derby hero City Of Troy has vaulted into second position behind Dubai World Cup winner Laurel River in the latest Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings.

City Of Troy, who followed his win at Epsom by defeating older horses in the Eclipse Stakes, is now rated on 123 which is behind only Laurel River, who earned a 128 figure after romping away with the Dubai World Cup by more than eight lengths earlier this year.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained Auguste Rodin, a stablemate of City Of Troy, is up to fourth in the rankings after being given a 122 rating winning the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The highest-rated Australian-trained horses are I Wish I Win, Pride Of Jenni and Private Eye who are all on 120 and equal 13th on the world rankings.

Hong Kong champion Romantic Warrior, winner of the Cox Plate last spring, is equal sixth with a 1w1 rating.

• Waterhouse, Bott just Wana taste more 2yo success at Randwick

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ATC doing a Good job for charity

The Australian Turf Club hosts its third annual “Racing For Good” Charity Raceday on the 10-race Randwick program.

ATC joins with long-time charity partner ASX Refinitiv Charity Foundation to raise funds and awareness for a range of charities.

In the past three years, Racing For Good race days have raised more than $250,000 for charity.

Matt Galanos, the ATC chief executive, said the club is proud to continue a long association with ASX Refinitiv and raise funds for charity.

• Waller ‘privileged’ to meet legendary US trainer

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Looking back

5 YEARS AGO
Havasay, the talented Queensland sprinter, had his first run for new trainer Toby Edmonds and won the Ramornie Handicap at Grafton with a powerful finish to beat Belflyer. Havasay returned 12 months later to win the Ramornie again. Tough Kiwi stayer Sacred Day edged out Sopressa in the Grafton Cup. Oak Door, a $31 bolter, upset Jungle Edge in the Monash Stakes at Caulfield.

10 YEARS AGO
Big Money, trained at Scone by Rod Northam, made it six wins and five seconds from 11 starts when he won the Ramornie Handicap for Hall of Fame jockey Robert Thompson. The Gai Waterhouse-trained Queenstown won the Grafton Cup easily by three lengths. Lord Of The Sky enhanced his reputation as a Caulfield specialist when he romped away with the Monash Stakes by nearly five lengths.

20 YEARS AGO
Emerging champion Takeover Target improved his record to six wins from as many starts when he overcame an outside barrier (14) and still raced away to win the Ramornie by two lengths in fast time of 1m 8.41s. Takeover Target, trained by Joe Janiak, won 21 races during his career, eight at Group 1 level, and scored major race wins in five states of Australia, plus England, Japan and Singapore. Pacific Dancer, a tough three-year-old, beat the older stayers in the Grafton Cup. Super Elegant excelled at Caulfield and on heavy tracks as he demonstrated winning the Monash Stakes easily.

Originally published as Bear attack: ‘Spring carnival horse’ On The Loose at Randwick

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