Caulfield Guineas winner Super Seth to resume in Manfred Stakes on path to Alligator Blood rematch
The only galloper to lower the colours of cult Queenslander Alligator Blood makes his much-awaited return and sets course for the highly anticipated rematch next month.
SuperRacing
Don't miss out on the headlines from SuperRacing. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Caulfield Guineas winner Super Seth, will return to racing next Saturday in the Manfred Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield and his trainer Anthony Freedman said he’s a bigger and stronger three-year-old colt.
Super Seth hasn’t started since he mowed down Alligator Blood in the closing stages to hand the Queenslander the only defeat of his career in the Caulfield Guineas.
Watch over 50 sports LIVE on Kayo! Stream to your TV, mobile, tablet or computer. Just $25/month, cancel anytime. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >
Super Seth will clash again with Alligator Blood in the C.S Hayes Stakes (1400m) on February 15 and then the Australian Guineas (1600m) on February 29 both at Flemington.
Star Kiwi colt Catalyst, who resumed with an exciting win at Ellerslie on Saturday, will also run in those races making for a mouth-watering contest for racing fans.
That trio are also in the All-Star Mile with but Freedman wasn’t certain Super Seth would head to that race.
“I’m happy with him he’s bigger and stronger and a bit heavier, he’s developed which is good,” Freedman said.
Freedman said the All-Star Mile probably wasn’t on Super Seth’s agenda but he would work it out after the Australian Guineas which was “first and foremost” in his plans.
Super Seth sits 16th in the All-Star Mile voting with 1002 votes.
Unlike the other pair Super Seth is a colt but Freedman said he would most likely race on as a four-year-old.
“If he’s racing well he might go as a four-year-old as the prizemoney’s so good, that’s what the owners have told me.”
“They’ve paid a lot of money for him if they can get a bit back they’ll have a crack at that.”
Freedman said he would also nominate Caulfield Guineas third placegetter Groundswell for the Manfred Stakes but he said he could end up campaigning in Sydney as he was keen to separate them.
Freedman is also keen to separate his high class three-year-old fillies Lyre and Southbank who were also close to returning to racing.
He said star sprinter Santa Ana Lane had returned to his stables and was “pretty big in condition.”
He said he’d done some programming for him this week and doubted he’d be ready for the Melbourne Festival Of Racing carnival. He said he was most likely to do his campaigning in Sydney and Brisbane.
MORE RACING
BORN TO RULE: SNOWDENS UNEARTH ANOTHER GUN
MONDAY RACEBOOK
JUST DO WHAT YOU’RE TOLD
Lindsey Smith would love to target the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes with Australia Stakes winner Scales Of Justice but that won’t be happening.
Smith said Scales Of Justice would continue on his mission to try and gain a start in the All-Star Mile and would have his next start in the Orr Stakes.
“I don’t own him but as a horse trainer a start in the Lightning Stakes would be something I’d like to give a go as his sprinting form is excellent. The owners pay the bills and I’m training him to go in the direction they want to.”
Next spring though Smith is hoping to persuade the owners about tackling The Everest.
NO NEED TODOCTOR PLANS
Tony McEvoy was happy with the return to racing of Hey Doc, who finished second in the Australia Stakes and intends to continue on the program he had mapped out. McEvoy said the pressure Ashlor applied to him probably brought about his undoing.
“When he won the Manikato Stakes and the Winterbottom Stakes he had a period where he was unpressured but he didn’t get that in this race. The winner Scales Of Justice had the perfect run behind him and in the finish he was the only horse to beat him.”
McEvoy said Hey Doc would run in the Orr Stakes and the Futurity Stakes before heading to Dubai for the $2 million Al Quoz Sprint over 1200 metres at Meydan on March 28. He said the beauty of that plan was that he would be rock hard fit before he headed overseas.
I AM A GREAT LONG SHOT
Better mark in your diaries whenever Mornington trainers David and Coral Feek head off to Sydney with I Am Vinnie but suspect the horse may have bolted.
For the second time in six months they took him up to Sydney for a big priced win. In August he won at the Kensington track at $61 and on Saturday he won at Randwick at $51. Each time he was ridden by Jake Noonan and again he was his only ride on the program.
DIAMOND RUNS ARE GEMS
Best closing sectional for the day was by two-year-old Hanseatic in winning the boys’ division of the Blue Diamond Preview running a slick 10.97 seconds for the last 200m. The best closer in the fillies division was Unstoppable who rocketed home in 11.02 seconds. The winner A Beautiful Night flew in the early stages and ran 10.50 seconds for the 200m split between the 800m and the 600m mark.
MILES OF INTEREST
Racing Victoria officials are thrilled with the progress of the All-Star Mile voting as ticked over 50,000 votes on Saturday. $1 for every vote goes to the Bushfire Appeal. Star Missile still leads the way with 5502 votes. Second placing is still Alligator Blood with 5486 votes. Between that pair they have over 20 per cent of the voting.
THE WEEK AHEAD
Sandown Lakeside and Hanging Rock kick off this week’s racing today. Tomorrow is at Benalla and the on Wednesday there is a Geelong twilight meeting. Thursday is at Stony Creek then at Pakenham at night-time. On Friday racing is at Werribee and then at the Valley on Friday night. Caulfield stages the feature meeting on Saturday with the main races the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes for two-year-olds and the Group 3 Manfred Stakes for three-year-olds. There are also meetings at Kyneton and Healesville.