Monday Rewind: State-by-state expert analysis on who to circle and who to bin

WEIR TOWN continues to rumble out west as Darren and merry band of workers he always attributes to his successes pulled off another Group 1 triumph at the weekend.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 05: Mark Zahra riding Palentino beats Craig Newitt riding Tarzino (NZ) to win race 7 the Australian Guineas during Melbourne Racing at Flemington Racecourse on March 5, 2016 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images for VRC)

WEIR TOWN continues to rumble out west as Darren and merry band of workers he always attributes to his successes pulled off another Group 1 triumph at the weekend.

This time it was Palentino that rose to the occasion to pocket the Australian Guineas with a gritty victory over Mick Price-trained stayer Tarzino.

And despite jockey Mark Zahra’s second visit to the stewards’ room in a fortnight, the Tasmanian bred colt was rewarded for his courageous win with the objection thrown out.

Weir may even press on to this weekend’s Australian Cup with his rising stable star, with a decision to be made later this week.

Michael Manley (Herald Sun)

Flemington

A courageous Palentino edges out Tarzino (left) to win the Group 1 Australian Guineas on the weekend. Picture: Getty Images

BLITZED

Darren Weir/Mark Zahra/Palentino

Darren Weir continued his ascension to the top of the training ranks with Palentino’s win. He identified the horse as a star early on and now he has a Group 1 win.

Mark Zahra also is rising to the top. Showed his horsemanship on Palentino, who is far from an easy ride. Also his vigour and judgment.

Palentino is a star in the making. Zahra suggests he’s still a work in progress and has the feel of a stayer about him.

Tony McEvoy and Miss Seton Sands. The ex-Kiwi stretched out like a top horse running her last 200m in 11.10 seconds.

BLUNDERED

The Kiwi star Xtravagant. But on reflection he was far from disgraced. He was pressured throughout and was also in the slower part of the track.

HORSES TO FOLLOW

Derryn was slow to begin, looked a bit lost but really finished off nicely. The style of Tom Melbourne’s win suggests he’s a Group 1 stayer in the making. His trainer Lee Freedman believes that’s the case too and he knows a smart horse when he has one. Zebrinz finished off nicely over 1400m. Ready to win his next start.

HOT

Two well known training partnerships with doubles. Lee and Anthony Freedman with horses heading for the top in Malaguerra and Tom Melbourne. David Hayes and Tom Dabernig with new recruit Red Bomber and Wawail.

NOT

Disappointing effort from Assign. Surprisingly led and was beaten a long way out.

Shayne O’Cass (The Daily Telegraph)

Royal Randwick

BLITZED

English. The Golden Slipper runner-up behind Vancouver had been off the scene a long time but hat didn’t stop her from winning a highly competitive G2 worth $500K first-up. What a class act she is.

BLUNDERED

Capitalist. Sore, not sore, fit, not fit, you have nowhere to hide when you go down at $1.22 in a 4-horse race.

HOT

Tommy Berry. Another swag of multiple winners for Berry, who won a G1 in Honkers the weekend before. He’s at the top of his top game right now.

NOT

The Track. Randwick, nothing Royal about it. I’m no Don Burke so can somebody please explain fast lanes, slow lanes, etc etc?

HORSES TO FOLLOW

Moqueen, Libran, Egyptian Symbol, Lucky Can Be

Lincoln Moore (The Advertiser)

Morphettville

Signoff and Harry Coffey make easy work of their rivals at Morphettville. Picture: Bianca De Marchi

BLITZED

Signoff was short but his win in a slowly run Lord Reims was that of his with class. He put lengths on his rivals in a matter of strides last weekend and looks the horse to beat in next Monday’s Adelaide Cup.

BLUNDERED

La Renarde was well backed but never threatened behind tearaway leader Moshki in the Cinderella Stakes, who gave in-form apprentice Emily Finnegan her first Listed success.

HORSES TO FOLLOW

Pomp (R1), Dashebo (R2), Segregation (R8).

HOT

Darren Weir is enjoying a brilliant run and he has the Adelaide Cup at his mercy with Signoff and Real Love dominating betting.

NOT

Distillation was well beaten in the Lord Reims Stakes and will need to improve dramatically ahead of Monday’s Cup to be prominent.

Nathan Exelby (The Courier Mail)

Doomben

BLITZED

There’s been a few middle distance races won in recent weeks by jockeys taking the mid race initiative and Jeff Lloyd did it to perfection on outsider Surface Tension at Doomben.

HORSES TO FOLLOW

It’s been 22 years since a horse has completed the Derby double, but with the Sydney three-year-olds looking average, Tarzino’s Flemington run shows he’s in a great spot to dominate the upcoming classics.

Kiss And Make Up clocked the time to say he will be competitive in the Slipper, but really looks like coming into his own over the Sires and Champagne trips.

Terrific effort by Denarius at Doomben coming from the back. Had a stop-start prep last time in, but all looks in order now and that being the case, he will build on his tally of three wins.

SACK

Stewards reported that Glorious Sinndar pulled up sore at Doomben. Even so, he won’t be starting $6 in a Saturday race any time soon. Looks very sluggish.

Ball Of Muscle lost his perfect place record at Randwick and now sits in that awkward spot where he’s difficult to place — WFA is too hot and the handicapper gets him back in grade.

Lumosty usually races like a bomb down the straight and when fresh, but never looked a hope at Flemington. Hard to see her figuring in any of the better races coming up.

MARKETS

NEWMARKET HANDICAP

Flemington, Saturday

$2.60 Chautauqua

$4.40 Japonisme

$5.50 Terravista

$7 Delectation

$9.50 Supido

$11 Counterattack

$14 Kinglike

$17 Flamberge

$18 Keen Array

$19 Secret Agenda, Black Heart Bart

$21+ Others

Odds: UBET

MARKET: TAB FIXED ODDS

GOLDEN SLIPPER

Rosehill, March 19

$3.50 Extreme Choice

$6.50 Flying Artie, Capitalist

$10 Kiss And Make Up, Astern

$16 Scarlet Rain

$18 Good Standing

$20 Weatherly

$26+ Others

Odds: UBET

MARKET: TAB FIXED ODDS

Extreme Choice is now outright favourite for the Golden Slipper following the failure of Capitalist at the weekend. Picture: Michael Klein

THIS WEEK

Tuesday: Hawkesbury, Murwillumbah, Warrnambool

Wednesday: Doomben, Warwick Farm, Ballarat, Mt Gambier, Ascot, Launceston

Thursday: Townsville, Goulburn, Benalla, Pakenham, Pinjarra

Friday: Ipswich, Kembla Grange, Scone, Ararat, Cranbourne

Saturday: Gold Coast, Rosehill, Flemington, Morphettville, Ascot, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Ballina, Newcastle, Wellington, Edenhope, Towong, Darwin

Sunday: Beaudesert, Corowa, Wellington, Mildura, Stony Creek, Oakbank, Bunbury, Alice Springs

THE QUOTE

“I gave it an 11 out of 10 though.” — Lauterbrunnen may not have landed the prize, but Damian Browne told connections he was pretty satisfied with his own effort on the horse.

THE TALKING POINT

Capitalist and Press Statement going under at $1.22 and $1.30. If fluctuations are to be believed, bookies had a fill-up. Excuses were offered for both, but against inferior opposition to what they will face in their looming features, they were disappointing. Both look under the odds in pre-post markets for the Slipper/Doncaster now.