Hanseatic rockets into Diamond favouritism in emphatic style

Trainer Anthony Freedman has put the brakes on the recent domination of two-year-old races by rival co-trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace with a colt described as ‘a bit of a lad’.

Hanseatic’s Blue Diamond Preview win was the emphatic performance trainer Anthony Freedman wanted to see heading towards the Blue Diamond Stakes.

Forty minutes later, Ciaron Maher and David Eustace — the stable that has recently dominated two-year-old races — produced another Blue ­Diamond aspirant when A Beautiful Night won the Fillies Preview.

A Beautiful Night recorded 57.27sec for the 1000m. It was 0.21sec faster than Hanseatic’s 57.48sec, but the colt’s win was the main talking point.

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Hanseatic firmed from $9 to $4.50 favourite with TAB fixed odds. A Beautiful Night, who won at Flemington at her previous start, firmed from $51 into $15.

In an ominous warning to his rivals, Freedman and jockey Luke Currie said the colt would only benefit from racing and had improvement to come.

Freedman said he was looking for a definitive performance from Hanseatic to demonstrate he was capable of winning a race such as the Blue Diamond Stakes.

“He was fresh for today. He’ll be better for today. He’ll just get better as he runs,” Freedman said.

It was the colt’s second start, following on from his debut win in the Merson ­Cooper Stakes at Sandown Hillside last November.

Freedman described Hanseatic as “a bit of a lad”.

“He gave us a bit of a hard time saddling him up. That will improve him,” he said.

The win continued Currie’s happy knack of riding top-class two-year-olds.

Earlier this month Currie won the Magic Millions Classic on Away Game. Two years ago he won the same race aboard Sunlight.

Currie said Hanseatic also played up behind the barriers, which concerned him.

“He’s pretty smart, but he didn’t have the best of runs,” Currie said.

Hanseatic proves way too good in the Blue Diamond Preview.

“I had to drag him back to find cover, and then I was worried he wouldn’t come off the bend and quicken, as at Sandown it took him a bit to pick up and also in the trials.

“When I went for him, he took one stride to put the bridle in his mouth, and then he put them away in 10 strides.”

Freedman said Hanseatic would start in the Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) at Caulfield on February 8.

Eustace said he was confident his underrated filly A Beautiful Night would go close to winning.

He said the pre-race plan was to settle back, but jockey John Allen pushed her forward after she jumped well.

Eustace said the filly was also likely to have her next start in the Blue Diamond Prelude for fillies.

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Luke Currie after riding Hanseatic to victory.

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WHY MORVADA TURNED THE TABLES ON RIVAL

Adelaide trainer Peter Jolly couldn’t understand the market discrepancy between his galloper Morvada ($10) and $2.25 favourite Yulong January.

But he was confident he could turn the tables — and he was vindicated by the gelding’s victory in the Listed John Dillon Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.

“I couldn’t understand why he wasn’t fancied,” Jolly said.

“He led all the way (at Flemington earlier this month) and was beaten by a head by Yulong January, and he had to do the work. He got a good sit and he showed what he’s made of today.”

Morvada’s jockey Zac Spain changed tactics on Yulong January, letting him lead then stalking him throughout before he outsprinted him to win by a length.

Jolly said Morvada owed him after almost killing the trainer when he was a three-year-old. He kicked Jolly in the head, knocking out his teeth and hospitalising his trainer for 10 days.

Jolly said Spain had been keen to keep the ride after running second at Flemington.

Morvada is part-owned by Jolly’s childhood friend Bob McIntosh, who has raced horses with the 76-year-old for 50 years and now lives in Panama.

Jolly said he was eyeing off the Adelaide carnival with Morvada, but would consider the Orr Stakes at Caulfield in a fortnight’s time.

“I don’t think he’s a Group 1 horse, but it might be worth thought as he’s fit,” he said.

Zac Spain and Morvada combine to win the John Dillon Stakes.

BAY OF DREAMS

One TAB customer nailed a sensational result in the final event at Caulfield.

The NSW TAB punter spent just $15 to nail 62.5% of the First 4 which returned a very healthy $24,530.70.

They simply boxed four horses to pick up a tick over $15,000.

While the collect was pretty impressive, it might be a case of ‘what if’ for the customer as the second horse, which was beaten by a nose, went around at $96.90 for the win on the NSW TAB.

Bet: First 4

Spend: $15

Flexi: 62.5%

Selections

4,6,9,12 (Boxed)

Dividend: $24,530.76

Collect: $15,331.69

1st: 6. Vaucluse Bay $9 Win $2.50 Place (NSW TAB)

2nd: 4. Home By Midnight $16.70 Place

3rd: 12. Dogmatic $3 Place

4th: 9 Sir Pippin

Linda Meech rides Vaucluse Bay to victory in the final race.

TAB BIG BETS

RACE ONE

The money was spot on in the Bass Strait Beef Plate (1100m).

Score was backed in from $5.50 this morning to start an equal $4 favourite with That Girl, with the latter being a drifter late after opening the day as a $3 top elect.

Between the pair they were the two most popular and held nearly 60 percent of the market between them.

BETS: Score $3,000 e/w @ $4/$1.65

BETS: Exquisite Beauty $1,000 @ $6

BETS: That Girl $4,000 @ $4, $2,000 @ $4

RACE TWO

Jentico defied the betting drift to land the prize in the DrinkWise Plate (1400 metres).

The Tony & Calvin McEvoy runner was installed a $4.40 chance on Wednesday when markets first opened and by the time the race rolled around, $6.50 was on the table.

Most of the attention here was with Titan Blinders ($3.60-$3-$3.10) which went around with 2.5 times more money than anything else in the event.

BETS: Write Your Name $2,000 x $3,000 e/w @ $5/$1.85

RACE THREE

Hanseatic delivered a hammer blow to TAB in the Blue Diamond Preview for Colts & Geldings (1000m).

The Anthony Freedman runner was sensationally backed late, crunched into $2.20 after being $2.60 in the morning. TAB had gone up $2.90 on Wednesday.

Hanseatic went around with 65 percent of the total investment and was more than six times as popular as second pick in the market, Tanker ($3.10-$4.20).

Of the others, Fixated ($7-$6-$7.50) had its admirers.

BETS: Hanseatic $10,000 @ $2.25, $5,000 @ $2.25, $4,500 @ $2.25, $4,000 @ $2.25, $2,000 @ $2.25, $1,800 @ $2.25, $1,500 @ $2.25, $1,300 @ $2.25, $3,000 @ $2.20

RACE FOUR

There was money all week to suggest that A Beautiful Night would run a very good race in the Blue Diamond Preview for Fillies (1000m).

A Beautiful Night opened $16 with TAB Fixed Odds on Wednesday and immediately attracted some good eachway bets. Backed into $11, which was still the quote early this morning, more money saw her bottom out at $9 before the Maher & Eustace filly jumped at $13.

Fresh ($3.10-$3.60) jumped a very popular favourite and nearly held twice as much as the well supported Supreme Idea ($6.50-$4.20), while Geist ($9-$7) firmed up late also.

BETS: A Beautiful Night $700 e/w @ $12/$3.40

BETS: Supreme Idea $2,000 @ $4.60 TWICE

BETS: Fresh $5,000 @ $3.60, $2,000 @ $3.60, $2,500 @ $3.50, $1,000 @ $3.50 MULTIPLE TIMES

BETS: Award Winner $2,000 e/w @ $6.50/$2.30

RACE FIVE

Eachway money for Zero Doubt proved spot on in the Lamaro’s Hotel Sth Melbourne Handicap (1400m).

The Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr-trained gelding was backed from $15-$10 since the market opened but got back out late to start a $13 chance.

Most of the attention here was for the bookends – Wilmot Pass ($3.40-$2.80 fav) and Shush ($5-$3.20).

BETS: Zero Doubt $500 @ $13, $500 e/w @ $13/$3

BETS: Shush $5,000 @ $3.30, $2,000 @ $3.30, $1,000 x $3,000 e/w @ $3.30/$1.40, $3,000 @ $3.20, $1,000 @ $3.20

BETS: Wilmot Pass $3,000 @ $3.20, $1,300 @ $2.90

RACE SIX

Punters were on the mark in the Mary Bell Handicap (1600m) with the heavily tried runners fighting out the finish.

Sure Knee saw most of the late money come for it and jumped a $3.10 favourite while Mount Tabora had been constantly backed since 9am this morning and began $3.90 second pick.

Between the pair of them they dominated the market, however, Sure Knee was nearly three times as popular as the runner-up.

BETS: Sure Knee $3,000 @ $3.30, $5,000 @ $3.20, $1,400 @ $3.20, $10,000 @ $3.10, $1,000 x $3,000 e/w @ $3/$1.40

BETS: Mount Tabora $2,000 @ $3.90, $2,0000 e/w @ $3.90/$1.55, $1,100 @ $3.70, $2,000 @ $3.60, $1,000 @ $3.60

BETS: Kazio $1,000 @ $8

RACE SEVEN

The Le Pine Funerals Handicap (1100m) was one of the most open betting affairs of the day.

Our Campana ($2.90) went around as a popular pick while Lady Lupino ($6) had admirers at the eachway quote along with Golden Halo ($4.20-$5.50).

News Girl ($7.50-$7) was pretty solid in the market while O’ So Hazy ($13-$7) was tried at the double figures.

BETS: News Girl $600 x $400 e/w @ $8.50/$2.80

BETS: Golden Halo $2,000 e/w @ $5.50/$1.80, $1,500 @ $5.50, $1,000 @ $5.50

BETS: Lady Lupino $3,000 x $2,000 e/w @ $6/$2, $1,200 @ $6, $1,000 @ $6

BETS: Our Campana $2,500 @ $2.90

RACE EIGHT

Morvada caused an upset in the John Dillon Stakes (1400m).

The Peter Jolly runner was $7-$9 on the day but did have its admirers, however, most of the focus was on the favourite Yulong January.

As much as $2.60 was available for Yulong January when markets first opened, however, today it was $2.30-$2 before a late drift saw it start $2.25.

There was also some money around for Guizot ($6) and Streets Of Avalon (7-$5) but the fav was responsible for 56 percent of the total investment.

BETS: Morvada $1,000 e/w @ $9/$2.40, $1,000 @ $9

BETS: Guizot $2,500 @ $6/$1.80

BETS: Yulong January $2,643 @ $2.25, $2,500 @ $2.25 MULTIPLE TIMES, $2,000 @ $2.10

BETS: Streets Of Avalon $2,000 @ $5

RACE NINE

It was an upset in the MRC Thanks Fire Services Handicap (2000m) with Vaucluse Bay getting the money.

Most of the attention was with Sir Pippin ($4.20-$2.70) which was sensationally backed late along with Salon Du Cheval ($5), a $10 chance earlier in the week.

Sir Pippin went around with 33 percent of the money while Salon Du Cheval was best tried to beat it. Vaucluse Bay was $7-$9 on the day and had some money come for it but nothing like what we saw from the top two in the market.

BETS: Sir Pippin $1,304 @ $3.30, $2,000 @ $3.10, $1,000 @ $2.90, $2,500 e/w @ $2.80/$1.45, $2,000 @ $2.80, $8,000 @ $2.70, $2,500 @ $2.70

BETS: Salon Du Cheval $1,000 @ $5, $1,000 e/w @ $5/$1.90, $1,800 @ $4.80

Originally published as Hanseatic rockets into Diamond favouritism in emphatic style