Weekly Review - December 19 to December 25
CRANBOURNE - 19 December 2022
CITIZENSHIP looks as though he’s finally gearing up to make his debut, having his second jump out of this preparation having only had the one in his previous two preps. He was a nice winner of a Dec 5 jump out, backing that up with a big win in Heat 14 on Dec 19 where he’s been way too speedy in both of them, leading them up and in the more recent jump out, also opening up a big margin late when put under a little bit of pressure. A $900k purchase for Coolmore, he can’t do much more ahead of his debut and on the back of these jump outs, expecting him to be hard to beat on debut.
WATCHLIST
PHILOSOPHER has been scratched from 3x races over the past couple of weeks, so potentially a slight hiccup for the colt there that’s prevented him from finally making his debut for EJ. He was back doing what he does best though, winning jump outs as he took out Heat 5 on Dec 19 with ease. An $18k Inglis purchase, he’s a speedy colt.
HURRICANE KETUT was an easy winner of Heat 9 on Dec 19, leading from start to finish under light riding as he resumed off a 6-week let up.
The blinkers went on for SONGO SONGO and he won Heat 16 on Dec 19 very comfortably like a nice horse, albeit with some race fitness on his side. The 4yo gelding was 5th first up on a Heavy8 track behind Morpheus Bragi before going to Sandown where he was beaten 17.75L back in 9th on a Soft7 track, he was simply horrible. Given a 5-week freshen up with this gear change and this really slick 1000m jump out, he could be much improved third up.
PAKENHAM - 20 December 2022
WATCHLIST
Lovely win by STAR MAGIC in Heat 7 on Dec 20. The 3yo filly dropped back the rear of the field in the early stages but was way too classy late, peeling to the middle of the track around the bend and displaying a lovely turn of foot to record a dominant victory in the fastest time of the morning. She ran really well in her first career prep, finishing 2nd and 4th, but her latest prep saw her finish 13L last where she was immediately tipped out, likely an issue or just not coming up for the prep. Given more time, she’s back now as a 3yo and looks in good order.
BENDIGO - 20 December 2022
WATCHLIST
MOUNTAIN IBIS held off Pal’s Reward and Sorel Rising quite easily at the end of Heat 1 on Dec 20, winning over the 800m in the fastest time of the morning and the third fastest time we have recorded at Bendigo, so he was flying. He’s a 6yo with 27 starts for 3 wins, so obviously no superstar and not getting carried away, but just one to monitor to see where he pops up first up.
ENUFFON has had two career starts for two 2nd’s at Bendigo, finishing 2nd on debut (where he gapped 3rd by 5L) to She’s Pretty Rich (who then ran 1.8L a Listed race at Flemington at her next start) before then finishing 2nd to Wee Nessy (who has since won a BM64 and Listed race) while defeating subsequent winners Full Blown (3rd) and New York Hurricane (4th). That’s handy enough form for most maidens so add in a solid jump out win over 800m in Heat 2 on Dec 20, she looks to have come back in nice order but the obvious queries are the really slow time and the fact that this is only her first jump out, so look for another bit of work before that first up.
HORSHAM - 20 December 2022
BALLARAT - 21 December 2022
BENALLA - 21 December 2022
WATCHLIST
DIVAZOU has had a couple of preps now, the first coming as a 2yo that ended in an official trial win ahead of Fission, who’s a talented gelding. Now a 3yo, he returned in Heat 2 on Dec 21 where he sat off the leader before showing some nice closing speed to get over the top and win very comfortably. Vincent Nolen paid $130k for this Zoustar colt from the 2021 Inglis Easter Yearling sales, so he’s a colt to follow into another jump out before debuting.
RUMOURS ABOUND had a pair of trials in Albury at the start of December for mixed results, finishing last by 11.09L in her first trial but winning her latest trial ahead of Royston Head (since 2nd in MDN). She put in her third bit of work in as many weeks, winning Heat 3 on Dec 21 comfortably where she led and opened up a gap late when put under pressure. Mindful that she beat no quality opposition here, but she can’t do much more than this and is ready to go to the races.
The form guide will say 5th but TOSEN GLORY was very unlucky in his Dec 13 trial where he dropped back to last in the early stages before coming home nicely despite not getting much room and not being asked for an effort. The blinkers went on for his second jump out, taking out Heat 7 on Dec 21 where he again settled to the rear of the field but didn’t run into the same trouble late, closing superbly down the outside to win comfortably. A gelded son of Tosen Stardom, he moves well enough to follow into a debut.
SALE - 22 December 2022
TERANG - 22 December 2022
WATCHLIST
CHAMPAGNE SHARON went straight to the front in Heat 4 on Dec 22 and did it very easily, cruising to the line along the rail under no pressure. Nice first jump out back for this 3yo All Too Hard filly.
STARRY LEGEND was a nice winner of another jump out, taking out Heat 5 on Dec 21 but the unplaced 7-start maiden in ROCK MY SOCKS OFF was far from disgraced when finishing 1L back in 2nd place with a huge gap to 3rd after travelling down the outside fence. He’s always been good at the jump outs and poor on race day, but he’ll be a big price.
ROCK DIAMOND was untested in a Dec 9 jump out behind French Witness (ran 3rd on debut), but it was her work in Heat 6 on Dec 21 that really caught the eye. The 3yo filly jumped well to sit 3-wide and on speed but it was her work in the straight that was super impressive, extending away to win and going past the ridden out Maddie Raymond runner as if it was on a treadmill. She’s by Extreme Choice, which is a big tick, and on the back of these jump outs, she will be competitive on debut.
TRUE NOBILITY was super winning Heat 7 on Dec 22, leading and going to the line untested with the ears pricked. He looked like he could’ve bolted in if he was given a little more reign. Super return - he’ll likely have another jump out but ultimately end up in a BM58 first up.
The 8yo THE LAST NAPOLEON is in good order ahead of his return, winning Heat 9 on Dec 22 comfortably under a hold ahead of a race fit Belle Et Riche and Sacred Palace. He’s had the 31 career starts for only 3 wins and 10 placings, but 2 of those 3 career wins have come second up, so one to monitor first and second up.
Solid win by GRAYSONG, taking out Heat 14 on Dec 22 over the 1000m as he stuck to the rail and put up a good margin on the field when put under a fair bit of pressure, he responded. He’s extremely well bred, by I Am Invincible out of Rewaaya, a Group 1 winner of the Rupert Clarke Stakes as well as being Group 1 placed in the Australian Stakes.
BALNARRING - 23 December 2022
WATCHLIST
EXOCOMMUNICADO was a smart winner of Heat 9 on Dec 23, leading from start to finish and doing so under her own steam throughout. The 2yo I Am Invincible filly showed lovely gate speed and looked to have a nice cruising speed, albeit over only 750m but she did clock the fourth fastest time of the morning. Keeping an eye on this filly.
A $550k Magic Millions purchase, EXTREMELY WICKED looked like a smart horse as she closed over the top in Heat 10 on Dec 23. A daughter of Zoustar, she just cruised off the speed throughout before showing a lovely turn of foot late when under a hold and she clocked the fastest time of the morning in the process. She’s a nice moving filly.
TANTRUMS and YOU’VEBEENSWINDLED were both good to and through the line in Heat 16 on Dec 23, finishing 1st and 2nd respectively, the former a NZ import and the latter an un-raced maiden.
FLEMINGTON - 23 December 2022
IVAN’S HERO is a must bet first up this prep, he looks to be flying ahead of his return. He ran 2nd on debut to Hennessy Lad who won a CL1 at Sandown the other week and is 2/2 in his career before running 4th to Aft Cabin. He’s been given more time and has had the big gear change of becoming a gelding, which could really be the making of him as a racehorse now. He cruised to the line in a Dec 9 jump out and did so again in Heat 6 on Dec 23. He was under a ridiculous hold throughout this heat, looking like he was jogging on the spot until he finally was given clear galloping room but was put under no pressure, cruising to the line but this heat was the quickest of the morning. He looks in super order plus he’s been gelded and got nice form from his debut prep, he’ll be hard to beat wherever he goes.
OTHER
While Heat 3 on Dec 23 featured the likes of Zion and Crosshaven filling in the minor placings, the winner was a 1-start maiden in BIG WATCH and he is exactly that first up this prep. Thought he looked good in his Dec 9 jump out where he just cruised to the line, but he was given a much more solid hit out in this jump out where he led and was put under pressure in the straight, holding off some of those handy gallopers. We know he has a turn of foot from his debut, finishing 3rd to Boogie Dancer and Jenny Jerome where he clocked the second fastest L200m of the meeting and ran straight past subsequent winners in Commodity and Freeways. Expecting him to be running very well first up this prep.
WATCHLIST
He’s race fit, but RUSSIAN RONI has won Heat 2 on Dec 23 over 1100m but a massive margin!
Not going to mention ZION’s first up run cause he was possibly the biggest moral beat we’ve ever seen. He had a tick over jump out, finishing 2nd in Heat 3 on Dec 23 and moving beautifully to and through the line. Keen to be with him in a BM64 second up, he’s in super order.
MESCHEVER has always shown talent but just has struggled to bring it on race day, finishing 2nd or 4th in all four career runs. She’s had a change of stables from Zahra to Ellerton, returning on Dec 9 for a quiet hit out before being given more of a test in Heat 6 on Dec 23 where she was wide and put under pressure in the straight, responding to come over the top and win in the fastest time of the morning. If she can finally bring this jump out form to race day, she’ll go well, but that’s the knock. Have to follow her first up.
We’re going to mention all of the first three that crossed the line in Heat 6 on Dec 23, being Meschever, Ivan’s Hero and the 3yo filly REFRESHING. After having no luck in a Dec 9 where she cruised to the line, the 3yo filly took up a more forward position here where she was then put under some pressure in the straight and closed nicely enough. It wasn’t a super jump out, but a solid bit of work that’s worth keeping in mind first up depending on where she goes.
Very slow time for the morning but TOM KITTEN did it very well as the 2yo colt cruised to victory in Heat 10 on Dec 23. He went straight to the front and nothing else ever had a chance, he just cruised to the line and did it effortlessly. Super jump out despite that time.
HAWKESBURY - 19 December 2022
WATCHLIST
LUNA VOLANTI was super winning Trial 9 on Dec 19, leading throughout but opening up a huge margin when put under pressure over the final 200m or so as she won by 2.98L with ease.
A half-sister to September Run and My Yankee Girl, STEEL CITY was super winning Trial 10 on Dec 19. The 2yo daughter of Merchant Navy was away quickly to lead throughout but did her best work late, sprinting away to open up an easy 3.69L win in slick time. A $700k Magic Millions purchase, she went super in her first career trial.
STARSPANGLEDANCER went straight to the front in Trial 14 on Dec 19 and was way too speedy over the 800m, bolting in by 3.85L in the fastest time of the morning. Treading very carefully as she won a trial by 12.16L last prep before running 6th, 3rd and 6th in MDN’s, so she clearly has no issues winning trials.
WARWICK FARM - 23 December 2022
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