Mar 5, 2023

Weekly Review - February 27 to March 5

CRANBOURNE - 27 February 2023

WATCHLIST

HEDGED was super again, backing up his Feb 20 win with another smart win in Heat 4 on Feb 27 as he clocked the fourth fastest time of the morning similar to the likes of What You Need and Wolflands. The Roll The Dice syndicate look to have a speedy 2yo colt on their hands, the son of Capitalist sitting outside the leader throughout this heat before showing a lovely turn of foot as he was put slightly under pressure, opening up a margin with ease as he really hit the line. He was purchased for $140k at the Magic Millions sales and looks to be a speedy colt we can follow on debut.

Nice return from SIR ROCKFORD, finishing 2nd in Heat 9 on Feb 27. Keep an eye on him into a second jump out, he was unlucky not to break the maiden in his debut prep and certainly has a maiden win in him.

Few nice horses from Heat 11 on Feb 27. KATSU lead for all but the final 5m in a nice bit work, overran late by WHAT YOU NEED who looks to be in good order ahead of his return after that Coolmore campaign that went amiss. The undefeated MAGIC TIME was slick in 4th, likewise STARIANNE in 5th who was flying home from the back down the middle of the track.

CLOCK STRIKES has led in all of his work (including his sole race start) and his win in Heat 12 on Feb 27 was no different, given a push late as he won in very slick time. He jumped out super prior to his debut that was a touch disappointing, so he was given more time and has had the ultimate gear change of becoming a gelding. He’ll be leading first up this prep and be in it a long way.

The blinkers have gone on for STANDUPANDFIGHT in both of his jump outs and they looked to have improved him a bit. He won a Feb 20 jump out in the third fastest time of the morning and backed that up with a solid 3rd placing in Heat 12 on Feb 27 behind Clock Strikes as he went to the line alongside the talented (and recently gelded) Fasuto. He’ll need to find the right maiden, but he’s got a win in him for sure.

Have liked the way FREE WILLED has gone about her jump outs. As mentioned a couple weeks ago, she has made her way to the Alderson yard following two NZ trials on Nov 3 and Dec 6 where she certainly looks to have some talent. She was 2nd in a Feb 13 jump out before backing them up in Heat 14 on Feb 27 where she sat in behind the leaders throughout the heat until late as they were pushed out and she was still cruising, checking off heels as she then closed nicely in the final 200m. She’s a nice mover and a big watch on debut here.

EXCEED EXPECT was a big winner in Heat 16 on Feb 27 over 1000m, winning in the fastest time of the morning.

Likewise EXPECT THE BEST in Heat 17 on Feb 27, clocking the third fastest time of the morning.

EXOEXO was trucking along in Heat 18 on Feb 27 over the 1000m, a lovely return for this 7-start maiden. Keeping a close eye on this 4yo mare for another jump out before she returns to the jump outs.

Maher & Eustace have a had a few debutants on the back of quiet jump outs go well recently and AOLANI looks to fit that bill, cruising to the line in 6th place in a Feb 13 jump out and likewise again in Heat 20 on Feb 27 over 1000m as the 3yo filly also cruised to the line but finished a lot closer to the winner. She looked to do it under her own steam in a nice bit of work.

We’ll have to be with FROSTED ROMANCE on debut with her win in Heat 21 on Feb 27 the bit of work we want to see before resuming. She had a solid Feb 13 jump out over 800m, but her work here over 1000m was nice as she led and was put under pressure late, responding to that riding to extend and win. She should’ve won on debut when she was held up, but the form hasn’t been great so it’s encouraging to see that she may have improved and if so, she can go well in a maiden first up.

Closing nicely into 2nd place in Heat 21 on Feb 27 was IMPENDING LINK, a 3yo gelding that also caught our eye after his 4th placing on Feb 13 where he just cruised to the line. He stepped up to 1000m here where he got a nice run behind the speed before being ridden out and put under a fair bit of pressure late, responding to really get going late and hit the line hard. He’ll likely need a bit of distance but there is no doubt that there is some talent there.

TERANG - 27 February 2023

WATCHLIST

A couple of solid jump out from the 2yo’s here.

WHISTLEFIELD was a huge winner of Heat 1 on Feb 27, opening up that massive margin over the concluding stages as she was put under pressure.

LOOSE ON GIN backed up his Feb 13 win with another win in Heat 2 on Feb 27.

Nice return win for WRITTENBYALADY, leading from start to finish in Heat 6 on Feb 27 to record a solid win but thought the fast finishing NIJIKO who was flying down the outside of the track was the clear eye catcher and main take away from this heat.

EASY JAY had Rolls and Serene Moon covered in Heat 7 on Feb 27, with the 3yo gelding getting a comfortable and easy lead in the early stages and holding this margin to the line when quietly ridden. He was previously with J Pride in NSW for 2x trials back in Sep 2022 before making his way down to VIC for a 2nd placing in a Oct 26 jump out where the winner in Ghetto Supastar came out and ran 4th and 1st in maidens before a 2nd in a BM64, which is solid form. He was put away following this though, returning here for his first jump out this prep and might be one that can run a race in a country maiden on debut.

IS IT ME was perfect from 2x starts in his debut prep where we certainly benefited and still convinced he’s got more wins in him, especially on the back of his work in Heat 10 on Feb 27 where he went to the line with a race fit Tuvalu. He’ll be back even better this prep and if he goes through the grades, we can jump on his back and follow him!

Huge win by FERMENTED in Heat 12 on Feb 27 over the 1000m and she simply can’t do much more ahead of her debut. She was 2nd in a Feb 3 jump out when going to the line alongside Miss Jenni Lynn who then ran ___ at Sandown on Wednesday over 1300m. She’s by Pierro and was a $150k buy but her half-sister in Capitoline Lady was retired as an 8-start maiden with no placings and his other half-sister Tambo's Vixen had 10-starts for 1-win, so not a stack of talent throughout the family so here’s hoping this filly can turn the tables.

MATTHEW MARK was super in Heat 13 on Feb 27. He was slowly away and as a result settled at the rear of the field where he cruised along the inside before there was no gap along the rail and forced him to have to come off heels and out towards the middle of the track, which is where he did his best work, closing really nicely to make up 3-4L quite quickly and clearly doing his best work past the line. Expect we’ll get a price for this 4yo gelding on debut as he is with a very small stable, but love the way he attacked the line so he could run well on debut on the back of this.

PAKENHAM - 28 February 2023

WATCHLIST Of the 2yo’s in Heat 9 on Feb 28, MISLEAD was a nice winner of this heat having sat on speed and leading throughout, doing it comfortably. This 2yo filly is resuming off an 11-week let up having ran 3rd on debut at Sandown behind Serasana when finishing alongside Cantolago who then ran 3rd to Amur second up.

Thought the pick of Heat 9 on Feb 28 was LULO ROSE those, this 2yo filly having no where to go throughout this heat as she was bunched in behind horses throughout. A $250k purchase for Matthew Smith, we can follow her into another bit of work.

BENALLA - 28 February 2023

MORNINGTON - 1 March 2023

WATCHLIST

We loved MORPHEUS BRAGI into his debut and second up maiden win and certainly think he has more wins in store, his work in Heat 1 on Mar 1 over the 1100m super and if you watch past the line, he was powering still ahead of Designs and Grand Pierro. Looking forward to seeing him go through the grades.

He’s got race fitness having won on debut, but the 2yo colt FREAKOFNATURE was super in Heat 3 on Mar 1 as he travelled wide throughout before getting to the front at the top of the straight and going whooshka, winning in the fastest 1100m time of the morning. This was super.

Similar to her debut, TIZ ENUF has bolted in Heat 8 on Mar 1 as one of the easier jump out wins you’ll ever see, albeit over 700m.

KYNETON - 3 March 2023

WATCHLIST

ENVEEO was with Martin Lawson before a stint with P Payne and now back with Marita for his third prep, bolting in Heat 2 on Mar 3 where he went straight to the front and gave nothing else a chance over the 800m, clocking the fastest time of the morning in the process. Big win, fair jump out return.

We mentioned Liam Howley’s un-named 3yo filly RUSSIAN REVOLUTION x GIPSY COUNTESS following a very speedy Feb 6 jump out win and her work in Heat 5 on Mar 3 was no different. She went to the front in the early stages and bolted away, way too quick and speedy for both fields in both jump outs. She’s done it easily in both of these jump outs as well but also hasn’t beaten much in terms of quality of opposition, so have to tread carefully but not sure she can do much more ahead of her debut.

FLEMINGTON - 3 March 2023

WATCHLIST

Thought ELOUYOU put in a good debut jump out performance in Heat 6 on Mar 3, doing it within himself for most of the heat as he cruised throughout with some nice work past the line too. A $210k Inglis purchase back in 2021 where we’ve seen his half-sisters by Zoustar ($280k) and Written Tycoon ($360k) recently sell, think she’s a filly worth keeping an eye on for another jump out.

SUBLIMINAL deadset cruised to the line out the back in his first jump out on Feb 17 that was really just a glorified track gallop, but it was a different story in Heat 13 on Mar 3 as the blinkers went on as we saw the 3yo filly take off straight to the front with a big margin and that margin just got even bigger as the heat went on, not to mention he clocked the fastest time of the morning too so it had substance. Her form is ordinary, but now back for her second prep she can make an improved return to the races.