Weekly Review - March 1 to March 7
CRANBOURNE - 1 March 2021
FAST ’N’ DEEP is a speedy mare, winning Heat 4 (purple) in the fastest time of the morning and winning by several lengths. She won by several lengths here on I Am Eloquent and Maritana. Looks to be flying and is going to take a lot of catching, preferably over 1000m as she will lead.
This was a nice win by RIPPER RITA. The 3yo filly jumped well in Heat 5 on Mar 1 (red and white), put herself on speed and travelled really nicely throughout. She was put under some slight pressure in the straight where she responded and put up several lengths on the field, continuing to extend late. The stable certainly had a big opinion of her, paying $150k as a half-sister to the Group 1 NZ Derby winer in Crown Prosecutor. She looks to have improved into her second preparation and we want to follow.
PIERCINGS went to the line with Dr Drill behind multiple winners in Heat 8 on Mar 1 (red). Having started $81, $26 and $41 and never been closer than 5.1L, his form doesn’t read well but this bit of work suggests a big price might be overs next start as he did hit the line reasonably well. Happy to have something on him if he’s $51+, couldn’t possibly take anything less than $20 though.
SIR DRAGONET was impressive… he won Heat 13 (black and white with yellow sleeves) over 1400m and was even eased down to a walk over the final 200m and still won… clearly a class above and a jump out of this calibre would have to be mostly expected.
CAULFIELD - 2 March 2021
SAPEIRO and HILVERSTON were the stand outs at Caulfield, finishing 1st and 2nd respectively in Heat 6. The 3yo gelding HILVERSTON led them up and was doing it easy, but the 3yo filly SAPEIRO sat last under a strong hold before being finally let go late where she stormed over the top to win very impressively. Wouldn’t mind seeing either of these two 3yo’s in a BM58 next.
MORNINGTON - 3 March 2021
TIGER MUM with another jump out win in Heat 2 on Mar 3 (blue). All three horses behind her in this heat have already got wins to their name and after two jump outs last year, she’s now had the three this preparation and looks to be flying ahead of her debut. Goes close.
Considering the 2nd horse is a 3yo gelding, the turn of foot shown by the 2yo gelding STARZ BARWON to overrun that galloper late in Heat 4 on Mar 3 (green with red sleeves) was super. After a quiet 750m jump out on Feb 17, this gelding stepped up to 900m where he jumped well from the inside, took a sit in behind the leaders before angling out around the bend and displaying that nice closing speed down the middle of the track. Horses that can make good ground down the middle of track at Mornington generally go alright, so keen to follow this gelding into his debut.
PAKENHAM - 3 March 2021
OCTANE (pink) jumped out well in Heat 1 just ahead of EVIL CRY, who also moved well.
NATIVE GIRL was a nice 2yo winner of Heat 8 by several lengths over the 800m. Probably the pick of the 2yo’s along with ELEGANT BOOM from Heat 6, the fastest of the 800m heats of the day.
ANTIFRAGILE the sneaky 2yo to put on the watch list who just did it easily behind them in Heat 5 (red).
Another nice bit of work by TYCOON RAFF, winning Heat 1 on Mar 3 (red) over the 1000m with ease. He had the head down and looked to relax really well here, which is exactly what you want to see as he also had the field covered easily despite being given no pressure. Big follow.
BENDIGO - 4 March 2021
Was good to see WANTED SPARK win Heat 1 on Mar 4 (brown with yellow sleeves) in the fastest 800m time of the morning following a very strange (and disappointing) debut. Hung out extremely bad around the bend and was eased down to lose by over 24L… wouldn’t mind seeing him over further than 975m with a bit less pressure. He was very well backed on debut so obviously has some talent if he can put it together.
Liked how COUNTESS TESSA (black with green) closed on IT’S KIND OF MAGIC (white with black sleeves) in Heat 3 on Mar 4. She had 5 starts in her first preparation, three of them at 1100m for 1x win and 2x placings and then two at 1200m for no placings. She’s clearly better over the 1100m and if she finds a BM58 or weakfish BM64 first up at 1100m, we’ll follow.
ARCADIA QUEEN was simply WOW! Won Heat 6 over 1000m by a huge margin in good time at 59.22s, well above average.
CAMPERDOWN - 4 March 2021
Sharp bit of work for DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR, winning Heat 1 over 850m.
CRYSTAL DYNASTY was super over 1000m, winning Heat 2 on Mar 4 (light blue) under minimal riding and defeating the likes of Zabelarina (4.5L off a BM70 in Jan) and Abreed (impressive debut winner). Her debut run was disappointing but also had excuses as she settled an easy 2-3L last after being slowly away and had minimal luck in the straight. She had a quiet Feb 15 jump out when last, but really improved heading into this heat and we expect some more improvement heading into her first up run being her second career preparation.
SURECAN jumped out again, this time ridden out to finish 2nd in Heat 3 on Mar 4 (red) to the nice filly Rose Of Sebring. A debut can’t be far away and we’re keen to see how she goes, she looks to have some talent.
FLEMINGTON - 5 March 2021
Really nice win by SHANDY in Heat 1 over the 1100m, sitting last throughout and then exploding up the rail to win against some handy horses. Big watch over 1300/1400m first up on the back of this.
AGE OF CHIVALRY was super winning Heat 3 under a strong hold in quick time ahead of CORDILLA.
SUCCEED INDEED (1st), WEGOBAM (3rd) and GALACTUS (4th) all super in Heat 7.
DE BE ELEVEN looks a nice horse. We said we were a big fan of this un-raced daughter of Zoustar after a Feb 5 jump out and she’s backed that up a month later with a really nice jump out in Heat 2 on Mar 5 (blue and white), over a month later and this time over 1100m… she’s out of Pontoon Flyer who was a Group 2 winner over 1600m and was also 2nd in the Group 1 Blue Diamond and Group 1 Sires Produce, so well bred and she looks to have some of her mum’s talent. Huge watch.
AMERICAIN ANGEL probably wins second up if she had a decent barrier. After finishing 2L off Pride Of Jenni (she then won a BM58 and 2nd in LR race at Flemington) on debut, she the drew barrier 13 and had to go to the back of the field before rattling home 5.8L above BM to finish a narrow 2nd… the form from that race is unbelievable - winner won it’s next start, while 3rd, 4th and 10th came out and won, while 6th and 8th won two starts later.
Given time now, she had a quiet Feb 19 jump out, before a super win in Heat 5 on Mar 5 (navy) in the fastest time of the morning and defeating She’s A Thief in 2nd. Super bit of work and a huge watch first up, she shouldn’t be maiden much longer.
RAIN BOY showed nice early speed to kick up and lead Heat 8 on Mar 5 (red and white), just holding off a fast finishing TIMSTAR (red) who settled last, checked off heels at the top of the straight and let down an almighty run out wide to only just miss - super turn of foot.
This was RAIN BOY’s first jump out this prep, while TIMSTAR jumped out quietly on Feb 26. Can follow both of these 2yo’s.