Weekly Review - May 10 to May 16
CRANBOURNE - 10 May 2021
OTHER
POWER CRUNCH is potentially gelded for his resumption following a very disappointing debut despite being $91 and it being in town at Caulfield. This is his first jump out back, finishing 2nd in Heat 4 and looked to move really well. One to follow and watch for another bit of work.
A star studded Heat 6, but it was the lesser known THE CENTAURIAN who defeated group runners Bless Her, Away Game and Halvorsen impressively. He also had a nice Apr 26 jump out and might be one at odds first up.
Put JUSTJULES on the watch list. This mare looked to be trapped on the fence but closed super when weaving through the field to win Heat 8. Her form is mixed, with 1 win from 11 starts so not a heap of confidence but from 3 first up runs she’s had 1 win and 2 placings, so clearly goes well fresh and this jump out is a good sign for her to continue that record. Look for another jump out.
Quiet Apr 19 jump out but a super win in Heat 11 for LA CROFT for the new Kevin Corstens yard. She sat on speed and and very wide, quickening over the last 200m or so as he was given a squeeze. Closed super to show a nice turn of foot.
A couple of disappointing runs (finishing position wise) for SIERRA SUE this preparation. Sent out for a let up, returning in an 800m jump out on Apr 26 where she was coming late but her win in Heat 13 over the 1000m was with absolute ease and she ran a really slick time for the day too.
Really nice return for FIGHTING WHISKEY, winning Heat 16 following an 8-week let up. He has had the 4 runs this preparation so had the benefit of residual fitness, but still a super jump out over 1000m and can win a BM58.
MORTLAKE - 11 May 2021
OTHER
GLENFERRIE GIRL was too speedy and won Heat 6 quite well over the 800m. She’ll be well suited in a 100m BM64 first up.
PERONNE jumped beautifully to lead and then was under a very strong hold in Heat 8 (pink), only managing to finish 5th as a result. Think he could’ve won this and won easily if allowed to run. The 5yo import has been very disappointing in his AUS campaigns, finishing dead last in all three runs including a more recent 12th (last) at the end of April. He only had one jump out ahead of that run at 1400m, so hopefully we see him improve second up.
CAULFIELD - 11 May 2021
BEAUKATI clocked the fastest 800m time of the morning, winning Heat 4 on May 11 (pink) by a huge margin. This 2yo filly jumped straight to the front and never looked like getting beat. She did similar in her Apr 27 jump out as well but was just overran late to finish a close 3rd. She’s reasonably well bred too, being a half-sister to Saltpeter, Flostar and Magnatti and was a $120k purchase at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale. Impressive win, must follow.
BENDIGO - 11 May 2021
BROWN BOY BOBBY blitzed them in Heat 6 on May 11 (blue and lime), jumping straight to the front and winning by a huge margin in slick time for the 800m on the day. His first two runs this preparation have been a little disappointing and suspect that’s why he’s been tipped out for a freshen up and another jump out. His first two career runs in November 2020 are good enough to win a country maiden and this jump out has him looking back to somewhere near his best. Look for an 1100m race - he can win.
OTHER
It was an arm workout for the jockey of DANA POINT as she was hard held when leading from start to finish to win Heat 1. Expect her to return better in her second career preparation as a late 3yo.
Following on from his Apr 6 jump out, YULONG CONTACT again went down by 0.5L and again looked to travel better than the winner as he finished 2nd in Heat 5. He can make a winning return.
SEONEE looks to go alright. The 2yo filly was 3-4L off the leaders around the bend in Heat 8 (green) but showed an impressive turn of foot to come down the middle of the track and win. It was a really nice turn of foot that caught the eye as one to keep in mind as she heads towards a debut. If we see another jump out like this, she’ll be a must back on debut.
PAKENHAM - 11 May 2021
OTHER
One worth noting because of breeding (not performance) - the 2yo daughter of Black Caviar, INVINCIBLE CAVIAR was last in Heat 6 in the red silks.
MORNINGTON - 12 May 2021
DARCEANDERMILL has now put in three nice jump outs to stamp himself as a 2yo to follow. The colt was disappointing on debut back in October 2020, finishing 11th of 12th but he was immediately spelled to give more time and probably wasn’t ready - that race experience could be a big benefit now though. He was was a quiet 3rd on Apr 14, before taking out a Sandown heat on Apr 27 easily and now taking out Heat 8 on May 11 (pink and black) ahead of the older and more experienced 4yo Miss Mask (she is a 5 start maiden though). Think he can win a 2yo maiden first up as a much improved horse this time in.
This colt has to be high up on the watch list of most. RANVEER started $2.60 on debut but was defeated where he finished 2nd to a pretty handy colt in Profiteer… we know how good Profiteer is but we never got to see this colt due to a number of issues. In his first jump out back over only the 600m, he clocked the quickest of the three heats and won Heat 11 on May 12 (blue) comfortably and even did so travelling down the outside fence. He’s smart and we’re keen to see where he ends up.
OTHER
IKNEWSHEWASMINE travelled super throughout to win Heat 1.
Likewise ZIPPING BOY (who’s fresh off a BM70 win) who was 2nd in Heat 2 and LA BELLA COSTA who closed super to finish 3rd in the same heat.
TWIST OF FURY clocked the fastest 900m time of the morning, defeating REAL FEELING in Heat 3 with a good gap to 3rd. She was a clear class above this lot but does usually jump out well. She can win a BM64 first up.
BALLARAT - 13 May 2021
MY BOY BIRMINGHAM has strung together two nice jump outs in a row now. Following a well held 3rd on May 3, the 3yo gelding took out Heat 4 on May 13 in impressive fashion. He sat on speed (leading) but 3-deep throughout before coming down the middle of the track under a strong hold. He’s one worth following in.
We couldn’t see her in an Apr 27 jump out due to fog, but certainly could see TYCOON'S GIRL win over 850m in Heat 7 on May 13 (maroon). She had the 71-rated Lassiter covered in 2nd with a pair of 3yo’s in 3rd and 4th and a big gap to 5th. She’s by Written Tycoon out of mare Okaylah that was Group placed and only 3.5L off a Blue Diamond, so she’s well bred for some speed, which she showed here straight from the gates to lead from start to finish. Super bit of work against the older horses.
OTHER
MAHA (1st) and ROCABELLA (2nd) were easy winners of Heat 5.
ECLAIR SUNRISE was disappointing on debut but looked much improved when leading the whole way along the rail to win Heat 8.
A nice win in Heat 9 for SISTINE EXPLORER in nice time for her first jump out. One worth following for another jump out.
The 2nd horse in Heat 9 was ELITE ICON, a half-brother to Group 1 winner Elite Street so he’s very well bred and didn’t look out of place in this heat either. He won a jump out on Apr 27 and is certainly one we must keep in mind too. If he has any of his brother’s talent, he’ll be hard to beat on debut.
FLEMINGTON - 14 May 2021
CLEAN MACHINE was a $1.65 favourite beat first up and is slowly becoming a jump out specialist. She again looked good finishing 2nd (black with white sleeves) in Heat 2 under a very strong hold with (who looked like) Craig Williams on board.
The winner of Heat 2 on May 14 was PHONDLE (orange with white sleeves), a 3yo filly that’s a half-sister to the smart sprinter Miss Leonidas and she looked super here. She was hard held in traffic in her first jump out this prep on May 7, but showed plenty of speed from out wide in this heat to come across, find the rail, lead and win by a length. She had Clean Machine, Parmie and Seberate well held behind. She did it quite easy here and looks to have some talent, hopefully some of her half-sisters talent.
BRAZEN BULLY backed up his Apr 30 jump out with a with some nice closing speed to finish 2nd in Heat 4 on May 14 (red with white sleeves) alongside some more experienced runners in Aramayo and Whittington Stone. Don’t like how he was a beaten $2 favourite last start, but he was spelled after this so maybe he wasnt quite right. Expecting him to be improved this preparation.
OTHER
Heat 5 was the quickest time of the morning, won by the 2yo ANDALUSIA who did have the benefit of some race fitness with 2x runs under her belt this preparation already. With impressive debut winner FAULDS in 3rd, it’s the un-raced 2yo FINANCE CHOICE (white with black sleeves) who finished 2nd and is the one we are following. Having had a set of three jump outs back in Dec/Jan, this was his first jump out back and he looked handy. Being a half-brother to Group 1 sprinter Indian Pacific, very keen to keep an eye out for another jump out. If he goes straight to a debut instead, think we can still follow and trust the stable.
LOBSTER NOODLES bolted in Heat 8, winning by a huge margin in nice time as well.
He was 2nd on Apr 30 to Luna Cat (since 2nd in MDN), CASTILE then showed his talent to the out Heat 9 (red and white) with the colt sitting off the speed before coming over the top of the field with some class. This 2yo is by Lonhro out of a Street Cry mare, so suspect he’ll be better over a bit further. One to watch maybe second/third up.
WIDAAD with a nice win when travelling out very wide in Heat 11 (white). She looked nice in a May 7 (red) jump out as well and looks to be one to watch on debut. This 2yo Snitzel filly is a half-sister to Muraaqeb (now Safin) and Buthayna, so looks to be bred well enough as well.
Big win by STONEFIELD in Heat 14, but he is an 8-start maiden that is making a habit of winning jump outs but not races. He’s had an 8-week let up and looks to be one to be mindful of but one we don’t want to rush into backing.