Re: Thoroughbred Horse Racing [Merged]
The Derby programme turned out, as they always do, an extended farce. LOL at Greg Miles hyping the pace in every race. (Will I ever tire of the joke that is Greg Miles?) Most races were hacked and ten of ten were put on for the leader.
In the Derby, if there had been a talented leader it would have won. They ran the equivalent of a 2:31 mile and half on a fast track.
But that wasn't a surprise so we should all have taken advantage of that. ;D
Rebel Raider totally outclassed them on the day. It won with authority and if not for racing axiom #9011 - The Victoria Derby is an inconsequential race usually won by a provincial plodder - you'd be enthusiastic about RR's prospects.
M.Rodd slaughtered Whobegotyou but Lindop slaughtered hers too and beat him home by three. No excuses for the favourite.
On Whobegotyou, Kavanagh works both him and Maldivian. The Cox Plate worked out very well for older stablemate but Kavanagh could hardly have gone into the race with any confidence. If Who had been galloping better than Mal, Kavanagh (who is fully aware of the talent of each) would have run him in the CP. He didn't because for sheer talent ATM the elder is the better horse and he knows it. And the elder aint much good.
Which brings me to a provisional conclusion - the filly, Samantha Miss, is a better horse than the 3yo male right now.
Pre Eminence was a fair run and the rest aren't any good if that's all they've got.
FWIW if Buffet had run third I get the tri but I slept sweetly last night, dreaming of a wave of stable arson. And I woke smelling of kerosene. I hadn't drunk any of the stuff since Friday night so I might give it wide berth next weekend.
The McKinnon was won by the unlucky runner of the Cox Plate. How Nash must wish he'd produced that ride a week earlier. But he just nailed Barbaricus, ridden a masterful race by the underrated Baster. Sure, they ran their first 1400 in 1:30 but that is standard in Australian G1 2000m races this year.
It's well worth noting that the handicapper was pretty much the equal of the WFA gallopers on the day. That's because there were no WFA gallopers in the race, with apologies to the unlucky Sirmione who would have beaten them by eight if there'd been a pace.
As I've argued repeatedly, the McKinnon Stakes is not a Group One's *smile*.
Our Smokin Joe ran fourth on a fast track. Let that be the epitaph of the event.
What we know is that there are no local WFA class horses to represent the country in the Melbourne Cup. In fact there are bugger all locals with any talent at all. And that's why the poms will destroy them. But more of that on Monday.
Forensics did to the mares what topline mares do in these races. The country horses, Bellini Rose, Bernicia and the rest, carried the same weight as the G1 mares. If you backed any horse except the top three in the race you should hand in your wallet for the rest of the carnival. Not even I was that stupid. Not that I wasn't stupid. I did my airse on Gallant Tess.
Leaving aside the unlucky Sunburnt Land (Blood's dealt with that matter) Hot Danish fully outclassed them in the Salinger. It was a massacre and she'll win again this spring. However she probably isn't at her best at a mile so I'd be wary if she starts in the George Adams (Emirates, for the young).
In the last, Friday Creek's run was good. He might give us a payday before the spring is sprung. But Damien Oliver's ride on the favourite was a lesson. Rodd couldn't have done much more on Sniper's Bullet but that's not to say he couldn't have done any more. Had he held the rail Oliver's story is one of woe. Bad ride by Rodd IMO. Another for the day. I hope Oliver gave it to him.
