Horse Racing The Good, The Bad and The Ugly – 19/3/2022

The most remarkable rise in Australian horse racing continued, the fillies continued the juvenile dominance via the Golden Slipper while a high class animal beat up his All Star Mile rivals into submission. All that and more in this weeks edition of ‘The Good, The Bad and The Ugly’.

KEY NEWS:

Shelby On The Highway To Group l Glory

The rise to prominence of Shelby Sixtysix is something I highly doubt I will ever see again in my lifetime. Several weeks ago, he won a Highway. Fast forward to Saturday, he’s now a Group l winner, he’s a live chance for the TJ Smith if he gets conditions to suit and he could even snare an Everest slot. The Galaxy (1100m) win on Saturday was outstanding, helped by a peach from Robbie Dolan with the lightweight.

Portelli Filly Burns Rosehill Turf In Slipper

Fireburn provided Gary Portelli with his second Golden Slipper on Saturday with the filly producing an amazing finale between runners to blouse them late in a memorable win for both Portelli and jockey Brenton Avdulla, who continues his amazing comeback from injury.

Zaaki Dominant In All Star Mile

It wasn’t the strongest field ever assembled, but Zaaki showed his class in spades with an arrogant All Star Mile (1600m) triumph at Flemington on Saturday. Jamie Kah rode him like he was the best horse in the race, and really, he was, proving too good for a gallant I’m Thunderstruck, with bolter Streets Of Avalon in third. That win sets him to contest what should be race of the year, the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m).

PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK:

All of that mentioned above, and haven’t even got to Anamoe, who gets the nod for this gong. What a stunning display in the Rosehill Guineas (2000m). Admittedly, he didn’t beat up much, with Converge not running 2000m, and Profondo having his mind elsewhere, but taking nothing away from the demolition job he produced, to now sit as favourite for the Queen Elizabeth.

DEBUT OF THE WEEK:

Thought there was plenty to like about the debut win of Yowie at Sandown on Wednesday. Market said she was there to run well and she did more than that. She spanked them and pretty solid time relative to the meeting. Interesting to see where she heads but I think she goes pretty good.

RIDE OF THE WEEK:

Peach from Jamie Kah. Rode Zaaki like the good thing he was and indeed he was. Rode aggressive to get up on speed and once he landed outside the leader, it was race over. The gate looked tricky on paper but Jamie Kah made sure it wasn’t tricky and the gelding made a mess of them.

SLAUGHTER OF THE WEEK:

As good as Jamie Kah was on Zaaki, I think she’d like her time again aboard Katalin on Friday night at The Valley. She zigged when she should have zagged. Should have peeled outside, get on the back of The Bopper and edge wider rather than stay inside and wait for that horse to drop. Ended up being an ugly watch and clearly she should have gone close to winning.

HORSES TO FOLLOW:

Mazu – Arrowfield Sprint is at his mercy
Surefire – Good luck beating him in the Sydney Cup
Private Eye – Ticking along beautifully towards the Doncaster
Coolangatta – She wins comfortably if the track is dry. She’s a star
Through Irish Eyes – Has Warrnambool written all over him
Teewaters – He is the SA Derby pony. Lovely return

ONE MORE CHANCE:

Profondo – He’s a loose unit this prep. Not sacking him…yet
Isotope – Race panned out terrible for her, so want to be forgiving
Beltoro – Four/five wide no cover for the trip. Total forgive

NEVER EVER AGAIN:

Mallory – She was very plain