Horse Racing The Good, The Bad and The Ugly – 3/9/2022

A Group l winner confirmed his spot in the Cox Plate, Sydney produced another horrendously biased track while the Melbourne Spring has taken some level of shape with internationals. All that and more in this weeks edition of ‘The Good, The Bad and The Ugly’.

KEY NEWS:

Mr Brightside Dominant In Feehan

It wasn’t a vintage Feehan Stakes (1600m) but Mr Brightside made sure the race had class and he lived up to the expectation, giving his rivals a galloping lesson from on speed, spanking them by a space with something in hand. He is now assured a spot in the Cox Plate and is sure to give the race a shake with upside to come.

Another Saturday, Another Biased Sydney Track

Randwick was ugly viewing on Saturday for punters and connections with horses that weren’t going to be fence in run or one off. All 30 placegetters across the meeting were either in lanes one or two in the run, which says it all about how badly it was biased. Surely enough is enough now. The media drives the narrative and there has to be a push now from those within the racing media in Sydney for Racing NSW and Peter V’Landys to fix the mess that is the Sydney tracks. They just aren’t up to scratch compared to the Mexicans down south.

Internationals Get Scans For Spring

The international picture for the Melbourne Spring became a bit more clearer earlier this week, with several horses gaining provisional approval to make the trip across, including Camorra, high up in markets for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cup. Notable horses who aren’t allowed due to failing the vet check were Cleveland and Northern Ruler, the latter a significant firmer during the week in the Caulfield Cup market.

PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK:

It’ll get a few mentions in this write up, but Durston and the Wyong Cup, and that man again, Chris Waller. This horse was terrible in his opening two runs for the prep but the stable kept the faith, persisted and the end result was a dominant win in a Stakes race, a win that likely sees him head towards The Metropolitan, where he’ll be a live chance.

DEBUT OF THE WEEK:

I liked the debut win of Honeycup at Benalla on Monday. Caroline Jennings is a very good trainer with a small team and she is happy to travel in order to place her runners right. This horse led throughout on the bog and moved well in leading throughout. He’s no star but he can keep winning with the right placement.

RIDE OF THE WEEK:

James McDonald gave us a reminder that he has a bit on the rest of the Sydney riding ranks with an absolute clinic at Wyong on Friday, headlined by Durston in the Cup. He pulled their pants down. The riders were unsure where the best ground was, but J Mac plotted a bath between the field, angled into clear air, with full momentum, and spanled them. He’s the best in Sydney, and Australia, by some distance.

SLAUGHTER OF THE WEEK:

She’s a very good apprentice rider Alana Kelly, but it was an odd ride on Cyclone Sally on Wednesday at Sandown. The in form, well tried mare missed the start, but actually ended up in a good spot, three wide with cover on the back of the well backed Seonee. But Kelly decided to angle four wide, use the petrol tickets to sit on speed, and the mare was a beaten horse at the top of the straight, with Seonee winning the race. Plain ride I thought.

HORSES TO FOLLOW:

Cholante – Just how good is she?
More Prophets – Right on track for the Tibbie
Oakfield Duke – He’s a quality horse
She’s Extreme – She’s right on track
Millane – On track for the Guineas
Age Of Chivalry – He’ll win a race or two this time in

ONE MORE CHANCE:

Boomnova – She’s not a 1350m horse. 1000m is her go
Profondo – Dry track next time, he can be a big improver
Away Game – Cardiac Arryhthmia. Clear forgive
Unusual Culture – Flemington/Sandown. She needs a big track

NEVER EVER AGAIN:

Andermatt – He’s just a horse. Amazing he was backed with confidence to beat one of the best 1000m horses in the business
Converge – Jury is very much out
Prix De Turn – He’s not proper Saturday class
Earlswood – Only gets harder now. Happy to risk him