The Good, The Bad and The Ugly – January 2nd Edition

Saturday was all about the Gold Coast and Magic Millions Day, and boy weren’t there some highlights during the afternoon. All that and more in this weeks edition of ‘The Good, The Bad and The Ugly’.

KEY NEWS:

Exhilarates Brilliant In Classic

Is Exhilarates top shelf, or were the rest behind no good when it comes to that level? 30:70 ratio at this stage IMO, but the win of Exhilarates in the Magic Millions Classic at the Gold Coast on Saturday was unbelievable. She looked no hope at the turn as she was back near last, held up, while Dubious got the inside split and dashed to the front. But Kerrin McEvoy got the Godolphin filly into the clear and she produced amazing sectionals to get the win. She’ll now likely be freshened up for the Golden Slipper.

Boomsara Wins the Guineas

Spirit Of Boom has been one of the best newcomer sires and it was confirmed on Saturday in the Magic Millions Guineas where he sired the winner and third placegetter. Boomsara led all the way under Tim Clark to fend the challengers off, beating home the brave Bondi, who pulled his head off in the run, while the favourite Outback Barbie just took a little while to wind up but was sound late in a close up third.

An Impressive Bastard At Gosford

Not often that Racing Australia lets a name go through to the keeper without research, but they raised the bat it seemed and let Safado, trained by Kim Waugh, go through. There are a few ways to take the name, but in Portuguese, the official translation is bastard. And yep, this bastard can run. He was backed off the map at Gosford on Friday and under Jason Collett, he bolted in and is now being earmarked as a potential Provincial Championships contender.

PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK:

How can it be anything other than Exhilarates. She was just in a hopeless spot in the run and was no chance it seemed on the turn, but somehow she got clear air and just savaged the line late to grab Dubious. I have question marks on how strong that race was, but on face value, she was outstanding and seems to be getting better and better with each run under the belt.

DEBUT OF THE WEEK:

The trials of True Quality were just fair leading into her debut at Doomben on Wednesday, and the market agreed because she was a drifter, but she defied that and produced a nice finale from the back to win. Time was nothing flash, she beat nothing, but she’s in the right stable and I think she can keep winning with the right placement. Microphone at Flemington was pretty good also.

RIDE OF THE WEEK:

Just have a look at the replay of the last at Pinjarra…how on earth did Pike get Sally’s Realm home? She was 100-1 on the turn, 200-1 at the top of the straight. Not clear, held up, but somehow Pike got the splits, got her to the outside and she produced an unbelievable finish to win. It was Pike at his brilliant best and once again the get out strategy for punters won.

SLAUGHTER OF THE WEEK:

He’s produced a couple of really nice rides since coming to Australia, but the steer from Martin Seidl on Mr Money Bags was a howler in the Chester Manifold. Had the back of the winner Manolo Blahniq, but for some reason, he went inside instead of peeling outside and from there, it was just a nightmare. The winner was wide no cover, so credit has to go to him, but Mr Money Bags should have been right in the finish.

HORSES TO FOLLOW:

Cadogan – Mark him down as a Stradbroke Handicap contender for the locals. His run was absolutely enormous.

Chauffeur – He had improvement to come. He could start a picket fence next to his name with the right placement.

ONE MORE CHANCE:

I’d be keeping tabs on King Tomlola. He was second up at Randwick and for mine, I just think he needed the run. Had good specking at odds and led copping pressure. Was right up against the inside, which wasn’t the spot to be, and he faded late. Once he gets to 1800-2000m, with the right placement, I think he’ll be winning a race or two. Has come back in good order.

NEVER EVER AGAIN:

Seahampton – No more for me
Generalissimo – Can win without me in the future
Kaplumpich – Just not up to this level at the moment
Gina’s Hope – Never again at metro level for now. Needs to go back to Provincial grade.
Call Me Handsome – Trialled up terribly and the two runs back have been the same
George Patton – Send him back to France ASAP