The Good, The Bad and The Ugly – September 28th Edition

Nature Strip bounced back to Group l glory on Friday night, Bivouac confirmed his status as the best 3YO sprinter in Sydney while a former WA mare made an ordinary NSW debut. All that and more in this weeks edition of ‘The Good, The Bad and The Ugly’.

KEY NEWS:

Nature Strip Silences The Doubters…For Now

He will still have doubters, but as of Friday night after the Moir Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley, Nature Strip is a multiple Group l winner. He’s promised the world but at times has been disappointing, but he was back at his brilliant best, leading throughout, with the winning move being when James McDonald was able to get a cheap furlong mid race and that gave the horse enough juice late to cling on. As for The Everest? No thank you.

Bivouac Brilliant

It was a small but select field in the Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill, with the potential there for it to be a ripping contest and that’s what it was, with Bivouac fending off the strong challenge of Yes Yes Yes to get a Group l win and secure his career post racing, with his price tag upwards of $20 Million. The first two horses were excellent and certainly wouldn’t look out of place in The Everest. Do they head there, or freshen up and take on Libertini in the Coolmore Stud Stakes on Victoria Derby Day?

WA Star Flops

Enticing Star made her much anticipated NSW debut for Chris Waller in the Golden Pendant (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday, with punters thinking she was a near good thing considering that she is heading towards the Everest, with class getting her home. But after sitting back in the run, a slowly run affair, she showed nothing in the straight and was most disappointing as Mizzy led throughout and continued her winning ways. Where does that leave Enticing Star? Time will tell.

PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK:

It wasn’t the best race of the day and the depth was pretty thin, but considering he was resuming over an unsuitable trip of 1200m, Impi created a big impression first up at Mornington on Saturday, charging clear late to make it 3/3 in his career to date, and did it with a bit in hand. He’s destined for better races and will be more suited as the distances increase.

DEBUT OF THE WEEK:

Nothing noteworthy

RIDE OF THE WEEK:

Didn’t get the win, but gee it was an absolute peach from McEvoy on Exhilarates on Friday night at the Valley and it deserved a win. She looked in an awful spot halfway through the race on the rail and bailed away, but McEvoy was able to slice his way through and got clear air, but Loving Gaby had the momentum and that was the difference between winning and losing. Ride was a beauty.

SLAUGHTER OF THE WEEK:

The gate was there for Johnny Allen to ease Jumbo Ozaki back, get cover, peel out and class gets him home. Instead, he pushed forward, got stuck three wide, then pushed four wide, then five wide on the turn…how the horse finished as close as he did I do not know, but as good as Johnny Allen is, like he was on Wednesday aboard Adelaide Ace, this ride at Mornington was a howler. Jackson Murphy on Cadogan at Doomben wasn’t that flash either. No initiative at all.

HORSES TO FOLLOW:

Master Shuhood – Had no chance of winning given the slow tempo. He’s got a win in him soon
Spanish Reef – I think she’s back on track

ONE MORE CHANCE:

Gem Song – Wouldn’t drop off him re Epsom next Saturday
Amangiri – Face value, very disappointing. Want to see her again

NEVER EVER AGAIN:

Costello – Becoming too costly
Volpe Veloce – Back home to NZ for her
Fundamentalist – She can go in again…milk drinking expert at the moment
Tamasa – He’s well and truly never again
Yucatan – Lame, needs blinkers…but can’t back him until he shows something positive