Caulfield review compiled by Rick Williams
Race 1. 1800M BMW Handicap
LYONELL ANTHONY DARMANIN 1st $51
COSMIC CAUSEWAY JAKE DUFFY 2nd $6.50
YULALON GLEN BOSS 3rd $5
Looked a tricky sort of race on paper and it played out that way. Stoneblack and Rowland took it up with Mannopoly and Volando in behind them. Before they got to the turn the leaders seemed to get away from the fence and let the others through. By this stage Cosmic Causeway had railed up but was unable to get clear running. Yulalona had put in a sustained effort around them and the outsider Lyonell was working through the field. In the end Lyonell was too good for them, Cosmic Causeway was unlucky and Yulalona did enough to suggest he can be seriously considered next run.
Worth noting: Cosmic Causeway probably should have won. Always hard to beat when he can get an easy run, but had no luck.
Race 2. 1000M Natalie Hunter Handicap
PLANET VOYAGE LUKE NOLEN 1st $3.50
HARD ROMP GLEN BOSS 2nd $21
THE TRAVELLING MAN(NZ) MICHAEL RODD 3rd $3.30F
Leader dominated race with the first three in the run fighting out the finish. It was a good win by Planet Voyage, he won his maiden well at Ballarat and was the nailed on the line at Sandown in what was a fast race for the day. Sat just off of them and was able to sprint better over the final stages, his fitness was helpful. Hard Romp had a good run and finished off well. Great debut. The Travelling Man took up the lead but just got tired late, he should come right on fr4om that performance.
Worth noting: Looks like the first three are the ones to follow and the second and third horses have the most upside with improvement/fitness.
Race 3. 1000M Karen Clements Handicap
BLOOMINGDALE MISS MICHAEL RODD 1st $3.40F
CONVENE LUKE NOLEN 2nd $12
LAMINGTONS BRADLEY WALLACE 3rd $8.50
Bloomingdale Miss got the money here and the Fandom form is looking pretty good (he won again Wednesday). She was able to work into a forward spot early before getting a little bit of a breather through the middle stages and then produced an excellent kick late to hold them off. Convene resumed from a break and was the other runner to really hit the line well. The rest were well beaten. Dance Card came to the end of her prep, had she not been she would have challenged strongly.
Worth noting: Happy to keep following Bloomingdale Miss in similar and wet.
Race 4. 2400M Nicholas Latimer Handicap
TURNER BAYOU(NZ) MICHAEL RODD 1st $3.60F
MIN RIVER CRAIG NEWITT 2nd $7.50
MISS MATTY DWAYNE DUNN 3rd $31
Wasn’t the best race we have ever seen but all you can do is win and it was a strong win by Turner Bayou who proved to be the best stayer. he settled back in the field before making his move through the middle section of the race and finishing much stronger than the rest. Min River did well to finish second but just doesn’t have the same staying stamina as the winner.
Worth noting: Turner Bayou just keeps improving, not sure where he will end up but he can certainly stay all day.
Race 5. 1400M Murray Fairclough Handicap
PRINCE PEDRO DWAYNE DUNN 1st $7EF
LOOT ‘N’ RUN MICHAEL RODD 2nd $14
AL’S RACING CHRIS SYMONS 3rd $9
This race was won in the last few strides by Prince Pedro who absolutely rocketed home. In a race that was pretty much dominated by on pace horses it was a very good effort by the winner. He didn’t do much early but either did 3/4 of the field and none of them could do what he did. Loot n Run did what he does best and he got out and running. He looked home for all money at one stage but was just unable to hold off Prince Pedro. He went significantly harder than any other runners and only one passed him. Al’s Racing took up a better spot in the run but that may have taken her away his ping at the end.
Worth noting: First two were really good but must be close to the end of their prep? Happy to follow Al’s Racing, ready to win.
Race 6. 1200M Bletchingly Stakes
READY TO RIP LUKE NOLEN 1st $5
ZAMORAR JAMIE MOTT 2nd $3.20F
DUSTY STAR GLEN BOSS 3rd $5.50
Another race dominated by the on pace group. Dusty Star was heavily backed late and was taken to the lead. He did a pretty good job to keep fighting but just didn’t have enough left in the finishing staged. Zamorar sat just off of him and came with a good run when it mattered but he just didn’t have enough zip in him. The winner Ready To Rip was off of the leaders through the run and was able to price an excellent final 400m to win. Moody has certainly improved this horse and he can keep winning. Green Birdie had a good run in behind them and was unable to get clear running at one stage but he did look to have every opportunity.
Worth noting: They went slow early and the race was a sit and sprint.
Race 7. 1400M Sportingbet Handicap
BONARIA BRADLEY WALLACE 1st $4F
TRANQUERA PETER MERTENS 2nd $14
BABEL VLAD DURIC 3rd $9
Bonaria won really well last start and smashed them again here. It was a big finish from her on a deteriorating track. She covered her last 400m significantly quicker than the others, possibly part due to being in the better ground but we can’t detract from the effort. There wasn’t a great deal between the rest of them, they aren’t world beaters. Manhattan Maid was the best in the race but she is looking for the paddock.
Worth noting: Not really looking to follow anything here including the winner.
Race 8. 1400M The Champagne Pommery Masters Awards Handicap
CLUB COMMAND LUKE NOLEN 1st $2.80F
GURU BOB(NZ) JAKE DUFFY 2nd $41
PRINCE OBAMA DEAN YENDALL 3rd $6.50
It was a race in two here as Guru Bob and Club Command pulled right away from the field and it was 6L back to third Prince Obama. He runs out of his skin when he is on this Guru Bob but he just can’t seem to back it up so tread a little carefully at his next run. Club Command just keeps winning over 1400. The mile didn’t suit him the start prior and he dropped in weight. He was given a great ride by Nolen and was just too powerful over the final 200m.
Worth noting: Interesting how far they pulled out by and how much better their closing numbers were even after producing the best early numbers.
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Warwick Farm review by Todd Burmester
Race 1
1st Havana Rey Glyn Schofield
2nd Kuhreihen Kerrin McEvoy
3rd Hendricus Brenton Avdulla
They all came out well in the first, and the favourite, Havana Rey took up the running. He got there fairly easily, and was always going to be hard to run down from there. He went fast enough in front to not be taken on, but slow enough to keep a good kick in the straight. Coming to the turn it was evident Havana Rey was traveling big time, with all other runners under some pressure. Kuhreihen again ground to the line, but definitely lacks a turn of foot at the moment.
Follow: Australian Star (Don’t sack it on one loss here)
Race 2
1st Brave The Way Peter Robl
2nd Shawnee Girl Blake Shinn
3rd Sour Mash Corey Brown
Sour Mash and Crosscannons disputed the lead in the second for the first few hundred metres before Sour Mash clearly took it up. Harry Trimbole got a nice run behind the leader on the fence, whilst Brave The Way got back in the field, but not too far from them. Mr Tipsy was in a difficult spot, back on the fence towards the tail of the field. Peter Robl obviously knew he was traveling well on Brave The Way, and moved up three wide before the turn, in what was a race winning move. The two runners without much luck here were Harry Trimbole, and Mr Tipsy, both runs can be forgotten. Sour Mash may have had enough for now.
Follow: Harry Trimbole, Mr Tipsy
Race 3
1st She’s A Fox Peter Robl
2nd Sherocksmyworld Nash Rawiller
3rd Secret Delight Chad Schofield
No doubt the most impressive winner of the day was She’s A Fox. Don’t Blink had plenty of pace to lead fromSecret Delight. She’s A Fox got well back and started to make a run wide before the turn. What was most impressive about the win was the fact she was able to sustain the run all the way to the line, putting a real gap in them. Kristy Lee got back to a clear last and worked home well in the straight without a great deal of room, Rex Is A Star also ran home well, whilst Don’t Blink stopped badly.
Follow: The winner is obviously smart – Sherocksmyworld unlucky to meet it here. Kristy Lee went very well.
Race 4
1st Urquidez Nathan Berry
2nd Destiny Rising Jay Ford
3rd Turnley Peter Robl
Plenty of them wanted to dispute the lead in the two-year-old Colts and Geldings event, which probably set it up for something to come from behind. Urquidez was the one that fitted the bill. He was well back, pulled very wide in the straight, but to his credit, finished off very well, and looked to have some improvement in him also. I thought the run of Destiny Rising was quite good, and can win a race like this. Turnley ran well for third, after being caught in a bit of a tightening early.
Follow: Destiny Rising, Turnley. Le Cap can be forgiven.
Race 5
1st She’s Clean Blake Shinn
2nd Berrimilla Corey Brown
3rd Houston Benefactor Glyn Schofield
All credit here had to go to She’s Clean, who made a mess of the start, went around them before the turn, and ran away from them in the straight. Interestingly, she followed a similar pattern to earlier winners She’s A Fox and Brave The Way, so perhaps that was the way to ride the track most effectively. Berrimilla ran well for second, and can be followed, whilst Happy Hussy that was sent out favourite, didn’t really have a lot of room in the straight and wasn’t fully tested. I wouldn’t give up on her just yet. Project Compassion is another that I thought went quite well. This could be quite a good form race.
Follow: Form from the race in general.
Race 6
1st Spinnawitch Blake Shinn
2nd Forty Thirty Chad Schofield
3rd Winning Glory Nathan Berry
Spinnawitch proved she has some class, and did not fluke her win at big odds last start with another good win here. She was backed “off the map” in the betting ring, and as they say, money talks all languages. Forty Thirtyled them up from Winning Glory, with King Lionheart and Erewhon next in the run. Our Pride and Joy was wide all the way. In the straight, Forty Thirty kept fighting hard but couldn’t go with the winner, and Irish Dream finished off well from last, but again, couldn’t go with the winner.
Follow: Spinnawitch may not have peaked yet
Race 7
1st Bello Kerrin McEvoy
2nd Thumbtacks Chad Schofield
3rd Take The Oath Peter Robl
One More Grand had the pace to cross from our wide here and take it up from Honourable Aussie, and Hurrara back on the fence behind them. Take The Oath and Bello were the top two in betting, and got a fair way back, but they both again followed that pattern of coming around them out wide before the turn. In this case, the fact that Bello was that couple of lengths ahead of Take The Oath all the way made the difference, and it wasThumbtacks that kept fighting and ended up getting very close to Bello in the run to the line. I liked the run of all the first three here.
Race 8
1st I Get Around Andrew Heffernan
2nd Earnest Ernest Chris Reith
3rd My Vegas Peter Robl
So we came to the last, and Typeface had any amount of speed to lead the heavily supported favourite, I Get Around. These two put a gap in the field before the turn, and had me wondering if they could sustain the speed. In the case of I Get Around the answer was yes. Albeit a narrow victory, he did burn the candle at both ends. Ernest Earnest came from back in the field, and looked likely to claim the winner with 100m to go, but ended up going under the by narrowest of margins, and couldn’t get it on protest in the stewards room either. Typeface that led them up, did a fair job to not be beaten all that far in the run to the line. My Vegas ran on as he always does, and claimed third close to the line. Overall 57.51 seconds and a final 600m of 34.63 on a dead 5 was pretty slick.
Follow: I Get Around, Typeface
