Weekend racing reviews – Saturday 28th April

1st    Angel Of Mercy   Craig Williams
2nd   Bound To Blush   James McDonald
3rd    Hallowell Belle     Nash Rawiller

Bound To Blush was the expected leader here and found the front fairly easily, with Hallowell Belle sitting outside of it. Detours sat on the fence behind the leader and Ever The Same secured a good run, one out and one back. The eventual winner, Angel Of Mercy was getting a nice run 5th, three back on the fence. Hallowell Belle was asked to come after the leader in the straight but didn’t really ping. Perhaps this was a result of a lot of racing for her recently. Ever The Same tried to run on, but at the same time Angel Of Mercy had got the split and taken advantage of an easy run in transit. She sprinted well for a good win. Bound To Blush kept on ok, also after an easy run and there was not a lot to say about the rest.

Follow: Angel Of Mercy

Race 2

1st    Fat Al                       Nash Rawiller
2nd   Ambidexter                Kerrin McEvoy
3rd    Rekindled Alliance     Craig Williams

Huegill missed the start hopelessly here whilst the short priced favourite Fat Al was ridden with clear intent to lead. He did so after about 100m. Devonshire Duke and Ambidexter disputed second for a few hundred metres, with Ambidexter eventually finding the spot outside the leader. Rawiller slowed them up nicely on the leader and he seems to be the horse with the most upside in this race. Horses such as Iggy Pop and more so, Rekindled Alliance and Isopach found themselves a good way off the lead. The later two were second last and last with Rekindled Alliance taking off 600m from home to try and get into it. In the straight it appeared for a few strides that Ambidexter would go past Fat Al but once he wound up he came away for a clear win. Whilst that was going on, Rekindled Alliance had run away from the rest of the field into third, but he is a costly conveyance. Isopach made reasonable ground after being given no chance due to the slow pace and can find a suitable race.

Follow: Isopach

Race 3

1st    Pierro            Nash Rawiller
2nd   Dear Demi     James McDonald
3rd    Tatra             Tommy Berry

Raceway led as expected with Pierro outside him in the early stages. Tatra then came around them and took on Raceway, as we saw in The Sires. This gave Pierro a lovely run in third and really it was only ever a matter of how far. In the straight he gapped them, with Dear Demi running on well from the back and Tatra doing a good job to hold on for third. All credit to the winner, but I never get carried away with two-year-olds until I see them come back and do it as a three-year-old, many fail to as their peers mature further and learn more about the game.

Follow: Dear Demi, Tatra

Race 4

1st    Skyerush       Blake Shinn
2nd   Fibrillation      Brenton Avdulla
3rd    Divorces        Kerrin McEvoy

Plenty of them disputed the early lead here, with Fill The Page, as expected, eventually taking up the running from Miss Keepsake. Crafty Irna was wide all the way here and pushed even wider on the turn. Skyerush, which won the race, was a fair way back, but getting an economical run in transit. At the 200m mark you didn’t really know where to look, with plenty of chances spread across the track, but the gap was appearing for Skyerush, who accelerated nicely through it for victory. The run of Fibrillation off a months break was good to run second and Crafty Irna, although becoming costly, has to be given another chance after the wide run and not being beaten far on the line. Miss Keepsake was beaten at the 200m mark and I can’t find any excuses for her.

Follow: Fibrillation, Crafty Irna

Race 5

1st    Atlantic Jewel   Michael Rodd
2nd   Rain Affair        Chris Reith
3rd    Ofcourseican    Kathy O’Hara

Rain Affair showed his customary speed to lead easily, with Rodd electing to have Altantic Jewel right there in second placing. Happy Zero and Albert The Fat were the next two in running. Rain Affair took off before the turn which meant Atlantic Jewel was chasing. There will be those that say she was not impressive but in my opinion this was an excellent win. She was stepping up in class and made to chase a very good horse and she was never really in doubt in the straight, despite a smaller margin today. Rain Affair tried hard as always and the runs of Albert The Fat and particularly Ofcourseican were very good, but simply in another class.

Follow: Ofcourseican

Race 6

1st    Niwot                    Dwayne Dunn
2nd   Efficient                 Michael Rodd
3rd    Once Were Wild    Jim Cassidy

Solid Billing would have been expected by most to find the front and did so, with Once Were Wild sitting second. Within no time at all, both Permit and Niwot had found lovely positions on the fence, not too far from the pace. Our Serena was about the only one that covered any extra ground early. They strung out a bit in the middle stages and at the 1000m Permit was in all sorts. This was later put down to a problem with a shoe. Just before the 600m the runs started to come from the back, most noticeable was Precedent who took off from last. Efficient had also started to make his move from well back. Niwot due to being positioned well in running got to wait until the corner before coming out to make a run and this was the difference in the end. He outstayed the other two whose long runs told on them. Once Were Wild, that was on the speed all the way ran well for third and realistically the rest just plugged. Drunken Sailor that was in the market never came into it and perhaps 3200m is not really his go, as he has only won once over it in 8 attempts. The usual suspects such as Nextanix and Anudjuwan were running on – surprise surprise!

Follow: Once Were Wild

Race 7

1st    More Joyous       Nash Rawiller
2nd   Manighar             Damien Oliver
3rd    Secret Admirer    Brenton Avdulla

The More Joyous Stakes – that’s what this race should have been called such was the impressive nature of her win. Rawiller took the initiative to take up the running and she was never going to be beaten from there on. Rekindled Interest settled outside of her, with Jimmy Choux on the fence in third. They pretty much stayed in their order until the 600m when the runs came. Americain was off from the back and that got Rekindled Interest going. They both basically moved up to More Joyous before the turn. Americain was gone as quickly as he started his run and I am not sure what to make of him from here. The bolter Speediness got a run through on the fence and ran the race of its life, although beaten a fair way late in the peace, whilst Rangirangdoo and Secret Admirer did their best to come down the outside. It was all academic, as More Joyous had bolted away. Manighar didn’t have the clearest run early in the straight, but proved his great form by running a clear second and wins the race bar running into a freak on the day. Jimmy Choux does not appear to have come up this campaign.

Follow: Manighar, Speediness in something easier.

Race 8

1st    Tiger Tees     Chris Reith
2nd   Pinwheel       Kerrin McEvoy
3rd    Neeson         Michael Rodd

Tiger Tees showed his customary barrier brilliance to take up an early lead. Dee’N'Gee was outside of him and Neeson was trapped three wide. Latin News was back along the fence with Nobby Snip one off the fence, but didn’t really look comfortable between horses in running. Hood tracked closer to the outside rail than the inside the whole way and dropped out badly. Pinwheel was in what seemed like a hopeless position on the turn, but got inside runs to flash home and only narrowly miss. Tiger Tees just kept defying them in the straight and is an under rated horse with a good record. Neeson was very good after being wide, whilst Riva De Lago again confirmed its position in the “sack book”. Nobby Snip worked home ok once clear of horses and can be forgiven for this run.

Follow: The first three were all very good, forgive Nobby Snip. Continue laying Riva De Lago this campaign.

Specials from the meeting: Angel Of Mercy, Speediness, Pinwheel, Neeson.