Go to Villagebet.com.au for free horse racing tips - Click here now
Forum Home Forum Home > Horse Racing - Public Forums > Racing Forum
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - 2020-21 Racing Season
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login


Thoroughbred Village Home Page. For village news, follow @TBVillage on Twitter. For horseracing tips, follow @Villagebet on Twitter. To contact the Mayor by email: Click Here.


2020-21 Racing Season

 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <1 234
Author
Message
Carioca View Drop Down
Champion
Champion


Joined: 13 Nov 2015
Status: Offline
Points: 21703
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Carioca Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Mar 2021 at 11:34am
Their not smart over there Brudder , bunch of non visionary mugs when it comes to promoting their main race , another Don Dunston is needed imo.
Back to Top
furious View Drop Down
Champion
Champion


Joined: 19 Feb 2007
Status: Offline
Points: 25067
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote furious Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Mar 2021 at 8:22am
My luck is continuing.  I was being daring and bought my ticket to the Golden Slipper meeting!  It will be a very wet day outside in my area - if it happens tomorrow.

I'm a bit worried for the ones running with weeks between their starts including two I want to win.  THis is going to be a testing track at the best.

Hope the meeting runs safely whatever they decide.  The rain isn't constant yet.  But heavy downpours when it comes.

This meeting has always been my favourite one for the year.  Probably because I've been going to it since I was a teenager.  I really miss having the Tancred run on the same day but you really can't complain on a day with five G1's to watch.  The Ranvet field is small but will be exciting to see VE and A back against each other again.  Both handle it wet but as wet as the track will be tomorrow who knows.

I'd go to Jungle Edge in the Galaxy but not many 10 year olds win a G1.  He's got the best mud form of any horse running on the day though.

While poor Jonker doesn't and most of his sires stock don't either.  I noticed one win on a heavy track at the Gold Coast so there are always exceptions to the rule.

Sometimes betting on a wet day is easy.  So many are out of contention before the races start.  But that goes out the window in a G1 when class comes into play and the course is bottomless.  I guess some of the Europeans may of raced in similar conditions but I doubt it.

Well I'm be there - not in my finery.  I'm dressing for cold and wet.


Back to Top
Shrunk in the Wash View Drop Down
Champion
Champion


Joined: 25 Mar 2016
Status: Offline
Points: 9890
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Shrunk in the Wash Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Mar 2021 at 8:49am
Have a great day Furious 
Back to Top
Carioca View Drop Down
Champion
Champion


Joined: 13 Nov 2015
Status: Offline
Points: 21703
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Carioca Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Mar 2021 at 1:15pm
And I 2nd that , hope you find the Slipper winner furious .
Back to Top
furious View Drop Down
Champion
Champion


Joined: 19 Feb 2007
Status: Offline
Points: 25067
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote furious Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Mar 2021 at 4:38pm
Hope its Artorius or Four Moves Ahead as I've followed from the sales.  But it's really looking unlikely for tomorrow anyway.  Not too wet here at the moment but to move in tonight.  I feel sorry for the jockeys, trainers and owners if they run tomorrow or later in the week.  Both will bring up some big problems for all involved.
Back to Top
furious View Drop Down
Champion
Champion


Joined: 19 Feb 2007
Status: Offline
Points: 25067
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote furious Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Mar 2021 at 6:20pm
OK well second chance and I go tomorrow.  The field shows how this race is not just a race for speedy families with lots of Oaks and Derby winners in the families of the runners tomorrow.
Shaquero - has a German Derby winner from his female line

Profiteer - was breed for the slipper with his female line going back to the dam of Baguette.  But included is a winner of the VRC Oaks

Artorius - his female line produced the great Allez France with a Arc de Triomphe to her name

Ingratiating - his female line goes back to the dam of Pretty Polly with an Epsom Oaks, 1000 Guineas, St Leger, and lots of others G1 races to her name

Anamoe - Anamato SAJC Australasian Oaks and also winners of NZ Derbies and Oaks.  Family of Manto a great female line.  Decends from the grandam of Trenton

Home Affairs - decends from the great Fanfreluche.  Winner of two Derbies

Kalashnikov - Eagle Way Queensland Derby

Stay Inside - has a line of three Irish Oaks winners in three generations from his female line

Rocket Tiger - decends from the great Selene the dam of Hyperion

Captivant - decends from Carpet SLipper dam of an Epsom Oaks winner and an Irish Derby winner

Glistening - lots of stakes but nothing major

Four Moves Ahead - goes back to dam of Daylami and Dalakhani (Arc de Triomphe, French Derby)

Swift Witness - family of Theatrical G1 winners of 12 f three times

Mallory - family of Nebraska Tornado (French Oaks)

Queen of Wizardry - family of Scottish Union (GB St Leger 14f)

So the slipper isn't full of speedy squibs.  And this is why they can come out and sire winners over 3200m themselves.



Back to Top
furious View Drop Down
Champion
Champion


Joined: 19 Feb 2007
Status: Offline
Points: 25067
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote furious Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Apr 2021 at 1:36pm
And once again the first season sires have showed an exceptional hand with sires Capitalist gaining a G1 winner and Frosted having Cloudy pick up a G3.

As mentioned above a fair few two year olds have depth in their pedigrees,  Captivant might not be eligable to run in an Oaks but that isn't to say he won't at least be able to get 2000m.  Maybe more who knows most aren't given a chance to try.

I've followed his female line since Kilmarie (1983) Bletchingly x Sheeaun caught my eye at the sales.  And no she and her foals showed exceptional speed.  But I followed her because deep in her pedigree was Carpet Slipper dam of Godiva by Hyperion (winner of the Epsom Oaks and 1000 Guineas) and Windsor Slipper by Windsor Lad a son of Blandford (winner of Irish Derby, 2000 Guineas and St Leger).  

So being by Bletchingly from the Hyperion sireline and carrying the Star Kingdom line which loved more Blandford or Chaucer she was easy to pick.

Now this one is inbred to Marscay (Hyperion Sireline), Danehill and his sire Danzig (not so unusual).

Capitalist, very much like his sire Written Tycoon, comes from a very old Australasian family.  So old most of the early foaling dates are lost.  But old champs Yattendon (his sire Sir Hercules (AUS) is the skeleton in Sydney Museum) and Musket stand out in the early part of his pedigree.

While I still remember Regal Rhythm winning many mile events when I was only just getting interested in racing.  Can't remember is he was iffy in the barriers but he was by Sostenuto so the female line must be very stable.

But here we find a young colt which unlike many modern pedigrees is so Australasian.  Capitalist, Commands (did shuttle), Blazing Sword (Marscay), River Rough, Bletchingly - that can't be reproduced anywhere else in the world.

With bloodlines shrinking with horses shuttling to Australia, South America etc I think that could be very important.
Back to Top
furious View Drop Down
Champion
Champion


Joined: 19 Feb 2007
Status: Offline
Points: 25067
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote furious Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Jun 2021 at 3:26pm
A winner today just about sums it up Wereallinthistogether by Shocking.  Hope it can go on with the job as its a Juliet line filly.
Back to Top
furious View Drop Down
Champion
Champion


Joined: 19 Feb 2007
Status: Offline
Points: 25067
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote furious Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Jul 2021 at 9:11pm
We the last month of our current racing season upon us I've looked back over the G1 winners for the season.  Our multiple winners were Arcadia Queen (Pierro/Redoute's Choice), Behemoth (All Too Hard/Zedrich), Eduardo (Host-Fantastic Light), Explosive Jack (Jakkalberry/Ekraar), Hungry Heart (Frankel/Pivotal), Kolding (Ocean Park/Danzero), Montefilia (Kermadec/Shirocco), Nature Strip (Nicconi/Desert Sun), Ole Kirk (Written Tycoon/Bel Esprit), Probabeel (Savabeel/Pins), Sir Dragonet (Camelot/Oasis Dream), Tofane (Ocean Park/Galileo) and Verry Elleegant (Zed/Danroad).

A wildly different mix of sires and grandsires.  With only Written Tycoon and All too Hard among the top 10 leading sires for the season (although Pierro and Nicconi follow at 11th & 12th.)  While Redoute's Choice is running second for the broodmare sire list but none of the above have the leading stallion Encosta de Lago as their grandsire.

But with each pedigree being so different it is interesting to see the stories those pedigrees tell.

Arcadia Queen has a top class female line and has the established cross of Pierro over a Redoute's Choice mare,  This line of mares go back to Steady Glass (GB) 1926 a daughter of Stedfast by Chaucer (from the female family of Star Kingdom and in Star Kingdom's pedigree).  Her dam was a 1/2 sister to an Epsom Derby winner Captain Cuttle so was a high class import for Australian studs.

Behemoth decends from Levity (GB) 1860.  She was an immediate success as her son Don Juan was to win the Melbourne Cup, Turnbull S and VRC Queen Elizabeth S.  Behemoth has an interesting pedigree being by Black Caviar's 1/2 brother All Too Hard (Pago Pago and VRC Sires' Produce) and also having Flying Spur (Golden Slipper), Snippets (Magic Millions & AJC Sires' Produce), Vain (Golden Slipper), Zeditave (Blue Diamond) and Fairy Walk (Golden Slipper).  Behemoth didn't show that early speed which was so prevalent in his pedigree but is much more of a speedster that his distant Melbourne Cup winning relative.

Eduardo decends from Beginner (GB) 1942.  His fourth dam Avon Angel (Tad Kennedy, Canterbury S, Expressway S, Surround S etc) was by far the best before Eduardo emerged.

Explosive Jack decends from Nuptial (IRE) 1925.  As a multiple Derby winner this season he shows how mixed are modern pedigrees.  His sire Jakkalberry son stakes races from 1000m to 2400m including an Italian G1 win of 1200m.  The next sire Ekraar was a bit more of a middle distance horse winning the G1 Gran Premio del Jockey Club (also in Italy).  Before him the sire used was Exploding Prospect (G3 win over 8f in the USA).  The next two Beau Ghost and Lad's Love not seen in too many stakes pedigrees.  But some class of sires is shown before them with Landau, Smokey Eyes and Hall Mark among them.

Hungry Heart's dam was imported in foal to Frankel with this Oaks winner.  Frankel was a Mile/middle distance force to be reckoned with winning from 7f to 10f but to being pushed out to the classic 2400m distance.  While Pivotal sire of the dam Harlech was a pure speed horse.  A bit like Fastnet Rock he has had winners over a 2400m distance with Addeybb and Avilius coming to mind.

Kolding continued on his G1 winning form from the previous season.  He decends from Melesina (IRE) 1849.  With Ocean Park, Danzero, Semipalatinsk (Noholme sireline), Young Brolga, Malt Denis, Spearfelt, Kaoru Star, Thorn Park, Zabeel, Bletchingly, Biscay etc.  This boy is an advertisement for the Australasian breed sire.

Montefilia is another with an imported dam but by and New Zealand bred son of Teofilo.

Nature Strip decends from Tiflis (GB) 1960 but his female line is about as good as they come as he decends from Friar's Daughter dam of Bahram (Epsom Derby, 2000 Guineas, St Leger S, Middle Park S etc), Dastur (Irish Derby, Champion S, Coronation Cup etc) and Sadri (Durban July Hcp).

Ole Kirk is another decendant like Black Caviar and All to Hard of Love Son (DEN) 1976.  Her dam being a sister to Black Caviar.  Not much more needs to be said.  An inform family which is continuing on with the job.

Probabeel probably has one of my favourite pedigrees for the season.  She decends from Eleusis (GB) 1885 with her 2nd dam Charade being a 1/2 to Feu De Joie (Epsom Oaks, Yorkshire Oaks).  Just look at the class of sires used with this girl including Savabeel, Pins, Centaine, O'Reilly, Summertime and Martian (seven times Champion sire in New Zealand).  It's a lovely mix of sprinters and stayers.

Sir Dragonet was also bred in the purple.  His second dam is a full sister to Galileo.  You don't get much better than that.

Tofane's grandam Starspangled (IRE) 2003 produced two G1 winners in Funstar and Youngstar.  While her dam User Friendly was a supreme racemare winning the Epsom Oaks, St Leger, Yorkshire Oaks, Irish Oaks and Grand Prix de Saint Cloud.  I don't think Tofane has let the family down.

Another of my favourite pedigrees belongs to Verry Elleegant with her sire and dam both decending from Cotehele House (GB) 1980.  When her pedigree also includes Zabeel, Imposing, Strawberry Road and Todman its not wonder I like it.

Two horses who have immerged from the Queensland Carnival are Zaaki and Incentivise.  It will be interesting to see if we are talking about them this time next year.

I'm pretty sure most of you know I'm a big fan of Juliet (GB) 1851 by Touchstone  she was a close relative of Mendicant (Epsom Derby, 1000 Guineas).  I don't think I've ever seen her represented more than in Incentivise.  She appears 70 times in his pedigree.  Just to show the difference in Zaaki she appears 32 times.  Not bad anyway for a mare exported to Australia back in the 1850's.



Back to Top
VOYAGER View Drop Down
Champion
Champion
Avatar

Joined: 04 Aug 2007
Location: Australia
Status: Offline
Points: 18699
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote VOYAGER Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Jul 2021 at 7:25pm
Okay it is that time of the season where we give out our awards so here it goes.

Horse of the Year. Verry Elleegant. Absolutely, 100%, guaranteed choice. Her five group 1's were enough for this award, but her efforts against quality international opponents and her win in one of the four majors, was enough to see her as a clear winner of this award. If she wins the Cox Plate, I would hope we can see her take on the overseas racing next year!

Best 2yo. Anamoe. I know many will say Stay Inside and okay fair enough, But seriously this horse should have gone undefeated during his prep. His win fresh against General Beau was good and his runs in both the Blue Diamond and Golden Slipper were unbelievable from horrific gates. Stay Inside won the Slipper well but he had everything go right. Then we saw the real Anamoe in what was the best or equal best 2yo win of the season. He beat the subsequent quinella in the Champagne like they were Stony Creek maidens and he did it easily. For me he was the best 2yo, (in what I think was a good crop) just ahead of Artorius and Stay Inside. Converge came late in the season but he will keep for next season.

Best 3yo Sprinter. September Run. I do not think this was a great crop of 3yo sprinters, and Instant Celebrity made a late surge, but September Run totally dominated her age group and was close behind Nature Strip in the Lightning. Her last few runs were below standard but if she can recapture her straight track form next season she can win another group1.

Best 3yo Miler. Lunar Fox. This group was virtually non existent as a challenge to the older horses. Usually we get 3yo's right there in the Empire Rose, George Ryder, Doncaster and Queen Of The Turf, but Odeum and Forbidden Love in the Empire Rose were the only ones who showed up. With that in mind, I have chosen the $301.00 winner of the Australian Guineas. His run in the Caulfield Guineas was alright, but in the autumn he won the Guineas and then ran a strong fourth in the All Star Mile only just being nosed out of third behind a dual group 1 winner, and finishing behind a Cox Plate place getter and a Cox Plate fourth place getter. Not sure he can win a group 1 in the spring, but his 1600m form was good as a 3yo.

Best 3yo 2000m+. Explosive Jack. Again this group were not the best I have ever seen, in fact I would say they were one of the worst, but how can you go past a horse that was a length off completing a very very rare feat. His wins in the ATC and SA Derbies were sensational and he was good in Brisbane coming off a long prep. Honorable mentions to Young Werther and Hungry Heart.

Best Sprinter. Nature Strip. No confusion here. He did not beat Classique Legend in the season, but Classique Legend was beaten by Libertini and so he drops points there. Met the best 3yo's (not saying much), absolutely dominated the autumn (only beaten by a dual group 1 winner in Eduardo) and he was clearly the best for the season. Classique Legend and Bivouac had good springs, but that was not enough to grab the season award.

Best miler. Cascadian. No dominant horse in this category, but Cascadian was the most consistent, and he also won the Doncaster. Placed in the Cantala and the All Aged and also fourth in the George Ryder. Cascadian's season was the best from a miler.

Best middle distance 1601m to 2399m. Verry Elleegant. Not only a winner of the George Main and Chipping Norton, but also winner of the Turnbull and Ranvet Stakes and once again pushing a quality international when second to Addeybb. Honorable mention to Arcadia Queen who had a top spring with wins in the Caulfield Stakes and Mackinnon and a good fifth in the Cox Plate on an unsuitable wet track.

Best Stayer 2400m+. Verry Elleegant. This was a very hard category to rate because we did not have a dominant horse, however with her Caulfield Cup win and her Melbourne Cup sixth, I thought VE was a worthy award winner. I do concede that Sir Dragonet deserved a vote, due to his fifth in the Melbourne Cup and his Tancred win, and also having won the Cox Plate, but I think the strength of the Caulfield Cup field was better than the Tancred so VE gets the nod. A honourable mention to The Chosen One who ran third in the Caulfield Cup and then fourth in the Melbourne Cup. 

Best Training Effort. Les Bridge. Okay Chris Waller and Ciaron Maher had good seasons, but when Les Bridge gets a good class horse he has always been able to get his galloper to fulfil their potential. With questions still about Classique Legend, going into the Everest, Les had him spot on for his grand final and he showed that he could quite rightly be in the best sprinter in the world discussion. 

Best Ride. There are two who stand out for me and so a dead heat. Jye McNeil's ride in the Cup on Twilight Payment was outstanding and he was the reason the horse won. He went fast enough to keep everyone in their position and slow enough to allow his mount to give a huge kick in the home straight and then hold on. The second was just three days earlier when young apprentice Lachlan King rode a perfect race aboard Johnny Get Angry to be close enough to the leaders at the turn and then show his staying ability late to hold off the closers. Both rides where gems and they were the reasons the horses won.

Best Placement. Zaaki. Being a good trainer is not just about getting the horses fit, that is a big part, but another huge part is realising the right races to have your horse in. When the Annabel Neasham stable gained this import, the stable instantly knew they had a quality galloper on their hands. They thought so highly of him that they had him first up in the Doncaster, just about unheard of. However despite going around at triple figures he put in one of the best non-winning runs in the race I have seen. The stable knew his next run would drop in effort, so they gave him a easier assignment in the JRA Plate and he just fell short behind Paths Of Glory. But from then on they aimed for the stars and he went Hollindale Stakes where he was heavily supported for a easy win and then the group 1 Doomben Cup where he was again heavily supported to record one of the easiest wins in the races history. This placement was perfect in many ways but resisting the temptation to throw him in the Queen Elizabeth and take on the easier options was the sign that the young lady with the Maher/Eustace experience knows what she is doing. She is in for a good ride over the next few seasons. Honorable mention to Kerry Parker for his placement of Think It Over.

Most Improved Galloper. Masked Crusader. This horse started the season on a roll going through his grades. He then hit the wall when he stepped up in the spring, so the Hawkes stable, knowing he had the talent but not the mental maturity pulled the plug and waited for the autumn, and I bet you they are glad they did. His improvement from the spring to the autumn was out of this world. Now a more genuine horse, he steps away with the field, he does not over race and he can rattle off a huge late sectional. It would be good if he could sit closer to the speed in his races but wherever he sits he can win anything next season. The owners will have some more fun with him if he stays sound.

Most Underrated Galloper. Tofane. I know she may not exactly be underrated but her two group 1's late in the season showed me she is clearly the best 1400m horse in the country. When she is fully fit and three runs into her prep the 1400m is her best distance and she is extremely hard to beat. She would be a good bet in the group 1 Memsie if they target that race and then the new Invitational in Sydney for the mares.

Most Underwhelming Galloper. Master Of Wine. This was close between the winner and Russian Camelot, but RC did win a group 1 and was placed in another three so his season was not a total loss. MOW came into this season with just as big a wrap on him, however his best run was a close up fifth behind Verry Elleegant in the Turnbull Stakes. Not sure what his spring or next season looks like, but he needs to lift on this seasons form or drop in class to be winning races next season.

Best Up and Comer. Ayrton. This category had a few contenders with horses like Lost And Running, Incentivise, Private Eye, Spirit Ridge, Realm Of Flowers, She's Ideel, Dalasan, Brandenburg, Converge and Silent Impact but in the end I selected Ayrton. I thought the hype around him going to Brisbane was a little more than his ability and that proved right, but he showed me that he is on the rise. I agree with his trainer that the 1600m looks his best distance and so he will be aimed at the Rupert Clarke, into the Toorak and the Cantala and he should be hard to hold out in all three of those races. 

Best Race. ATC Derby. I think most would have the Ranvet on top here, and while the three horses involved are not as good as those in Silver Sharpe's or Octagonal's derby wins, when three horses went across the line locked together, this race produced a last 300m to remember. Lion's Roar hitting the front, Young Werther coming and then Explosive Jack joining in and out staying his two rivals, was a fitting end to the country's best blue ribband event. 

Season Overview: Overall it was a good competitive season. The 3yo crop were in my opinion, not the best in fact of the 37 3yo crops I have seen I would say overall they were in the bottom five. With only two winners of open aged group 1 races (Portland Sky in the Oakleigh Plate and Instant Celebrity in the Robert Sangster) the season showed that this crop were not up to the best of the older generations. I do think and I am expecting the 2yo's turning 3yo's next season to be much better and I will be disappointed if they can not win four or five open aged group 1's. The staying group needs new blood but they may get it through horses like Realm Of Flowers, She's Ideel, Selino, and possibly Explosive Jack. Add that to Persan, Surprise Baby, Miami Bound, Sir Dragonet and others and we should have a good group to repel any internationals that may come out for the cups. 

I will be eager to see how Annabel Neasham continues her rise. with Mo'unga and Zaaki to spearhead the spring ammunition, she should have a good spring. Would like to see her have Zaaki in Melbourne all spring, and Mo'unga on the Epsom path but what ever they are aimed at they will go well in.

It is always interesting to see if the current best can keep it going. Verry Elleegant and Nature Strip are the benchmark but with horses like Zaaki and Masked Crusader on the scene and others improving can they keep their best efforts up. 

Overall a good season and I am looking forward to the new season and what it promises!         

 
Remember, it might take intelligence to be smart , but it takes experience to be wise
Back to Top
Foxseal View Drop Down
Champion
Champion
Avatar

Joined: 06 Dec 2011
Status: Offline
Points: 2690
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Foxseal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Jul 2021 at 12:52pm
A great read Voyager Clap

Concur with quite a few of your awards.  Verry Elegaant a clear cut winner for horse of the year.

Bit harsh on Russian Camelot being underwhelming. In the Spring he ran in 5 G1 races for a win & 3 placings (inc the Cox Plate) & was a brave 8th in the Melb Cup finishing right beside VE.  His only autumn run was an excellent 2nd in the ASM & was in store for a super campaign.  If not for the injury I could have seen him in the mix for races like the Rawson Stks, Tancred & Doomben Cup
Back to Top
Sister Dot View Drop Down
Premium
Premium
Avatar

Joined: 25 Nov 2009
Status: Offline
Points: 4878
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sister Dot Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Jul 2021 at 1:19pm
I agree with Foxseal, your input and knowledge is impressive, Voyager and the post was an enjoyable read, bringing back a snapshot of all the successful horses we’ve watched this racing year Thumbs Up
“Where in this wide world can man find nobility without pride, friendship without envy, or beauty without vanity? Here where grace is laced with muscle and strength by gentleness confined”
Back to Top
furious View Drop Down
Champion
Champion


Joined: 19 Feb 2007
Status: Offline
Points: 25067
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote furious Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Jul 2021 at 2:46pm
Truly an amazing season with the start almost upon us for season 2021-22.  This one is going to be a tricky start in Sydney with most of our courses in shut downed areas.  Randwick and Kensington will both get a pounding particularly if rain arrives.

But with all the issues involved with keeping racing continuing though out 2020-21 we can hope that lessons have well and truly been learnt.

I don't disagree with your two year old pick in Anamoe but I feel it was a very good crop for 2yo colts.  One out of the blocks.  Will they come back as three year olds.  Anamoe and Artorius both have credentials for getting out to the mile.  Staying Alive possibly more pure speed - will he make the Everest field.

I agree the three year old group probably underperformed but that doesn't mean some two year olds didn't back up.  Away Game for one in the mix against older mares up in Queensland only last month.

For me the story of the two year old group will always be their sires.  It will be interesting who keeps going and which will fade into the background.  Afterall, Without Fear started like a superstar yet never reached the heights he did from that first two year old season.  It was lovely to see another Golden Slipper winner in Capitalist start so well also.  While the Blue Diamond winner Extreme Choice may of been infertile but has had his progeny push him to the top of the tree.  

With honorary mentions going to Golden Slipper and Blue Diamond placegetter Flying Artie with a G1 winner in his first crop.  And Star Turn (5th and 6th in the two year old classics) firing out winners with the best of them.

We are certainly looking for our next home town hero.  Verry Elleegant has been very very good but she stands in Winx's shadow.

Can Incentivise or Realm or Flowers come out and give us some hometown interest in the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.  Will Explosive Jack bring his derby winning form into his four year old season.  Will Zaaki continue on from Queensland.

I think this season was kind of holding his breath the whole way through.  Maybe next season we will breath deeper and find our way out of danger from Covid.  Aren't we lucky that unlike dogs horses don't seem to catch this one!

But I think the first few months will be very trying for everyone.  Good luck to all involved.


Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <1 234

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.05
Copyright ©2001-2022 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.094 seconds.