The Sunday Collect

Published: 18 Jan 2015

A drink after the last - The Royal Randwick sprinklers came on, but they were a bit too late

You might have given your garden more water than the poor old course proper at headquarters. A lousy 2mm of moisture went into the surface after a few days of belting hot temperatures. 

Compare that to 20mm over the week at Flemington. 

The Royal Randwick sprinkler system was booted into over-drive as soon as Race 8 winner Coolring stepped off the track. Smart thinking, just a day too late.

The Blue Slipper?

Another Godolphin two-year-old saluted on Saturday at Randwick, following a herd of winners already this season.

The Golden Slipper markets are now stacked with runners from the O'Shea stable. Could the Slipper field be half royal blue!?

Another winner - James McDonald talks tactics with the Darley team

Ponies that don't "put in"

Ronny Quinton has been a bit sour on I Am Impressed lately, a horse that hasn't been digging in for the fight. After struggling again over the final furlong behind Good Project, he's getting the tag of pretender, not contender.

Are you impressed? - I Am Impressed poses for the camera before battling home in 3rd

Collett and Parr rock!

Nisroc beat a pretty even field of mares thanks to the smarts of Josh Parr. He let her slide when the leaders put the brakes on in the middle of the race. 

It was like going "all in" at the poker table. Tommy Berry fell for the move and battled home in second on odds-on pop Mardi.

A couple of races before that, Collett and Koroibete set up a big lead on a group of battling middle-distance horses and they never caught him.

Both hoops had big smiles after two genius rides.

Rock-star ride - Josh Parr got all the credit after Nisroc won

Too much sun?

Punters must have been suffering from over-exposure when they starting staking their hard-earned cash on Specific Choice, backing him in to $5.50. He's looked like an Irish carthorse this preparation, plodding home in slow motion at the back. 

It was a minor miracle he mustered fifth. 

You backed who? - Chris Waller runner Specific Choice was well backed on Saturday

Flying trainers

Young trainers Sam Kavanagh and Bjorn Baker are notching up winners at a rapid rate in 2015. Baker scored a double with Burbero and Coolring, and Kavanagh wasn't far behind, almost nabbing the quinella in Race 3 after a close second in Race 1.

Baker's other runner Fuerza also looked a million bucks in the yard. He got back in a farcically run race and ran OK.

Keep an eye on their runners in the next few weeks.. all of them!

Flying form - Bjorn Baker trained two winners on Saturday

For the full Analyst review, from the yard to the post, click here.