Yard to the Post | Coolmore Classic Day
Race Day: Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, 16 March 2019
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A downpour on Friday night of over 30mm had many worried about the state of the Rosehill Gardens turf for Coolmore Classic Day, thunder and lightning filling the skies of Sydney as the rain drenched the track for hours on end.
There was no reason to be concerned though, a perfectly presented surface held together throughout the day and punters were treated to some exciting wet track racing as the 'mudders' came to the fore.
Star jockey James McDonald had the biggest wins of the day, two-year-old COSMIC FORCE (picture) demolished the Pago Pago Stakes field by 7.3 lengths to position himself as one of the Golden Slipper favourites and VERRY ELLEEGANT sprinted clear in the Phar Lap Stakes to win by 3.5 lengths. Other wet-trackers to get the prize included DIXIE BLOSSOMS in the feature Group One Coolmore Classic for the girls, RED CARDINAL in the Sky High Stakes and FIFTY STARS just arrived in time to win the Ajax Stakes, booking himself a slot in the Doncaster in two weeks' time.
A full review will be on-line Monday 5pm.
Track Info
Rail | TRUE |
Conditions | HEAVY 10 to HEAVY 9 |
Weather | OVERCAST, SHOWERS |
Bias | TBC |
Race 1 CATANACH'S HANDICAP
A star of the mud wins the first
strong tempo
Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Star of the Seas | Chris Waller | Kerrin McEvoy | 8 | 52.5 | |
2 | Mahalangur | Michael, John & Wayne Hawkes | Tommy Berry | 5 | 56.0 | |
3 | Got Unders | Jay Hopkins | Adam Hyeronimus | 6 | 57.0 |
In The Running
The old boy GOT UNDERS pushed forward and made it a test, setting a STRONG tempo with YOU MAKE ME SMILE on his outside. STAR OF THE SEAS was three wide no cover midfield.
The Result
STAR OF THE SEAS (1st) ran on best to beat MAHALANGUR (2nd 1.8L) and GOT UNDERS (3rd 2.6L) sticking on.
The Interest
A testing track and a testing tempo, 9YO GOT UNDERS doing a good job but two younger up-and-comers had too much firepower for him. MAHALANGUR will be fitter now and STAR OF THE SEAS clearly loves the mud, this was dominant. PARET unfortunately bled again and will not be allowed to race.
Race 2 CANADIAN CLUB MAURICE MCCARTEN STAKES
Not so easy as Eddie fights hard in the heavy
strong tempo
Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Easy Eddie | Joseph Pride | Robbie Dolan | 9 | 54.0 | |
2 | She Knows | Danny Williams | Jay Ford | 6 | 53.0 | |
3 | All Over Bosanova | Grahame Begg | Sam Clipperton | 2 | 53.0 |
In The Running
FIERY HEIGHTS led at a STRONG tempo with ALL OVER BOSANOVA on his outside. MUSIC MAGNATE (4W NC) and JUNGLIZED (5W NC) out wide in midfield.
The Result
EASY EDDIE (1st) fought on best from behind the leaders, beating home SHE KNOWS (2nd 0.2L) running on up the inside and ALL OVER BOSANOVA (3rd 0.4L) sticking on. TREKKING (4th 1.2L) not far away.
The Interest
He sometimes needs a run after a break, but EASY EDDIE was still too good here, just holding off SHE KNOWS and ALL OVER BOSANOVA on the back-up from Canberra a week before. TREKKING can improve now on dry, same for the unlucky JUNGLIZED (9th 6.2L) and don't put a pen through MUSIC MAGNATE (4.8L) yet, he found the line OK. German import ADVANCE YULONG (keen, battled, 10th 12.7L) not working out for Waller so far.
Race 3 HARROLDS MAGIC NIGHT STAKES
Another blue contender for the big one
fair tempo
Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Kiamichi | James Cummings | Damian Lane | 11 | 55.5 | |
2 | Crystal Falls | John Sargent | Jay Ford | 8 | 55.5 | |
3 | Athiri | James Cummings | James McDonald | 1 | 55.5 |
In The Running
KIAMICHI went forward and set a FAIR tempo. INVINCIBLE LOTUS a touch keen on the pace. READY’S GIRL, LANKAN STAR, BRONTE and ICEBATH were all out pretty wide during the run.
The Result
KIAMICHI (1st) kept fighting on to beat CRYSTAL FALLS (2nd 1.3L), who ran on well late, and ATHIRI (3rd 1.4L), who quickened into the race and was out-fought late. AMERCEMENT (4th 2.7L) ran on OK late too.
The Interest
A tough filly that does everything right, KIAMICHI got the job done today. She may not quite have the quality of a Golden Slipper winner though and did run a couple of lengths slower than COSMIC FORCE too. CRYSTAL FALLS and AMERCEMENT took the inside run run (ground was fine), while the Kiwi PROBABEEL (6th 3.7L) came out wide and the run was strong from the back. ATHIRI had the thumps and INVINCIBLE LOTUS (14th 17.9L) pulled up with a poor recovery.
Race 4 BOWERMANS OFFICE FURNITURE PAGO PAGO STAKES
A new force for the Golden Slipper
fair tempo
Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Cosmic Force | Peter & Paul Snowden | James McDonald | 11 | 55.5 | |
2 | Born A Warrior | Ron Quinton | Tommy Berry | 5 | 55.5 | |
3 | Stronger | Peter & Paul Snowden | Sam Clipperton | 13 | 55.5 |
In The Running
MO'S CROWN took up the running 2W at a FAIR tempo, BORN A WARRIOR to his inside and COSMIC FORCE out 3rd 3W NC. LUBUK was 4W NC midfield and HIGHTAIL even wider out 5W NC.
The Result
COSMIC FORCE (1st) cruised up and surged right away the last 250m. A big margin back to BORN A WARRIOR (2nd 7.3L) holding on for 2nd ahead of STRONGER (3rd 7.8L) and AUTOCRATIC (4th 8L) running on.
The Interest
This was a demolition job. COSMIC FORCE shaping as a strong horse that lapped up the testing 1200m and will be hard to beat in the Golden Slipper (and Sires too). The money came after the race, firming from $51 to $7 for the big Group 1 next week. Not being too harsh on HIGHTAIL (6th 12L) after a very wide run, he pulled up with a poor recovery. YULONG SAVINGS (10th 25.3L) keen, awkward on the turn and never really asked in the straight.
Race 5 CHANDON S PHAR LAP STAKES
A Kiwi mudder skips clear
fair tempo
Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Verry Elleegant | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 2 | 54.5 | |
2 | Seabrook | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | Michael Walker | 6 | 54.5 | |
3 | Aristia | Mathew Ellerton | Damian Lane | 14 | 54.5 |
In The Running
IRUKANDJI led at a FAIR tempo (on the steady side) with SEABROOK on his inside and VERRY ELLEEGANT just behind her. ARISTIA 3W NC on the pace.
The Result
SEABROOK (2nd 3.5L) kicked in the straight, leaving room for VERRY ELLEEGANT (1st 3.5L) to moved up the inside and sprint clear for a big win. ARISTIA (3rd 5.3L) stuck on to the line.
The Interest
She's so lightly-framed that you'd expect VERRY ELLEEGANT to be a mudder and that's exactly what she is. The Kiwi wins in the wet were good, but this was great, bolting clear for a dominant win. ARISTIA very solid and ready for further now. ZALATTE (7th 9.9L) seemed to struggle on the track and pulled up 2/5 lame.
Race 6 SCHWEPPES SKY HIGH STAKES
Kerrin McEvoy last man standing in the mud
slow tempo
: long sprint
Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Red Cardinal | Kris Lees | Kerrin McEvoy | 12 | 56.5 | |
2 | Rodrico | Bjorn Baker | Sam Clipperton | 3 | 55.0 | |
3 | Goathland | Kim Waugh | Jason Collett | 6 | 55.0 |
In The Running
SAMADOUBT got control of the lead at a STEADY tempo with RODRICO behind him and GOATHLAND on his outside. Both PATRICK ERIN and RED CARDINAL out the back after getting checked at the start. A LONG SPRINT set up as Tim Clark kicked on from the 600m mark, PATRICK ERIN left floundering at the back as the pace stepped up.
The Result
RED CARDINAL (1st) ran on best late to catch RODRICO (2nd 1.3L), who had kicked up the inside. GOATHLAND (3rd 1.5L) stayed on into 3rd after getting out-sprinted.
The Interest
Not sure about the form here, RED CARDINAL back off a slow tempo and still running down the lower grade RODRICO. GOATHLAND is worth following up in distance off this run (found the line). Many other stayers in the race out of form and PATRICK ERIN (7th 21.4L) 3/5 lame after a bad early check.
Race 7 COOLMORE CLASSIC
Too much dash from Ronnie's bonny mare
fair tempo
Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Dixie Blossoms | Ron Quinton | Christian Reith | 2 | 56.5 | |
2 | El Dorado Dreaming | Kris Lees | Brenton Avdulla | 20 | 53.5 | |
3 | Princess Posh | Kris Lees | Kerrin McEvoy | 23 | 55.0 |
In The Running
MANDYLION led from ALASSIO with SAVATIANO moving up 3W, a FAIR tempo set up. MANICURE was 4W NC near the pace and I AM SERIOUS 5W NC midfield. MOSS TRIP tightened and keen near the pack.
The Result
DIXIE BLOSSOMS (1st) sprinted up the inside and broke clear to beat EL DORADO DREAMING (2nd 2.5L), who ran on well too, and PRINCESS POSH (3rd 3.8L) chasing from the back to grab MIZZY (4th 3.9L) on the line.
The Interest
A classy mare that loves the mud and got the perfect run, a great win for Ron Quinton in the Coolmore Classic (again!), his girl DIXIE BLOSSOMS getting the prize to follow on from DAYSEE DOOM last year. Her record at Rosehill was only fair before today, but a HEAVY Rosehill is a lot different to a firm dry Rosehill. Some nice efforts from the placed horses. NOIRE (7th 5.8L) and INVINCIBLE GEM (8th 6.2L) the best of the mares out wide, INVINCIBLE GEM blocked behind I AM SERIOUS and FIESTA at the 300m (Jason Collett unlucky to chose two tiring favourites to follow). MANICURE (10th 8L) and I AM SERIOUS (14th 9.3L) pulled up lame after very wide runs.
Race 8 HYLAND RACE COLOURS AJAX STAKES
The star shines brightest when it matters
steady tempo
Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Fifty Stars | Tom Dabernig | Jye McNeil | 4 | 56.5 | |
2 | Mask of Time | Ciaron Maher | Sam Clipperton | 1 | 53.0 | |
3 | Dyslexic | Brent Stanley | Brenton Avdulla | 14 | 53.0 |
In The Running
MASK OF TIME and DYSLEXIC went forward and controlled a STEADY tempo. SEAWAY wide on the pace and FIFTY STARS just behind them.
The Result
FIFTY STARS (1st) knuckled down late to run down the leaders MASK OF TIME (2nd 0.3L) and DYSLEXIC (3rd 0.5L), who had given a kick.
The Interest
Two nice horses getting cheap sectionals in the lead aren't easy to run down, FIFTY STARS looking out of business when they quickened into the straight, but he really knuckled down late. Probably the class horse here if the tempo was FAIR. DYSLEXIC could be a few lengths better on GOOD tracks so follow her now.SEAWAY (10th 12.1L) badly out-sprinted on the HEAVY ground and left behind. VIOLATE (8th 4.3L) maybe a touch awkward sprinting off the turn too, he battled on OK. MCCREERY (5th 2.7L) running on OK second-up after a long break.
Race 9 ANZ BLOODSTOCK NEWS HANDICAP
The Hawkes team unveil a promising type
steady tempo
Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Supernova | Michael, John & Wayne Hawkes | Brenton Avdulla | 2 | 59.5 | |
2 | White Boots | Kim Waugh | Robbie Dolan | 14 | 59.0 | |
3 | Jake's Hill | Chris Waller | Glyn Schofield | 8 | 57.5 |
In The Running
FABRICATOR came across from out wide to lead from KING TOMLOLA, setting a STEADY tempo. ANGEL OF TRUTH 3W NC just behind the pace.
The Result
SUPERNOVA (1st) quickened up and charged home for a good win. WHITE BOOTS (2nd 2.3L) fought on from the box seat and JAKE'S HILL (3rd 2.7L) ran on out wider, laying out across the track.
The Interest
All about the winner here, a very promising stayer that overcame the STEADY tempo and put a margin on them. Lots of solid efforts behind, ANGEL OF TRUTH (5th 3L) finding the line OK after being out-sprinted. DESERT PATH (6th 3.1L) and JAKE'S HILL running on well too.