Yard to the Post | Festival Stakes Day
Race Day: Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, 30 November 2019
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Pleasant conditions, a fair track and honest tempos all day long, today was a dream for racing purists who just want the best horse to win.
The feature Group 3 Festival Stakes produced an exciting finish too, LIVE AND FREE sprinting rapidly up the inside while RANIER (picture) kept chasing out wider, the latter getting the nod in the closest of photographs.
In the other black-type races on the day, Waller quinellaed the 2000m Listed ATC Cup with ALWARD and BLACK ON GOLD, before Snowden’s speedy grey SPENDING TO WIN surprised everyone first-up, holding on to beat GLENALL at $41 in the 1100m Listed Starlight Stakes.
Two-year-old MUNTASEERA dominated the opening race of the day and looked like a Golden Slipper contender running clear by 3.5 lengths, but inspection of the sectionals after the race suggests the leaders knocked up badly and the overall time was just fair.
A full review will be on-line Monday 5pm.
Track Info
Rail | TRUE |
Conditions | GOOD 4 |
Weather | OVERCAST |
Bias | FAIR |
Race 1 SKY RACING ACTIVE HANDICAP
Class and professionalism wins the two-year-old
fair tempo
Bias:
Fair
Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Muntaseera | Ciaron Maher | Hugh Bowman | 7 | 58.0 | |
2 | Chilliwack | James Cummings | James McDonald | 5 | 58.0 | |
3 | Time For Peace | Lee & Cherie Curtis | Ms Kathy O'Hara | 3 | 56.0 |
In The Yard
No yard notes available for this meeting.
In The Running
DOMINANT LADY led at a FAIR tempo with TIME FOR PEACE on her outside. BRITAIN slowish to begin and pushed up into the box seat. MUNTASEERA also slow and got back to last, Bowman whipping up 3W early in the straight and putting CHILLIWACK in a pocket 'til the 225m.
The Result
MUNTASEERA (1st) sprinted straight past and was eased up for an easy win. CHILLWACK (2nd 3.5L) running on late when clear to get past a tiring TIME FOR PEACE (3rd 4.8L) and DOMINANT LADY (4th 5.3L). BRITAIN (5th 5.9L) held up for much of the straight back on the inside.
The Interest
She looked good up the straight at Flemington and MUNTASEERA was simply too powerful for these, Bowman making a sure thing of it by keeping CHILLWACK locked up at a key moment, the tough country boy getting one over the young Kiwi James McDonald this time. Visually the win looked very impressive, but the time was only fair as the leaders really fell in a hole the final 200m. BRITAIN may have been closer with more galloping room.
Race 2 TAB HIGHWAY HANDICAP (1)
Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Run Like A Rebel | Aaron Clarke | Ms Mikayla Weir | 3 | 53.0 | |
2 | Eurosay | Todd Smart | Aaron Bullock | 6 | 57.0 | |
3 | Greenspan | Kerry Parker | Brock Ryan | 4 | 60.5 |
Race 3 TAB HIGHWAY HANDICAP (2)
Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Princess Cordelia | Mitchell Beer | Tim Clark | 1 | 54.0 | |
2 | Congregate | Craig Martin | Ms Rachel King | 9 | 56.0 | |
3 | Tale Of The Kraut | Dean Mirfin | Jay Ford | 2 | 53.0 |
Race 4 JOHN R. TURK SHOP ONLINE SAVE TIME HANDICAP
A quiet ride rules when the tempo is on
strong tempo
Bias:
Fair
Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Jen Rules | Peter & Paul Snowden | Christian Reith | 9 | 56.0 | |
2 | Alison of Tuffy | Peter Robl | Tommy Berry | 3 | 55.5 | |
3 | In Good Health | John Ramsey | Ms Rachel King | 7 | 55.0 |
In The Yard
No yard notes available for this meeting.
In The Running
Brock Ryan revved up SHERIFF and rolled along at a STRONG tempo with COTERIE on his outside and INVINCIANO moving up 3W NC. JEN RULES settled near the back with SUAVE in-front of her.
The Result
JEN RULES (1st) went straight past SUAVE (4th 3.5L) and ran on best to win, ALISON OF TUFFY (2nd 1.3L) chasing well from midfield too and IN GOOD HEALTH (3rd 3.1L) winding up from the back late.
The Interest
The young hoop Brock Ryan is having a tough run of late and he completely misjudged the tempo on SHERIFF here, setting things up for the backmarkers. JEN RULES a classy mare with the right form-lines, getting the job done third-up on the back-up. SUAVE a touch disappointing, but did find the line late and probably wants 1500m+ now. ZAVANCE (7th 4.5L) was blocked from the 200m to 100m and would have finished much closer. BRAZILICA (8th 4.7L) laid in against the rails in the box seat and just battled, pulling up 1/5 lame. COTERIE (10th 10.7L) pulled up with a poor recovery, he's not finding the line of late.
Race 5 RANVET HANDICAP
Strength, fitness and speed win this sprint
fair tempo
Bias:
Fair
Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Invictus Salute | Mark Newnham | Ms Rachel King | 11 | 58.5 | |
2 | Something Fast | Anthony Cummings | Jean Van Overmeire | 6 | 56.5 | |
3 | Oriental Runner | Tony Sergi | Nash Rawiller | 9 | 57.0 |
In The Yard
No yard notes available for this meeting.
In The Running
MANSA MUSA crossed from out wide to lead with INVICTUS SALUTE on his outside, a FAIR tempo set up.
The Result
INVICTUS SALUTE (1st) kicked and fought on best from SOMETHING FAST (2nd 0.8L) challenging gamely from midfield. ORIENTAL RUNNER (3rd 2.1L) fought OK from the box seat.
The Interest
INVICTUS SALUTE is a powerful mare that gets better into her preps, winning nicely here third-up with more to come. Nice returns from SOMETHING FAST and ORIENTAL RUNNER, who look set to win races this prep too. BEST GUESS (6th 2.6L) another fresh run of note after laying in under the urgings of Brock Ryan. MANSA MUSA disappointing, but the time and form-lines out of his first-up win weren't working out. UNDER THE THUMB (9th 3.4L) (blocked final 150m) unlucky trying to run on up the inside and ROMAN TYPHOON (11th 18.4L) pulled up with a cardiac arrhythmia.
Race 6 ATC CUP
Switching states and picking up wins
steady tempo
: long sprint
Bias:
Fair
Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Alward | Chris Waller | Hugh Bowman | 6 | 55.5 | |
2 | Black On Gold | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 4 | 54.5 | |
3 | Tamarack | Eric Musgrove | Christian Reith | 13 | 53.0 |
In The Yard
No yard notes available for this meeting.
In The Running
TAIKOMOCHI went to the lead and got some mid-race pressure from ADMIRE WINNER working up on the outside. ALWARD in the box seat on the inside. GREY LION stuck 3W NC near the back. A STEADY tempo overall with a pretty LONG SPRINT home.
The Result
ALWARD (1st) got through, kicked to the lead and fought on well, a margin back to pack led by BLACK ON GOLD (2nd 1.8L) running on. TAMARACK (3rd 1.9L), TAIKAMOCHI (4th 2.1L), HIGH BRIDGE (5th 2.2L) and EMPEROR'S WAY (6th 2.3L) right there too.
The Interest
Warmer conditions in Queensland and consistent form was enough for ALWARD to springboard off, coming to Sydney and posting one of his best wins after a strong Bowman ride. BLACK ON GOLD good from the back, along with HIGH BRIDGE, two Waller gallopers that can be followed now. MORTON'S FORK (8th 3.2L) without much luck (held up 'til 200m, blocked late), but he is getting very deep in his prep now. HOUSE OF CARTIER (10th 5.9L) disappointing stepping up to his grade with more pressure on. TAIKOMOCHI worth a mention too after getting pressured by ADMIRE WINNER (12th 14.5L), who pulled up 2/5 lame.
Race 7 IRON JACK FESTIVAL STAKES
Surge beats sprint in an exciting finish
fair tempo
Bias:
Fair
Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Ranier | James Cummings | Ms Kathy O'Hara | 1 | 53.0 | |
2 | Live And Free | John O'Shea & Tom Charlton | Brenton Avdulla | 4 | 53.5 | |
3 | Cellarman | Chris Waller | Hugh Bowman | 8 | 59.0 |
In The Yard
No yard notes available for this meeting.
In The Running
RENEWAL came across to lead with INVINCIBLE GEM and MOSS TRIP moving up 3W NC. A FAIR tempo set-up. RANIER pushed up into the box seat and LIVE AND FREE was on his back midfield.
The Result
RANIER (1st) edged wider and kept chasing to grab LIVE AND FREE (2nd 0.1L) late, who had dashed up the inside. A gap back to CELLARMAN (3rd 1.9L) chasing solidly to get past INVINCIBLE GEM (4th 2L).
The Interest
LIVE AND FREE showed his explosive turn-of-foot here second-up, but RANIER was the horse he didn't want chasing him the last 100m, a hard fit Godolhin galloper that was always going to be hard to shake once he found the box seat. BOBBING (6th 3.8L) the unlucky runner of the race after getting way back and held up 'til the 175m before finishing hard. DON'T GIVE A DAMN (13th 11.5L) was keen and pulled up 2/5 lame.
Race 8 DRINKWISE STARLIGHT STAKES
Fresh sprinters can cause a surprise
fair tempo
Bias:
Fair
Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Spending to Win | Mitchell Beer | Tim Clark | 4 | 53.5 | |
2 | Glenall | John Ramsey | Joshua Parr | 3 | 57.0 | |
3 | Handle the Truth | Keith Dryden & Libby Snowden | Nash Rawiller | 6 | 54.5 |
In The Yard
No yard notes available for this meeting.
In The Running
SPENDING TO WIN took up the running with SANDBAR urged to find the spot on his outside and BALLER stuck 3W NC. GLENALL in the box seat. A FAIR tempo set up, just on the steady side and SPENDING TO WIN kicked into the straight (11.38 600m to 400m, then 10.93 400m to 200m).
The Result
SPENDING TO WIN (1st) held on from GLENALL (2nd 0.2L), who challenged gamely. HANDLE THE TRUTH (3rd 1.2L) was out-kicked a touch and chased hard, along with CHAUFFEUR (4th 1.9L) up the inside.
The Interest
Sprinters can come in and out of form, SPENDING TO WIN enjoying the lead here fresh and winning at $41. His best form was clearly good enough and he bounced back following a recent run of outs, Tim Clark rating him perfectly in the lead. The form-line of GLENALL and CHAUFFEUR held up and HANDLE THE TRUTH found the 1100m a touch short this deep into the prep. BADAJOZ (7th 3.7L) the unlucky runner, blocked from the 200m to 50m just as he was starting to pick up.
Race 9 MICK CROOK MEMORIAL HANDICAP
Avdulla drives Waller's tough guy to the lead
fair tempo
: long sprint
Bias:
Fair
Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Orcein | Chris Waller | Brenton Avdulla | 8 | 55.0 | |
2 | Tunero | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 5 | 56.5 | |
3 | Convinced | Greg Preston | Tim Clark | 10 | 53.0 |
In The Yard
No yard notes available for this meeting.
In The Running
LUCCIOLA BELLE moved up on the inside to lead with REFLECTIVITY on her outside, KING TOMLOLA out 3W NC and GOT UNDERS out 4W NC. A FAIR tempo set up with the leaders kicking for home early, ensuring a testing LONG SPRINT home. ORCEIN was near the pace.
The Result
ORCEIN (1st) moved through, hit the lead and fought hard. TUNERO (2nd 1.3L) followed the winner through and chased solidly with CONVINCED (3rd 1.5L) not far off.
The Interest
Hard to say whether Jay Ford on LUCCIOLA BELLE (12th 5.9L) or Jean Van Overmeire on REFLECTIVITY (8th 4.5L) was to blame for the tempo here, either way kicking for home 600m out was always going to be a mistake. ORCEIN very tough last start and deserved the win. CONVINCED OK, but did have his chance and those on him at $3.7 probably hoped for more.