Yard to the Post @ Hawkesbury
Race Day: Hawkesbury on Saturday, 02 May 2015
A short edition of Yard to the Post this week after Hawkesbury's 'shifty track' could only handle one race.
Steady rain leading into Saturday was always going to be a risk for a surface that can see clods fly on a dry day. In scenes that looked like the Kensington track at it's worst, jockeys in behind the leaders in Race 1 had to duck and weave flying mud missiles.
There was a big market move on the only winner of the day OXFORD POET (picture above). A bit of good news on an otherwise disappointing day for Sydney racing.
The powerful Kim Waugh galloper towered over many of his rivals in the mounting yard and dominated from start to finish.
Track Info
| Rail | TRUE |
| Conditions | HEAVY 10 |
| Weather | RAIN & SHOWERS |
| Bias | ON-PACE |
Race 1 PFD FOOD SERVICES BENCHMARK 85 HANDICAP
The leader shows them a dirty pair of heels
fair tempo
Bias:
on-pace
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oxford Poet | Kim Waugh | Brenton Avdulla | 11 | 56.5 | |
| 2 | Grande Punto | Allan Denham | Kerrin McEvoy | 1 | 54.0 | |
| 3 | Reigning | Eric Musgrove | Tommy Berry | 7 | 58.0 |
Oxford Poet charged through the mud to win the only race
In The Yard
OXFORD POET and GRANDE PUNTO were clearly the most powerful gallopers in the yard. MISSVONN and PROPER MADAM were smaller types, and IMPULSIVE SPIRIT an athletic type - a horse with a good record on wet tracks.
In The Running
OXFORD POET went to the front and found a good rhythm at a FAIR TEMPO. AMARACHI was a bit keen on-pace, keeping GREAT ESTEEM out wider. AUSSIES LOVE SPORT was very wide with no cover. PROPER MADAM was racing ungenerously and unfortunately broke down mid-race.
The Result
OXFORD POET (1st) drifted off the trails and kept rolling to hold off GRANDE PUNTO (2nd), who chased from just behind the pace. REIGNING (3rd) charged home from back in the pack - the only horse to make ground.
The Interest
Well, you can't make too much of this form potentially, but for what it's worth... OXFORD POET and GRANDE PUNTO were too powerful in the end over 1300m, both getting through the ground OK. We knew REIGNING was a mud-lark, but his run was much better than expected, especially considering the ON-PACE horses dominated (mud was flying back through the pack!). The disappointment was IMPULSIVE SPIRIT. You may as well forgive horses like SCORPIO QUEEN and AUSSIES LOVE SPORT (why did Vandyke even turn up? No wet track form to speak of). No follows or forgives.
Race 2 EVERGREEN TURF CLARET STAKES
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
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Race 3 RICHMOND CLUB PROVINCIAL STAYERS
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
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Race 4 XXXX GOLD RUSH
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
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Race 5 DARLEY CROWN 2015
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
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Race 6 PANTHERS HAWKESBURY GOLD CUP
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
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Race 7 BLACKTOWN WORKERS HAWKESBURY GUINEAS
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
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Race 8 BLAKES MARINE BENCHMARK 80 HANDICAP
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
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