Greetings John, Fortuna followers and Friday Flash readers.
While all eyes will be on the Bay this weekend with the running of the Livamol Classic the biggest talking point this week is the return to the track of champion, Ka Ying Rising in Sydney. This amazing NZ bred, arguably the greatest horse we’ve bred here since the immortal, Phar Lap, strode out in a cosy trial when never off the bridle on Tuesday.
He ran second on a track that was clearly rain affected.
From all accounts he was sweating up a little and both jockey Zac Purton and David Hayes were unanimous when stating the trial will bring him on further and it was very much needed.
I’ve been fortunate enough to be on track to watch two Everests and, but for keeping the powder dry for the upcoming spring carnival at Flemington, I may well have been tempted to be at Randwick again just to see the greatest horse in the world, Ka Ying Rising, again repel the challengers of the two Aussie in form stars, Tempted and Jimmysstar.
As good as these two were in the race last year and clearly peaking at the right time, it’s hard not to think of anything but another win for the NZ-bred super star who is shooting for win number 22 in a row after smashing his own track record by almost a second when winning the group three at Sha Tin on September 6.
Before the Everest on Saturday week, we have the group one Caulfield Guineas this Saturday to look forward to and isn’t it great to see three expats, Messrs Baker, Waller and Busuttin with 6 of the 11 runners and the top 3 in the market : Warwoven (Baker); Blind Raise ( Busuttin and Tron Bolt (Waller)
Nonetheless the Livamol on Saturday won’t lack excitement either. It’s a group one race after all and follows in the footsteps of the close encounters of the first two legs of the Triple Crown, the Proisir Plate at Ellerslie and the Howden Mile at Hastings. We just need the weather at Hastings to play its part.
The radar isn’t too bad. Around 7mils is expected in the 72 hours leading into the race day and with temperatures consistently around the 18 degrees I’m picking the track should be no worse than a soft 5, almost similar to what we had a fortnight ago. Roll on this weekend for an exciting rugby ( Go the AB’s! ) racing and ???? Saturday.
DID YOU KNOW X 7
1. Craig Williams puts his success as a jockey to the team around him. It’s not uncommon these days for jockeys to have managers whose main criteria is to book the best rides.
Craig goes way further. As well as a manager his employees are a dietician, logistics manager, media manager, videographer, valet, riding coach, psychologist, social media manager, drivers, accountant, payroll and on his unpaid roster, life coaches.
2. With the world pool in operation we must keep a close eye on the exotic bet types. As we know the world pool is driven by the Hong Kong Jockey Club and punters in that jurisdiction love playing the quinellas. I’ve noticed those quinella pools on those big races in Melbourne were close to one million.
It’ll be amazing to see how high all bet types go on Saturday especially with Ka Ying’s presence.
3. Flemington had 60 mils of rain leading into the Turnbull Stakes Day last Saturday and as we all know if as much rain fell on any race track here the meeting would well and truly have been in jeopardy and in fact would surely have been abandoned well before scratching deadline of 7.30am on Saturday.
However, this wasn’t the case at Flemington and amazingly the track was not only safe to race on but was upgraded from a heavy 10 twice during procedures. Flemington has a big employment team to ensure the track is well cared for. The senior curator is Liam O’Keefe and he employs a strong crew of 25 including turf managers, labourers and apprentices.
As well as the course proper, Flemington has 9 training tracks and some 600 horses work on them daily.
4. Well Written is expected to to take her place in the $10m Golden Eagle (1500m) at Randwick on October 31 despite ending her unbeaten sequence of 7 in the Epsom Handicap last Saturday. It’s been well documented that she suffered from thumps ( synchronous diaphragmatic flutter). In googling the breakdown of thumps we can see that it’s not a lung or heart disease but rather a hiccup type event caused by dehydration and low blood calcium.
Obviously Well Written was a mild case as trainer Stephen Marsh was satisfied with her health when monitoring her soon after with another serious check the next day. I would imagine the Sydney authorities will be expecting to see a vet certificate to satisfy all and sundry.
Clearly Well Written was far from disgraced. It was a hot Epsom field but after reviewing the race several times I thought she was maybe a length or two further back in the running than she should have been. I also believe the inner part of the track wasn’t playing as well as the outer crown and while she did cop a few brushes from horses on either side, when in tight quarters in the final furlong when trying to make her challenge, I think her reluctance to capitalise was as a result of her own inexperience in such positions.
5. Chris Waller is now on 205 group ones after his young apprentice, Siena Grima, gained her first group one in her first ride at the elite level in last Saturday’s Epsom Handicap on God’s Window. Walleris now practically in the home straight and ready to close in on the joint record of 246 group ones shared by the two titans of the sport, TJ “Tommy” Smith and Bart Cummings.
I wonder how long it will take Chris to reach that number? At the rate he’s going, I’d humbly suggest around November, 2028. For the last two seasons he’s won 20 and 22 group ones respectively. Add these two numbers and the record is his!
For the record it took “TJ” 45 years to crack 246 between 1946 and 1991 whereas Bart Cummings accomplished the task in 35 years and 6 months. On the other hand Chris Waller has reached 205 group ones in just 18 years and 6 months meaning that if the calculations play out as predicted he will hold the new record within 21 years from the first with Triple Honour in the Doncaster in 2008.
6. The Turnbull Stakes, run at Flemington last Saturday, is the best warm up race for the three Melbourne “biggies”, the Caulfield Cup, the Cox Plate and the Melbourne Cup.
Reaffirming the fact that the winners of all three in the last two years raced in the Turnbull. From the Turnbull, 8 runners are amongst the 72 left standing in the Melbourne Cup ( Light Infantry Man, Aeliana, Half Yours, Ohope Wins, Middle Earth, She’s A Hustler, Zahrann and Asterix). Of those clearly the best trial was last year’s winner, Half Yours.
7. PHAR LAP won a small fortune in his day from the 37 wins over 51 starts.To win over 66,000 pounds is certainly big money when you consider the average home cost in 1930 was 800 pounds. That’s 82 homes!!
In money terms his stake earnings are equivalent to $NZ43m and compared to the most successful stake earner of today, Romantic Warrior ( $NZ 72m ) Phar Lap’s earnings stack up highly and very well done to the Timaru team who celebrated the Red Terror’s 100th birthday and birthplace so well on Sunday.
Phar Lap’s life sized bronze statue, with Jim Pike up, was unveiled at the entrance of the Phar Lap raceway on November 25, 2009. It was sculptured by Joanne Sullivan – Gessler and I had the pleasure of attending the official unveiling alongside a few racing legends including the late, great Sir Patrick Hogan. To stand along two legends, for me, epic!
MELBOURNE CUP INTERNATIONAL FORM
LET’S keep the ball rolling with a brief breakdown on 2 further overseas stayers either heading to Melbourne for the big one or already in quarantine at Werribee.
HOPEWELL ROCK 4yo gelding
By New Bay from Tidewalker
Trained by George Boughey
3 wins and 5 placings from 10 starts – Current TAB odds 21 to one
Most recent win was at Goodwood on August 1 over one mile and 6 furlongs. He followed that up with a strong finishing second in a field of 22 in the Ebor Handicap over 1 mile 5 furlongs and 188 yards. The Ebor is a great lead up to the Melbourne Cup and has included Purple Moon ( won Ebor, 2nd in Cup) and Heartbreak City ( won Ebor, 2nd in Cup).
WINE DARK SEA 4yo gelding
By Ulysses out of Ajwibah
Trained by Harry Charlton
4 wins from 10 starts – Current odds 21 to one
Won the group 3 Geoffrey Freer over 2671m on August 15. He’s also entered for the Caulfield Cup with Damian Lane booked. Other wins this year include an Ascot 2400m and a 2200m at Carlisle. He also ran second at Newmarket this time last year over 2400m with the third horse home, Daiquiri Bay, going on to beat Hopewell Rock into second in the Ebor.
LUCKLESS AT MATAMATA
JUDY’S SMARTIES: the money came for this Wexford runner in the maiden 1200. She was travelling sweetly near the rails and close to the pace but the opening never came.
MOSSINVADER: got back in the listed 1600m and was held up for a good part of the home straight. It’s amazing to think he’s only won once but has stakemonies close to $200,000.
FLASHBACK: finished less than 2.5 lengths from the winner in the rating 65 over 1400m after racing too keenly in a fresh up state. The trial prior to race day was super.
John says “Des tells me that a few of the Friday Flash readers took him up on his recent “special” for his tipping subscription service and if you were one of those, or indeed, already an existing subscriber, I hope you landed on Des’ top pick in race 6 at Woodville midweek – SAVACI BOY who paid $33 to win”
Good Punting
Des Coppins
021 448 052
