After watching 2-year-old colt Acrobat (Fastnet Rock) run 0.29s outside Redzel’s (Snitzel) 1000 metre track record (55.73s) on debut in the R. Listed Inglis Nursery, Magic Millions bound Snapdancer (Choisir) and Godolphin’s Athiri (Lonhro) then both broke 1:08 for the Randwick 1200 metres.
Randwick didn’t serve up the same hard surface this week, but some good performances, nonetheless.
Paulele (Dawn Approach {Ire}) was ultra-impressive sitting wide and winning at his first start at Moonee Valley, and improved again to win on Saturday with a tradesman-like performance at Randwick. Although racing keenly in the lead throughout, he was able to win in good style, clocking 1:10.16 for 1200 metres beating million-dollar colt Zarastro (I Am Invincible).
Paulele looks to be an exceptional chaser, judging by his first start, and now he has ticked the 1200 metre box and is guaranteed a start in the G1 Golden Slipper S. His two starts indicate he will be competitive in the bigger races come Autumn.
Paulele | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
The previous Saturday at Flemington, the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr yard unwrapped 2-year-old Capitalist colt Profiteer. It was one of the best 2-year-old performances so far this year, along with Acrobat (Fastnet Rock). He beat the buzz horse in Ranveer (Winning Rupert) by 2.75l, and in the process became only the third horse since 2007 to break 1:03 (1:02.80, last 600 metres in 33.30s) for the 1100 metres at Flemington – the other two being Group 1 winners, I Am A Star (I Am Invincible) and Microphone.
On Wednesday we saw She’s All Class destroy her rivals in the R. Listed Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic over 1100 metres. The daughter of I Am Invincible gave nothing else a chance in a messy affair around the tight turning Wyong circuit. Although the time was the same as the BM64 over 1100 metres, all indications are that she will improve on a drier surface, a frightening proposition for her Magic Millions opponents.
Gleneagles (Capitalist) and Alice Through (Snitzel) will bounce back on a bigger track.
The next target is now Eagle Farm on January 2 for the Magic Millions qualifying day, and a way for those who are eligible to win their way into one of the richest race meetings in the world.
A visually dazzling 3-year-old performance
Several big guns stepped out in Saturday’s Listed Gold Edition Plate at Doomben on the way to the R. Listed Magic Millions 3YO Guineas. Gun filly Away Game (Snitzel) and Queensland’s emerging star filly Isotope (Deep Field) did not disappoint.
They currently dominate the market for the big one on January 16 at the Gold Coast, despite neither having been over the trip of 1400 metres.
Isotope won the race in 1:09.87, marginally quicker than the Fillies' and Mares BM75 (1:09.94) and the Colts and Geldings BM75 (1:09.96) both over the same distance of 1200 metres. While she was visually impressive on Saturday, Isotope will need to improve her barrier manners come grand final day, when she meets Away Game again with a run under her belt.
Both fillies will need to step up for Magic Millions day as they will meet G1 Empire Rose (1600 metres) third placegetter Forbidden Love (All Too Hard) who has a strong win in good time over seven furlongs on her CV.
Saturday’s Star Performer
Although not Magic Millions bound, Saigon (I Am Invincible) was one to watch from the weekend. She was able to do what many others could not on Saturday at Randwick, and that was come from back in the field and win impressively. Although she only won a BM78, her performance indicates she is a Group class mare in the making. Saigon was first-up on Saturday yet ran over half a second faster (1:22.50) than the Open H. winner Edison (Fastnet Rock), showing she has far bigger races in store.
Bjorn Baker will have another big hand come Magic Millions day, training three of the first four home in the open handicap at Randwick on Saturday, all bound for the Gold Coast. Edison, who just keeps on winning, will be joined by Darby Racing’s Irithea (Snitzel) and Redouble (Redoute's Choice) who loves getting the Queensland sun on his back.
We also saw Fabergino (Maschino) scorch the turf in the 1000 metre H. at Flemington two Saturdays ago. Her love for the 1000 metre straight course (unbeaten in two runs there) was evident when she ran 56.57s and her last 600 metres in 32.37s, including a brilliant 9.81s split from the 800 to 600 metres. The G1 Black Caviar Lightning S.. on February 13, also over 1000 metres at Flemington, awaits her this autumn.
