Cover image courtesy of Sportpix
Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel) got tongues wagging with an effortless win in Saturday’s G2 Light Fingers Stakes, and the clock showed there’s plenty of improvement to come.
Chris Waller’s star 3-year-old filly was back at the races after a successful two-start spring campaign that culminated in a dominant 3l win in the G1 Flight Stakes.
She trialled like a bomb ahead of Saturday's first-up assault, but trial form doesn’t always stack on raceday when the pressure goes on.
That said, I had the pleasure of being at Randwick on Saturday amongst the company of some of Sydney's sharper punters and they were all there to back Lady Shenandoah. These guys, who I have largely lost touch with, will sit and wait for all the moons to align before wagering. They are not turnover punters. Most of them have jobs, but will launch when they see the right horse. They’ll go to the races with the intention of backing one, maybe two horses, and will happily walk away without placing a bet if they don't like what they see. They rarely bet in the first few races because they want to know if the track is playing fairly, or at least in favour of their prospect.
"She trialled like a bomb ahead of Saturday's first-up assault, but trial form doesn’t always stack on raceday when the pressure goes on." - Nic Ashman
Attending the races for non-work purposes is a rarity for me so I don’t get to see these guys much, but when I do, they’re usually all there for different horses.
But not on Saturday.
They all wanted to back Lady Shenandoah, and looked at me strangely when I said Declichy Boulevard (Snitzel) and Amelita (Zousain) were knockout hopes. It was like that time my mate Ben took an Egg Tart (Sebring) saver when she raced against Winx (Street Cry {Ire}). Six years later and we still laugh at him.
It's one of many poor decisions he's made - but this is an article about horse racing.
The Light Fingers was run at a slow tempo with Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon) cruising through her first 600 metres 3l below standard time. At this point, you’d think Lady Shenandoah would be in trouble, given she’s a miler and they typically need 1200-metre races to be run strongly. But her ability to take up a forward position - something milers generally struggle with in shorter races - meant she was there at the top of the straight.
Her sections were even, albeit from the 400 metres to the 200-metre mark she was 3l above standard, but from the 200 metres to the post, she really throttled down. Clearly, she was soft on the line but the filly was also happy to take the foot off the pedal, suggesting she will derive great benefit from this.
Despite being the laughing stock at Randwick amongst my punter mates, I do think Amelita was superb. Her last 200 metres was the best of the race and had she drawn better, she probably would have placed in the event.
These two and their unbeaten stablemate, Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun), are the ones to watch out for in the Surround Stakes.
Via Sistina and Commemorative set to bounce back
Waller’s star Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) was beaten in the G2 Apollo Stakes, but she lost no admirers.
The imported mare bungled the start and ended up at least one pair further back than she should’ve been. That resulted in her conceding a 2l headstart to Fangirl (Sebring) at the 400 metres, off a tempo that was more than 7l below standard.
Fangirl’s turn of foot is electric, but her query since last autumn has been whether she can withstand a fast tempo. She didn’t have to and her main rival copped interference in the home straight. Previously Via Sistina has rated down at her second-up run, but on those two occasions, she had a far more taxing first-up run.
I’d be expecting her to bounce back and win the G1 Chipping Norton Stakes next month.
Magic Time (Hellbent) won one of the slowest sprint races we’ve seen at Randwick. The tempo was 14l below standard making the overall time irrelevant. Magic Time recorded the best last 800, 600, 400 and 200 metres of the day. As she should’ve done.
Inhibitions (Zoustar) might’ve won the G3 Triscay Stakes, but it was her stablemate Commemorative (I Am Invincible) that goes in the blackbook.
"Inhibitions might’ve won the G3 Triscay Stakes, but it was her stablemate Commemorative that goes in the blackbook." - Nic Ashman
Like Via Sistina, she also missed the start and copped a chequered path in the straight. A big, strong mare like her needs room. Watch for her to be highly competitive if James Cummings gives her three weeks to recover and targets the G3 Wenona Girl Stakes at Randwick on March 8.
Skybird’s sprint shines, Blue Diamond wide open
Skybird (Exosphere) was simply sensational in the G1 Lightning Stakes at Flemington. Another slowly run affair meant the horse with the best dash would win and, boy, does she have some dash. Her last 200 metres was 0.28s faster than the next quickest of the day - that’s nearly 2l!
But it must be said, the overall time was poor and this won’t go down as one of the great editions of the Lightning Stakes in terms of ratings.
That said, she could be a superior straight galloper and its proven that you don’t need Australia’s best to win at Royal Ascot.
Tentyris (Street Boss {USA}) dead-heated for the win in a slowly-run Listed Talindert Stakes, which provided little guide to the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes. Star Witness in 2010 remains the last horse to complete the double.
What we noticed when looking at the sectionals of Tentyris is he presents as a horse that will appreciate 1200 metres or a faster tempo, or both.
The Blue Diamond looks wide open this year, with Field Of Play (Deep Field) maybe the one to beat, but it's no certain thing.