Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Only one horse rated higher than Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel) in Australia last Saturday. The hype around the return of Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) was minimal, given she was a three-time Group 1 winner with a racing pattern that is simply awesome.
Perhaps no one wanted to draw attention to the race, given she was first-up off a mandatory three-month bleeding ban, after failures in the G1 Cox Plate and G1 Champions Mile.
But the G2 Peter Young Stakes at Caulfield was Pride Of Jenni at near her best. She beat standard time by more than 5l, and rated within 3l of her career peak, signaling the champ is back.
Lady Shenandoah shines bright at Rosehill
Up at Rosehill Gardens, one of the newest stars of the turf, Lady Shenandoah, took her unbeaten streak to five, which now includes three Group 1s. There was talk at the start of the week, that Chris Waller would keep her to the G2 Phar Lap Stakes, but instead they went for glory and it paid off.
Lady Shenandoah’s wide barrier was offset by an off-rail bias that saw no winner, make its run in the first six lanes. Lady Shenandoah beat standard time by more than 5l.
Her stablemate, and runner-up, Firestorm (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}) is clearly a better horse this prep with the best last 400 and 200 metres of the race, and the best last 1200 metres and 1000 metres of the day. She looks an ideal G1 Stradbroke Handicap horse with a second bite at the Group 1 cherry coming in the form of the G1 Tattersalls Tiara.
Lazzura flashes late in astonishing finish
The fastest last 200 metres of the day belonged to Lazzura (Snitzel), which is astonishing given she settled second in a 1500 metres race for 3-year-old fillies. But that can happen when the leader is allowed to go 20l below standard through the first 900 metres.
She was good, but the run of Wonder Boy (Cosmic Force) is for your black-book. He was coming off a fast-run 1400 metres contest and simply couldn’t accelerate here. The G3 Carbine Club Stakes over 1600 metres at Randwick will suit him immensely.
I know what you’re thinking, “If you like Wonder Boy, you must’ve loved the run of Declichy Boulevard?”
Not really. That’s her (Declichy Boulevard {Snitzel}). She runs her best races on soft tempos and got exactly that. Her only excuse was she was too far off her stablemate, who is quicker than her.
Eagle Nest shines with strong return
The return of Eagle Nest (Shalaa {Ire}) in the G3 Maurice McCarten Stakes was eye-catching. She had her own way in front, where they let the daughter of Shalaa (Ire) cruise through her first 500 metres more than 2l below standard. But she’s reeled off the fifth fastest last 800 metres of the day, and beat standard time by more than 2l.
Out of that race, be sure to black-book Pisanello (Ribchester {Ire}), who was heavily backed, but had no luck with race shape. When you jump from an outside gate over 1100 metres at Rosehill, and have no gate speed, you’re a low percentage play. He was will be much better suited when he gets to Randwick.
Golden Slipper picture clears with Skyhook
Finally, but certainly not least the final piece of the G1 Golden Slipper Stakes puzzle, feel into place when the G3 Pago Pago Stakes and G3 Magic Night Stakes were run.
By far the better race was the Pago Pago Stakes, where the boys gave the girls a 5l head start at the 600 metres, but beat them by around 1l on the line. The winner Skyhook (Written Tycoon) was mentioned here a couple of weeks ago, when he clocked the best last 200 metres of the day on inferior going.
His overall time was nothing flashy, but the slow tempo worked against him in that department. But his rating after bonuses puts him amongst the chances for the Golden Slipper this Saturday, plus the soft tempo last weekend provides the ideal prep run for this week.
