Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Aerodrome (Ole Kirk) kept his unbeaten record in tact with a tough on-pace win in fast time at Hawkesbury on Saturday. The Clarendon Stakes has proven a launching pad for some top liners in years gone by. Zoustar won the race in 2013 before success in Brisbane and later that year a Group 1 double through the Golden Rose and Coolmore Stud Stakes. A decade later, Godolphin’s Zardozi (Kingman {GB}) won the Clarendon and later in 2023 would take out the VRC Oaks.
It’s a race where, if they run time, you can usually follow it. The clock was kind on Saturday with Aerodrome shaving more than 2l off standard time producing a 400-200 metres split that ranked in the top 10 for the day.
Out of that race, Zebra Finch (Exceed And Excel) is one I’d like to follow especially on wet tracks over further. I backed him and thought the cash was gone at the top of the straight but he kept lifting and, for the second time in as many starts, clocked the best last 200 metres of the race.
City Of Lights outshines Lady Laguna
They gave Lady Laguna (Overshare) every chance to win on Saturday in the G3 Hawkesbury Crown. She led and wen through the first 700 metres more than 8l below standard, but City Of Lights (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Tashi (Sebring) had too much dash for her. Perhaps the 60kg in those conditions made it too hard to accelerate?
City Of Lights is the half-sister to Winx (Street Cry {Ire}). She doesn’t have the same ability as her famous sibling, but I note they’ve kept her to shorter trips so far this campaign and it's working. Not to mention this was her first go on Heavy ground and she clocked the 2nd fastest last 1000 metres of the day with all her late sectionals ranking in the top 10.
Strong Guineas win for Media World
There was no real standout performance, but figures suggest one of the strongest races on the card was the Hawkesbury Guineas won by Media World (Written Tycoon). He only just beat standard time, but led and clocked the 13th fastest last 200 metres of the day on his first go on heavy ground. The runner-up Just Party (Justify {USA}) is one for the blackbook. He had to be held up for part of the straight but, when he got clear, managed to post the quickest last 200 metres of the day. He looks a real wet tracker that we can follow into the winter months.
Femminile upsets boys in SA Derby win
Down in Adelaide, we saw Femminile (Dundeel {NZ}) upset the boys in the G1 South Australian Derby. She was on the back-up and despite never winning on good ground, with a lack of standouts from the boys, this filly was able to capitalise. Her overall time was solid enough, but the late splits only fair and it's unlikely she will be a spring player off these numbers. That said, she prefers wet ground and perhaps her ratings could climb if she gets the slop on a major raceday.
Morphettville fillies shine with Strong finishes
The horse to follow from Morphettville is On Display (Fastnet Rock) from the Price and Kent Jnr camp, who took out the Listed Adelaide Guineas. Yet another 3-year-old filly running time. This one clocked the best last 1200 metres and 200 metres of the day, something that isn’t easy to do. Whether she can stretch her brilliance out to 2000 metres might be the determining factor on whether she heads north to Brisbane.
Still on Morphettville, Lovely Lookin (American Pharoah {USA}) resumed in the BM64 for fillies and mares and beat standard time by 2l, clocking the 5th fastest last 200 metres of the day. She should prove tough to beat in a BM70 next start.
Floozie dominates Eagle Farm
Hopefully you all followed Floozie (Zoustar) albeit we didn’t get much of a price when she won at Eagle Farm on Saturday. She against smashed the clock and surely has earned a crack at a stakes race?
This Saturday, the feature will be the G1 Goodwood Stakes at Morphettville. We see the return of Giga Kick (Scissor Kick), who should be winning if he is near his best. But it has to be a big “if” for the Everest winner. For mine the underrated horse is Reserve Bank (Capitalist), whose ratings are on an upward spiral winning his last two starts and is yet to find a race with pace this prep.
