Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Panova ready to peak in the Oaks
A filly that had punters scrambling for their blackbooks in the spring was Panova (Trapeze Artist) when she announced herself with authority in the G3 Carbine Club Stakes at Flemington.
While her form this preparation reads a touch plain, there’s a strong sense from the Waller camp that her form doesn’t tell the full story, with James McDonald pointing to a preparation that has quietly built toward Saturday.
“She is a very good horse on her day, she only has to replicate what she did in the Spring in the Carbine Club which has been a great springboard sort of race for Chris (Waller) with his good horses and Chris has always liked her," McDonald told racing.com
Panova | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
There’s been a method to the approach from Chris Waller, who has long maintained the filly has been playing catch-up after an early setback.
“But this preparation she just had a little hiccup right at the start of the preparation and Chris was saying that she has always been one run behind all the way through but that one run she’s never been able to catch up because she was always stepping up in distance.
"So this time she has actually had a good foundation with a 1400-metre race, a 1500-metre and a 2000-metre run, and now she is staying at 2000 metres, where there was an option to go the the ATC Oaks but that was a mile and a half and she probably wasn't ready for it, so this is a brilliant option for her.”
James McDonald | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
A quiet but encouraging jump-out in Melbourne has only added confidence.
“She has had a little mid-prep trial in Melbourne and she was really good on Friday so she is arriving in the peak of her powers.”
“She (Panova) has had a little mid-prep trial in Melbourne and she was really good on Friday so she is arriving in the peak of her powers.” - James McDonald
Even so, McDonald is under no illusions about the depth of the contest.
“But obviously it is a very strong race, we have Salty Pearl who we know very well and Getta Good Feeling is in good form as well, so it’s going to be a strong race.”
Stretan Angel chases elusive Group 1 in Sangster
Consistency has been the hallmark of Stretan Angel (Harry Angel {Ire}), but the one missing piece, a Group 1 victory - remains the ultimate target as she lines up in the G1 Robert Sangster Stakes at Morphettville on Saturday.
The Phillip Stokes-trained 5-year-old mare has built an enviable record and more than $1.3 million in earnings, repeatedly proving herself at the top level without quite landing the knockout blow although she has gone close, placing in the G1 Lightning Stakes, G1 Goodwood Handicap, and G1 Newmarket Handicap, and running fourth in the G1 Sprint Classic and G1 William Reid Stakes.
That could change this preparation, her final one before heading to next month's Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale.
Stretan Angel | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“She has been there abouts and really deserves that maiden Group 1 and this will be her last prep, we targeted this Adelaide carnival and she get’s two chances at it and hopefully wins that Group 1.” Kerrin Stokes, assistant trainer to Phillip Stokes commented to racing.com
Her return run suggested she’s come back in strong order, with improvement expected second-up.
“But she is in good order, she was very good I thought last start first up and should improve sharply second up.”
Gear tweaks could prove decisive.
Kerrin Stokes | Image courtesy of Phillip Stokes Racing
“He thought she was honest, she didn’t blow him away or anything like that, but we have applied the blinkers, second up with blinkers, hopefully that is the recipe we need to probably gain that couple of lengths.”
The Sangster shapes as one of the races of the day, with elite Group 1 winning mares like Skybird (Exosphere), Charm Stone (I Am Invincible) and Benedetta (Hellbent) ensuring the quality of the proven field is strong, the promising Point Barron (Blue Point {Ire}) looks more than capable, while Flying Fun (Spieth) looms as a genuine knockout chance.
Expensive juveniles clash at Randwick
While not a blacktype event, the opening race at Randwick on Saturday shapes as one of the more fascinating contests on the program, with a remarkable concentration of high-priced yearlings stepping out.
In fact, six runners in the field were purchased for $600,000 or more, headlined by two $1.8 million colts - Whitehall (I Am Invincible), a close relation to champion mare Winx (Street Cry {Ire}), and Lady Catalina (Written Tycoon), who is out of the smart 2-year-old sprinting filly Away Game (Snitzel).
The Ciaron Maher-trained Lady Catalina made an immediate impression on debut at Newcastle, producing a strong late effort over 900 metres to score, and while this represents a rise in class, she profiles as a filly with considerable upside.
Lady Catalina as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
"She is a very different horse to Away Game. Away Game was very natural, very early," Johann Gerard-Dubord of Ciaron Maher Racing told racingandsports.
"By this time of year, she'd had plenty of racing already.
"We've taken our time with Lady Catalina. She is a beautiful filly. She has changed a lot physically, she has grown. She has been in work a long time because we wanted to take her to the trials and the races when she was ready for it."
"She (Lady Catalina) is a beautiful filly. She has changed a lot physically, she has grown." - Jean Gerard-Dubord
That patient approach appears to be paying off, with her debut effort suggesting she will appreciate further ground despite showing early speed.
"Funnily enough, even though she had been showing us a lot of speed, she was actually at her top for most of the way there and late she was good, so stepping up to 1100 will be no issue," Gerard-Dubord said.
"We gave her a tick over trial last week where I thought she was very good. She was just there to have a good day out and trialled very nicely."
Johann Gerard-Dubord | Image courtesy of Ciaron Maher Racing
Lady Catalina is raced by John Stewart’s Resolute Racing and was notably the first runner in Australia for the high-profile American owner in partnership with Maher, making her debut success an important milestone for the stable.
The race itself has depth beyond the headline acts. The impressive debut winner Extremely Tempted (Extreme Choice) looms as a logical danger, while Whitehall must be respected despite drawing a tricky barrier that may require some luck in running. I Am Dirty (Dirty Work) has also shown ability at the trials for in-form trainer Bjorn Baker and adds further intrigue to what looks an even and talent-rich juvenile contest.
Antino looks to rediscover his best
Not long ago, Antino (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) was one of the country’s most exciting and top-class middle-distance gallopers, but recent runs haven’t quite done his well-known ability justice lately.
Trainer Tony Gollan is confident a return to familiar surroundings could spark a resurgence.
“This year with a couple of Autumn runs and a bit of travel I could kick him off in a mile, I knew this week he would carry a fair bit of weight being a quality handicap. He was going to get the 61kg and he has probably earnt the weight he is going to get this week,” trainer Tony Gollan told SenTrack earlier this week.
Antino (NZ) | Image courtesy of Trackside Photography
A happier horse at home has been the key focus.
“I’m trying to get the horse back here, in familiar surroundings and just make sure the horse is a happy horse at home. At the moment that is exactly what he is, he goes on the track everyday, pigroots and he is really well in himself, his action, I don't know if he has ever moved better, he is moving brilliant in his action.
“He just seems like a happy horse, I'm looking forward to getting to raceday,” Gollan said.
“He (Antino) just seems like a happy horse, I'm looking forward to getting to raceday.” - Tony Gollan
Tony Gollan | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
While having to carry the full weight does not look prohibitive, there are some classy types lower in the weights that could be hard to beat including the proven and consistent mare Miss Joelene (Russian Revolution) who carries 5.5kg less and the exciting Cote Atlantique (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) who has been in great form and has the bottom weight of 53kg.
Will the real Rosberg turn up?
Few runners bring as much intrigue as Rosberg (Deep Field), a colt blessed with talent but yet to fully deliver when it matters in recent starts. Trainer Clinton McDonald has made it clear the time for excuses is over heading into the G2 Tobin Bronze Stakes at Morphettville on Saturday.
‘‘He’s still a colt. This is his last chance,’’ trainer Clinton McDonald told racing.com.
‘‘He’s an enigma, that’s for sure. He’s a horse that’s just got that much talent. It’s sickening. But … there’s no point being good here at Cranbourne and not good on race day.’’
‘‘He’s (Rosberg) an enigma, that’s for sure. He’s a horse that’s just got that much talent. It’s sickening.’’ - Clinton McDonald
Connections have turned to gear changes in search of improvement.
‘‘So we’ve changed a few things around with him. We’ve done a bit of gear change. We’ve taken the tongue tie off. We put a crossover on. We’ve done a number of sort of testing with him,’’ McDonald said.
Rosberg | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
‘‘We found a couple little things that we think will fix, nothing major, but just little sort of things that we thought could help him.’’
Saturday will tell the story.
‘‘His work’s been terrific, I am not going to be saying anything; I am just going to let the horse do the talking on Saturday,’’ McDonald said.
‘‘If he turns up, uh, he should be very competitive. He’s going to the Tobin Bronze. If he wins that, then he’d go straight to the Goodwood.’’
Clinton McDonald | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
With Tycoon Star (Written Tycoon), Legacy Bound (Ole Kirk) and Alpha Sofie (Capitalist) also engaged, it’s a deep and competitive sprint - but one that could hinge on whether Rosberg finally delivers on his promise.
