Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
A trio of 3-year-olds look to be set for bigger things after resounding victories in the last seven days.
Roses for Chispa after Kensington triumphi
It started with Chispa (NZ) (Savabeel) at the Kensington track last Wednesday. Chris Waller’s filly was stepping beyond the mile for the first time. On a day where every winner bar two had a rails-in run, Chispa came four wide around the turn and streaked away to win by two and three quarter lengths, beating standard time by threee lengths.
The tempo was fast with the field going through the first 1200 metres more than four lengths above standard. Chispa's last 600 metres was two lengths faster than average for the grade. It was the perfect G1 Queensland Oaks trial, albeit 1800 metres is a tad short of the right distance to get a true guide.
The run before that, she was fourth at Canterbury where she clocked the best last 1200 metres at the meeting, indicating the 1550 metres that day would prove short of her best.
We assume she will run in the G3 Doomben Roses this weekend and then two weeks into the Oaks, but there are options in Sydney if Waller wanted to keep what looks like a promising filly under his watchful eye.
Chispa winning at Kensington | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Concord Connie has Group 1 written all over her
Concord Connie (Contributer {Ire}) set tongues wagging when she won a Benchmark 70 event by six lengths at Flemington two starts back. That day she was 10 lengths inside standard time, so it was no surprise to see her go off $1.35 in an Open race last weekend in Melbourne.
She was too good again, but the margin of a length and a quarter had some commentators pointing to her late splits indicating they weren’t as sharp as the run prior. Two things may have contributed to that; Saturday's track raced slower than a Good 4, - headwind around the turn played a role, but the ground was definitely inferior to the day of her previous win- and her jockey dropped his whip.
The G1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes in the spring is her race – she has Group 1 handicap written all over her and the fact she clocked the best last 1200 metres of the day last weekend suggests to me that a mile is in the equation too.
Miss Freelove impresses at Scone
Last of the trio was Miss Freelove (Tassort) who won the Listed Denise’s Joy Stakes at Scone. The field was more than two lengths ahead of standard time by the halfway mark, and yet the filly posted a slick 11.28s between the 600 and 400 metres – which was the third fastest split for that section all day.
This was only her second start this preparation as well. She was beaten by five-time winner Golden Straand (Snitzel) first-up and has form last prep around Point Barrow (Blue Point {Ire}). I am not sure she’s a Group 1 horse, but she can pick off a Group race somewhere.
Golden Straand's run was a total forgive in the Listed Ortensia Stakes on the same card; he used Lane 1 on a day where nine of the 10 winners were in Lane 5 or beyond.
More improvement to come from Estremo and Killman
Still on the 3-year-olds, but with more with a view to the future rather than a glowing report for Saturday’s wins, we can talk about Estremo (Extreme Choice) and Kilman (NZ) (Super Seth).
Estremo is probably targeting a G1 Stradbroke Handicap; he won Doomben's 3YO Plate over 1350 metres where off a slow tempo, he produced a last 600 metres that was seven lengths above standard to scrape inside standard time.
He won the G3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude in the spring at 1400 metres and certainly thrives on a wet track, although doesn’t necessarily need it to win. I suspect they have a crack at the G3 Fred Best Classic, as the winner is exempt from ballot in the Stradbroke.
Kilman led all the way in the G3 Rough Habit Plate. It was only the second time he’s led, with the other resulting in a nose second at Randwick, but it must be said both times he’s been gifted an incredibly soft lead.
The challenge will be tempo and stepping up 2400 metres as he progresses towards the G1 Queensland Derby. I dug deep into his sectionals and they present as very flat which is typical of a stayer, but I thought his last 200 metres on Saturday was a tad weaker than you would like heading towards a Derby.
Rothfire simply remarkable at Doomben
What can you say about Rothfire (Rothesay)? He won the G1 JJ Atkins Plate as a 2-year-old and now the G1 Doomben 10,000 at eight. Remarkable. He’s punched the breeze covering ground, but to be fair the pace of the 10,000 was slow and being out there probably wasn’t the disadvantage it usually is.
Not sure how Jimmysstar (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) found the rail from his gate but it ended up being the undoing of him – don’t drop off.
Special mention has to go to Cigar Flick (Churchill {Ire}), who clocked the best last 800, 600, 400 and 200 metres of the day taking out the Listed Bright Shadow. She is profiling like a 1100-metre specialist on soft tracks. Maybe the Listed June Stakes at Randwick could be next for her?
Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) will light them up in Saturday’s G1 Doomben Cup, but I expect to see Half Yours (St Jean {Ire}) a lot closer if they are fair dinkum about running down one of the most exciting horses I’ve had the pleasure to watch.
