The Racing Weekend In Review 12/6

Eagle Farm hosted their biggest day of racing for the carnival with the Stradbroke Handicap and JJ Atkins, both at Group 1 level. Also on the card was the $1.2 million dollar Q22. Whilst racing was staged at Royal Randwick in Sydney with the running of the Bob Charley AO Stakes. In Melbourne, Sandown Lakeside hosted some nice off-season racing.

Eagle Farm 

It was a big day up in Queensland with some high quality racing on show. The Stradbroke and JJ Atkins were two top quality races whilst both Zaaki and Ayrton got the job done in earlier races.

The Stradbroke is one of the most fascinating races on the calendar and this years didn’t disappoint with Tofane getting the job done over local hope Vega One. Tofane had no favours in the run being caught wide and would’ve been forgiven for running out of petrol late. But the ride from Williams won the race in the end and it wasn’t his only pinpoint ride for the day. Filling out the first four was Signore Fox and Mr Quickie with Mr Quickie running an almighty race with the number one saddlecloth. The most luckless one was from another local in The Harrovian who just couldn’t get clear at a vital stage.

In the two-year-old Group 1 it was the Gai Waterhouse, Adrian Bott and Tim Clark trio who got the job done with smart Frankel gelding Converge. Ridden towards the rear unlike most of the stables runners, he went around them quite quickly and looked home halfway down the straight. There weren’t any excuses for the horses behind him with Port Louis probably a little disappointing after being supported late once again. Giannis and Tiger of Malay filled out the minor placings but were ultimately no match for Converge.

Earlier in the day the one time Stradbroke favourite Ayrton put away a small but quality lineup taking home the Gunsynd Classic. James McDonald jumped aboard with Jamie Kah stuck in Melbourne and he looked impressed with the motor under him. Ellsberg fought on well but Ayrton looked different gravy to that bunch and is a force to be reckoned with this Spring.

The Q22 was about one horse and that horse showed why he is one of the most exciting horses racing in Australia at the moment. Backed into Winx type odds of $1.26 he never looked in trouble with McDonald easing him to the line to beat home Homesman, Paths of Glory and Brandenburg. The Cox Plate is on the agenda for the Annabel Neasham galloper and is currently the $3.50 favourite for the 2040 metres around the Valley.

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Randwick

Last week it was the Tommy Berry show where he collected four winners but this weekend it was apprentice Reece Jones who dominated the program winning four races. 

The feature Bob Charley AO Stakes looked a competitive race on paper and certainly was that in a close go between Adelong and Wandabaa on the line. The Brad Widdup trained Adelong got the job done though under a cool ride from Jay Ford who took the opportunity to pick up a Listed win whilst the big name jockeys were in Queensland. Favourite Fituse was slightly disappointing again finishing back in 5th ahead of Ballistic Lover who didn’t quite run to her price of $4.80. 

Earlier on the card in Race 1 it looked like the Gai Waterhouse trained In The Congo kicked back and held on. It was in fact Verne who got the bob to the frustration of punters who were on their way to collect after both Racecaller Darren Flindell and Sky Thoroughbred Central indicated In The Congo had won. 

In the final event of the day punters were all-in on Blondeau and after a frustrating day at the office for Brenton Avdulla it looked like the Chris Waller trained gelding had the race at his mercy, under a tight hold at the top of the straight but he couldn’t quite finish off running 3rd.

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Sandown

In the opening race of the day, the two-year-old Ranveer had the best formlines going into the race running behind boom two-year-old Profiteer last preparation. However, the money came for the Tony & Calvin McEvoy second starter in Hurtle after his five length maiden win. Hurtle never looked likely and didn’t beat a runner home with Ranveer franking the Golden Slipper formline taking out the race ahead of a fast finishing Our Heidi. 

The 2400 metre race on the card was taken out by import Mr Mooj who broke through for his first Australian win after three starts. Was given every chance after a peach of a ride from the 2kg claiming apprentice Will Price. Whilst it was a different story for the favourite Shakespeare who was buried back on the inside near last. Whilst he didn’t launch at them late, the pattern of the day demonstrating it was hard to make up ground so one to forgive.

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Looking ahead to next weekend… 

The racing in Queensland heads to Ipswich for a couple of Listed features whilst in Melbourne the racing heads back to Flemington with the Listed A.R. Creswick Stakes. In Sydney, Rosehill will host their W J McKell Cup meeting.

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