Canberra Racing Review – Friday 20 January 2023
Race 1 (1000m) Bm60
LILY ELSIE drifted $5 - $7 but found but proved too strong finding her best form. There was only 3L from first on settling and Lily Elsie eased to sit one-out at the tail. She presented widest on the turn and was on level terms at the 150m. BLEUE'S CHOICE $5.50 led with pressure but was first to fold and the heavily-bet Olive-trained SAIKO $2.40 - $1.70 — who’d sat outside the leader —briefly took over before being out-muscled late beaten 1L. EUROSAY $9 was a half-length back in third and had 3-wide on speed off a 19-week break. There was plenty of merit in that run. MY GIRONA $7.50 was slow off and didn’t have the best of it at several points after. The race fitness told with Lily Elsie.
Race 2 (1000m) Cl1
The big money came for the Olive-trained KIMBERLEY SECRETS $2.10 - $1.85 and unlike the stablemate in the first, the promising filly was able to get the job done. Ward hustled her along to lead and MASTER JOE $2.30 sat on her flank. The latter gave his all but was beaten at the 150m and was pipped on the line for the quinella by the roughie SIR SAVALUCA $20 beaten 2L. The latter had been way 21 weeks. A nice return by Kimberley Secrets who was the quickest of the three 1000m winners on the day. She will win better races.
Race 3 (1600m) CL1SW
DESI EMPEROR was a $4 favourite when betting closed and was able to take the next step building on the promising Maiden win. There was a half-length in it on the line from SPITFIRE $3.50 - $4.20, with HOW DO YOU SLEEP $6 - $4.40 in third. ARCH OF TITUS $6.50 led a steady tempo. Desi Emperor sat on him travelling sweetly. Spitfire and How Do You Sleep settled at the rear. Desi Emperor hit the front as they headed from home set out for home and held a margin on Spitfire who has turned the widest and made up a stack of ground down the middle. How Do You Sleep stayed inside and finished it off okay. Spitfire was ridden quieter in a change of tactics and the post came too
Race 4 (1000m) Mdn SW
There was a stack of interest around the debut of the 1.4m yearling DANCING ALONE $1.80 making her racing debut as a 3yo. She drifted a touch late but delivered by 1L from FROSE $5 - $3.80 with IDALO $5.50 close-up next, after racing wide throughout on speed. Frose led but was restrained and was off the rail when they turned. Dancing Alone sat behind the leading division and had some difficulty obtaining a clear run in the early part of the straight. Frose let down nicely and Idalo was still coming further out. Dancing Alone got the split and quickly gathered momentum to win comfortably on the line. Frise had every chance and there was a lot of merit in Idalo’s effort given the tough run. Dancing Alone can go on to better races but the placed horses can also be followed in the right grade.
Race 5 (1600m) Bm65
TIP TOP TIMING $3.80 and YOU ARE KING $2.10 dominated the betting and they finished in that order with a half-length between them. Despite a drift, JACK THE BRUMBY $14 showed good improvement second-up placing third beaten 2L, with STREET CRED $7.50 a further length away in fourth. Jack The Brumby settled nicely in front under the 3kg apprentice. You Are King began awkwardly but worked up to trail. Tip Top Timing settled midfield in clear air and was given more rein after the 600m to present in reach as they turned. Street Cred — who raced forward after being trapped wide in the middle stages — was the first to challenge, but Tip Top Timing was putting in the big ones outside him. You Are King was held up rounding the home turn and had difficulty obtaining a clear run until after the 200m. He got close despite an inclination to hang in. You Are King had excuses but no knock on the winner, and they can be followed.
Race 6 (1200m) Bm70 - Federal
We liked I AM MAMWAAZEL $5.50 - $4.20 who had been just gunned down here 9-days ago and he fell in from EMMA'S GIFT $4.40 and SECRETIVELY $6.50, with a big gap to the others. The favourite TWIG $2.60 - $3.20 disappointed. Her rider said she did not travel in the early stages and didn’t respond to riding in the straight. She suggested the mare would be better suited over further ground. No abnormalities were found post-race. I Am Mamwaazel flew out from the wide gate and settled in front with Secretively on her flank and Emma’s Gift trailing. I’m Mamwaazel pinned his ears back in the stretch and the margin was just enough on the line. Emma’s Gift takes a while to wind up but she flies at the business end. Secretively was also closing in late. The winner has now on three of her last four. He’s tough and gives himself every chance. Connections would have been encouraged by Secretively’s return to form.
Race 7 (1000m) Open 2
We thought MAKE A CALL $3 - $5 would be tough to beat with the race experience but the serious money came for the Waterhouse-Bott debutant GANBARE $2.15 - $1.60 and he delivered by a half-length from the local debutant CHOP THE ICE $13. Make A Call was beaten 2.2L in third with CHASING THE QUID $26 next a further length away. Ganbare went straight to the front with Chop The Ice sitting outside him. Make A Call wanted for early speed and settled rearward. As they headed for home Chop The Ice really laid it down to the leader and was wayward after and his newness may have cost him the race. Make A call also wanted to hand in in the straight, but he powered home into third and has ‘next time’ written all over him. ISTORIA GIRL $9 hung out badly rounding the home turn and ran wide. As expected, Ganbare was well prepared and go the job done.
Race 8 (1300m) Mdn
The form and betting suggested it was a two-horse race in the last and they finished in market order with VELLA MAGIC $2.15 proving 2L too good for WITNESS TO LOVE $3.90. Dryden-trained stablemate BREAKAWAY WEEK $19 held third 3.32L from the winner — with the remainder well-beaten. Speed horses had been advantaged all day and Vella Magic went straight to the front. Witness Of Love settled off pace but was forced to race three-wide throughout. Valla Magic was 2L in front at the 200m with Witness To Love grinding home. Under persuasive riding the winner held the margin on the line. They eye-catcher was Breakaway Week who settled rearward from the wide barrier. He powered home and goes into the black book. Witness To Love had no luck, but the promising front-running Vella Magic was always going to be hard to roll with the blinkers on.