Racing and Sports Canberra Racing Review - 13 March 2023

Race 1 (1400m) CL1

BELLEISTIC KIDS $2.70F was firm throughout betting and was too strong on the post for HELLO JACK $4.40. They’d been engaged in a stern battle the length of the straight. They finished well clear of BURGUNDY GIRL 4.20 in third. Hello Jack led comfortably with Belleistic’s Kid leading the chase. ALL BUSINESS $7.50 bombed the start, but no real excuses the others. The win capped a successful carnival for the popular Team Joseph-Jones training partnership.

Race 2 (1000m) Mdn SW

Local trainer Norm Gardner engineered his third value winner at the carnival when the debutant DESTRUCTIVE DIVA $20 powered over the top of the hot favourite NOVEMBER RHYTHM $1.40. PROPHET TIME $31 and DRESSED TO KILL $11, were also close up.  Dressed To Kill led comfortably with November Rhythm chasing. The former was still a big leader at the 200m but the favourite chased him down in the shadows of the post before being swamped by Destructive Diva. She has tailed the field and was a clear last as they swung for home. It was an eye-catching win, and the Smart Missile filly has a future. Prophet Time also made up a lot of ground to snatch third. La MIA VIA looked to have every chance but lacked finishing dash. This should be a good form race.

Race 3 (1400m) Mdn

REGAL INHERITANCE $3 got favourite punters back on track defeating KOKOSHNIK $3.60 by a head with a 3L gap back to BREAKAWAY WEEK $7.50 in third. There was little separating her and BOY LOVES TO RUN $3.40. They were bunched up front before there was some order established at the 1000m. Kokoshnik held the lead and Boy Loves To Run settled on his flank. Regal Inheritance was well placed behind the speed. Kokoshnik elected to stay inside and gave a kick before being grabbed by Regal Inheritance with a few metres to spare. It was a tough effort the runner-up after finding a pressured lead. Regal Inheritance looked well graded and got the job done.

Race 4 (1200m) CL2

CABLE TIE $2.70 ran a clear favourite but was found wanting. It was an upset all around with LILY ELSIE $21 taking the race out in a blanket go with WHITE LIAR $31 and ONYA LIONAL $9.50. Again, it was busy early and SNAPPY JIM $12 settled in front with IN DE SUN IWILCOME $6 on his outside. Onya Lional and White Liar were handy, and Lily Elsie settled rearward on the inside. Lily Elsie used the cutaway and there were four across the track inside the 100m.  She got the head out at the right time. Snappy Jim was only beaten 0.66L in fourth. Cable Tie looked to have every chance and may be looking for further. LETHAL LADY $7 didn’t have the best of luck on straightening.

Race 5 (100m) BM65

Scratchings saw just five horses go around the hot favourite BEAU ROCK $1.95 was clearly superior. He went straight to the lead with the runner-up AMAZING NICCI $4.40 leading the chasers and that’s how they finished, with 3L splitting the pair. REDHAIR’N’FRECKLES held a clear third but was also run off his feet. The winner had it laid on and didn’t miss.

Race 6 (1400m) Listed Canberra Guineas

WOLVERINE started an even-money favourite but couldn’t catch the Sydney-trained AVEBURY $15, beaten 1.3L. SMOOTH SAILING $13 was beaten 2L in third ahead of KIMBERLEY SECRETS $2.90 . Kimberley Secret led as expected. After a slow off, Smooth Sailing enjoyed a soft run forward of misfield. Avebury was further back and wide and Wolverine settled last. The leader gave a kick but Avebury had straightened in clear air and was putting in the big ones. He hit the front before the 100m and comfortably held Wolverine who hit the line well after being held-up at the home turn Smooth Sailing also finished on. Avebury was spot on for this mission and benefited from a slick Kerrin McEvoy ride. The Guineas rated below the 20-year average with Racing & Sports. 

Race 7 (2000m) Listed Canberra Cup

ARAPAHO $3.70 had a class edge on paper and duly prevailed in the Cup. SACRAMENTO $2.50F ran them along as expected from ATHABASCAN $4.40. Arapaho sat midfield and EXPLOSIVE JACK $7.50 settled in the last few. Sacramento had it easy until the 600m when a number made forward moves including Arapaho. He showed a superior turn-of-foot down the middle and quickly issued his challenge, delivering by 1.4L on the line. Explosive Jack closed off strongly from the back quickly finding form following a 4-week freshen. Athabaskan fought it out well pipping Sacramento for third. With Racing & Sports, the Cup rated well above average in the last 20 years. Arapaho rated 114, the best winner since Blutigeroo in 2008 and second highest in the last 2 decades.

Race 8 (1600m) BM75

Quaddie punter were mostly cruelled with $17 shot MILAMOO winning the last in a close go with ROCCAFORTE and STRATUM PRIDE. It was a busy race for the stewards. Milamoo was dropping back in trip and settled last off a moderate tempo. Second-placed ROCCAFORTE $7.50 railed just behind the leader, with third-placed STRATUMS PRIDE $3F on his flank after a slow off. Roccaforte stayed inside and hit the front at the 200m. Milamoo turned for the run home very wide but came into it quicky. Stratum’s Pride came late through the middle and had to be steadied in the sight of the post.  The winning margin was 0.08L. IRON BARK ARTIE $4 weakened noticeably in the straight and jockey Tim Clark though something may have gone amiss. He’d over-raced outside the leader with the blinkers applied first time.  A post-race examination found no abnormalities. UNIQUE PRINCE looked to have every chance but lacked finishing dash.  The rider of the winner Damon Butler was suspended for the late incident involving Stratums Pride.  Roccaforte’s rider Alysha Collett was also suspended for an incident at the 150m whisk resulted in NIECES And NEPHEWS losing its rightful running.