Racing and Sports - Canberra Racing Review Friday 6 October 2023

They raced on a Soft 6 and with the Rail out 5m. Most of the races saw a keen battle for the lead. A number of winners came from further back in the field when the speed was over-cooked. Training honours to Annabel Neasham with a double. Alysha Collett won on the pair. Miss Ostend won the feature in a keep finish. 

Race 1 (1600m) CL1 SW

DEAD OF NIGHT $2.50 and MISSILE SEEKER $2.1 fought out favoritism with the former getting up by 1L from BOOSHANG $5.50 with Missile Seeker 2.5L from the winner in third. Dead Of Night led and they didn’t go hard. Booshang sat behind the leading division and improved around them to join Dead Of Night as they set sail for home. They had a brief tussle before the winner found a margin. Missile Seeker trailed the leader and lacked finishing dash. Dead Of Night is in a top Sydney barn and built on the Maiden win. Can win again in the right company.  

Race 2 (2000m) BM65

It was a race-to-race double for the Neasham barn with VADAMOS QUEEN $3.50F delivering by 2L from OUTAHAND $14 and BUFF IN DISGUISE $5.50. The erst were gapped. Vadamos Queen had to work to lead out of the first bend but settled sweetly and dictated terms to suit. Buff In Disguise sat midfield but started a sharp forward move before the turn and straightened almost on terms. He looked a chance at the 200m, but the effort told and he just pipped for second by Outahand, who had trailed the lead and was doing his best work on the line. A sweet front-running ride on Vadamos Queen who had too much polish. 

Race 3 (1000m) CL1 

Favourite backers were again on good terms with themselves when EVERIDO $2.40 made it back-to-back wins for the Dryden yard. There was 1L in it on the line from stablemate PROMITIO MAS $8 with a whisker to PRINCESTON $3.50 in third. The next home – CHAMPAGNE IN LACE $7.50 led and fought hard before fading from the 200m. It was busy up front. Princeston sat outside the leader and Everido was caught wide and formed a line of three around the turn. There was four across the track at the 200m, but the winner was too strong at the business end. Prometio Mas stalked the leading division and hit the line well returning to form. Everido had to do plenty of work and there was a lot to like about the win. In the right barn and the lightly raced galloper can keep improving.

Race 4 (1300m) MDN

It was a wide-open betting race with HIS HONOUR $10- $5 getting the chocolates by 2L from the Dryden-trained newcomer REET PETITE, who drifted to start $10, with a gap to the third-placed KEYNES TIME $8, who finished nearly 4L from the winner.  There were plenty involved in the early action with NORRIS $7 leading and from a wide gate His Honour eventually settling on his flank. He burst clear as they turned for home and came away to record a comfortable win. Reet Petite impressed. The former Sydney debutant tailed the field and was the widest on turning giving away a big start.  She stormed home and is going to be winning very soon. The next home just battled at the business end. The winner found form quickly for the new barn and can also go on from this. 

Race 5 (1000m) Handicap

There was only a half-length separating the first three gallopers home with the local PROPHET'S PRIDE $10 getting the nod from MASTER JOE $3.90 and FANGELLA $4. The favourite TULLA PARK finished next, 1.5L from the winner. There were four across the track at the 700m vying for the lead. with Master Joe the widest. Prophets Pride held the rail and Fangela was wide behind the leading bunch. As they headed for home Prophet’s Time maintained the lead and delivered by a diminishing margin from Master Joe. A stack of merit in the latter’s run after being wide on-speed all the way. Fangella also finished-on, a lip away. The favourite flopped out of the barriers and met trouble at the 200m, losing some momentum. He was a big shortener and will keep.  

Race 6 ((1000m) MDN SW

This was a tricky race and no surprise an upset with the local HOLD $18 prevailing in a blanket finish. There was less than 1L separating the first five galloper’s home. Hold hadn’t done much on debut and resumed in this contest 18-weeks off the scene. Again, there were plenty of riders wanting to get into the action early. The second-placed ENERGIZED $10 found the rial and the lead from BEDTIME $9.50 one-out. Third-placed ROMAN MISS $3.90F stalked the leader on the rail. Hold settled well back and stuck to the inside on turning. Energized was clear at the 200m but a number were coming including Hold who found a split late to just prevail. Roman Miss just lacked a knockout punch and WHO EVER THOUGHT $4.80 and VANDERZAN $6 both finished well. A nice return from Hold, who will improve further with that run under the saddle.   

Race 7 (1400m) TAB FEDERAL – TONY CAMPBELL MEMORAL CUP

Three runners were bet to the exclusion of all others with MISS OSTEND $2.80F winning by a nostril from TROOPER KNUCKLE $3.30. Stablemate OFFSPRING $2.90 was the disappointment beaten 3.7L. LOOSE LOVE $17 won the charge for the lead and put a big gap on them. RATHLIN $20 led the chase. The leader had run hard and was under pressure at the 300m. Trooper Knuckle and Miss Ostend had both positioned midfield and were within range as they straightened up.  They paired off with the winner just proving too strong. Rathlin stuck on in third beaten 2.7L. Offspring lacked early speed and settled rearward. She gave nothing in the straight. Miss Ostend had no issue with the extra 200m and the Norm Gardner-trained local will be seeking the hat trick next time out.  

Race 8 (1200m) BM 60

It was $4.60 the field in the last with VELLA MAGIC $$6.50 winning by a long head from WILKSHIRE $7.50, with TITAN STAR $12 and CALMER KARMA $4.60F next home a length and a bit away. After an early tussle Mentalism led from Calmer Karma outside, with Titan Star next, three-wide. Calmer Karma led at the 200m but rolled out under pressure before having to be straightened, losing some momentum.   Vella Magic raced midfield but started a sharp forward move before the 600m and turned the widest within touch. He got the better of Calmer Karma at the 50m and then held out a stern challenge from Wilkshire who sprouted wings late, after having a wall in front of the turn. A big effort from Vella Magic and she keeps getting better.