Racing and Sports Canberra Review - 14 June 2024

As we anticipated the track played fair and there were some hot finishes. Jack Martin booted home three winners. Keith Dryden trained a double.   

Race 1 1080m Mdn

Only five went around the market nailed it, with BRONCO REVOLUTION $1.30F holding out PUSHALOT $3.50 by just under 1L. There was another length back to the third-favourite LET'SAVALOOK $19 in third. Bronco Revolution led with Pushalot on his outside and there was no pressure. Pushalot took over on straightening, but Bronco Revolution fought back and held a margin from the 200m. A solid chasing effort from Let’savalook.   

Race 2 1750m Bm 65

BRINGBACKTHEBEARS $3.20F was notable firmer and held a 1.8L margin on the line ahead of THREW $21, with the notable drifter ONEFORIAN $5.50 more than 4L from the winner in third. Threw led, Oneforian raced midfield three wide throughout and Bringbackthebears settled rearward. With the light weight Threw put a gap on them as they headed for home, but Bringbackthebears was looming up down the middle of the track and collared him at the 100m. He started a strong forward move after the 600km and was widest on the turn. A polished effort. HOWLING VICTORY $4.80 didn’t have the best of it in transit and post-race showed signs of slow recovery. FILL $8.50 had no luck and post-race also displayed signs of a slow 

Race 3 1260m Bm 50

PAPAVER MINER $4.40 claimed back-to-back wins here defeating CHIPSTAR $21 by 1.3L, with the next two home, MONOMAKH $21 and SUPER VIEW $8, less than 2L from the winner. A bunch of runners settled forward with TINGE OF GINGE $26 leading. Papaver Miner and the FORBIDDEN GEMSTONE $3.60F were prominent and Chipstar raced midfield in clear air. Monomakh settled rearward but started a strong forward run passing the 500m. The leader kicked away after turning but was claimed by Papaver Miner at the 150m and he held an advantage to the line over the next three home who all finished hard further out. Quite a few mentions in the Stewards Report. The hard luck story was that of the favourite Forbidden Gemstone. She had a wall in front as they headed for home and was held up for clear running 

Race 4 1900m CL1 SW

EVER WAS $2.10F firmed but had to be content with second placing 1.4L behind the drifting KANOOZI $5.50, who had impressed here at the previous meeting. The third placegetter BLIND DATE $5.50 was 5L from the winner in third. The first two finishers both settled in the last three. They both turned for home wide on the track and were full of running when they paired off at the 200m. It was Kanoozi who proved too strong. SIDE CATCH $7.50 was inconvenienced passing the 300m and at that point looked to have more to offer. 

Race 5 1280m Mdn

The local CLENDENNING $26 delivered the day’s upset holding out VELLA ICON $8.50 by a long head. SPURLINE $1 and A MILLION ROSES $5.50 were the next pair home beaten 2.7L and 3.2L respectively. The two favoured runners OH WHAT A NIGHT $2.10F and the debutant SOUTHERN DEEL $3.60 both disappointed. The former displayed sights of a slow recovery post-race and will be spelled. The latter found the rail and led but was gathered in passing the 200m. Glendenning had a positive jockey switch to Cahill and turned the form around. He was three-wide on-speed early before working over to sit outside Southern Deel. He took over at the 200m but was immediately joined by Vella Icon, who settled off the rai\al behind the leading pair. They went hammer and tongs to the line. It has taken Glendenning 22 starts to win one and delivered fair and square. 

Race 6 1080m CL2

We made a case for ZAZEL $9 first-up and he delivered by a whisker from another local HEART OF VANCOUVER $8.50. RUSSIAN ASSASSIN $13 was beaten 1.4L in third less than a length ahead of LOVE OF AIR $7 in fourth. The favoured pair PRETTY VEGAS $3.30F and ROMAN MISS $3.70 finished out of the money. The rider of the former believed his mount didn’t appreciate the poly surface (vet cleared). The latter jumped from the rial but lacked the early dash required to hold a position and drifted back to last. It was hot up front and Zazel trailed the leading trio. Heart Of Vancouver was further back and wide and began a sharp forward move at the 700m. Russian Assassin was one of the widest as they straightened. Pretty Vegas shot through and led to the 200m. Zazel was held up before the turn but came hard once into the clear and joined Heart Of Vancouver who was finishing the race off hard. There was a nostril between them on the line. Russian Assassin was noticeably making up ground in third. The first three to greet the judge will all take improvement from the runs. 

Race 7 1280m Open – Federal

CRAVING MAGIC $2.80 looked the best of the day and delivered in a close finish from TROOPER KNUCKLE $14 and VELLA MAGIC $15, with FERRARI GIRL $13 and LOVE SHUCK $5.50 just 1.5L from the winner in third and fourth. It was busy early with Ferrari Girl pushing on the lead at the 750m with Love Shuck on his outside. Vella Magic was given every chance behind them. Craving Magic and Trooper Knuckle settled back with plenty to do. Ferrari Girl was still in front at the 100m, but they were lining up outside. Craving Magic sprouted and shot through to take the prize impressively. Trooper Knuckle made up a stack of ground further out to make second. Craving Magic is building a tidy record.