Racing and Sports Canberra Review - 20 September 2024

The Canberra course proper was rated a Good 4 and the Rail was out 3m the Entire. As it did a fortnight ago, the track raced extra well, with a mix of forward and back runners featuring. Three Sydney-trained gallopers saluted. The local Joseph-Jones trained a double. Patrick Scorse and Jean Van Overmeire both rode doubles. 

Race 1 1000m Mdn

HOU LONG GWAI $3.60 was on debut for a leading Sydney barn and firmed in betting. She delivered by a whisker from Hawkesbury-trained DRESSED IN GRAY $3.20, who was also well supported. The third market-elect SPIRIT IN THE DARK $4.80 was beaten 2.8L with another 1L back to ISAGURA $9, who raced three-wide throughout. BATTLE WARRIOR established a big lead. Hou Long Gwai sat behind midfield and was widest on the turn.  Dressed in Gray had railed and nabbed the leader at the 150M, however, couldn’t hold off the winner’s powerful finishing effort. Spirit In The Dark settled back and switched to the rail in the straight and finished it off okay. Nice efforts the first two home. 

Race 2 1200m Bm 50 

CONSIDER IT READY $21 blew out in the betting but defied that move beating the favourite FORBIDDEN GEMSTONE 3.60 by a nose, just ahead of OUT WRAPPED $11. CHIPSTAR $4.40 was well beaten, meeting trouble at the start and in the straight. DOLLYWOOD was last home, after being forced to race four-wide throughout. Forbidden Gemstone found an unpressured lead and looked home passing the 200m. Consider It Ready was in the pack on turning and at the 250m had to shift out to continue into clear running. She surged and got up right on the line. Out Wrapped was last and the widest on the turn and belted home. One for the blackbook. The winner was first-up and had switched from the Kris Lees yard. She can go on 

Race 3 1300m Bm 60

Waterhouse-Bott-trained SATIN SHIMMER $2.45F looked one of the best bets on the program and was much too good defeating RONNY ROCK ART $8.50 by 2.7L. FASCINATION ALLEY $7 placed third from CHARMAN’S LIST in fourth. They were beaten 3.1L and 3.5L respectively. MISS GHENT $4.80 and MISS STALWART $5.50 were both disappointing. The former was slow to begin, and the latter was bumped on jumping and felt she was uncomfortable in her action, according to the rider. She tailed the field home and was vet cleared. Satin Shimmer crossed and led as expected. Ronnie Rock Art trailed off the rail. Satin Shimmer won with plenty in hand. Ronny Rock Art gave his all but never looked likely. The next two home made up ground.   

Race 4 1600m CL 1 SW

We assessed HOOLIGAN TOMMY $3.30 another best bet and he delivered in style. There was 4.3L between him and second-placed SHISUTA BO $6 on the line. She finished a half-length ahead of MANDALONG STARZ $12 and the rest were spaced, headed by the well-supported KAFFIR LILLY $3.40.  Shisuta Bo led with Kaffir Lilly ending up trailing after over-racing in the early stages.  Hooligan Tommy sat rearward but started a forward move at the 600m. Mandalong Start was back and wide on the turn. Hooligan Tommy came into it quickly as they headed to the judge. He took over at the 200m and won in a canter. Mandalong finished it off well in third. The winner didn’t exactly get it easy, and it was a dominant win.

Race 5 1600m Bm 75  

LOUIE'S LEGACY $3.70 firmed and was another favourite delivering in clear fashion. There was 2.4L between him and stablemate Where Is Ken $15 on the line, with little between him and the next pair home; STAR BUYER $4.40 and VAGUER $4.60. The well-supported BEST INTENT $4.40 finished at the rear. She over-raced in the early and middle stages and did not respond to riding in the straight. She has a poor recovery rate and will be spelled. Louie’s Legacy led a moderate tempo. Vaguer found a nice trial from Star Buyer who wanted to over-race. Where Is Ken was rearward not far away in the small field. Louie’s Legacy was clear at the 200m, and they never looked like catching him. The next pair home finished the best out of the pack. The winner had just missed here the previous and built on that in good fashion. 

Race 6 1000m Qlty – Federal – Black Mountain

BOMAREA $2.45F and BODY BOB $4.20 sat at the top of the market, but it was the third-favourite TULLA PARK $8-$5.50 who delivered the win by 0.6L from MISS OSTEND $13. Bomarea was beaten 2.4L in third with almost 1L back to FANGELA in fourth. The rest were spaced. The roughie I CALL JUNEE HOME $31 prevailed in a charge for the lead and they were bunched behind him. Bomarea was on the back of the leader. Miss Ostend met trouble soon after the start and was a clear last when they settled. Has they straightened for home Tulla Park got a nice run through and Bomarea shot up the rail. Tulla Park soon got the upper hand and held off the flying finish of Miss Ostend. Hers was quite an effort. She was last and widest of the turn, and made-up lengths down the middle of the track. Goes into the Blackbook). Fangela hit the line better than the remainder and didn’t have the best of it. The rider of Body Bob felt his mount would be better over further ground. He was vet cleared.   

Race 7 1000m CL 1 

The favourite PICKSIX $2.60 was the medium of strong support but was beaten 3.35L in fourth. The local SUTTON VELLA $4.40 also firmed and delivered the race by 1L from fellow local XCEPTIONAL FELLA $5.50, with Miss Belgium 2.4L from the winner in third. They flew along with Getty pressured by the rank outsider. Miss Belgium railed on the leader’s back Xceptional Fella sat behind the leading bunch. Sutton Vella was rearward but started a sharp forward move before the turn. Miss Belgium got Getty at the 200m, but Sutton Vella swept by and went on the record an impressive win. Exceptional Fella hit the line well in second. He has begun awkwardly and was held up rounding the home turn. All honours with the impressive winner who was coming off a 6-week freshen, and she clearly relished the good surface. 

Race 8 1300m Mdn SW

The local Joseph-Jones yard made it a double with the clear favourite JAZZ ALL KNIGHT $2.50 winning by a whisker from RILEYCAT $15. ROGUE ‘N’ READY $41 and BARZURA BRONTIE $26 were next to greet the judge, beaten 2.6L and 3.9L respectively. The rest were spaced. Jazz All Knight slid over from a wide gate to find the front comfortably. Rileycat and Rogue ‘N’ Ready trailed. Jazz All Knight was still 2L clear at the 200m, but Rileycat was coming and was beaten a nose on the line. They dominated. The winner had been freshened 5-weeks and made good improvement. Rileycat was length better than his debut run. A well-measured ride from Scorse, but a niggle this race from a future form perspective.