Racing & Sports Canberra Racing Review - 23 September 2023

Race 1 

The Vella-trained pair headed the market but were cruelled by the Queanbeyan-trained ANNUAL ($10) fresh off a 13-week spell. The mare jumped straight to the lead. She was cruising as they headed for home. The favourite VELLA MAGIC $2.60 may have got the nose in front passing the 200m but under the urgings of the 3kg apprentice Annual fought like a tiger to win by a whisker. ASTUNNER $3.40 finished it off well but wanted to lay in at the business end. HERMOSA ROSA $9.50 was also beaten jus over 1L. She was slow off and didn’t have the best of it in the straight. INSANE VOLT $4 ran ungenerously throughout and may be headed for a spell.  A nice trialing performance the winner. 

Race 2 

TWELVE HOURS $3.90 was a well-supported second favorite and we reckoned she looked the one to beat on paper. The city-trained mare absolutely donkey licked them winning by nearly 5L. She led with the $2.40 favourite EXCITE CHOO $2.40 on her outside. Twelve Hours has the latter beaten passing the 350M   and they never got near her after that. RUFF raced keenly in the early and middle stages but ran on into third. MERCURIAL BOY $9.50 didn’t enjoy being ridden quieter and CUBE $10 didn’t travel well throughout. All honours with the winner.  

Race 3 

TEN DOWNING STREET $1.75F — the stablemate of the previous winner — was backed to the exclusion of all others but had to be content with 4th place beaten less than 1L. In the blanket go, HURRICANE CONI $6.50 lipped out FINAL RESET $21 and I’M SCARLET $10. Hurricane Coni made it 3/3 for leaders early in the program and got it soft. Meanwhile the favourite settled in the last pair, one off the rail. The winner still held a clear lead passing the 200m, but the challenges were coming. Under urgent riding by Heywood, she just retained a margin. The placegetters all finished on, and Ten Downing Street hit the line well but given the moderate tempo up front, had too much to do.       

Race 4 

We hooked the quinella in this with the Goulburn-trained NEWTOWN IS COMING $8.50 proving a half-length too good for the $2.40 favourite ALLAN, with COUPLA DAYS $4.40 and HEY DUGGEE $5 close-up next. Newtown Is Coming was another leader to prove too good. While she was getting it easy up front, Alan knuckled on jumping and settled back, and then didn’t have much luck in the run home. The winner still held a clear lead at the 200m and under gentle encouragement from the apprentice just had enough in hand. Allan was unlucky and Coupla Days belted home after being back and the widest on turning. A good effort. Newtown Is Coming had a soft run in front and that was the difference. 

Race 5 

SPITFIRE $2.50 delivered for us in the fifth and got favourite punters back on track. The stable has talked up the chances of UPPER HOUSE $8.50 and he was beaten less than 1L in second, with CALL MR ARTIE $9 2L from the winner in third. Spitfire railed four horses back while the next two home sat rearward, but not too far from the leader SHE’S ALL IN $8. Spitfire got to the front at the 200m and held off the determined Upper House. Call Me Artie was also doing his best work late.  The disappointment was the drifter JUST GO BANG $4.20. The rider reported that the gelding did not respond to riding when put under pressure at the at the 600m and laid out over the concluding stages. A nice ride on Spitfire and it was a tidy effort.  

Race 6 

The Dryden yard had BREAKAWAY WEEK $8 tuned up off a 25-week spell and she just proved too good for ENCANTADO $4.80, with PROHPET’S MAGIC $10, 2L from the winner in third.  The disappointment was the $2.90 favourite WAL’S ANGLES who was beaten more than 3L. It was busy early with five horses keen to lead. There were plenty of chances at the 200m with Encantado finding the lead after enjoying a nice passage through the leading division. Breakaway Week had sat out of the speed battle and was at least 8L back as they headed for home. She was ridden hands and heals by the apprentice and gobbled up the ground to win right on the line.  Prophets Magic raced beyond midfield and took the rails run and held third from a line-up behind.  The rider of Wal’s Angel’s said he found a good position in running but his mount raced ungenerously in the middle stages and is very immature. He found trouble in the straight and went to the line untested.  An impressive effort from Breakaway Week, and she can go on from this.  

Race 7 

With the scratching of stablemate Sister Moon, FANGELA $1.65 started a clear favourite but was walloped by more than 3L by the only other galloper given a realistic chance, considered a chance, MISS OSTEND $3.20. RATHLAN $10 was third placed beaten 4.8L. Miss Ostend showed plenty of speed to shoot forward before the 800m and sit outside the leader.  The grey Fangela has a soft run in fourth behind the pacemakers. As they straightened the leader AKEED $10 was quickly claimed by Miss Ostend, who came away to win easily. Fangela tried hard and Rathlan was doing his best work late. The former Queenslander is sure to be better for the outing. Miss Ostend had to do some work early and was far too good. It was a deserved win. 

Race 8 

We’d given NEWTOWN BRAVEHEART $15 a chance and he held out the firm favourite OWL WITNESS $2.60 by 0.7L. FACTORING PROFIT $5.50 and AMMAHELL $4.40 were next home 1.5L away. Newtown Braveheart was the second of the ‘Newtown’s to record upset wins on the day for the Collings stable at Goulburn. The winner was forward and wide and pushed on to lead at the 100m. Owl Witness sat behind the leading pair but raced very wide throughout.  The winner still held 1L at the 100m and held out Owl Witness who gave everything. He’d have threatened with a better run. Factoring Profit railed through from midfield and was tidy in third. Ammahell caught the eye late. A good front running ride by Nisbet to get the winner home.