It was the Waterhouse/Bott, O’Hara and King Day Out at Randwick. The Waterhouse and Bott team trained four winners including the Metro Group One Metropolitan. They also got the trifecta in the Breeders Cup. While the golden girls – Kathy O’Hara and Rachel King – rode two Group One winners, history in the making.
Well, the old master Chris Waller did not disappoint again winning the Epsom mile. Kathy O’Hara rode Rediener magically just off the speed to put the pedal to the metal and over the line in front of Kovalic. Chris described the horse as very unassuming and like a kid’s pony and the stable pet. This notches up 152 Group ones and five Epsoms for the adopted NZ trainer.
The Eagle Farm winter carnival form was on show with first and second.
Champion New Zealand mare Imperatiz smashed her own track record with amazing turn of foot to demolish top class field of printers at Moonee Valley on Friday night. It’s a long time since I have seen such a brilliant sprint by a horse as Imperatriz. She blew them away in a few strides in the Group One Moir Stakes. She has done it at her last two starts – it’s no fluke.
There seems no end to the production line of great mares that champion sire I’m Invincible has produced, but Imperatriz might just be the best.
Think About It by a nose to Hawaii Five Oh, in the Premier Stakes, had punters on their toes. Hawaii Five Oh stretched like no other and now should get the ticket into the Everest.
Sad for the connections of Alcohol Free, who paid a mega $10m for the horse out of Europe, coming in fourth, and missing an Everest run. That’s racing folks!
This one defies belief. Recently at Morphettville Clever Man a $2.80 favourite when on course betting opened blew out to $41 by start time and raced accordingly, finishing eighth. Needless to say, the stewards wanted an explanation. The trainer said his charge was way under the odds, and those setting the prices didn’t have a clue. Enough said.
It was Julia Creek and Jundah’s day in the sun Saturday this week hone. Just glorious that these little towns can celebrate with a big day out. I had a look at the Racing Australia website and there is about three weeks left of the big Outback meetings, before the heat beats everyone.
Another $90k popped into the Mishani stable bikkie tin after Mishani Lilly won the first two-year race of the season at Eagle Farm last Saturday. The Less Ross Mishani team have won the first two babies races this season pocketing $210k according to my maths. They are the early season two-year-old masters and will win quite a few more before Xmas.
Fellow punters, it may pay to write down the name Totta La Vita. She is a half sister to Everest winner Classique Legend. Her owners paid a $2M for her at last year’s Inglis Australian Easter year sales. Connections are likely to set her for the Princess series for three-year-old fillies in the spring. You have been advised, so good luck!
Well, I’ve been camped in Brisbane the last three weeks and been regularly down to Eagle Farm of a morning and had the pleasure of watching young apprentice Dan McGillivray go about his business. Dan, who is apprenticed to Barry Baldwin, is riding very well presently with a string of winners. He works very hard at his craft at keeping his weight down. But there is more to the young man, he is a Singapore national and spent the compulsory two
years in the Army. He is returning this week to do his annual three weeks back in uniform.
So he isn’t on holiday, suspended or gone walkabout. Good on you mate – may there be many more winners on your return.
Well fellow punters, the New Zealand cavalry is arriving in Australia with some top horses to partake in some of the folding stuff during the big carnivals. Punters should be wary of any NZ horse that firms in the betting on race day. To quote an old saying “be wary of the blue cattle dog and NZ trainers!”
What do you call a bullet-proof Irish man? Rick O’Shea.
