From Kerry Parker
Horse: Think It Over
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 7, Verry Elleegant Stakes) While his record reads that he is a four-time first-up winner, as an older horse he naturally takes a little more racing to hit his straps, and he continues to show all the signs he is destined for another outstanding campaign. He went terrific first-up. I didn’t have him as wound up as he has been previously. Being an eight-year-old, he was always going to take good benefit out of that first-up run and all the signs are that he has. He looks to have bounced off that first-up run. You’re not going there to make up the numbers, you’re going there trying to win no matter who’s in it. He loves his racing, he’s trying really hard and the improvement in him from his first-up run gets me looking forward to second-up. He’s an eight-year-old but he is still bouncing around and still mixing it with the elite, so I’m thrilled with him.
From Angela Davies
Horse: Our Kobison
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 2, James Squire Hcp) He has the weight of expectation, along with a rise to 58.5kg, going into the James Squire Handicap (1200m) on the back of breaking a 27 year old Rosehill track record four weeks ago. It was a bit of a gut buster, when horses run that time and as hard as they ran in the middle stages it’s a bit of a concern. I thought he’d lightened off a little bit, even though he seemed fairly well, and I thought rather than rush back to the races we back off a bit and let him come back to me before we go again. We kept him at home but gave him a few days here and there away from the track. I wanted to see him soften again in the flank and not look so tight and hard. He probably looks even better than he did when he won the other day. While he’s racing well and doesn’t appear to have gone off we’ll keep plodding along and see where we’re at. While he’s racing well and doesn’t appear to have gone off we’ll keep plodding along and see where we’re at.
From James Cummings
Horse: Zardozi
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 8, Surround Stakes) Zardozi has more speed in her legs this autumn, as evidenced by her two recent barrier trials in which she has been “looking pretty sharp”. I’d say sharper than others may have expected her to be. I was extremely impressed by the fillies in the Light Fingers (Stakes), they’ve got the run on her, whereas she arrives here first-up alongside horses like Tropical Squall and Roll On By, the other first-up horses in the race. But mile-and-a-half horses have a habit of running cheeky races first-up over seven furlongs, so it wouldn’t shock us completely if Zardozi was chiming in.
From Ron Stubbs
Horse: Bridie’s Luck
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 3, Highway Hcp) A winner of two of three starts and up in grade significantly into a Class 3, 1000m episode with 54kg, continuing a lengthy Riverina association with Tyler Schiller. As strong a Highway as I’ve been in, for us it’s more a throw at the stumps up in grade with a mare in form as they generally hold it. But it’s a hot race, 900m speed and those bigger regional stables who know what it takes to win them. You won’t miss this mare, she’ll be the smallest in the enclosure, not much of her at all. That’s why she’s only had the three starts at four, lightly framed and immature. We gave her a lot more time to develop. But she’s had no issues, always been promising and has natural speed. Upside, inside gate, Tyler (Schiller), we do have some favours. There’s 900m speed in this field, so no guarantee she can lead the stronger grade, but I think she can be just as effective with a sit.
From Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
Horse: Storm Boy
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 4, Skyline Stakes) Storm Boy had three weeks between runs when scoring an emphatic win in the Magic Millions Classic in January. Obviously, it is an important race for him. It’s a 1200-metre race that will really condition him for that Slipper. He’s then got the three weeks in between runs, which is the pattern we followed into the Magic Millions with him. Since claiming the Magic Millions, Storm Boy has dazzled with a dominant Rosehill barrier trial win under new jockey James McDonald. He is more seasoned for the trip away (to Queensland) and the experience of some high-pressure races. Everything he does he seems to do it effortlessly, he seems to do it well within himself and hopefully he has something up his sleeve.
From Chris Waller
Horse: Fangirl
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 7, Verry Elleegant Stakes) Fangirl showed a glimmer of greatness with her stunning first-up victory in the Apollo Stakes (1400m), rounding up her rivals with ease and winning as she liked. It was a bit Winx-like. She eased back early, found her rhythm, came out three-wide, sprinted quickly. It was just arrogant. She wasn’t wound up, so to do it like that was very good to see. I am trying to keep a level head about it, but she has certainly come back well.
From David Payne
Horse: Navajo Peak
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 7, Verry Elleegant Stakes) Navajo Peak was trapped wide from an outside draw when finishing a fighting 4th to Fangirl in the Apollo Stakes. It was a very good run by Navajo Peak last start, if he’d drawn a gate I would say he’d have run 2nd. But he would never have beaten the winner (Fangirl), she was too good. Navajo Peak did score an upset win over the same course and distance in the Chelmsford Stakes last spring when at the same stage of his campaign, but I will be satisfied with a competitive showing on Saturday as Navajo Peak heads towards the Doncaster Mile in April. His main mission is the Doncaster where he has 52-1/2 (kilos), so that’s what we’re aiming for. But we’ll take what we can get on Saturday. He’s a very honest horse and he always gives his best. Jason Collett sticks with Navajo Peak, who has drawn nicely for his second-up assignment in barrier 4.
From Michael Freedman
Horse: Moravia
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 2, James Squire Hcp) I was scratching my head a little bit with his first-up run (Eskimo Prince Stakes at Randwick). I thought with the type of race it was and where it was, he might have been able to do a better job first-up. Rather than press on to last weekend’s Hobartville Stakes (1400m) with Moravia, I opted to experiment with some gear changes. As a result, I have taken the visors off the colt and added a nose roll, a move I hope will help keep Moravia more settled and focused. I wanted to spend an extra week tinkering around with some gear changes. He’s a three-year-old colt and sometimes they start to think about things. They can be a bit of a balancing act, but he’s got enormous ability, it’s just a matter of getting him to put his best foot forward.
From The Editor
Sydney Race 2 – Moravia
Sydney Race 5 – Redstone Well
Sydney Race 7 – Fangirl
