The highlight of the racing week end was the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes which certainly provided a grandstand finish with a short ½ head by short head the margin for the first 3 across the line. With even luck in running you would have to believe that Spieth should now be a 2 time Group 1 winner and for the owners the golden rainbow should have been delivered with a big stud deal. But unfortunately for them the ball hasn’t bounced their way but if there is a racing god hopefully he can deliver in 3 weeks in the Newmarket.
Up in Sydney She Will Reign was the headline act in the Silver Slipper Stakes which she missed the start but not certainly nowhere near the 2 lengths suggested in a Sydney newspaper yesterday. Was it a performance that would warrant her to be $3 favourite with the NSW Tab 4 weeks out from the world’s richest 2 year old race? With the Tab Highway being run in slightly faster time I would hardly think it is a price you would be rushing out to jump into right at the moment.
Matthew Howard is back after missing last week with the races at Randwick being moved to the Monday but he didn’t miss a beat on the week end with 3 of his on top from the yard saluting, 2 of his second selections wining and Fickle Folly getting the cash at double figure odds.
Here is this week’s mounting yard live report which you can also read live Matthew’s thoughts on his Facebook page each Saturday prior to the race to assist with backing winners each Saturday.
For those interested Mounting Yard Live in conjunction with our own form analyst Luke Murrell of Australian Bloodstock have purchased a cracking colt by Written Tycoon which they are releasing to the public at 6pm on Tuesday. To register your interest please click on the link below to get involved in this exciting opportunity.
Rosehill Gardens Saturday 18, February 2017
Race 1 – 12:45PM SPARK OF LIFE HANDICAP (1100 METRES)
| HORSE NAME | IMPROVED/BACKWARDS | COMMENTS | FINISHING POSITION |
|---|---|---|---|
| SCARLET RAIN | 3 lengths improvement | She’s improved 3 lengths between runs however she is getting quite warm in the yard today. | 2nd |
| TACTICAL ADVANTAGE | 2 lengths improvement | Top pick from the yard here. No knocks today. Fit, healthy. Parades well. Should win | 1st |
| SPENDING TO WIN | 2 lengths improvement | Paraded just ok last start but surprisingly the horse parades better today | 3rd |
| EBENOS | 1st I’ve seen in some time | Little thing, looks outclassed | 4th |
| NICCOBELLE | 1st I’ve seen | No form coming into the race but he’s a nice horse. Good strength | 5th |
| ZAKYNTHOS REGRETS | SCRATCHED | SCRATCHED | SCRATCHED |
Race 2 – 1:25PM HAPPY 80TH BIRTHDAY STAN KING HANDICAP (1350 METRES)
| HORSE NAME | IMPROVED/BACKWARDS | COMMENTS | FINISHING POSITION |
|---|---|---|---|
| TORGERSEN | 1st up | Needs the run. | 6th |
| HANDFAST | 3.5 lengths improvement | Good improvement between runs. Nice horse. Next start will be at peak fitness. Can follow. | 2nd |
| ELLE LOU | 2 lengths improvement | Improved nicely between runs since I saw on the GC. Sting out suits. | 1st |
| VOILIER | Backwards 1 length | No interest in this horse. | 4th |
| ROARING TO WIN | Improved 1 length | Slight improvement between runs. Good in coat, relaxed. | 5th |
| QUEEN OF WANDS | improved 1 length | Not really a flashy type so not one that excites me. For her she is parading ok. | 3rd |
| SMOOTH TRUTH | 1st I’ve seen | What is this horse doing here? Looks outclassed and displays almost all the negatives I look for. | 7th |
Race 3 – 2:00PM JAMES RUSE HANDICAP (1500 METRES)
| HORSE NAME | IMPROVED/BACKWARDS | COMMENTS | FINISHING POSITION |
|---|---|---|---|
| STRAWBERRY BOY | Neither | Holding condition, struggling to win but does parade ok. | 5th |
| ANTONIO GIUSEPPE | 1st up | Like this horse and he has returned in good order. Top selection from the yard. | 1st |
| KINEMA | 1st up | Not fit and needs further. | 7th |
| DEE I CEE | 1st up | I wouldn’t even persist with this horse. Put it back in the paddock. Parades awful. | 8th |
| ALEGRIA | 1st up | Lovely loose walking horse, great mover. 85% fit. | 3rd |
| GOLD SYMPHONY | Backwards 1 length | Thought paraded slightly better last start. | 2nd |
| SEWREEL | Backwards 3 lengths | Not parading well today. | 6th |
| TOWER OF SONG | Neither | Continues to parade well. I think the track is better than they suggest it is, the firmer the better for this horse. | 4th |
Race 4 – 2:35PM TAB HIGHWAY HANDICAP (1100 METRES)
| HORSE NAME | IMPROVED/BACKWARDS | COMMENTS | FINISHING POSITION |
|---|---|---|---|
| AND THERE IS MORE | SCRATCHED | SCRATCHED | SCRATCHED |
| ARISTOGRATS | 1st I’ve seen | Coat needs to improve. | 4th |
| KOORINGAL STAR | 1st I’ve seen | Getting quite warm in the yard. | 3rd |
| CONNIVING | 1st I’ve seen | Hasn’t raced for some time but is forward enough to be competitive. | 6th |
| ZAKYNTHOS REGRETS | 1st I’ve seen | Looks fit however not 100% focused in the mounting yard. | 2nd |
| DENY ALLCHARGES | Haven’t seen for some time | Very relaxed in the yard, probably the most relaxed. Condition just fair though. | 10th |
| EYE ON AMERICA | 1st I’ve seen | Think this horse parades well today at double figure odds. | 7th |
| FICKLY FOLLY | 1st I’ve seen | Another at double figure odds that parades well today. | 1st |
| FERNIEHIRST | 1st I’ve seen | Should appreciate a bit of sting out of the ground. Best of the roughies. | 5th |
| GREENBACK BOOGIE | neither | No real improvement between runs. Like others more. | 9th |
| TURBO BUNDY | SCRATCHED | SCRATCHED | SCRATCHED |
| EVA JEAN | 1st I’ve seen | Very plain | 8th |
| KOPAONIK | SCRATCHED | SCRATCHED | SCRATCHED |
| ONEMORE FOR MUMMA | SCRATCHED | SCRATCHED | SCRATCHED |
Race 5 – 3:10PM TAB SILVER SLIPPER STAKES (1100 METRES)
| HORSE NAME | IMPROVED/BACKWARDS | COMMENTS | FINISHING POSITION |
|---|---|---|---|
| VERANILLO | Improved 2 lengths | Improved between runs, looks better today. | 2nd |
| KHAN | 1st up | Looks forward enough. Really grown into his frame since I last saw him. | 7th |
| SHOWTIME | Neither | Parades almost as did last start. Not sure he’s going good enough to trouble some of these. | 3rd |
| LIGHTZ | Improved 1 length | This horse needs to come up at the front but when he does he’ll be a nice horse. Good strength. | 5th |
| SHE WILL REIGN | 1st I’ve seen since Dec | Very athletic filly. I’d be very surprised if she didn’t win. | 1st |
| LUCKY LOUIE | 1st I’ve seen since Oct | Still carrying a fair bit of condition. Needs the run. | 4th |
| MYSTIC EMPIRE | Backwards 1 length | Not parading well today at all. Outclassed here. | 6th |
Race 6 – 3:45PM SCHWEPPES HOBARTVILLE STAKES (1400 METRES)
| HORSE NAME | IMPROVED/BACKWARDS | COMMENTS | FINISHING POSITION |
|---|---|---|---|
| PRIZED ICON | 1st up | More forward than usual 1st up however still needs this run. | 6th |
| INFERENCE | 1st up | Don’t mind this horse. Returned in good order, needs further but can be followed if runs well. | 5th |
| VELADERO | improved 1 length | Only slight improvement between runs. Like others more here. | 8th |
| COMIN’ THROUGH | improved 3 lengths | Great improvement between runs. Best moving horse in the yard. Top pick. | 3rd |
| MAN FROM UNCLE | Improved 3 lengths | Another which has solid improvement between runs. Nice horse. 2nd pick. | 1st |
| ACATOUR | 1st up | Strong colt who’s returned in good order. Looks more athletic this preparation. | 7th |
| ECHO EFFECT | Improved 1 length | Really want to like this horse however he does a few things wrong in the yard and wastes some of his energy. | 2nd |
| BRYNEICH | Neither | This horse wishes the storm would have hit half an hour earlier. Still prefer on tighter tracks. | 4th |
| ON THE SPOT | neither | Outclassed here. | 9th |
Race 7 – 4:25PM RANVET MILLIE FOX STAKES (1300 METRES)
| HORSE NAME | IMPROVED/BACKWARDS | COMMENTS | FINISHING POSITION |
|---|---|---|---|
| SINGLE GAZE | 1st up | Great to see this horse back racing but not ready to fire yet. Coat still quite dull. | 7th |
| IN HER TIME | Improved 2 lengths | Like this horse however I wish that last storm hadn’t hit as prefer her on firmer tracks. | 1st |
| FRENCH EMOTION | Improved 4 lengths | Really good improvement between runs for this horse. Best of the roughies. | 8th |
| TSARITSA | improved 2 lengths | She’s still not fit. Needs this race and maybe one more. | 10th |
| HEAVENS ABOVE | 1st up | Think Tim has put a lot of work into her, she parades fit. | 9th |
| ARTISTRY | SCRATCHED | SCRATCHED | SCRATCHED |
| EURO ANGEL | 1st up | Just average in condition today. Has a lot of improvement to come. | 2nd |
| PRIVATE SECRETARY | Backwards 6 lengths | Really like this horse but seems to parade a different horse to the one that was on the GC. Paraded perfectly there, looks plain today. | 12th |
| DENMAGIC | Improved 3 lengths | Top selection from the yard, beautiful moving Denman mare. Parades without fault. | 4th |
| CIRCULAR | improved 2 lengths | Not the worst here. Looks rather fit and relaxed in the yard and coat is well. | 6th |
| I AM ZELADY | Backwards 4 lengths | Normally like this mare but she parades uninterested today and thought she looked better last start. | 11th |
| SOLD FOR SONG | 1st I’ve seen this prep. | Fair condition wise but prefer others today. | 5th |
| DAYSEE DOOM | 1st up | Think she will run well here 1st up. Has had a lot of work put into her. | 3rd |
Race 8 – 5:05PM PARRAMATTA CUP (1900 METRES)
| HORSE NAME | IMPROVED/BACKWARDS | COMMENTS | FINISHING POSITION |
|---|---|---|---|
| RED EXCITEMENT | 1st I’ve seen in a few runs | Missed last couple runs of this horse. Generally gets a little agitated in the yard and today is no different. Fitness wise ok, but prefer on drier. | 2nd |
| RELIGIFY | Neither | Condition wise he looks great but must be a query at the distance. | 6th |
| ALERGIC | 3 lengths improvement | Was quite fat 1st up, has shown good improvement however is still not in that classification of a fit horse. Have it on top with no confidence, mainly due to all runners parading with issues. | 5th |
| REDNAV | SCRATCHED | SCRATCHED | SCRATCHED |
| SONG AND LAUGHTER | Neither | Holding condition, will appreciate sting out of the ground but not a horse us mounting yard judges will ever get excited about. | 3rd |
| OLYMPIC ACADEMY | SCRATCHED | SCRATCHED | SCRATCHED |
| SOFIN | 1st I’ve seen this prep | I’d give this some chance at odds only because all horses have issues here. Looks a horse that will appreciate the rain we have had. | 7th |
| DARK EYES | 2 lengths improvement | During the summer months this horse has got very hot in the yard. Cooler conditions today and the horse parades better. | 4th |
| CLASSIC UNIFORM | Neither | Holding condition. Coat is well, just not a real loose walker. | 1st |
| LAST WISH | SCRATCHED | SCRATCHED | SCRATCHED |
Race 9 – 5:45PM ST JOHNS PARK BOWLING CLUB HANDICAP (1100 METRES)
| HORSE NAME | IMPROVED/BACKWARDS | COMMENTS | FINISHING POSITION |
|---|---|---|---|
| DECISION TIME | Neither | Old boy, doesn’t parade as well as he used to. | 5th |
| PRINCEFAMOUS | Backwards 1 length | Fair in condition today, slightly warm but nothing to worry about. | 3rd |
| HEART TESTA | Neither | No real improvement between runs and won’t like that recent shower that hit. | 10th |
| ZIGGY WILLIE | Neither | Holding condition well. Relaxed and focused. Top pick. | 2nd |
| HURRARA | Neither | No improvement between runs and I can spot a few negatives in the mounting yard today. | 9th |
| AEGEAN SEA | Improved 1 length | Won’t like the final 100m. Outclassed here. | 8th |
| SHADOW LORD | 1st up | Returned in good order. Carrying a bit of condition but horse looks healthy. | 4th |
| OUR RENAISSANCE | Missed its last start | Condition wise looks very fit, one small behavioural negative. | 7th |
| ALUCINARI | 1st up | Really like this horse so was keen to see it today however still carrying too much excess to back it today. | 6th |
| HIEROGLYPHICS | Improved 2 lengths | Fit as a fiddle today. Not one that is mounting yard judges would get excited about unless on a tight turning track. Gets some favours today with the recent shower that hit and does look fit. 2nd pick. | 1st |
HORSE TO FOLLOW: ANTONIO GIUSEPPE