We saw some tremendous performances across the weekend, by both horses victorious and in defeat.
Check out our horses to black book from last weekend’s racing.
VEIGHT
Flemington – Race Four.
This horse looks a beast. Tony and Calvin McEvoy were both vocal about their thoughts on the horse following his debut win at Pakenham. The son of Grunt looks very similar to his old man, both physically and on the track. Veight travelled strongly behind and the speed and extended when Damien Lane presented the colt, winning win the Group 2 VRC Sires.
The race, thanks to PuntingForm data, went out quicker than the Cirka Plate (won by Meridius) and came home just as well. The race went out 3.4-lengths above the All-Average Benchmark and came home 2.1-lengths above. Veight looks a genuine chance in the Group 1 Sires Produces Stakes at Randwick in three weeks time.
EMISSARY
Flemington – Race Six.
The Melbourne Cup runner-up has been great twice this campaign and looks in for another terrific preparation. The Mike Moroney-trained galloper chased another strong speed on Saturday in the Australian Cup Prelude as Marocchino and Vow And Declare went 12.7-lengths above the All-Average Benchmark to the 600m. We saw it was very hard for horses to make ground and win from the rear of the field, adding merit to Emissary’s run.
Whether the 2000m of the Australian Cup will be the right set-up or whether the horse is looking for further, Emissary has the right platform to continue to thrive this campaign.
Is It Me
If you backed the last favourite on the card on Saturday you could be forgiven for ending your weekend in a straight jacket. Undefeated three-year-old Is It Me was well supported through the day following two impressive wins last campaign. She jumped a popular market elect from barrier one. Damien Thornton secured the ride on Is It Me after Jamie Kah was ruled out for the day following a fall in the VRC sires.
Flemington – Race Nine.
The Daniel Bowmen-trained filly jumped well and enjoyed a beautiful run in transit behind the speed, but as soon as Thornton began looking for clear running room down the straight, that is where the nightmare started to unfold. Is It Me was bolting on the heels of a wall of horses in front of her, eventually finding clear room in the final furlong. She picked up strongly when the gap did emerge, charging through the line to narrowly miss Meriduis. She looks a horse with immense upside and is one to keep in the blackbook.
GODZILLA
Rosehill – Race Two.
The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained colt stamped himself as a leading Group 1 Sires Produce contender when running an eye-catching third at Doomben in the Group 3 B.J. McLachlan Stakes. He
was immediately tipped out for a spell and returned with another eye-catching run at Rosehill in the Group 3 Pago Pago Stakes on Saturday. Kerrin McEvoy eased the Shalaa colt to the rear of the field after jumping well, allowing an even lead-speed to unfold up front. The aptly named colt enjoyed little luck during the vital middle-stages of the race, racing in restricted room until the 300m mark.
Coolmore colt Shinzo enjoyed all the breaks as he received a beautiful ride from James McDonald, presenting at the right time at the turn to win the race. On the other hand, Godzilla failed to secure running until late. After Kerrin McEvoy straightened the colt and allowed him to extend in the final furlong, Godzilla’s work through the line was impressive. He looks a leading chance for the Group 1 Sires Produce Stakes and will be suited to Randwick.
AWESOME JOHN
Rosehill – Race Six.
Chris Waller’s domination of the Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes continued on Saturday, but his usual pattern of taking the winner towards the Group 1 ATC Oaks doesn’t look on the radar for race winner Zougotcha. On the other hand, the John O’Shea-trained Awesome John is one who will be looking for further in the coming weeks. Awesome John was a good thing beat at Canterbury first-up and is a stayer with a future. Kerrin McEvoy settled the three-year-old behind the speed on the fence, but wasn’t suited by the slowly run race.
There hasn’t been any confirmation of where Awesome John is going, but there has been constant comments made by some in the media that the WATC Derby could be a potential target for the gelding. He is currently $8 with TAB for the race and is work a speck if he does head that way.
