We saw some tremendous performances across the weekend, by both horses victorious and in defeat.
Check out our horses to blackbook from last weekend’s racing.
MYNUMEROUNO
The Valley – Race 1.
Midwest was the best bet of the day for many at The Valley on Saturday and no doubt punters would have got very nervous after the heavily backed odds-on favourite was forced to fight on doggedly to win. The Rosemont-owned sprinter looked an easy bet as the sole leader of a 1000m race around The Valley, however, there was no doubt plenty of punters scrambling for their blackbook straight after the line.
Mynumerouno resumed following an enforced layoff after bleeding from both nostrils at Caulfield last year. The Nick Ryan-trained four-year-old started firm in betting at $5 and gave a great sight for his supporters. As Midwest scooted around the turn, Mynumerouno really extended strongly late to run the winner down to a head. The run was against the pattern of the day and the race and looks primed for a strong preparation.
QUEEN AIR
The Valley – Race 3.
Queen Air stamped herself as a filly with a future with a host of eye-catching performances during the spring. She failed to deliver on that promise in the Group 3 Vanity Stakes at Flemington where she had little chance in a slowly run 1400m race. The camp scratched her from a race last week and instead opted to rise her sharply in trip to the 2000m on Saturday. What a decision that was!
The daughter of Toronado sat on a strong lead speed and kicked even stronger off it, blitzing her opposition by four-lengths eased down. Thanks to Punting Form, the number she produced (10.7-lengths quicker than the All Average Benchmark) was the second fastest of the day behind the All-Star Mile (14.4-lengths above). She looks to have the South Australian Oaks at her mercy if she goes that way. Keep following the filly!
OPAL RIDGE
Rosehill – Race 5.
Trackside on the day, there was a great air of suspense and confusion around the betting for the Listed Munro Plate. There was immense speed drawn across the park and a host of emerging gallopers converging from varying formlines. One thing was for sure, they were going to go hard and they did. Queensland-trained Nettuno rolled to the front and lead inside of Cinderella Days, who was stepping back from 1400m. It set-up a fast speed and gave every horse their chance.
In the end it was Opal Ridge who was scintillating first-up following a spell and the number they produced suggests she is in for a massive preparation. The figure of 11.7-lengths above the Punting Form All Average Benchmark was the second fastest of the day, only eclipsed by The Galaxy. The market suggested Opal Ridge would find it tough to win from the back over 1100m at Rosehill from a horrible draw, which is the case 90% of the time. She zipped home in the 10th fastest last 600m, 7th fastest last 400m and 8th fastest last 200m of the day.
ROCKETING BY
Rosehill – Race 9.
As mentioned above, The Galaxy produced the biggest All Average Benchmark figure on Punting Form at Rosehill on Saturday (14.8-lengths above) and there is a host of horses you can follow out of the race, however, we have a particular plan in mind for one horse in particular. Rocketing By thrived when winning a fast run Group 3 Sydney Stakes (1200m) at Randwick last spring and backed-up that form with a brave showing in the Nature Strip Stakes (1300m) behind Private Eye. The David Pfeiffer-trained five-year-old has constantly found himself racing in the top grade and looks the perfect horse for a Queensland campaign. A race like the Stradbroke Handicap looks perfect for him.
In addition to the Stradbroke Handicap, The Archer looks another ideal target for him at Rockhampton. The $750,000 provincial feature in central Queensland over 1300m attracted the likes of Apache Chase last winter and looks a brilliant target for him.
