Caulfield Review

Monday, 26 February 2024 by Gavin Haynes

Firstly thanks for the response to the mail out, I have responded to some and hope to get back to you all but thank you all for your response and feedback but it would certainly appear there are enough of us here more than happy to take Oz back to $21 a week. More on what has come out of that as the week develops but poor Nathan got clipped by a taxi bike and took a mighty tumble, he copped a deep gash to the head and will be picking asphalt out of his legs for a month. He is fine, a little shaken up obviously so join me in sending him some love and healing energy. SO we just havent had the chance to really sit and down for a week

Caulfield

R1 We kicked off the day with my special Dunkeld getting us off to a flying start in a slowly run sit and sprint. He was +14 showing how strong through the line he was. Runner UP Mankayan was best home with his +18 the run of the race against the pattern. We also easily dodged the unplaced Flash Feeling

R3 was the G2 Armanasco where the resuming Autumn Angel was  disappointing with 75/83, stewards queries the effort and Billy Egan admitted to pulling the wrong rain when a weakening horse fell back on her taking away vital momentum. She will strip fitter next time out. The winner Sassy Boom ran a big career peak 91/92 and the run of the race was the  runner up So Glamorous 2nd up home clear best last 400m 88/98. Clearly the one to follow. 

R4 was the G3 Zedative for the 3yo's. Our 1 x 3 play Best Mead ran 2nd after being $3.5 to $2.25 with the $10 winner our 2nd pick Raikoke off that debut 99/98 winning at $10. Time was hardly flash with 90/90 but always perfect to see the numbers line up

R5 was the G2 Autumn Stakes and another great result for us with the $2.90 rated  Immediacy remaining unbeaten winning by panels at $4.80 He rated 94/99 franking the 93/102 at his previous. The only one i want to take from this race.

I had some reservations about the 1800m for Gold Trip first up in R6  the G2 Peter Young and thats just how it panned out but he still got hom super for 3rd in a slowly run race. 83/97 was +14 and he can only strip fitter and be better suited over further The winner was Kiwi Campionessa off a G1 2nd behind Legarto at home, he got the bob in after being heavily bet.,rating 87/97 for him was +10 . The same as runner up the ever green Vow And Declare. Foxy Cleopatra found G2 company against the boys a little hot.

R7 was the G1 Futurity and superstar Mr Brightside w as smashed in the betting starting at 2's on and he was dominant once again in a 2 length win rating 107/107. How are they going to beat him this Autumn. Runner Up Pericles rated 101/101 at 2nd run back and he looks to peak 3rd up with his XR 15 points better than the 3rd placed Buffalo River

R8 was  the G1 Blue Diamond for the 2yo's and our 1 x 3 play Lady Of Camelot ran a bold 2nd the Sr of 99 was good but after working early could only finish off with XR 85 which was no match for the $16  winner Hayasugi whom we rated at $10. Was coming off 94/94 and improved here with 100/94 the only runner with an XR in the 90's. On this I am feeling the it will eb a Sydney 2yo lifting the Golden Slipper

R9  The Oakleigh Plate. This is the race I am most disappointed with missing the $17 winner Queman. The numbers didnt lie i just ignored last start as a huge one off peak and expected him to return to normal with a big bounce but this SA 5yo has gone to a whole new level. The run I ignored was 109/113 over 1000m first up in Listed class at CFD. He did have SR 100 in a win 3 back so I clearly underated him. He rated 107/101. The race doing nothing to ease my fears of G1 handicaps. Kallos was a little disappointing but that top weight factor in a handicap of this nature seems to weight heavier than it actually is. He still had an XR 100, the 2nd best last 400m in the race. Asfoora and Kings Gambit also well down on expectations. Mornington Glory who has been good to us ran a huge career peak when 3rd rating 101/101. Best home in 22.2 was Sghirrpa creating 98/104. 

R10 saw our top pick Revolutionary Miss ease like she turned up with 3 legs and ended easily in Gold Miner territory. I had her a 100 horse going in and 97/100 in a 2 length win was right on par. Funnily enough the runner that was a Gold Miner early Vagrant ran 3rd but was so heavily bet to not get anywhere close to Gold Miner status 89/98 was still good, Running BY split them rating 90/95

All in all a rock solid day for us

My 2 horses to follow are So Glamorous and Pericles