Racing & Sports Canberra Racing Review — Friday 19 June 2020

The track was assessed a soft 5 with the rail out 6m the entire. Being inside and on-pace was a plus. Training honours with Nick Olive with a double, including the Federal. Just three favourites saluted, but the other winners were all in the market.

Race 1 (2000m) CL1

Apprentice Paddy Scorse was suspended for this ride on Pride Of Kalaru for checking Opposite passing the 1500m

Only five runners contested after scratching with LORD DESANIMAUX heavily-backed into a $1.65 favourite, which in retrospect looked a bit overdone.

They ran along okay and the three best-backed fought out the finish in a ding-dong go to the line. We alerted in the review of the last meeting to the immediate prospects of STREET CRED $5.5, who just prevailed over DREAM MAIDEN $4.6 and Lord Desanimaux. They were tough determined efforts from all three.

Race 2 (1400m) Maiden

One Step overraced in the middle changes. The well-bet favourite BARGING TESS $2.80 was crowded on jumping and hung in and out during the race. Jockey Jay Ford was concerned that something may be amiss with the horse and eased her over the last 50m. She was subsequently found to be shin sore. A number of others met minor trouble during the race.

The former Victorian POLIZIOTTA $5.5 quickly found winning form for the Bateman yard with McDougall sticking a lead. Barging Tess led with BIZOU $5.50 sitting outside her. The winner was nicely positioned on the rail behind them and was the one you wanted to be on before the turn. McDougall took an inside split and in the latter stages came away from FATTORE STELLA $19.0, who had a good run in transit and loomed to win after turning. REBEL LADY $12.0 finished it well for the local yard and Bizou battled on. Connections would have been well-pleased with the improved efforts of Fattore Stella and Rebel Lady. SWAHILI MAI $6.5 didn’t have the best of it from the turn, and may be worth another chance.

Race 3 (1200m) Maiden

A number were slow to begin and Sizzling Friday and Dutch Delight raced wide throughout. Farage and Boxing met trouble in the stretch.

The market came for FENECH $2.20 and the Nick Olive debutant JACK THE BRUMBY $5.0 and they finished in that order.

Jack The Brumby has won a trial by 3L and was well-prepared. He worked to the lead at the 800m with NAVALHA $9.0 sitting on his flank. Fenech enjoyed a nice trail behind the leader and emerged on his inside after turning for home. It was a decent go to the line with Fenech prevailing by a head. BOXING $80 held third in a good effort and has returned much improved for the Potter yard. TRUST IN THE GUT $61.0 also raced much better than his odds suggested he would, finishing the race off well. It was a messy race in some respects, but all honours with the first two home and they will go on.

Race 4 (1300m) BM60

EUROSAY was backed from $5.0 into a 3.70 favourite and was beaten 8.7L. The stewards inquired and jockey Nick Heywood said his mount was obliged to race three wide and was under pressure at the 400m. He conceded the horse was disappointing regardless. Post-race no abnormalities were found and the gelding will be required to barrier trial satisfactorily before racing again.

Red Hot Tango and Highly Decorated were slow to begin and My Little Racer and Golden Creek met some trouble.

It was an even betting race the favourite aside, and MOTIME $9.0 returned to the winners list for the Vella yard. He led an honest tempo with KATIE DID IT ($6.0) sitting outside him and Eurosay three wide also in that leading trio. Motime and Katie Did It were clear at the 200m and the former proved a touch too strong. ADMIRE GRATZI $16.0 thundered home to make third in a run worth noting. He settled last in the run and was widest at the turn and it was a huge effort to be beaten a half length. HIGHLY DECORATED $9.50 also ran home hard beaten 1L. An even bunch of horses.

Race 5 (1600m) BM65

Hello China and Colesberg were both bumped on jumping. Renalot and Sepulchre were both slow to begin. Equal Balance couldn’t be tested inside the final 50m.

NIECES AND NEPHEWS $6.0 and RENALOT $9.50 fought out the finish and were both drifters. CASINO TIME firmed into a $5.50 favourite and finished fourth.

Nieces and Nephews worked over to lead and then raced keenly when Colesberg came alongside near the 1000m and took over clearly setting a strong pace. It took Nieces and Nephews a while to come underneath the rider, but he was travelling kindly at the turn and looked full of running. He took over at the 250m and had a length to spare on the line from the top weight RENALOT $9.50 and DUTCHESS WINDSOR $9.50, who both finished stoutly. The mile proved no issue for Nieces and Nephews and the win impressed. The eye catcher was the favourite Casino Time who flew from the back and a win doesn’t look far away at this distance range.

Race 6 (1000m) BM 70 Federal

CALESCENT $5.50 was a drifting second favourite and was slow to begin and raced wide throughout, disappointing. Near the 100m, KISS MY SWISS $7.0 had to be restrained when awkwardly positioned on the heels of the favourite and winner POLAR STAR $3.30.

Polar Star was well-backed and held the rail after jumping behind the leader Kiss My Swiss and MANZANA 16.0. Hard ridden on the inside Polar Star got up by a nose from the storming STONE COLD $26.0 (who had held a rail spot behind the speed) and NICCONITA $11.0, who was last on the rail on turning and made up a stack of ground in an eye-catching run. Before the 200m Kiss My Swiss looked a genuine hope, but spoiled things by ducking in behind Polar Star, as outlined above. It was a very professional win by Polar Star and connections would have been well-pleased with the runs of the other placed pair, early in their campaigns.

Race 7 (1200m) CL1

Seven runners featured in the Stewards report as having run wide or meeting bumps or checks.

The former Victorian FACT OR FABLE $3.50 was from market opening and brought up a race-to-race double for the Nick Olive yard. DUCHESS MARIZZA $4.0 remained pretty firm in betting for Maher-Eustace. There was also some support for LOVE ME BROKE $7.0 and RARE GEM $7.0.  

Fact Or Fable showed plenty of tow holding the rail, but was cleverly eased by Kathy O’Hara as others pushed forward making it very busy up front. Duchess Marizza settled in the lead and looked comfortable turning into the stretch. The winner came on her inside and the two favourites came away with Fact Or Fable getting home by a neck. It was 5L to a wall of the well-beaten others. It was a big first-up training performance by Olive to turn Fact Or Fable’s form around and the filly will win more and better races based on that. Duchess Marizza would have lost no admirers and never gave up. This pair were simply far too good.