Canberra Racing Review — Friday 23 October 2020

The track was rated a good 3 and being on-pace looked an advantage. There were some good betting affairs and followers of the Dryden yard would have been on good terms with themselves with the leading barn training three winners. Jockey Blaike McDougall rode a double as did apprentice Ellen Hennessy. Early in the new season Dryden and McDougall are both clear leaders in the ACT Trainer and Jockey premierships.

Race 1 (2000m) BM60

Clever Missile took his place with a late jockey notification and ran a firming $2.80 favourite. He has to settle for second behind Eaglehawk $5 with Stratum’s Rose $5 filling the placings.

Mohahna was unwanted in the betting drifting from $4.40 to $9.50 and raced accordingly beaten 6L. The stewards inquired and rider Ward said he settled his mount further back as instructed. He said the gelding did not travel at any stage and noted he’d had taxing runs on heavy ground. Trainer Olive said the horse had had no issues leading into the race and the gelding would be spelled.

Little Arnie $11 knuckled on jumping. Clever Missile was slow to begin and Stratum’s Rose raced keenly in the middle stages.

Stratum’s Rose worked to a comfortable lead from Little Arnie with Eaglehawk trailing him one-out. Clever Missile settled back in the field on the rail. Eaglehawk got the better of Stratum’s Rose passing the 200m and Clever Missile was coming after working into the clear after turning. The winner was strong to the line winning 1L and there was a lot to like about Clever Missile’s finishing effort. Eaglehawk got all the favours and it was a deserved win. Stratum’s Rose toughed it out well on the rail beaten 2.7L with the rest well beaten.

Race 2 (1400m) BM65

Shenandoah $2.35 and Hard Reality $2.70 fought out favouritism but it was the market third-elect American Salute $8.50-$7.50 who easily prevailed.

Shenandoah was beaten 4.3L and rider McDougall told stewards that his mount had hung in from the 600m and was disappointing in the straight. Stable representative Baldwin said that the gelding had raced disappointingly and would be sent for a spell.

Supreme Lad, Austreet and Hard Reality were all slow to begin. Pauldron stumbled out of the barriers and was found to have suffered a bleeding attack.

There was plenty of pressure up-front with American Salute emerging the leader at the 800m from Hard Reality who had pressed forward. The leader held a clear margin at the 600m and was travelling well on turning. Imitation Game $19 had improved along the rail to sit behind the leader at the turn and was the first to issue a challenge with Hard Reality on his outside. They both tried hard but never looked like catching American Salute who was full of running. A number will improve out of the race but all honours the winner who improved sharply for the Sydney yard off the Goulburn run.

Race 3 (1400m) Maiden   

Wandonna $2.50 looked one of the bets of the day and blitzed the field winning by 7L. There was also money for the fourth placed La Reconquista $3.80.

There were plenty of mentions in the steward’s report offering some comfort for connections of some of the beaten runners. Notably Luftwaffe $7:50 raced keenly throughout and passing the 1000m hung in and had to be restrained. After the 600m the filly hung out and on straightening hung in and made contact with the running rail and became unbalanced. Trainer Litt was told that a warning would be recorded against the filly’s racing manners. He advised that the filly would now be sent for a spell.

Second placegetter Grazie $6.50 crossed from the wide gate to lead at a good clip and Wandonna sat on the gelding with Luftwaffe trailing the leader but racing ungenerously. Clem Fandango $31 sat next with 5L to the others passing the 800m.  Wandonna took over on turning and never looked like being beaten. Grazie stuck on well from Clem Fandango and La Reconquista who can improve next time. Wandonna thoroughly deserved the win and she couldn’t have been more impressive.    

Race 4 (2000m) CL1

Lord Tropicana $1.80 and Gunaluva $3.80 were backed to the exclusion of all others but had to settle for distant placings behind the longshot Bouddi $19-$31 who was second-up off a country placing.

The stewards were busy again. Of particular note, Jophiel $10 blundered badly on jumping and nearly fell. His rider became unbalanced and the gelding came into heavy contact with Gunaluva which simultaneously shifted out and Jophiel lost significant ground. Gunaluva ran greenly in the straight. Lord Tropicana settled outside the leader in a change of tactics.

It was very busy into the first turn with Tactical Ploy making the front and setting up a fast early gallop with Lord Tropicana sitting on him. The winner settled fourth on the rail and began a sharp forward move at the 600m chasing down the hot pace. Lord Tropicana took over on turning with Bouddi threatening on his outside and soon had his measure going away to win by more than 3L. Lord Tropicana sat out side the lead and it was a brave effort in the circumstances placing second with Gunaluva 8.4L from the winner in third. The country-trained winner relished the extra trip and the solid gallop and will win again and over further based on that effort.

Race 5 (1200m) Mdn

The resuming Rebel Bro raced a $3.40 favourite over Budderoo Blitz $3.60 and then a gap then to the eventual winner Elani Rose $8.

A number of runners missed the jump. Rebel Bro raced very wide throughout beaten 8L and no abnormalities were found post race.  

Elani Rose led off the low gate from She Can Talk $12 with Budderoo Blitz getting a nice sit behind them. He improved around them three-wide on turning and Jac The Great $9.50 — who had raced in a bunch midfield — was emerging on his outside, running out before being straightened for a final effort.  Elani Rose never looked like stopping winning by 2.3L from Jac The Great who finished it off in promising style for the Matt Dale yard and Budderoo Blitz who looked to have every chance. Dale’s other runner One Man Band $14 caught the eye late along the rail. It was a nice all-the-way win by the Sydney-trained mare having only her fourth start. The Dale pair are knocking on the door.

Race 6 (1600m) BM70 — Federal

Express Courier $3.10 and Royal Thunder $3.80 fought out favouritism and finished in that order from Fox Beat $9.

Clergyman $6 finished last beaten 16L and substitute rider Penza told stewards that his mount slipped behind badly on jumping, but he was nevertheless able to go forward and obtained a position to the outside of the leader Royal Thunder. He said his mount was under pressure from the 900m and proved disappointing in the straight. He wondered whether his mount had taken some harm from slipping at the start. A post-race veterinary examination revealed that the gelding had received superficial marks to its point of hip believed to have occurred leaving the barriers.

Apprentice rider Waters was interviewed by stewards in relation to her ride on Gunga Din $5.50 and was advised that in a number of occasions she should have allowed her mount to obtain positions closer to the rail. A post-race veterinary examination revealed the gelding was galloped on its off-hind heel bulb.

Only seven runners faced the starter and Royal Thunder found an easy lead. Express Courier sat one off the rail behind the pace and McDougall began to stoke him up after the 600m and he took an inside run on turning to be in a position to challenge the leader — who had booted away by a couple of lengths. Balonne $10 looked likely but it was Express Courier under the big weight who ran the leader down winning comfortably in the end. Express Courier is now 2/3 this campaign and is a promising- type from the leading local yard ready to tackle stronger. Royal Thunder ran his best race since transferring to Matt Dale from the Dabernig-Hayes yard and he’ll be winning soon. Balonne and the third-placed Fox Beat put in decent efforts.

Race 7 (1200m) CL1

The three best-backed finished in market order with the favourite Exotic Deel just proving too good for Cavalier Charles $4.60 with nearly 4L back to Francisco Pizaro $5.50.

Cavalier Charles was slow to begin and was held up rounding the home turn and until passing the 300m. Uno Tops was slow off (3L). Roy John raced three-wide throughout. Deterge was held up rounding the home turn.

Add On led from Vendome with Exotic Deel getting a beautiful trail. Cavalier Charles ended up midfield on the rail. Add On Turned in front with Exotic Deel cruising on her outside and took over at the 200m. Cavalier Charles was held-up trying to find a way through and was soon putting in the big strides making up lengths to just miss. The pair were both resuming and will have taken plenty of improvement. The second-placegetter was a touch unlucky and both gallopers can be followed with plenty of confidence.  

Race 8 (1200m) Open

A race that looked wide open on paper and they jumped $5 the field with the second-placed Wichita Warrior running favourite over Bombdiggity $7.5 and Bellegano $8.50.

Of note from the stewards was the very disappointing run by Bombdiggity beaten 10L. Rider Heywood said his mount performs best when able to dictate however was challenged in the middle stages by Eve’s Miss and weakened inside the 250m. Kanerupt was tailed off a long last and will be required to barrier trial before racing again.

Bombdiggity was leading at the 800m but was being challenged by Eve’s Miss with a bunch behind. There was half a dozen with a chance in the stretch. Exaggerate $26 briefly looked a chance but the winner Demonstrate $11 was coming hard as was Witchita Warrior, who’d been back and had trouble obtaining a clear go at them. He came hard but had too much to do missing just over 1.5L. Howlowcanyougo $9 caught the eye running fourth at his first-up run for the new yard and is one to follow along with Witchita Warrior and the winner who is now 2/2 this preparation.

Race 9 (1000m) Bm60

The $2.80 favourite Shores Of Avalon brought up the third win on the day for the Dryden yard just getting up from the second-favourite Major Time $4.60 and Deviate $16.

A number raced wide throughout Carruthers bled for the second time and is now ineligible to race in Australia.  

Major time led from the rail with Shores Of Avalon sitting on her outside. They sped along and turned in that order. These leaders came away and the former just got the upper-hand in a ding-dong go. It was 5.7L back to third with Flight Commander 6L from the winner in third. Sustained speed from the top two and both were presented first-up and will come on.