With the Magic Millions at the Gold Coast fast approaching, the good racing begins and with that, the door for 2023 will be properly shut. Looking back, it was a great year of racing, but with great racing comes unlucky runs, some of which are tattooed on the brain.
Down below is what we feel are the Top 10 Ugly Watches of 2023.
1: Amelia’s Jewel – Golden Eagle: The jury was out on the star WA mare after a poor showing in the Toorak Handicap, so connections said no to the Cox Plate and came back in trip for the Golden Eagle. You were firmly in two camps. Either you were thinking she will bounce back to her brilliant best, or the Toorak run confirmed something isn’t right.
The replay…it will tell the story. She was absolutely trucking in the run. Just a matter of getting clear air and unfortunately, she didn’t get it and nearly came down. She did a remarkable job to pick up and find the line. No doubt she goes close to winning and IMO, she should have won.
2: Yellow Brick – Fred Best Classic: The race carries importance given the winner gets a free ticket into the Stradbroke. The market said local star Yellow Brick would get the free ticket after a sharp first up win in the Gold Coast Guineas but if you were on him, sorry for bringing it up.
Ben Thompson eventually got the sack from connections after this defeat and then in the Gunsynd. But this race, he had the back of the eventual winner Hawaii Five Oh but instead of following him through, he wanted to come wider for clear air. Unfortunately, things didn’t go to plan and he got clear too late, charging and just missing.
3: Soulcombe – Melbourne Cup: The horse is a bludger when it comes to jumping from the gates, so giving away a start almost immediately doesn’t help his cause, but even allowing for that, it wasn’t the best viewing if you were on him in the Melbourne Cup where he should have arguably won.
After the tardy beginning, he seemed to get a decent run in transit and was tracking up nicely under Joao Moreira but he got off the back of eventual winner Without A Fight and probed for another run. It didn’t work out, he cut back inside and charged to the line late. I think you can make a case to say that if he follows Without A Fight, he goes close to winning.
4: Williamsburg – Festival Stakes: This was an example of where horse simply should have won. And he should have won comfortably. Unfortunately things didn’t fall into place for Tyler Schiller in the run when it came to getting clear air, driving hard late to just miss.
To add salt to the wound, Schiller fired in an unsuccessful protest against the winner.
5: Zardozi – Sandown: She showed good promise as a juvenile but hadn’t fired to start her 3YO campaign. That meant James Cummings took her to a midweek metro race at Sandown…and gee it was horrendous to watch. She should have bolted in but pretty much went around like it was a barrier trial.
She would then go on to win the Edward Manifold, place in the Wakeful and then bolt up in the VRC Oaks.
Replay Unavailable
6: Tom Kitten – Gloaming Stakes: The prep ended on a high in the Spring Champion but the lead up runs were frustrating from a punters perspective, namely the Gloaming. In a race dominated by those on speed, he just lost sight of the bunny and spotted them way too much head start 600m out.
He picked up and was very strong to the line behind Raf Attack, bouncing back hard two weeks later in the Spring Champion but that is little consolation for those who took the shorts here.
7: Antino – Flemington: It promised to be a fruitful Spring for this Tony Gollan trained five year old but the prep ended up being a nightmare, with this being the first up run. James Orman lost the ride after this steer, where he just made a couple of errors tactically.
He got badly held up between runners and didn’t get clear air until it was too late. Ugly viewing.
Replay Unavailable
8: Antino – Crystal Mile: The gelding bounced back to win at Sandown and just missed in the Toorak before racing here. It was horrendous viewing if you were on him. Blake Shinn is just about the best rider in Melbourne but this wasn’t one of his best steers.
He got badly pocketed in the small field and couldn’t get a crack at them until it was all over, driving late to just miss out on Prowess.
9: Madame Pommery – Tristarc: A frustrating prep for this Chris Waller where she teased to win races but things didn’t fall into place. She should have won this though. She was trucking in the run under J Mac but when probing for an inside run, things didn’t go to plan.
She eventually got clear very late and charged to the line, running a narrow fourth. Should have won.
10: Montefilia – Tancred Stakes: Thankfully Dylan Gibbons got his maiden Group l win later in the Carnival but it should have come here courtesy of this mare. She seemed to dip and take an ordinary stride on the turn when building into race with purpose.
She lost all momentum but somehow picked herself up and drove hard to just miss out on the win when second to Arapaho.
