The Golden Slipper Carnival concluded on Saturday at Rosehill with a Group l double header, highlighted by the Kia Tancred Stakes (2400m), which was won in brilliant fashion by the 2016 Melbourne Cup winner Almandin. Here are the blackbookers for the meeting.
Race One: The Schweppervescene 1400m:
Could easily make a case that Ringerdingding should have won here, or at the very least fought the finish out. Four/five wide no cover for most of the trip yet still had the hide to loom up to them before petering out 150m from home, which was understandable given the early work he did. Good runs behind, but they were put to sleep out the back, so they were entitled to run on. I think he’s the one to follow.
The @HawkesRacing-trained Irukandji puts on a bold showing out in front, leading throughout for a good win in the opener on @rosehillgardens Stakes Day. pic.twitter.com/5YPlsLJF6s
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 31, 2018
Race Two: Neville Selwood Stakes 2000m:
Arbeitsam races best when he controls things in front. He’s a control freak. Any other scenario and he struggles so the fact he got a reasonably cheap lead here made sure he’d win the race. Given that he controlled the race and won, you can forgive the boom hose One Foot In Heaven. He got a pass mark given the circumstances. Mackintosh gets life for me. He just has no desire anymore. A trip away maybe could sharpen him up, but he can go around without me.
Arbeitsam puts up a standout performance at the staying trip, proving too good for them in the Neville Sellwood Stakes for @GaiWaterhouse1 & Adrian Bott. pic.twitter.com/oEEtIo3vyn
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 31, 2018
Race Three: Star Kingdom Stakes 1200m:
Well what about the win of Spright. Her Spring was awful but she came back, trialled up well and produced a barnstorming finale to win and show just how good she can be. Considering how slow they went, she was probably the win of the day. New Universe, he’s a bludger when it comes to punters but I reckon next time at 1400m, he can win, likewise Burning Passion. I’ve had enough of Fell Swoop. Yeah he was wide, but still a weak finish. Nieta…well she’s a wet tracker. And at this level, I think she struggles, especially at 1200m.
Spright goes last to first off the back of a mighty kick at the 200m, screaming home over the top for a big win at odds in the Star Kingdom Stakes at @rosehillgardens. pic.twitter.com/aWhG5H64PV
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 31, 2018
Race Four: Emancipation Stakes 1500m:
No idea what to make of this race. Prompt Respone was in the right spot at the right time and got the win. Did Adkins go too slow on Daysee? Not sure, but she was gutsy again. The tactics on Dixie were just awful. On paper it looked a race where they would absolutely crawl in front and this mare has won when sitting on speed. The decision to drag back to last cost her the win. She’s flying and the one to beat for sure in the Queen Of The Turf.
Prompt Response runs a tough race to narrowly beat home Oregon’s Day and give @GaiWaterhouse1 & Adrian Bott a double in the Emancipation Stakes at @rosehillgardens. pic.twitter.com/CyNAFWj4kX
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 31, 2018
Race Five: Tulloch Stakes 2000m:
Won’t say we definitely saw the Derby winner but I think we definitely saw a horse who will go awfully close to winning in the shape of Belfast. His run was amazing considering the circumstances. Only horse from the back to make ground and did it in the worst part of the track. If he backs up, he’ll take a power of beating. He’ll eat up the Randwick 2400m. The boom horse Mongolian Marshal was disappointing to the eye but Murray Baker said post race the horse really needed it fitness wise. Make of that what you will.
It all came down to the final strides as Levendi arrives in the nick of time to deny Astoria & Weather With You on the line in the Tulloch Stakes at @rosehillgardens. pic.twitter.com/EQC1krALjm
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 31, 2018
Race Six: Tancred Stakes 2400m:
Once Lasqueti Spirit put the foot down, it was $1.01 for Almandin to win. He’s the best stayer we’ve got in Australia at the moment and it was a true staying contest, unlike the barrier trial which was the Ranvet last Saturday. That brought about the undoing of Gailo Chop. I don’t think you can sat much about the rest. All about Almandin heading to the Sydney Cup.
.@KPMcEvoy rides a superb tactical race on Almandin, giving a perfectly timed kick to soar clear of them and take out the Group 1 Tancred Stakes for Liam Howley!! pic.twitter.com/1nZ3QM8100
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 31, 2018
Race Seven: Vinery Stud Stakes 2000m:
I won’t mention the ride on Aloisia. What I will say is that she has gone absolutely enormous in defeat and is the clear number one seed of the locals in the Oaks, with the unknown being Savvy Coup from NZ. She was four wide for most of the race yet still had the hide to loom up. Just died on the run final 200m. Hiyaam very impressive but admittedly did get it cheaply in front. Unforgotten produced the quickest final 600m of the race and is on target for the Oaks. It’s shaping up to be a ripper.
They couldn’t catch her!
Hiyaam puts a gap in them at the turn with a daring front-running display, holding on from Unforgotten in the sprint to win the Vinery Stud Stakes at @rosehillgardens. pic.twitter.com/M2V9lLk2IO
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 31, 2018
Race Eight: Doncaster Prelude 1500m:
Cellarman, well he’s been up longer than Ron Jeremy, but he just keeps producing the goods. Lovely ride from Avdulla to get the horse home here and he exploded didn’t he once he got the split. There were a number of good runs in the race. Mister Sea Wolf game, likewise Ecuador. Interlocuter racing like he wants further, and I’d keep an eye on my mate Montauk. That was a really good run from him, clocking the fastest final 600m from the race. Wait for him at 2000m.
A gap in the field allows Cellarman to continus his run of form this prep with a statement win in the Doncaster Prelude at @rosehillgardens for @cwallerracing. pic.twitter.com/87PwmbrlMB
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 31, 2018
Race Nine: Sydney’s West App Handicap 1400m:
Not sure he beat much, but Osborne Bulls is one very promising galloper for Godolphin and James Cummings. Lovely ride from Avdulla, who navigated a path off the rail given it was off and once he got wide and clear air, it was game over. Not sure where he heads, but he’s blacktype class for sure. Stonebrook was too bad to be true and hopefully they find something amiss with him.
Osborne Bulls peels to the outside and lets rip a big sweeping run down the outside, pulling clear in the final 50m to score convincingly for @JamesCummings88 & @godolphin. pic.twitter.com/Q9YBs40BMD
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 31, 2018
Forget:
Mackintosh- Just no desire to hit the line anymore
Fell Swoop- Similar to Mackintosh
Lasqueti Spirit- Why do they persist?
