Spring Stars

Balciano
2013 November 10 19:04:44 
Well I didn't do too well in picking the horses that would emerge at this years Spring Carnival (Drago anyone?) but as happens every year some new stars have appeared, while other established horses have moved to the next level.

Apart from the up and comers like Boban and Zoustar who burst onto the scene, it was great to see horses like Red Tracer and Buffering take the next step. Red Tracer has gone from a bonny mare who was outstanding on wet tracks to a horse of the highest class in all conditions, while Buffering took advantage of no Black Caviar and no Hay List, and got some richly deserved Group 1's.

Fiorente looks like he could win anything he contests next Autumn - every start down under has been a cracker, and it could be argued he should have won either the Turnbull or Cox Plate leading up to his Cup win. Or both. He could have some great clashes with Its a Dundeel in Sydney. Likewise Guelph looks like she has the world at her feet.

There's always downsides to every Spring, the loss of Atlantic Jewel to racing a standout, and some tragedies involving both horse and humans. But all in all another terrific carnival.

Who was everyone's star performers this Spring?

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6 Comments

Mr Prospector

2013 November 12 07:33:23

I think someone else on here mentioned this, so I'm not claiming this as an original thought, but...

It seems that the horses which come to Oz, having previously been trained in Europe (as opposed to Makybe Diva, say) can do well, sometimes very very well, for 1.5 seasons. Then nothing.

Speed Gifted, Sphenophyta, Glass Harmonium, Manighar etc. It may be that Puissance de Lune has conformed to the pattern.

I'm no horse-person, but it seems plausible that the different (lighter?) preparations given to the Euros give them an advantage for an Australian preparation. But that lighter preparation doesn't allow them to do the 1200, 1400, 1600, 1800 etc preparations we give them twice or more. I don't see another explanation, given it's more or less the same sires doing the business (e.g. Shamardal for PdL, a shuttler here).

If the pattern continues, that's the last good race Fiorente will win.

Thoughts?

quezacotl

2013 November 11 20:39:36

Solicit was great, if only boss had let her slide a bit instead of goosing her like he did, she'd of got the slip on them and won...look out next start if she is let run along...she'll murder them.

CountChivas

2013 November 11 14:37:55


Mustn't forget the top Queensland jockey, Damien Browne.
Browne had 17 rides over the 5 weeks of the spring carnival and rode 6 winners including two Gr1's on Buffering.

Outstanding effort!


Tontonan

2013 November 11 12:41:28

GUELPH : Very soft options taken for this filly. Should have been in the Caulfield Guineas. Would have won. Should have been in the Cox Plate. Would have won that too.

BOBAN : Extraordinary miler. Gotta love horses that find the line like this one.

FIORENTE : Such a classy horse. Never put a foot wrong in this country.

FAWKNER : Ordinary in Sydney, outstanding in Melbourne. Huge run in the Melbourne Cup, can't say he didn't stay, which is a pity because otherwise I reckon Lloyd would let him be the outstanding WFA horse he could be but he probably did enough in the Cup to encourage the Godfather to point in the Melbourne Cup direction again.

POLANSKI : Cant fault him. Maybe the trick with Ratkis is NOT to geld them ?

SOLICIT : What a crying shame about the Oaks. SHe's the filly I want follow forward if she can stay out of the way of Guelph.

DAMIEN OLIVER : What a comeback !
JIM CASSIDY : I dips me lid
GAI WATERHOUSE : Damn your eyes Tootsie
TOM WATERHOUSE : Didn't see him all week. Maybe he does know what punters want after all.
WEZ HUNTER : Smokin'.

HAPPY TRAILS : He's good but not great. Story of the Cox Plate really. Goos but not great.



THE DISAPPOINTMENTS

SEA MOON : What we saw is what we got.
THE MRC LAST RACE POLICY : Enough of that. Dreadful idea.
LIDARI : He could have been a contender. He could have been somebody......He'll keep.
SUPER COOL : There has to be something wrong there
ATLANTIC JEWELs INJURY : Magnificent comeback ends in tears. Thanks for the memories.
THE GEELONG CUP : A stinker, again. Too many staying races too close together.
THE NATIONAL ANTHEM : Make Tina Arena a Dame of something and employ her to sing it at all major sporting events
THE CHANNEL 7 COVERAGE : After such a promising start early in the Spring it went backwards. I have blacklisted the advertisers. They know who they are.
MY BANK ACCOUNT - the worst spring on the punt I have ever had. It wasn't the racing. It was me.


I'LL BE FOLLOWING ....

PAKAL - Group 1 horse, no luck in the Mackinnon, will be right in the thick of it in the Autumn
LIDARI - Australian Cup
SOLICIT -
NOT LISTENIN' TO ME - will keep on improving
HUCKLEBUCK - ditto
SERTORIUS - Galileos get better as they get older.
LONGPORT - watch out in the West


quezacotl

2013 November 11 10:58:15

The Underwood was terrible for mine, it wrecked both horses imo, the condition of the track that day, the horrible bias, rail placement etc and the tempo, it stuffed up a lot of horses that race..

Hopefully the Zipping classic will throw up some excitement because so far it's been very forgettable.


CountChivas

2013 November 11 12:29:32


Can't say it wrecked either horse, Quez.

Atlantic Jewel started this campaign as a day to day proposition due to her well known soundness issues.
We'll see how It's A Dundeel comes back next year, though I do think his gutbuster in the Underwood flattened him for the Cox Plate.

Having said that, looking back at Bonecrusher and Our Waverley Star, they were never the same after their famous Cox Plate showdown.

CountChivas

2013 November 11 09:31:03


The Underwood Stakes was the race of the spring, probably race of the year, for mine.
It's A Dundeel sitting outside the leader, Atlantic Jewel, for the entire race and grabbing her right on the line.

Shades of Bonecrusher and Our Waverley Star's '86 Cox Plate.

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