Trentham Results (Race 5)

Saturday, 19th January 2019

5
14:35
(local)

Thorndon Mile (G1)

Type: OPEN
NZD $200,000
1600m TURF DEAD
5
14:35
(local)
NZD $200,000
1600m DEAD

Thorndon Mile (G1)

Type: OPEN

This G1 Open mile under set weights and penalties was won by the equal topweight Shadows Cast in what was a pressure-free run event where blatant track bias just like the first day at Trentham marred the authenticity of the results. The bias towards on pacers and the faster inside lanes was even worse today than last week here with six of the ten winners turning for home running one, two or three and another winner trailing the leaders The winners and where they turned for home in race order were seventh (five-off and three lengths from the leader), tenth (five-off and three lengths from the leader), led (length inner), second (outer and one length off the leader), second (outer a neck from the leader), co-leader (outer), fifth (trail inner and two lengths from the leader), eighth (inner and three lengths from the leader), third (two-off and a length and a half from the leader) and second (one-off and a length from the leader). The first two races were down the bionic chute and the run on winners were not that far away turning for home and in fact no victor on the whole day came from further back than three lengths from the leader tellingly. Vast swathes of runners every race were dead on arrival at the gates if backrunners and anything angled too wide had no chance of winning whatsoever, such was the incredibly manmade biased track presented for the second week in succession. This was a double G1 day and manmade track bias just cuts to shreds the relevance and worth of a race result and belittles an already suspect G1 significance internationally. Shadows Cast drew wide and got over outside the leader relatively easily and then the race had no pressure whatsoever thereafter so many riders had done errant speed mapping or been give faulty advice. The 6yo gelding carrying 58kg kicked away early the run home and then clung on grimly to score by a neck in 1:35.17 in what was a 400m sprint home G1 mile in effect. It was his tenth win in thirty-three starts and his first success at G1. He had tried G1 four times in his career prior to today and failed each time so the depth he is meeting now clearly has become weaker and inferior. Wyndspelle got back on the inner but improved through near the home turn to be fifth turning in and ran on strongly for second but he is allergic to saluting as a record of three wins from thirty-two starts shows. The fact he ran second favourite in this race says so much about the actual dubious depth of the field. Watch This Space, a 7yo that was paying $50 a win, finished third beaten just over two lengths after racing tenth then coming through four-off the fence. He was second in this last year beaten two lengths with 55kg and today carried the same weight so the depth has not improved at all and in fact deteriorated. Dark Princess ran fourth after racing after settling back on the inner then coming through closer in and reaching seventh turning for home. She has come good this season the 5yo mare with six starts for three wins (including one at G3) and two fourths (one now at G1). It is amazing how many riders give away the inner lanes on a day of blatant manmade bias but profess to have done their homework prior. More Wonder, the lone 3yo in the field ran a clear favourite and that says a lot about the older horse depth in New Zeal at the moment. Once again this barrier rogue was slow and last away so was a million to one with the manmade track bias on settling. In a slow run race and what was a 400m sprint home for a G1 he ran home powerfully for fifth beaten just under three and a half lengths. The luck, which is also self-inflicted being such a bad beginner, at G1 has deserted this 3yo including a deadest riding shocker last week against his own age group has seen him finish fifth, fourth and fifth. How he has not even got a G1 placing on his resume defies belief. Belle Du Nord ran home well from a long way back and the manmade track bias meant she also was a million to one on settling and with this race being just a sprint home it in fact made her chances a billion to one. She was beaten just over three and a half lengths. Magnum raced fifth or sixth and fought on fairly but whether he gets the mile is doubtful. The Mitigator had to use a bit of energy to get the lead but once there was left alone and got away with murder midrace so to be headed at the 350m then weaken and be beaten over six lengths was disappointing. On The Rocks started third favourite and ran a plugging ninth beaten six and a half lengths. He had won his prior start at G2 carrying 52.5kg and rose to a G1 here and up 4.5kg and that proved a bridge too far and says more about the field depth than anything else. Dolcetto was a grinding tenth after setting down back and wide and Contessa Vanessa was weak from the trail. Killarney was outclassed beaten over ten lengths unsurprisingly as the 6yo gelding had won five races coming into today and never run in any Blacktype race but had 55kg in this G1 and that makes no sense whatsoever. Tiptronic was a poor eleventh after racing sixth the inner and in his prior start ran second at G2 carrying 53.5kg and today at G1 had 55kg. He had also finished twice at G2 before and once at G3 yet in this had the same weight as Killarney for a real head scratcher. Sultan of Swing dipped at the start and settled back, so manmade track bias worked against him too, but he was still a very poor twelfth. He was hampered somewhat on the point of the home turn by a stopping rival but it was nowhere near as bad as the stipes report says and cannot possibly be an excuse for being beaten over thirteen lengths as that would be grasping at now banned straws. Darscape Princess ran a shocker and Authentic Paddy stopped badly and dropped right out to last turning for home and was found to have suffered a bout of cardiac arrhythmia. This was nowhere near a G1 field and was tepidly run plus factor in the blatant manmade track bias and the race gets that big asterisk of distinct dubiousness. The winner carried 58kg but by getting outsider the leader in a slow race and what was a sprint home plus the manmade track bias, they were the factors that allowed such a result. In a more solidly and proper run mile and without so much manmade track bias the quinella is very likely More Wonder and Belle Du Nord with the trifecta and first four likely to be made up of Wyndspelle and Dark Princess. Strangely three of the five widest gates formed the trifecta in this so barriers did not matter all day but riding tactics and racing patterns really proved definitive outcome.

Previous Winners

Date Horse Jockey WT Trainer BP
STOLEN DANCE (NZ) 6M
ALAMOSA (NZ) - SONGBIRD (NZ) BLACK MINNALOUSHE (USA)
S C SPRATT 53.0 MURRAY BAKER & ANDREW FORSMAN 11
THEE AULD FLOOZIE (NZ) 5M
MASTERCRAFTSMAN (IRE) - THEE AULD HUSSIE (NZ) SPINNING WORLD (USA)
R J MYERS 53.5 STEPHEN MARSH 1
KAWI (NZ) 5G
SAVABEEL (AUS) - MAGIC TIME (NZ) VOLKSRAAD (GB)
L G INNES 59.0 A SHARROCK 4
PUCCINI (NZ) 4H
ENCOSTA DE LAGO (AUS) - OUR MISS OPERA (NZ) PARIS OPERA (AUS)
DANIELLE JOHNSON 57.0 PETER MCKAY 4
A TOUCH OF RUBY (NZ) 4M
PINS (AUS) - SYRAH (NZ) TRADITIONALLY (USA)
C J GRYLLS 52.0 STEPHEN AUTRIDGE 12
HISTORIAN (NZ) 5G
CHOISIR (AUS) - CYCLONIC (AUS) MARAUDING (NZ)
R J MYERS 53.0 G ALTON 16
SAY NO MORE (NZ) 4M
PENTIRE (GB) - OUR LUCY (AUS) WALKING RING (IRE)
R J MYERS 52.0 P DUNCAN 6
BOOMING (NZ) 6G
DON EDUARDO (NZ) - BEAUTIFUL SEA (NZ) GROSVENOR (NZ)
M TANAKA 57.0 JEFF LYNDS 3
WALL STREET (NZ) 5G
MONTJEU (IRE) - VILLA WANDA (GB) GRAND LODGE (USA)
B R LAMMAS 55.0 JEFF LYNDS 13
SIR SLICK (NZ) 7G
VOLKSRAAD (GB) - OUR MISS OPERA (NZ) PARIS OPERA (AUS)
D M WALSH 58.0 GRAEME NICHOLSON & PAUL ALLBON 2
ALAMOSA (NZ) 3C
O'REILLY (NZ) - LODORE MYSTIC (NZ) CENTAINE (AUS)
P A TAYLOR 52.0 PETER MCKAY 2
SIR SLICK (NZ) 5G
VOLKSRAAD (GB) - OUR MISS OPERA (NZ) PARIS OPERA (AUS)
O P BOSSON 57.0 G NICHOLSON 7
MACAVELLI MISS (AUS) 6M
VETTORI (IRE) - SYRENKA (AUS) POLISH PATRIOT (USA)
M HILLS 54.0 R JAMES 18
MAROOFITY (NZ) 4G
MAROOF (USA) - HOWKUDAI (NZ) DON'T FORGET ME (IRE)
L CROPP 52.5 MARK WALKER 6
SIR KINLOCH (NZ) 5G
RHYTHM (USA) - IVORY (NZ) GOLD AND IVORY (USA)
L C TILEY 53.5 COLIN & RICHARD YUILL 16
ZVEZDA (NZ) 4G
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS (NZ) - CARNIVAL GIRL (NZ) ROUGHCAST (USA)
L A O'SULLIVAN 55.0 KAY LANE 10
GIOVANA (NZ) 5M
BLUES TRAVELLER (IRE) - TRISTAINE (NZ) CENTAINE (AUS)
P D JOHNSON 56.5 C MARSHALL 9
TALL POPPY (NZ) 6M
KAAPSTAD (NZ) - FUN ON THE RUN (NZ) RACING IS FUN (USA)
D M WALSH 54.0 NOEL EALES 11
PACE INVADER (NZ) 4M
WESTIMINSTER (NZ) - OUR GREY INVADER (NZ) BRILLIANT INVADER (AUS)
P A TAYLOR 51.5 A CLARK 17