Benedetta explosive in Inglis Sprint
Jason Warren believes three-year-old filly Benedetta has a bright future after she demolished her rivals in the Inglis Sprint (1200m).
After a maiden win at Cranbourne prior to successive 1300m victories at Sandown, Benedetta was freshened by Warren for her first assault down the Flemington straight.
Settling in the second half of the field, Benedetta, under Daniel Stackhouse, unleashed a powerful sprint to career away to a three-length win.
Warren went into Saturday's contest confident the filly was ready to run well after chasing home Giga Kick, a first-up third in the Group 2 Challenge Stakes at Randwick on Saturday, in a jump-out at Balnarring last week.
"I watched her trial last week at Balnarring against Giga Kick and I thought she actually trialled better than him," Warren said.
"And he ran out of his skin there in Sydney.
"I think she's going places and she'll gain some 'black type' pretty soon."
The Listed Sunlight Classic (1100m) at Flemington on March 25 could next be on the agenda for Benedetta, a $75,000 yearling purchase at the Inglis Melbourne Yearling Sale.
Nothing Unusual about fourth straight win
So Unusual kept his recent winning run going when he took out the Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour Tenders Open (2500m) and in the process give his trainers something to think about.
The Listed The Roy Higgins (2600m) at Flemington on March 25 would in be in the forefront of most trainers' minds, but Tony and Calvin McEvoy are mindful that So Unusual is still a young horse.
Victory in The Roy Higgins provides a ballot exemption into the Group 1 Melbourne Cup in November.
"We're going to give it some thought, of course," Calvin McEvoy said.
"It is hard not to with a big ticket there in that race, but he's a young horse, he's only four, and I've got no doubts he's going to be better next preparation and probably in 12 months' time.
"We want to treat him carefully and treat him with the respect he deserves and if he bounces through today there's every chance we'll show up in the Roy Higgins."
Ultimate gear change for Kallos
While the Godolphin team may have been reluctant to give Kallos 'the ultimate gear change' it did provide the four-year-old with a first-up win.
Kallos was racing for the first time as a gelding when he scored a long neck win in the CARM Trophy (1000m).
As a three-year-old Kallos won the Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1200m) at Flemington and the son of Medaglia D'oro looked to have a future at stud.
But his form tapered off and the decision was made to geld him which winning jockey Jamie Kah said had turned him into a professional racehorse.
"It has turned him into a nice racehorse now as he was always a really stocky, colty looking horse and he's actually changed shape and changed his manners a bit, so I think it is a positive," Kah said.
Tough galloper wins for Ryan
Nick Ryan doubts he has trained a tougher horse than Munhamek following his victory The Schweppes Plate (1600m).
The only tougher horse that Ryan has been associated with is Mahamedeis who has not raced since March last year but remains in work at Ryan's Flemington stable.
A former Hong Kong galloper, Munhamek was having his tenth Australian start on Saturday, registering his second win, having started his campaign at Caulfield last August.
Ryan said Munhamek thrives on being ion work.
"We don't 'smash' him on the track and he does a lot of treadmill work," Ryan said.
"We got to the beach at Altona and tick him over. Until he tells me otherwise, why not keep him going."
Quote of the day
"I don't get Mark Zahra on many of mine because he's sometimes taken, but when you can get him on it is like taking seven kilos off. He's that good" - trainer Nick Ryan after the win of Munhamek in The Schweppes Plate.
