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Saturday Post Mortem with Chris Scholtz

by Chris Scholtz , 5 years ago

3 minute read

Chris Scholtz reveiws racing around Australia on July 21.

THE STAR

DAMIAN LANE: Turned on a clinic at Flemington with four wins to add some late interest to the riding premiership, but it’s unlikely to he will peg back the six win lead held by Craig Williams with just two meetings of the season remaining.

** Winter is the time when apprentices get their chance to shine and they did that in spades at Flemington, Randwick and Doomben on Saturday, although some made headlines for the wrong reasons….

ETHAN BROWN: The 19-year-old capped his breakout season as Victoria’s leading apprentice with a win at Flemington aboard Al Passem, but his biggest result was finishing second on Ma Jones in the Rising Stars Final to claims the 22-race series title from an unlucky Stephanie Thornton. Thornton only had to finish in the first five on the favourite So Splendid to win the $6000 prize but finished sixth and two points behind Brown!

MELISSA JULIUS: Stole the spotlight in the Rising Stars Final with her first metropolitan win on Miles OF Krishnan, her first mount for the Lindsay Park stable.

NATHAN PUNCH: Another first time metro winner at Flemington, landing the last aboard Invincible Al for Patrick Payne, a long time coming for the 23-year-old who has been riding since 2015.

JACKSON MURPHY: The 22-year-old from the NSW north coast is tipped to be Brisbane's leading apprentice next season after landing his first pair of Saturday metro wins at Doomben aboard San Telmo and Pressway.

SAM WEATHERLEY/JEAN VAN OVERMEIRE: Fine doubles for the talented apprentices at Randwick. Top Kiwi apprentice Weatherley is starting to his straps in Sydney.

RIDES OF THE DAY

SAM WEATHERLEY: Crack Kiwi apprentice produced daring and skill to land a double at Randwick for Chris Waller aboard Our Malambo and Kaonic.

Sam Weatherley
Sam Weatherley Picture: Steve Hart

HIGHLIGHTS

JAMES CUMMINGS: Took the training honours with a satisfying treble at Randwick for the Godolphin team.

JOHN ALLEN: Keeps racking up winners on his border hopping trips to ride in Adelaide. His strength was again the key to his three wins at Morphettville.

DALE SMITH: Former experienced Victorian jockey adds to his reputation in Queensland with his first stakes win in Brisbane on Fit For Purpose in the Listed Tattersall’s Mile. He’s been riding for more than 20 years and has won more than 600 races.

LIAM BIRCHLEY: Celebrates his fourth win in the Tatts Mile with Fit For Purpose, a horse he only entered for the race as an afterthought.

STEVE O’DEA: Rising Brisbane trainer tops his best ever season of 72 wins with a double at Doomben.

AMANAAT: A fine training effort by Ben Currie to bring this talented sprinter back for a sharp fiorst-up win after suffering a jaw injury in a controversial barrier accident.

TACTICAL ADVANTAGE: Money pointed to this smart sprinter being ready to win first-up for his new trainer Kris Lees and he duly delivered.

GREY LION: It took 18 Australian starts and only three rivals for him to win his first race in Australia. Don’t hold your breath waiting for his second.

At last! Grey Lion wins at Randwick
At last! Grey Lion wins at Randwick Picture: Steve Hart

LOWLIGHTS

COREY BAYLISS: Brisbane apprentice will have six weeks to stew over his poor error of judgement on the hot favourite Tumbler at Doomben that had him charged with failing to give the horse every chance to win. It was a bad look when he failed to come across heels for a clear run when he had ample opportunity between the 500m and 200m.

RYUSEI SAKAI: Not quite as bad a Corey Bayliss’ exhibition but the Japanese apprentice left backers of the favoured Embecee Lil at Morphettville with a sour taste after also taking poor options at the vital stage.

MITCH AITKEN: Will learn an expensive lesson after trying to dupe the stewards by changing his boots after weighing out at Flemington.

SIN BIN

OMBUDSMAN: The first big flop from the Waller stable at Randwick, showing a lack of enthusiasm for the 2400m compared to his previous start.

SEAHAMPTON: Strike two for Waller with this filly’s failure proving never to take wet track wins on biased tracks on face value.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Devastated to report that our stable stalwart Survived suffered a fatal injury today. He was the toughest, most determined and enthusiastic racehorse and has given us so much over the years. My whole team will miss him dearly….RIP old boy.” – an emotional tribute from Survived’s trainer Archie Alexander after his fatal breakdown at Morphettville.

THEY SAID IT….

• “I’m guilty of making the wrong decision. All I had to do was go to the outside, but I didn’t. I don’t have a reason, I didn’t do it on purpose. I would have won if I took the run.” – Tumbler’s rider Corey Bayliss on THAT ride.

• “He made the wrong move, it wasn’t deliberate. He made a mistake - there was nothing untoward,” Tumbler’s trainer Barry Lockwood.

• “It's hard to ride four winners in a day anywhere so to do it at a city meeting in Melbourne is definitely special.” – Damian Lane’s view of his big day at Flemington.

• “I was just so excited at the opportunity and to get on a mare of this quality. This was my first ride for Hayes and to get my first Flemington win, it's incredibly special." – Rising Star Final winner Melissa Julius.

• “It's great to finally get my first city winner and it means even more to be able to do it on the big stage at Flemington. I always dreamed to have a ride down the straight so to ride my first winner here is amazing.” – Nathan Punch celebrates his milestone win.

• “It is a great honour to win the Sydney premiership. Never in my wildest dreams did I think it was possible to win the premiership, let alone to win it convincingly.” – a humble Brenton Avdulla’s delight and relief at claiming the Sydney premiership.

• “It's like winning a Melbourne Cup, training a winner for Graeme Rogerson." – A tongue in cheek Chris Waller after the win of former Kiwi mare Our Malambo at Randwick.

• “The win is probably better than what it looks. There's a good bit of upside to him and the lethal turn of foot that I’ve seen from him is up to winning better class races." – a view to the future from Brave Song’s trainer Peter Snowden.

• “I’m tipping that looked as good as it felt - didn’t he let go.” – Randwick winner Tactical Advantage certainly impressed his rider Brenton Avdulla.

• “She’s not as good as Yankee Rose yet but she looks a better stayer. I’m keen to get her to Melbourne for the Victoria Oaks.” – a strong vote for the promising Miss Quaintly from her trainer David Vandyke.

• “He's got to learn to switch off early otherwise when he gets up in class it's going to be a lot harder for him. We'll have to head to a good race somewhere with him I guess - you can only beat what's there and he's done it well." – Darren Weir’s plans for Sixties Groove

• “It’ll be a pretty good race I think, above average. I know it is not carnival time but I think we have seen a couple of carnival horses in this race.” – Hugh Bowman’s prediction for Randwick winner Plague Stone.

• “He will keep building on this performance and I like the look of The Rosebud in three week’s time. I think he is a fast sprinter.” – Plague Stone’s James Cummings.

• “Her mum Pear Tart was a terrific wet tracker so we thought this girl would handle it, but her wheels just spin in it. We might look at taking her south to Melbourne, there’s a heap of options for mares down there through the carnival.” – Italia Bella’s trainer Stuart Kendrick.

BLACKBOOK

SIR PLUSH: Solid hitout first-up. Expect improvement

SEAGLASS: Strong type with plenty of scope.

STRYKINGLEE: Unlucky. Suited against own sex.

STREET TOUGH: Smart one for Tasmanian stable.

RED STINA: Building nicely for something longer.


Racing and Sports

tags

Al Passem Miles OF Krishnan Invincible Al San Telmo Pressway Our Malambo Kaonic Fit For Purpose AMANAAT TACTICAL ADVANTAGE GREY LION Embecee Lil OMBUDSMAN SEAHAMPTON Survived SIR PLUSH SEAGLASS STRYKINGLEE STREET TOUGH RED STINA

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