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Saturday Post Mortem with Chris Scholtz

by Chris Scholtz , 5 years ago

3 minute read

Chris Scholtz reviews racing around Australia on August 25.

THE STARS

GRAFF/KRIS LEES: You can take nothing away from this first-up win by Graff that kept his unbeaten record intact. He’s a professional and knows how to win – it will take him a long way this spring. Lees has a huge opinion of the 3YO and again showed his smarts by applying blinkers to the colt first-up.

MICHELLE PAYNE/SWEET ROCKETTE: It doesn’t come any better when you train them and ride them! Ground breaking city win as a trainer/jockey for the Melbourne Cup winning rider.

FAATINAH: It’s no easy task to travel around the world and come home to win first-up in a high class pressure sprint. All credit to the Lindsay Park team.

RYAN MALONEY: Former Victorian jockey is on fire in Queensland. He’s ridden 14 winners this month after landing a treble at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday to head the state premiership and share the metropolitan lead with Jeff Lloyd.

AVILIUS: Class act. Godolphin trainer James Cummings couldn’t hide his enthusiasm for this import’s spring prospects after a super win in the Premier’s Cup at Rosehill.

HIGHLIGHTS

BRUTAL: Had to work for his win but his class came to the fore as he wore down the leader on the hot front runners track. Will get better.

DANNY LAWS: Hobby trainer wins two in a row in the city with his in-form mare Tiffany Lass. Kilmore-based Laws runs a stockfeed business and has just this mare and her sister in work.

DAVID VANDYKE: Wow, what a strike rate he has going! When the unbeaten Hold The Line won at the Sunshine Coast it took his current run to 11 wins from his last 21 starters – none better!

FROM WITHIN: Impressive first-up win for new trainer Toby Edmonds. Classy future.

JAMES INNES JNR: Young rider has had some ups and downs but was chuffed to land his first Group win on Danawi at Rosehill, surviving a protest.

GALLANTE: The 2016 Sydney Cup winner is still racing and winning at the age of seven – as a jumper. In his second life in New Zealand he won a hurdle at Ta Aroha by 16 lengths. You can’t beat class!

GIRL TUESDAY: A daughter of Tuesday Joy makes a big debut with a powerful win at Newcastle. Another good one for SIngo!

LOWLIGHTS

MOONEE VALLEY: The warning that it would be a leaders track played out but nobody expected it to be such a hot expressway for the horses finding the front. Once the pattern was established backing the designated leaders was easy pickings for the smart punters.

Darren Weir summed up what most were feeling about the track as the day progressed:- "I'm a real fan of Moonee Valley but I'm not a fan of it today, it's racing terrible. If they find the fence they win, if they come out you may as well forget you've gone around. Horses that get back have just got no hope - they need to do something about that.”

SUPER TOO: Her hopes were dashed when she couldn’t lead, leaving her trapped three deep. Found to be lame.

HUGH BOWMAN: Even the best can’t perform miracles. Caught four wide set She Knows a huge task under her big weight. Her effort was outstanding.

KATHY O’HARA: Doubt she will rate her ride on Valentino Rossa among her best.

SIN BIN

MITCH AITKEN: A shocker on the hot favourite Snitzepeg at Morphettville.

SUMMER SHAM; Had all the favours in front but flopped miserably on a leader’s track.

INTUITION/PLAGUE STONE: It wasn't all smiles in the Godolphin camp at Rosehill after this pair lost their form with sub standard performances. Intuition had a respiratory issue and stewards notred the poor effort by Plague Stone.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

• “He’s the best colt I’ve had anything to do with - a really exciting horse. I think there’s some nice races in store for him.” – Kris Lees has a huge opinion of his San Domenico winner Graff.

THEY SAID IT…..

• "He is an exciting horse. He was classy the moment he arrived at Osborne Park - we're just rapt to have him." – Godolphin trainer James Cummings praises his star import Avilius.

• “We don’t want to reinvent the wheel with him - there’s no point riding him upside down and getting him confused.” – wise advice from Avilius’ rider Glyn Schofield.

• “Since he’s come back, all he’s showed us is that he’s improved. He’s got faster with age and all his trackwork has suggested that’s he’s going better than ever.” – Faatinah’s co-trainer David Hayes.

• “He's got a high cruising speed, he likes a truly run race and it takes the turn of foot out of the other horses. He's got good sustained speed." – Faatinah’s rider Regan Bayliss.

• “This is right up there with anything I've achieved. The Melbourne Cup is the pinnacle but this is right behind it.” – Michelle Payne reflects on her winning achievement with Sweet Rockette.

• “He’s a bit of lad, physically there is still improvement to come with him,” – Graff’s jockey Jason Collett.

• “I really did like his last 50 metres when he flattened out - they don’t have to win by big margins. He’s a seriously good sort with plenty of upside and improvement to come.” – Brutal’s co-trainer Wayne Hawkes.

• “The other day he went down to the start like a bit of a lad, but today he was more professional. I really liked the way this horse knuckled down late and savaged the line.” – Brutal’s rider Dwayne Dunn.

• “I don’t know why we’re in here.” – Danawi’s rider James Innes’ reaction to the protest from the second horse Mizzy at Rosehill.

• “We have always set the bar high for him. You have to aim high when you have such a lovely horse,” - Divine Unicorn’s trainer Matt Dunn.

• "To win a race at the Valley on a Saturday, it's what you dream of. She's in the paddock every day with her sister and we don't do much with her between races.” - Danny Laws, the hobby trainer of Tiffany Lass.

• “She’s quite mentally fragile so I might give her a week or two in the paddock now and let her think about it.” - David Vandyke’s plans for the unbeaten Hold The Line.

• “All she had to do was run up to her trackwork to win. She works as well as any horse we have in the stable.” - Trent Edmonds on the classy prospect From Within.

BLACKBOOK

QUILISTA: Encouraging first-up effort.

SIKANDARABAD: Big effort against the Valley bias.

HIGHWAY SIXTYSIX: He’s better than a Highway horse.

PERFORMER: Watch what he can do when ridden with cover.

RENEWAL: Sure to be improved by his first-up third.

OPPOSITION: What you like to see from a resuming stayer.
Racing and Sports

tags

Graff Tiffany Lass Hold The Line Avilius From Within QUILISTA SIKANDARABAD HIGHWAY SIXTYSIX PERFORMER RENEWAL OPPOSITION

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