MY CALL - THE COX PLATE HOLDS THE KEY TO ATLANTIC JEWEL'S 'CHAMPION' STATUS
By David Fowler | Tuesday, October 15, 2013
David Fowler is the principal thoroughbred caller for Radio TAB. David, who is a keen form student and punter, has enjoyed a lifetime involvement in the racing media. His personal blog, ‘My Call’, appears exclusively on HRO.
Atlantic Jewel is not a champion … yet.
And this is from one of her most ardent fans, but Saturday's Caulfield Stakes cakewalk proved little.
It clearly showed she has a brilliant turn of foot. Her last 600 metres was dynamic.
But, soberly, it has to be remembered it came off a very slow tempo, underlined by the overall time, a pedestrian 2:03.99 for the 2000 metres.
I know I'll be accused of being a callous hard marker but that Underwood defeat, robbing a chance of an unbeaten record, stole the aura she had established.
Sure, she was not disgraced but she was beaten. Was it leading? Was it a slow track? There could be a variety of other reasons but the defeat is on the record, never to be removed.
The Cox Plate is the ideal opportunity to secure the champion status.
She has had a perfect preparation and if she can survive the cut and thrust tempo that a Cox Plate generally delivers and win it, she will have realised the "champion" label.
But not yet.
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Is the Caulfield Cup losing its mojo?
Fair to say that Saturday's field is not water-cooler talk.
And whatever media outlet takes your fancy, they have largely concentrated on the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup in recent weeks.
The rule of thumb that the Caulfield Cup was the strongest guide to the Melbourne Cup outcome has lost its magic because of the international factor nowadays.
The Caulfield Cup has lost a fair chunk of its spark.
It will always be a capacity field but there are many in this year's edition who can't win it.
I'm with Dandino.
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Saturday's Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick was one of the strongest in years.
A bigger than normal field and a race where you could have a pick of six or seven runners and be happy you ended up with a potential staying star of the future.
This race could easily be THE key form reference for the VRC Derby.
And Savvy Nature might just be the pick of them to win the blue riband next month.
His efforts in the Gloaming and Spring Champion suggest he is crying out for longer than 2000 metres.
You just hope these Sydney three-year-olds can maintain the momentum rather than the Spring Champion being their "Grand Final"
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Referring to last week's lead, I see no decision on Hay List's future has been made!
Please …
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On the local front, please be advised the Ipswich track was a "good 2" last Friday.
You won't read that in any stewards’ report but the times they ran conclusively prove the track was faster than a "good 3".
Again, it won't be corrected anywhere but if you are doing the form for the future and see a fast time at Ipswich on October 11, remember "Good 2" not "good 3".
Until next week.
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