THE PETLEY REPORT: MY HIGHLIGHTS OF ANOTHER MAGIC DAY OF RACING ON BOTH SIDES OF THE TASMAN

By Jack Petley | Sunday, October 18, 2020

What a magic day of racing on both sides of the Tasman. So many highlights. Here are the ones which took my eye.

That big finish from the grey Classique Legend to win the $15 million The Everest for veteran trainer and one of the good guys of racing Les Bridge (82). The winner looked to have a task off the home bend with a torrid pace up front, but ace jockey Kerrin McEvoy balanced him and then sent him forward. Inside the last 75 metres the race was in the bag for the Hong Kong owned son of Not a Single Doubt.

Les listened to the race behind the Randwick grandstand. Then he walked through to greet Kerrin McEvoy, winning his third Everest, and his special grey Classique Legend. What now for the star sprinter. “Twice he was supposed to head to Hong Kong, but the trips were called off. I would say the owner would like him there still," said Bridge. And dark spot in that wonderful day for Les Bridge, his much loved South Sydney beaten by the Panthers last night.

That brilliant win by the NZ bred Verry Elleegant, by Zed. Zed is a sire who at one stage was banished to the back blocks of the South Island with little patronage, until his stock started to fire and he moved back to the North. Little fancied The Chosen One looked like he may cause an upset when he forged up inside the last 150 metres, but then Verry Elleegant and UK raider Anthony Van Dyke rushed into the clear with the mare keeping the Aidan O'Brien out at the line.

Bred by Kiwi and still a part owner, Don Goodwin, Verry Elleegant has won 11 of her 24 starts and almost $7million in stakemoney. And with that win she has firmed to $11 for the Melbourne Cup. Anthony Van Dyke holds firm at $$8 and his stablemate Tiger Moth at $5 in the UK. Solid Cup trial too by Prince of Arran finishing strongly for fourth.

What a win by the Brett Cavanough trained mare It's Me keeping her unbeaten record intact with a great finish to win the $1.3 million Kosciuszko. But did Kiwi Jason Collett have a worrying time working the favourite into the clear! Eventually he forced his way out and then, cool as cool can be, he brought the mare home hard and fast to win so, so well.

Earlier Collett was successful on the Team Snowden colt Captivant , a son of Capitalist, the 2016 Golden Slipper winner. He may run in the Golden Gift in three weeks time and looks so much above the average.

Super win by Kerry Parker's Think It Over in the Craven Plate and now heads towards the $1 million The Gong at Kembla.

Albarado, a son of Savabeel, with the Busuttin-Young yard had his odds slashed for the Victoria Derby after he gained a tough, tough win in the Neds Classic over 2000 metres, at Caulfield. He cost $140,000 at Karaka for Trent Busuttin and is now at $6 for the Derby. One of his owners is Tony Heptinstall, who also has Young Werther, by Tavistock, heading for the Derby with that three-year-old also firm in betting. Solid run for second by Let's Karaka Deal, a $80,000 purchase at Karaka. That win gave Savabeel his 103rd stakes winner.

Trumbull gained a solid win for the Waugh yard in the Sydney Stakes for Tommy Berry and he has now put together seven wins and eight placings and just over $600,000 in stakes. He was bred in NZ by Hunterville breeder Chris Grace, QSM. The rich The Hunter looks on the programme for the son of The Oaks stallion Darci Brahma.

Top ride by Rachael King to get Purple Sector home for John Thompson and Josh Parr did the job well for Kiwi Bjorn Baker on Fun Fact in the St Leger holding out Brimham Rocks.

In NZ, Melody Belle, by Commands, reigned supreme in the Group 1 Livamol at Hastings finishing far too strongly for her rivals after she had to race wide from her draw for Troy Harris. That was her 12th Gr1 win for Te Akau, her 17th win from 34 starts overall and with a massive $3.8 million in stakemoney. The mare is handled for the syndicate of owners by John Galvin and he pointed out after the win that Harris has ridden 13 times for Fortuna syndicate horses and has won 10.

At Ellerslie Jo Rathbone gained her first Great Northern Chase as a trainer. She won the race some years back as a jockey when the bonny mare Magic Wonder, by Eighth Wonder, took out an action-packed race. And earlier on the Ellerslie card Aaron Kuru gained success in the GN Hurdle on The Cossack, by Mastercraftsman, and that was Kuru's 500th jumps ride.