THE PETLEY REPORT: LOOKING FORWARD TO A WEEKEND OF SOME CRACKING RACING ALL AROUND THE WORLD

By Jack Petley | Saturday, September 5, 2020

With the weather and track much improved there will be some cracking racing at Randwick today none more so them that clash between two flying machines, Nature Strip and the visitor Gytrash, with both being ridden by Kiwis, McDonald on Nature Strip, Collett on board of Gytrash. Nature Strip has won 14 of his 23 runs. Gytrash 8 from 19. At present Nature Strip sits at $2.60 for the $15 million Everest and Gytrash at $11 along with Classique Legend, Farnan, Rothfire and Alligator Blood. That will surely change if Gytrash beats Nature Strip today but for my money the Waller speedster will be too quick, but it will be a hot contest, that is for sure.

The Chelmsford has drawn a field with Chris Waller fielding seven runners headed by Mister Sea Wolf at $8. Avilius and Angel of Truth dominate the betting but there is solid money for the NZ bred and still part owned Zebrowski and even though his stable mate Angel of Truth is better favoured in the betting, I'm tipping he will be tough to beat. Top run when resuming in the Winx and the son of Savabeel drops in class here.

Waller has a powerful string engaged for the meeting and he saddles up the hot favourite Hungry Heart (McDonald) in the Furious Stakes and the Frankel filly looks well placed here. Main dangers …Dame Giselle and Thermosphere.

I also like the Waller-McDonald combo in the Farewell Handicap with Kinane, favourite just ahead of Just Thinkin (tough to beat) and Pancho (Collett) also for Waller. The stable also holds a strong hand in Race 3, Archanna, Sauvestre and Giovanna Run with the only danger to keep the stable from winning here, the James Cummings and very talented, Raison D'Etre.

Also, much interest in the Tramway with Kiwi Dragon Leap making his Sydney debut with Glen Boss up for the O'Sullivan-Scott yard. He meets a strong field headed by Dreamforce and the talented Queensland mare Vanna Girl, winner of 7 from 10 and shooting for her fifth on end with Jason Collett up. I like Dragon Leap, who I am told will eventually end up in Hong Kong if he runs well in Sydney. He is the Auckland and Avondale Guineas winner back in NZ and both times he was impressive. It will be interesting to see how he shapes up against this quality field. A big run and he will shorten in price for the Epsom.

Crack Kiwi sprinter The Bostonian is missing from the fields in Sydney this weekend, but not a worry. Chris McNab, (just out of quarantine) a former top jokey and trainer and a good bloke to boot, had a good look at the stable star on Monday and reported to Pike that The Bostonian had "lightened up" a bit after his first up run in the Missile, so he will be given a freshener. "There are some lovely races coming up for him over the next two or three months so we thought we could take a cautious approach with him." said Pike.

Such bad luck for Jamie Richards and Cambridge Stud. The high-class filly La Vernazza out of the Furious Stakes with a leg injury.
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Moonee Valley also have some top racing on hand with Humidor (now with Chris Waller) and another Kiwi bred Surprise Baby in the Feehan. Surprise Baby, by Shocking, is expected to run well fresh and is solid in the market at $2.80 ahead of Harbour Views and Sirrconi, the one to beat, with Humidor not fancied at $21.

And I note that the former Kiwi Wertheimer runs for the Bussutin-Young yard in Race 3 and he was impressive when he made a winning debut for his new yard. Hit the Shot is a tough rival. Also looking forward to the clash between Age of Chivalry and the Showcasing five-year-old Shownmanship, winner of 6 from 7.

Rothfire is now a slot holder in the Everest having been named as the runner for MiRunners with the three-year-old from the Heathcote yard having won six of his seven starts. He trialled exceptionally well a few days back.

Rachael King in fine form at Wyong yesterday winning the Cup on the Team Freedman trained galloper Paths of Glory over The Lord Mayor by a neck denying Chris Waller his 8th win in the big race. Then later in the day she won the Mona Lisa for Godolphin and James Cummings.
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In NZ, Te Akau have a strong hand at the meeting producing Avantage as a warm favourite in the Foxbridge Plate and two smart young gallopers, Need I say More ($3.50) and Your Point ($4.20) in the Northland Breeders Stakes with Jamie Richard saying that Never I say More has thrived since trialling.

The Baker-Forsman yard also have two smart three-year-olds in the race, Suffused and Unition for the China Horse group and Suffused, to me, will be a tough rival for the Te Akau pair, after being ever so impressive in winning at debut.

I see that the Pike stable produced The Irishman, by Tavistock, for a dashing maiden win at Avondale on Thursday at $1.30 and he came from the rear to win. Pike purchased the youngster out of the Cambridge Stud draft for $170,000 and he rates him ever so highly. Now he will head him towards the Hawkes Bay Guineas.

Cambridge Stud has hoisted the full house sign over the door of the European champion three-year-old of his time, Almanzor, the third time to has occurred. He stands at the stud at a fee of $30,000 plus GST.

Jockey Ryan Hurdle has been outed for 10 meetings after being found guilty of deliberately striking a rival horse on the head with his whip in a race at Murray Bridge last week.

Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh has established a satellite stable at Riccarton in the South Island and the small team is enjoying wonderful success including a treble at Riccarton last weekend with Jojo Roxx, Glorious Ocean and Bronte Beach, with the first two ridden ever so well by Sam Wynne, who is with the staff at the stables.
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In the UK Enable meets six rivals in the September Stakes at Kempton as the great mare builds towards the Arc and a clash with the brilliant filly Love.

And at Haydock in the UK the soon to be bound to stud at Cambridge in New Zealand, Youmzain tackles the Betfair Sprint as he heads to become the second multiple winner of the event. He has been in fine form this season with that win in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot and second in the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville for Kevin Ryan.

In France Siskin clashes with the brilliant Pinatubo in the Prix du Moulin.

Kentucky Derby weekend with Tiz the Law a warm favourite for the Classic with no paying spectators and the prospect of protests not that far away from the racetrack.
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This Covid 19 virus is certainly making things hard for European horses heading Down Under and I see a report in the UK press that some staff from leading stables may have problems. European trainers are worried they may not arrive, but that will depend, I gather, on whether their booked flights eventuate. "We are just hoping that the airlines honour these that are booked," said a Racing Victoria spokesman. One trainer likely affect is Roger Charlton who has the Cox Plate in the sights of Aspetar.

German stayer Ashrun is now in the Australian Bloodstock stable and he is a likely Melbourne Cup runner for Andreas Wohler and I note that the money has started to roll in for the recent second placegetter in the Prix Kergolay behind Call the Win.

Here is another international to throw into the Cups mix, Telecaster … winner at a mile and a half at Deauville on the weekend for trainer Hughie Morrison. After that win Ladbrokes have quoted the son of New Approach at 33-1 for both the Arc and the Melbourne Cup and have him tighter for the Caulfield Cup,22-1. “I'll work out shortly where he will go," said Morrison., He is in the Arc and also a couple of races in Germany and also Australia."

Meantime racing in Hong Kong gets underway after a seven-week break. with the 88-meeting season commencing this weekend and ending in July. David Hayes will kick of his season in Hong Kong and I see that he has five runners as he replaces the great John Moore, who of course is now settling in Sydney. Back in 1995 Hayes commenced that period of time in Hong Kong with a winner … and he has a handy group to kick off with Metro Warrior one of his best chances. And, of course, the main hope in his year is the former Moore-trained Beauty Generation.