THE PETLEY REPORT: ALL EYES ON THE BIG MONEY PURCHASE ZARASTRO WHO IS ON DEBUT AT RANDWICK

By Jack Petley | Saturday, December 19, 2020

I will be watching with much interest two races in Australia this afternoon, Race 1 at Royal Randwick, at 12.40 and Race 8 at Doomben at 5.52.

The Randwick race, over 1200 metres has that very smart colt Paulele, by Dawn Approach, the favourite in the market at $2.50 and a brilliant debut winner for James Cummings and Godolphin … but the two attracting most attention are the Chris Waller colts, Zarastro, an I am Invincible colt who cost just over $1m on the Gold Coast and Coastwatch, a three quarter of a million purchase out of the William Inglis sale ring.

Waller already has the two early favourites for the Magic Millions, the Breeders Stakes winner Shaquero and that brilliant winner of the Wyong MM She's All Class, with the first named sitting at just over $4 with most agencies for the Magic Millions while She's All Class is around $5. Zarastro will be ridden by Hugh Bowman today with the brilliant Kiwi James McDonald will be on the Coastwatch.

In the race at Doomben there is great interest in the Deep Field three-year-ld filly Isotope, who has won 3 from 6 for the Gollan yard and is a hot favourite for the $200,000 Gold Edition Plate at less than $2 and in fact as short as $1.65 in the latest market. Isotope won her last race by some three lengths in a canter and from all accounts she has trained on so well since, but there is solid support for the 2020 MM winner Away Game from the powerful Maher-Eustace yard. David Eustace said in the media mid-week that the Snitzel filly was ready for a big effort and he felt at $4 was a good price and maybe just a little over the odds with Glen Boss to do the riding.

Craig Williams, Jake Noonan, Nash Rawiller and Luke Currie were stood down from their mounts yesterday in Victoria and replacement riders have been found for today with the riders being stood down as a precaution of their having recently beenin Sydney. They have been isolated until Covid results are known. And this latest cluster in Sydney has Racing Victoria looking at licensed folk who have been in the area to self-isolate if they arrive in Victoria.

I see that a crowd of 5000 has been approved for Boxing Day at Caulfield and this will be the first time since February that dining and corporate facilities will be available for guests and members.

While this is going on spare a thought for racing in the UK. Many areas in England have been lifted to the highest level of restrictions with the virus running rampant in many parts and racing is being held behind closed doors.

And also a little news on Hollie Doyle in the UK. She has firmed from 33-1 some weeks back to a second favourite at 9-4 for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year this Sunday. Formula One star Lewis Hamilton is the hot favourite at 2-5 but money has been rolling in for Doyle after her wonderful achievements during the year including that win at the Jockeys meet in Hong Kong.

Halvorsen and Sirius Suspect are two Aussie sprinters still among the entries for the Dubai carnival.

Samantha Collett was in fine form at the Otaki meeting booting home four winners.

Looking forward to seeing Opoie Bosson at Te Rapa today after his four wins there last week. He kicks off the day on the hot favourite Elephant for Emma-Lee and David Browne who has firmed in the last few hours from $2.10 to $1.75. The son of Shocking has won his two starts impressively and Emma-Lee told the NZ racing Desk the young galloper, "is still learning, but has class." Main danger, she says is Packing Rockstar ($3.40).