THE PETLEY REPORT: AUTUMN RESULTS ALREADY HAVING AN IMPACT ON SPRING CARNIVAL MARKETS

By Jack Petley | Sunday, May 16, 2021

It is only autumn and the majors of the spring are many months away, but after racing in Australia yesterday there was movement in both of the majors, the $15m Everest and the Melbourne Cup. Nature Strip heads the Everest betting at $4.50 ahead of $6 Classique Legend, and $8 Masked Crusader. Then Anamoe and Stay Inside at $11 and then the movers, John O'Shea's boom Per Incanto sprinter Lost and Running, Eduardo and Gytrash sitting on $13 with Lost and Running and Eduardo scoring outstanding wins and Gytrashy a solid 3rd in the Goodwood after being of the scene for some six months.

Nature Strip and Masked Crusader have already been claimed by slot holders and Classique Legend only needs to show worthwhile form following his return from Hong Kong to be named a runner by Bon Ho. And those end-to-end wins by Lost and Running in Sydney and Eduardo in the Doomben 10,000 certainly have slot holders taking attemtion. John O'Shea said after the Luskin Star win that he had has interest for the Everest and he is expecting that interest to strengthen this week. "We will just sit down and wait to see if holders were impressed." I Certainly was. The sprinter was always in command and I liked the way he drove clear when asked for an effort.

And Eduardo did the same. He went through a very fast first 600 metres when under pressure, but was clearly too strong, too fast for his rivals. "A real bulldog," said an elated Joe Pride. "He goes to the paddock now and then I can't wait for the spring." Wild Planet rushed home late for second in the Doomben 10,000 and he too looks a sprinter well above the average.

The other mover in the market for the spring was the dashing Ramsden 2800 metres winner, Real of Flowers, at Flemington. The So You Think four-year-old mare for Team Freedman came into the race on that unlucky run in the Sydney Cup, and she crushed her rivals. Before the race she was at $51 for the Melbourne Cup, now she is at $18 and assured of a run as the Ramsden winner gets a place in the rich two miler. Realm of Flowers cost James Bester $180,000 out of a Arrowfield draft and she has won more than half a million and with much more to come.

Other impressive winners at Flemington, Bons Aboard, Declares War and the debut two-year-old winner, Mimosas.

Gytrash was game in his return to racing in the Group 1 Goodwood and there is no doubt the race will improve him greatly. The winner was Savatoxil, a $8000 purchase out of the Inglis Gold Yearling Sale. with that sale carded for this week at Oaklands. That win was his 16th from 28 starts and his bank balance a very healthy $725,000.

A group of Kiwis gained success with the Kris Lees trained Midland in the $300,000 Inglis Guineas at Rosehill Gardens. By Brazen Beau he was purchased out of an Inglis sale by Kiwi Bruce Perry for $500,000 out of the Classic Sale and yesterday he took his record to four wins for his owners who include Lib Petagna, Waikato Stud's Mark and Gary Chittick, Mark and John Carter of Jomara, Greg Clarke, David and Vicki Wilson and Jamieson Park's James Chapman. "He was an expensive yearling but he has always been a nice horse since day one," said Lees, who said since the horse has been gelded he has come along in leaps and bounds.

The six-year-old Albumin scored a fine win in the Ortensia Stakes of Tommy Berry who was in wonderful form yesterday winning also on Achiever for Chris Waller, Count de Rupoee for the Price family who are making many a successful raids into the City from their bases on the South Coast, and Lost and Running.

Berry now sits on 91 wins for the season and he still highly likely to make a race of the Premiership with James McDonald on 102.

In Brisbane there was a real upset in the Rough Habit with the 124-1 shot Criminal Defence taking out the big race over Kukaracha and Senor Toba. Criminal Defence won in the hands for Michael Rodd and for trainers Peter and Will Hulbert. It was the three-year-old’s second win of his career having been successful in a maiden over 1200 metres back in November.

An impressive winner at Doomben was the Rob Heathcote trained two-year-old Prince of Boom. The youngster made his debut last Sunday and won and then stepped up to the $250,000 Group 2, Spirit of Boom Classic and the colt was just far too good for his rivals. Prince of Boom was offered for auction but did not sell and Heathcote purchased him for $20,000 in a later sale.

In the UK Frankie Dettori was successful on Palace Pier in the Lockinge Stakes and the 50-year-old rates the galloper ever so highly.