THE PETLEY REPORT: JUST HOW GOOD IS INCENTIVISE?
By Jack Petley | Sunday, June 27, 2021
How good is the four-year-old boom stayer Incentivise, by Shamus Award. That's what I was asking myself after the stayer had made a Group 3 field in the Tatts Cup over 2400metres look second and even third rate. He won by an astonishing 12 lengths and left some handy stayers behind including a Metrop winner. But they were not in the same class. He came off the home bend under a hold, and when let down put daylight between his rivals … putting together wins by 38.5 lengths in his last four races. He is now heading to Peter Moody as the winner of 6 from 9 and this is the horse that ran nearer last than first in his maiden debut at Toowoomba.
Bookmakers have a big view of Incentivise’s win. Immediately after the win he was promoted to 8-1 favourite for the Caulfield Cup and 13-1 favourite for the Melbourne Cup. Mount Poppa is next in the Caulfield Cup market on 13, then 15 Al Assay, Explosive Jack, and the NZ bred mare Verry Elleegant at 21-1 with a host of others at $26 including the NZ Oaks winner Amarelinha and the dual Oaks winner in Australia, Duais.
Explosive Jack sits second in the Mel;bourne Cup market at $18 and on the same line, Prince of Arran and Tiger Moth. Verry Elleegant and Zaaki are at 26.
The Ocean Park mare Tofane may not have won as easily as Inventivise but she still had her rivals well covered in the final stages of the Tatts Tiara with rider Craig Williams saying the win for the Mike Moroney trained mare was "easy." A further $360,0000 jumped into the bank and her owners must now be so pleased they decided not to sell her at the Gold Coast Broodmare Sale.
This win brought up solid figures for NZ breds in Australia and I note NZ bred horses have won 24 per cent of the Gr1 races. No immediate plans have been announced for the Tofane but Moroney did say he felt she could go over ground successfully so maybe, just maybe, the Cox Plate could be on the agenda next season.
The early market for the Cox Plate has Zaaki at $3.5, then Verry Elleegant, $8, and Anamoe, $13.
The rising three-year-old colt from NZ, Tutukaka, gained a solid $72,000 first prize yesterday at Eagle Farm with an easy win over four rivals over 1800 metres. The half-brother to Melody Belle, by Tavistock, is now to spell and then trainer Tony Pike, who was at the Tauranga races yesterday instead of Eagle Farm, said he would be aimed at the VRC Derby. The smart young galloper was sold through the Haunui Farm draft for $250,000 and he becomes the 31st stakes winner for the late Cambridge Stud sire Tavistock … his loss being a great one for the NZ industry.
Other winners on the day who were impressive … Zayydani, for the new combo of the Hayes Brothers, Shooting for Gold, won very easily once he gained a gap through the field 100 metres out, and Away Game with a late drive to head off Exhilirates.
That win by Zayydani for Ben and JD Hayes was impressive with the daughter of Savabeel powering away from her rivals in the final stages. That win gave the Waikato Stud sire his 19th stakes winner. The winner hails from one of the most successful NZ families … that of Ocean Park and Grunt. On hand to watch the victory, long time Hayes stable employee, Gary Hennessy.
At Rosehill Gardens Chries Waller gained his 150th winner for the Sydney season and he did it in style in the Barry Cook Handicap with Zing gaining the money and the stable providing the trifecta.
Great day for Brenton Avdulla, winning three,, Zing, Sweet Thomas (just outstayed his rivals over the 3200 metre journey) and Bandersnatch.
Regan Bayliss was not to be outdone, he gained three on the day too … Zoo Station, Mirra Vision and Brutality......... and, in Victoria, Damian Lane took home three wins.
Bjorn Baker, who is enjoying a stellar season, did not win a race at Rosehill but he did at Caulfield with the in-form three-year-old Malkovich. In his races in Sydney the young galloper liked to lead. This time he just sat off the pace and came with a withering finish for Damian Lane.
NZ bred Ballet Master caused an upset at 20-1 for Luke Currie in the Benchmark 78 and another solid winner at the track was Danny O’Brien’s Absolute Flirt, again for Damian Lane.
In NZ, a front running ride by Jonathan Riddell gained Popstar Princess a solid win in the Tauranga Classic and Divine Duke, who had been earlier planned to make a jumping debut shortly, was successful in the Kiwifruit Cup and so his jumps career may be put on hold but he will go for his hurdles ticket tomorrow said co trainer, Anrew Scott.
At Riccarton a debut winner for a youngster by Ghibellines, Palmetto, making a debut to racing without a trial but looked very promising.
In Japan today it is Kinen Stakes day with the Gr1 event with three of the nation’s top gallopers in the field, Chrono Genesis, Lei Papale, an unbeaten filly, and Mozu Bella. The winner here is likely to head towards the Arc later in the year so there is much interest in the race.
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