THE PETLEY REPORT: MASKED RANGER, PROBABEEL AND AYRTON STEAL THE SHOW ON A DAY OF HIGHLIGHTS

By Jack Petley | Sunday, August 29, 2021

There were highlights at the Kembla Grange meeting including James McDonald added four more wins to his seasons tally; Chris Waller was amongst the winners yet again and Bjorn Baker also had his share of good fortune, all Kiwi born, but the cream really rose to the top at the Caulfield meeting with three stunning winning runs, from Masked Crusader and two NZ breds, Probabeel and Ayrton. All won similar fashion, back in their small fields, out into the centre of the track off the home bend and powering over their rivals when asked for efforts.

Masked Crusader made light of his 60kgs dashing past his rivals ever so easily for Jye McNeil and within minutes having his Everest odds cut to $6. Likely the William Reid will be the next one for the Team Hawkes galloper as he builds to the Everest. "Bring that on," said co trainer, Wayne Hawkes. McNeil was in fine form and he also won on Tooradin and Turaah, who was impressive over 1400 metres.

The Cambridge Stud owned and Jamie Richards trained Probabeel was too classy for her rivals in the Cockram Stakes gathering in longshot Chassis late in the piece but always looking the winner. Damian Lane was excited about the prospects of the Savabeel mare heading into the spring with Richards saying that the Rupert Clarke in three weeks time will be her next run for the now winner of 11 of her 24 starts and with more than $3.2m in the bank … and with much more to come this spring with the mare holding major entries in both Melbourne and Sydney including the WS Cox Plate.

The Iffraaj galloper Ayrton kicked off his spring, with his main aim being the $7.5m Golden Eagle in Sydney, when he rolled past his rivals ever so easily in the Open Handicap over 1400 metres taking his record to five wins from six starts for the Kent-Price yard. He has now moved to $6.50 in the market for the Golden Eagle with the Savabeel four-year-old Mo’unga the favourite at $5.20. Next run for the boom young galloper will be at Flemington on September 11 and then a further run or two before the rich Golden Eagle in Sydney. John Allen was the winning rider and he rated the four-year-old ever so highly. "He is still very raw, but has he some power and he is going to get better as he matures. He is one heck of a racehorse," said Allen.

Also at Caulfield, Linda Meech turned in a fine ride to win on the SA galloper He's a Balter and No Effort gained a solid win in the Heatherlie Stakes.

Meantime, at Kembla Grange the Bott-Waterhouse three-year-old In the Congo gained a tough win for Tim Clark in the San Domenico taking the lead immediately and then holding out the heavily backed Paulele, with McDonald up, and with the Slipper colt Stay Inside out of the money. Now he will be aimed at the Golden Rose and he has that wonderful record of two wins and two placings from four. Bott holds the youngster in the highest of regard and said afterwards he felt the colt a real "short distance’ horse. “Races like the Roman Consul and the Coolmore could be ideal for him as the season progresses. He is putting it all together," said Bott.

James McDonald had a field day with four winners including the very promising Coastwatch in the Ming Dynasty and Our Intrigue in the Trophy, just getting up to beat the Bjorn Baker-trained, fellow Kiwi bred Off Shaw (so game in defeat) in the last stride. "She has come from New Zealand with a few little quirks," said Waller, “but my team has done a good job with her and James turned in a top ride." Coastwatch was also travelling like a winner in the Ming Dynasty and he looks headed for a bright spring for Waller.

McDonald also won on Royalzeel for Gary Portelli and on Andermatt for James Cummings, another wonderful day at the office for the Kiwi.

Bjorn Baker may have just lost with Off Shaw, but he gained a fine win with the so much in form stayer Harpo Marx in the Premiers Cup with Derby racing syndicated horses running first and second with Harpo Marx and Spirit Ridge. Baker, who enjoyed a wonderful season last term , finishing third on the ladder behind Waller and James Cummings, said the Newcastle Cup is on the agenda for the stayer and maybe, also the Metropolitan Handicap.

A handsome winner for Waller was the Sweynese four-year-old Signora Nera in the hands of young Brock Ryan, claiming 2kgs, and later in the day Ryan made it two with a win for veteran Randwick trainer Les Bridge on Madam Legend.

At Doomben the NZ bred London Banker, now with Kelly Schweida, made it three wins on end for the son of Tavistock after having won four in NZ for Roger James and Robert Wellwood. The import has now not been out of the money in four runs for the new stable and he does look above average for racing in Brisbane.

Another smart winner at Doomben, Weona Smartrone, by Shamexpress, and now a winner of six from seven for David Vandyke.

Mark Zahra was at the unwanted house party at Mornington mid-week which has Jamie Kah, amongst others, now sitting on the sidelines for three months and he, too, has been outed for that time. He can come back to riding late in November and as yet he has not been fined by Victorian Police like the rest of the group, but I would say that is forthcoming. He has three days to appeal. He had been looking towards a big spring and one of his likely mounts I see would have been the NZ bred mare Verry Elleegant with Sydney jockeys maybe not likely to be in Melbourne because of local commitments and, of course, that wretched virus causing border lockdown all around Australia.

And while on lockdowns New Zealand is also in lockdown, Level 4, and the Te Rapa meeting carded for the weekend has now been shifted to September 4, with the major race the Foxbridge Plate and the Hawkes Bay meeting, kicking off with the Tarzino is now on September 18.