Saturday Spotlight
Broadsiding (Randwick, Race 7 #3)
TRAINER: James Cummings
RACE: Champagne Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m)
Godolphin has made a late charge over the Autumn Carnival, racking up the feature racing wins.
This included last Saturday’s Fernhill Mile (Listed, 1600m) at Randwick with Too Darn Hot (Dubawi) colt Broadsiding.
Ridden by James McDonald for trainer James Cummings, Broadsiding really excelled at his first trip to Randwick, settling off a genuine tempo and rattling home for victory.
This was his fourth career start and first victory, after a last start third behind Lineback (Super Seth) and Anode (I Am Invincible) in the Baillieu Handicap (Gr 3, 1400m) at Rosehill.
The win certainly didn’t take trainer James Cummings by surprise.
He indicated post race that the stable thought he would “eat up the mile” and straight away turned his attention to this weekend, “I think he has everything you need to see to back up in the Champagne Stakes”.
Broadsiding is the first Australian stakes winner for Darley Stud’s first–season sire Too Darn Hot and comes from a historically black-type family.
Broadsiding’s dam Speedway (Street Cry) was a talent in her own right, winning multiple times at the NSW provincials.
With such a strong pedigree it is no surprise to see the market keeping him very safe in early betting.
His run against the bias in the Baillieu was a pearler and a repeat effort this Saturday will see him go very close.
Still with plenty of frame to grow into, he is definitely one to follow as his career progresses.
Sunsets (Mornington R4 #6)
TRAINER: Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
RACE: Handicap (2000m)
Sounds strange to claim that gate nine is a good draw for this three-year-old colt, but when you look back through the form guide, wide barriers (12, 13, 11) have plagued him at all three starts this campaign.
Being an open pace runner he has been flushed out wide and made to work overtime to find a
position in running.
That can all change here as he looks brilliantly placed by his trainers Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young.
While Sunsets (Dundeel) does draw wide again… now fourth up and at peak fitness, he will have the relevant muster to cross them and hold a forward position.
The last time this talented youngster had this set up, he knocked off now multiple Group 1 winner Riff Rocket (American Pharoah).
Sunsets was an astute $34,000 purchase by DJM Bloodstock at the 2021 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale, acquired from Segenhoe Stud.
He was then a notable $150,000 acquisition by Group 1 Bloodstock and Busuttin Racing at the 2022 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Bred by Fairway Thoroughbreds, Sunsets has emerged as the standout performer among two winners out of the Group-placed Fastnet Rock (Danehill) mare, Waterloo Sunset.
Sunsets was the 25th stakes-winner for Arrowfield Stud’s Dundeel and will look to add even further pedigree to that record this weekend.
It will be a very nervous first 200 metres but if he can cross the field unscathed he is a brilliant play.
Overpass (Race 8 #1)
TRAINER: Bjorn Baker
RACE: The Quokka (1200m)
The defending champ returns to the west where he is a massive fan favourite amongst punters.
In last year’s edition, Overpass (Vancouver) downed star mare Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni), and beat two of the west’s top three-year-olds.
He is now set for a rematch with a field very similar to last year’s and has shown no indication he has regressed since.
This five-year-old gelding out of Vancouver (Medaglia D’Oro) thrives on the firm surfaces at Ascot and there is no doubting he is a top level sprinter.
With nothing but clear skies and hot weather forecast he is set to get the perfect conditions once again to put his best foot forward.
Overpass was an astute purchase for Darby Racing / Will Johnson Bloodstock for just $75,000 from the Corumbene Stud draft at the 2020 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale Round 2.
The star gelding has now returned over $4.8 million dollars for connections.
Bred by Corumbene Stud, Overpass is the top performer among five winners.
His dam Walkway, a triumphant Exceed And Excel (Danehill) mare, traces her lineage to Boardwalk Bell (Bellotto), a half-sibling to the illustrious nine-time Group 1 champion, Northerly (Serheed).
With such a strong pedigree, it does beg the question how she was so missed by the market?
Regardless, the Darby team and trainer Bjorn Baker is now reaping the benefits.
The speedstar will be leading this for a long way and it just depends how further improved the WA crop has matured over the Summer.
Set for another electric edition of The Quokka.
Click here to see more from The Great Tipoff’s Luke Hovhanesian.