Trio Of Two-Year-Olds Impress In Winning Debut Performances
Firstly, the Lindsay Park-trained filly Catchy (Fastnet Rock) staged an excellent effort in coming from the tail of the field to win the Two-Year-Old Plate (1000m) at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
Craig Williams eased Catchy from her outside barrier (7) and she settled in last place in the seven-horse field, tracking a good tempo.
She improved nicely between runners rounding the home turn, went to third at the 100 metres and then finished far too well to score by a neck, seemingly with something in hand, in a time of 58.58 on the Good4 track.
Catchy looked impressive and that was confirmed by excellent sectional times.
Clocked from the 800 metres, she ran 200 metre sections of 10.56, 11.40 (400m in 21.96), 11.37 (600m in 33.33) with her final 200 metres in 11.46 to give Catchy a fast last 800 metre time of 44.79.
“She was very impressive. She’s a Group One horse,” Williams said later.
Connections are now looking to aim Catchy towards the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) at Caulfield on 25 February.
Then at Kembla Grange on Saturday, the Gary Portelli-trained filly She Will Reign came out to score a brilliant win in the Two-Year-Old Maiden Handicap (1000m).
After a fast beginning, She Will Reign went straight to the front and then travelled well before increasing her lead from the 300 metres. She then raced away to score effortlessly by eight and a quarter lengths.
She Will Reign ran the 1000 metres in a fast 56.04 with her final 600 metres in a very fast 32.00 and now tackles tomorrow’s $500,000 Inglis Nursery Stakes (RL, 1000m) at Randwick where the TAB has her $1.80 favourite.
At Saturday’s Rosehill meeting, the Gerald Ryan-trained colt Chauffeur showed his potential in running on late along the rails to take out the Two-Year-Old Handicap (1100m).
After settling in third place on the rails from his inside barrier, behind a steady early tempo, Chauffeur got through on the inside from the 300 metres and finished a bit too well to win by a half neck from the Godolphin-raced colt Coorg (Denman).
The closing sectional times were really smart.
After a steady 400 metres (from the 1000m point), the pace picking up quickly (from the 600 metres) with 200 metre sections of 11.53, 10.58 and 10.64, giving Chauffeur a final 600 metres in 32.76 and final 400 metres in 21.22 – very fast closing times.
Chauffeur has now been set for the Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) at the Gold Coast on 14 January.
The runner up, Coorg’s performance also deserves to be highlighted.
He was ridden quietly by James Doyle and settled back in fourth place in the small five-horse field and was hindered in the straight when he put in his bid and his effort in running second, also on debut, was excellent.
Coorg also returned fast closing sectional times, with his last 600 metres in 32.73 and his last 400 metres in 21.26 and he is a horse to watch.
And while the Godolphin team had some misfortune in that race they had a good result later in the day at Flemington when the lightly raced gelding Khaki (Commands) put up an excellent effort in winning the Benchmark 70, 3YO (1200m).
Craig Williams settled Khaki back in tenth place, behind runners near the Grandstand side before sprinting quickly for an impressive late-closing win, scoring quite comfortably at the post by almost two lengths in a time of 1:09.92 on the Good3 track.
Clocked from the 1000 metres, Khaki ran 200 metre sections of 10.76, 11.02 (400m in 21.78), 10.83 (600m in 32.60), 11.08 (800m in 43.68) with his last 200 metres in 11.69 to give him a fast last 1000 metre time of 55.37.
It was only Khaki’s fourth race start and his second win, stepping up quickly in class after winning a Maiden Handicap (1200m) at Kembla Grange on 12 November.
There were two stakes races at Eagle Farm on Saturday with the promising Peter and Paul Snowden-trained mare Ravi (Redoute’s Choice) recording her first stakes win in taking out the Just Now Handicap (Listed, 1300m).
She was ridden patiently by Kerrin McEvoy and settled in eighth place before improving approaching the home turn. Ravi then sprinted quickly and after taking the lead at the 200 metres, she drew away to score by just over three lengths.
Racing on a Soft5 track, Ravi ran the 1300 metres journey in 1:17.76 (11.96 200m rate), equivalent to 1400 metres in 1:23.34. Sound time considering the Soft5 conditions.
Ravi was timed to run her final 1000 metres in a smart 58.00, last 800 metres in 46.36, last 600 metres in 34.40 with her final 400 metres in a quick 22.80.
The other stakes race on the Eagle Farm card, the Mode Plate (Listed, 1200m) was taken out by the lightly raced and promising Kurt Goldman-trained three-year-old filly Eckstein (I Am Invincible).
After a quick beginning from her wide barrier (11), Eckstein shared the lead and after a battle in the straight, she got to the front in the latter stages before fighting gamely to win by a half neck.
Time for the 1200 metres distance was steady 1:12.64 even considering the conditions which was mainly due to a moderate early pace but Eckstein’s final sectionals were quite impressive with her last 600 metres in 34.14, last 400 metres 22.36 and last 200 metres in 11.42.
Eckstein is now the winner of three of her six starts and she was stepping up from winning the Highway Handicap, Class 2 (1200m) at Randwick on 15 October and the Benchmark 70, 3YO (1200m) at Rosehill on 29 October.
She is a progressive filly who looks to have a good future.
Eagle Farm Sectional Times provided by www.dailysectionals.com.au