That was race 103 for Slick, and he went a beauty - 5th. Gallions Reach hasn't been himself this season, and he was way back again in the Kelt.

But the winners, believe it or not, were...

Kelt Stakes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Delo6epA2c

VOSNE ROMANEE
55-1 longshot. He started favourite in 8 stakes races in a row last season, including a G1 - finished in the first five in all of them but didn't win any. He ran a couple of bad races to start this season, so we all forgot about him...oops. Was it a fluke, or a break-out?

Daffodil was a bit unlucky. She didn't have anywhere to go until it was too late and she could only get 4th. Don't know if she could have got past VR anyway though.


Hawke's Bay Guineas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k264nTjKBKQ
KEYORA
Less of a longshot than VR, but still 40-1. He won a maiden on Windsor Park Plate day, then came back 2 weeks later and won the G2 Guineas! The trainer rates him highly though - had nominated him for the Caulfield Guineas in Melbourne but is going to go for the NZ 2000 Guineas instead (which he is now a 14-1 chance in, after being 100-1 last week).

:confused:
Crazy.

Huge upsets all over the world today. :eek:

Thanks for the replay. Daffodil can't win every one and it was a nice 4th.

Oh God and Sir Slick. I'll just never get tired of seeing him!

Thought the announcer was gonna have a heart atack when Keyora won!

"... another year in him"? :confused: :(

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...013405,00.html

No no no! :( Poor guy.

I hope they do whatever's in the horse's best interest (DON'T RUN!).

Back here, there's a great card of racing at Trentham tomorrow with three stakes - the Wellesley for 2yos, the G3 Cuddle Stakes for fillies and mares and the G2 Wellington Guineas for 3yos. It's going to be a very wet track down there though.

And here in Auckland there's a really really nice card at Ellerslie - there are no stakes, but there are some awesome fields. The first race of the day is a 3yo race with some nice runners (Green Cash and Marsh Harbour look like names to remember).

Then Donthassleme (rated a very big chance in the 2000 Guineas - 12-1) is having his first race as a 3yo and there's a 2yo race with first-starters from all the top stables.

Later in the day, excellent older horses like Panama, Striker, Black Panther, La Etoile, Glamorous Girl, The Mooseisloose and 2006 Derby winner Wahid are all running. I'm really excited about going there tomorrow. :)

How fun!

Have a great time!!!

* * *

Sir Slick has been scratched (!!!).

WHEW.

That's the best news I've heard in a while.

Been meaning to ask you... how are Prince of Wales and the horse who beat Daffodil (can't remember the name!) doing?

Any changes in your predictions at the start of this thread?

Just wondering. :)

I think Prince Of Wales must have had some injury problems - they dropped out of the 2000 Guineas. But he came 3rd in his first race of the season last week and is entered in the G1 Levin Classic (late November).

And do you mean the Kelt winner, Vosne Romanee? He's having a bit of a rest at the moment I think. His next target is the G1 Zabeel Classic on Boxing Day.

My selections aren't going well! Bally Duff was sold overseas, Mufhasa's had a disappointing spring and Shanzero had to retire because of injury. Don't know what's going on with Tell A Tale. But St Germaine and Masquerade are doing well, and Daffodil's going OK.

My new pick for best male 3yo is Keyora. He was amazing today! I'll post the replay soon.

Here are the replays.

Wellesley Stakes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOec82I8NFY
Big River's 2-for-2 now and has looked so much better than both of the fields he's raced against.

Wellington Guineas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tRz79ejuFk
How was this horse 40-1 when he won the Hawke's Bay Guineas? Looks like the best colt we've got at the moment.

Thanks for posting replays!

I had to read back through the thread... Woodbury Belle was the horse I meant.

Hope to see Tell a Tale back soon and nice news about Prince of Wales.

Since beating Daffodil, Woodbury Belle has had a 4th, a 3rd (in the G3 Foxbridge Plate), a 12th and a 2nd.

She's had 65 starts now for 12 wins, 7 seconds, 5 thirds and 11 fourths and $161,975. She's never quite reached the top level, but she's not a bad horse.

And coincidentally, Tell A Tale had his first start in ages today...and won! :)

He's now being set for the G2 Coupland Mile at Riccarton next month.

Great news!!!

Thanks for the Woodbury Belle update too.

Kinda sad that Nom du Jeu was retired...

Yeah it is sad, but he hasn't looked interested in racing in his last couple of starts. Now he has another career to look forward to. Haven't heard anything about which stud he might go to.

Today was another really good Guineas prep race, and it was won by King's Ransom (he looks so much like his dad, King's Chapel, who won the 2000 Guineas in 2003).

King's Ransom had a really bad trip but still won against a strong field. Here's the replay: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qw99JdIrBxc

And there's one more awesome 3yo race tomorrow, with The Heckler, Kaaptan, Joey Massino, Warrentherooster, St Germaine, Katie Lee, Aspinal and an undefeated horse called Finderskeepers, who I think could be very, very good. Can't wait!

Yeah you're right but still... we know how good he could have been!

Oh well...

NIce replay. I'll have to watch his dads race some time.

Embarrassing but since Katie Lee is the only name I know I shall root for her! :D

Hey, you're good at this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnUAqLviiy0
Very nice win. And 11-1 - nice pick!

But she's going to the 1000 Guineas, so I don't think this race told us anything about the 2000 - Finderskeepers was brave, but he didn't look quite good enough today to beat Keyora or King's Ransom in the big one.

Forgot to check this thread earlier.... good for her! :) :tro:

I love that race caller by the way... what's his name?

Thanks for the replay, ed.

That's George Simon. He does all the tracks in the top half of the North Island of NZ - so he does loads of the big races (like the Derby and the Auckland Cup at Ellerslie).

I think he's the best in NZ. But I would think that, since he's the caller at all of the tracks that are near me!

Thanks, ed!
* * *
Hey not terribly important but do you remember this one?

http://www.hkjc.com/english/pp_formsheet/fse_K311.pdf

Looked nice winning his barrier trail (HK). :)

I do! I was at the track at Ruakaka when he won his first start. Looked very nice that day.

Then he did well in the Bonecrusher Stakes and he ran an awesome race in the Hawke's Bay Guineas - a close 4th to Tell A Tale.

Ignore his run in the Wellington Guineas - didn't handle the wet track that day.

I think he's a pretty good horse. :)

2 weeks tomorrow until the 2000 Guineas. :)

Quite a few have pulled out after disappointing performances last weekend or slight injury setbacks. There are only 19 left now...

Clapton
Corsage
Descarado
Finderskeepers
I Am Sam
Joey Massino
Justanexcuse
Kaaptan
Katie Lee
Keyora
King's Ransom
Military Move
Numero De Lago
Slashing
Smokin' Gun
Summer Surprise
Volente
Warrentherooster

3 of those are fillies - Corsage, Katie Lee and Volente.

Keyora's still the one everyone's picking - he's 4-1 - and he deserves to be, because he's done nothing wrong at all in winning two of the main prep races (the Hawke's Bay and Wellington Guineas). Very professional, and the trainer (who usually only says stuff like "a nice stakes horse") calls him a "superstar".

King's Ransom and Katie Lee were both very impressive in winning stakes races last weekend as well. They're both at 5-1.

The more I watch the race of Finderskeepers for second behind Katie Lee, the more I like it. He had a really tough trip, and it was only his 3rd career race. I wouldn't be surprised if he improved heaps. He's 9-1.

Warrentherooster has done nothing wrong this season - a stakes win and two stakes placings. A really consistent horse. You can say the same about Military Move, who has also been placed in two stakes races. They're both 12-1.

A bit of a longshot is one called I Am Sam. He's won his last 2 in a row really easily (in weak races). He won those by big margins, but he's still at 30-1.

Thanks for the updates, ed.

* * *

Make them stop it! :mad:

http://www.virtualformguide.com/cgi-...01sirslick.txt



Sir Slick To Run In Emirates
New Zealand trainer Graeme Nicholson says he intends to race Sir Slick in the Group One Emirates Stakes despite Racing Victoria stewards deeming him lame after the Mackinnon Stakes.

Sir Slick finished last in Saturday's Group One event at Flemington.

The on-course vet said Sir Slick was lame in the off foreleg after the race and stewards deemed he would need a veterinary certificate before he ran again.

But Nicholson said Sir Slick was fine and would be entered for Saturday's feature.

"I don't think there is anything wrong with him, but will get the farrier to look at him on Tuesday," he said.

He put the horse's indifferent performance on Saturday down to missing the Cox Plate the previous week after stewards ruled he was unfit because of a hoof injury.

"He was underdone yesterday because of that," Nicholson said.

:( :confused:

That's absolutely disgusting.

Monaco Consul's part-owner, Gerard Peterson - "I'd like to go to the Derby at Ellerslie with him. I've never had a horse good enough to win that."

Ooh, I hope he does. :D

:)

The McKees gave Boundless (winner of the 2007 NZ Oaks) one more chance in a G3 at Ellerslie yesterday. If she ran another bad race, they would decide she's had enough and retire her.

Replay: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmin2LlGVls

Wow! Great to see her back! :)

Did she run in the Melbourne Cup last year or am I an idiot?

What's next for her?

Yes she did run it last year - 2 miles was a bit too far.

She's going to the Zabeel Classic on Boxing Day next. It's a G1 over the same distance at the same track, so she would have to be a big chance if she runs as well as that again.

Here's a nice picture I just found of our 2000 Guineas favourite, Keyora.


3 days to go. I'll pack my bags tomorrow. :)

OK, here's the field for Saturday's 2000 Guineas:

1 X8111 Keyora 3 85 56.0 Hayden Tinsley John Wheeler, New Plymouth
2 1X451 King's Ransom 2 84 56.0 Leith Innes Mark Walker, Matamata
3 318X8 Kaaptan 17 80 56.0 Lisa Allpress Stephen McKee, Ardmore
4 1X240 Joey Massino 1 79 56.0 Vinnie Colgan Peter McKay, Matamata
5 1122 Descarado 5 77 56.0 David Walker Kevin Myers, Wanganui
6 123 Military Move 14 75 56.0 Mark Du Plessis Shaune Ritchie, Cambridge
7 X2133 Warrentherooster 13 75 56.0 Sam Spratt Peter McKay, Matamata
8 211 I Am Sam 16 74 56.0 Noel Harris Bryce Revell, New Plymouth
9 13X84 Justanexcuse 9 74 56.0 Kelly Myers Lisa Latta, Awapuni
10 01197 Slashing (AUS) 6 74 56.0 Craig Grylls Mike & Paul Moroney, Matamata
11 115 Summer Surprise 11 73 56.0 Lance Robinson Les & Richard Didham, Riccarton
12 9X214 Smokin' Gun 12 69 56.0 Buddy Lammas Craig Thornton, Cambridge
13 X4X46 Clapton 7 68 56.0 Jamie Bullard Joanne Hillis, Wingatui
14 2X168 Numero De Lago (AUS) 15 67 56.0 Chris Johnson Mark Walker, Matamata
15 18X31 Katie Lee (AUS) 4 80 54.5 Opie Bosson Graeme & Debbie Rogerson, Tuhikaramea
16 5X342 Corsage 8 76 54.5 James McDonald (a) Mark Walker, Matamata
17 81 Volonte 10 68 54.5 Robert Hannam Tommy Beckett, Ascot Park

And the odds:

$4.00 Keyora
$5.50 King's Ransom
$6.00 Katie Lee
$7.00 Corsage
$11.00 Descarado
$14.00 Military Move
$16.00 Kaaptan
$16.00 Warrentherooster
$18.00 Smokin' Gun
$21.00 Joey Massino
$21.00 Justanexcuse
$31.00 Numero De Lago
$31.00 Slashing
$51.00 I Am Sam
$61.00 Clapton
$61.00 Summer Surprise
$101.00 Volonte

Keyora deserves to be the favourite. It's an awesome and very even field, but I think he's going to be really hard to beat.

I'm off to Christchurch tomorrow for a week - 3 days of racing, with both the 2000 and 1000 Guineas, and lots of nights out drinking with friends...perfect way to celebrate the end of a really hard university year. :D

I might be able to get online and post replays and stuff during the week, but otherwise I'll do it all when I get back. Have a good week!

The 2000 Guineas winner for 2009 is...

Katie Lee!

Replay: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8Hyvcnk1EI

She's had nine starts now - eight of them in stakes races - for 4 wins, 3 seconds and 1 third.

She's the 5th filly to beat the boys in the 2000 Guineas. On Saturday, she'll try something no other horse has ever done - the 2000 Guineas-1000 Guineas double. She's an even-money favourite to pull it off.

If she runs like that again, I don't think any filly can get near her in the 1000.

Other stakes races from Guineas day...

Pegasus (Coup Align might be the fastest horse I've ever seen): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Iy0kNB87PU
Metropolitan (My Scotsgrey could be a Melbourne Cup horse next year): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lRHvaLu1ig

Oh absolutely thrilled!!!!!

Very late here but trying to catch up... cheers to this girl!:) :tro:

Yesterday was a really nice G2 race. Tell A Tale ran very well but couldn't quite catch Wall Street - a son of Montjeu who has now won 6 out of 9 and looks outstanding. :)

Replay: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giqGv-F5HBw

Now here's the field for Katie Lee's attempt at history in the 1000 Guineas...

1 8X311 Katie Lee (AUS) 4 90 56.0 Opie Bosson Graeme & Debbie Rogerson, Tuhikaramea
2 63312 Comme Tu Veux 2 78 56.0 Richard Yuill, Pukekohe Park
3 X4126 St Germaine 7 77 56.0 Mark Du Plessis John Sargent, Matamata
4 30X32 Eileen Dubh 14 76 56.0 Jonathan Riddell Francis Finnegan, Woodville
5 211 Keep The Peace 10 76 56.0 Hayden Tinsley Shaune Ritchie, Cambridge
6 5X134 Aspinal 19 75 56.0 Chad Ormsby Tony Pike & Mark Donoghue, Cambridge
7 41810 Masquerade 17 75 56.0 Buddy Lammas Stephen McKee, Ardmore
8 01102 Queen Sabeel 20 75 56.0 Michael Walker Graeme & Debbie Rogerson, Tuhikaramea
9 X9571 Gofonze 15 74 56.0 Kelly Myers Kevin Gray, Copper Belt Lodge, Palmerston North
10 9X226 Te Akau Rose 5 74 56.0 Jamie Bullard Mark Walker, Matamata
11 2211 Te Toro Lass 1 73 56.0 Noel Harris Graeme & Mark Sanders, Te Awamutu
12 Lime green & peacock blue halves, chequered sleeves & quartered cap 7X894 Lesley Brook 9 72 56.0 Chris Johnson Terry Kennedy, Wingatui
13 813 Our Ella Belle 6 70 56.0 James McDonald (a) Mark Walker, Matamata
14 7X12 The Grey Storm 13 69 56.0 Andrew Calder Ross Elliot, Cambridge
15 6X248 Croix Du Sud 11 68 56.0 Kylie Williams Mark Walker, Matamata
16 45271 Howbaddouneedit 3 68 56.0 Jason Laking Tarsha & Michael Stokes, Waikuku
17 155 Our Tigress (AUS) 18 68 56.0 Craig Grylls Mike & Paul Moroney, Matamata
18 233 Sandie 8 68 56.0 Leith Innes Mark Walker, Matamata
19 2255 Ekstra Dane (B1) 12 59 56.0 Bryce Revell, New Plymouth

It's a very good field of fillies, but if Katie Lee is as good as I think she is and as good as she looked last Saturday, she should be the one.

Here are the odds:

$2.00 Katie Lee
$6.50 Keep The Peace
$7.00 St Germaine
$12.00 Our Ella Belle
$21.00 Aspinal
$21.00 Eileen Dubh
$26.00 Comme Tu Veux
$26.00 Te Toro Lass
$31.00 Gofonze
$31.00 Masquerade
$31.00 Our Tigress
$31.00 Queen Sabeel
$31.00 Te Akau Rose
$51.00 Sandie
$61.00 Lesley Brook
$61.00 The Grey Storm
$81.00 Croix Du Sud
$101.00 Ekstra Dane
$101.00 Howbaddouneedit

Hope she does it!!!!!

* * *

OHMYGOD... :tro: :{>: :cool:

Sir Slick Wins in New Zealand
New Zealander Sir Slick has put paid to a controversial spring campaign in Australia with victory on home soil in the Group Three Tauranga Stakes.

At his 106th start, eight-year-old Sir Slick won the 1600m feature by 2-3/4 lengths from Casa de Campo.

Trainer Graeme Nicholson was incensed when vets ruled Sir Slick out of the Cox Plate on October 24 on the grounds he was lame.

The gelding ran last in the Group One Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington a week later after which vets again said he was lame.

Nicholson had intended to run him in last week's Emirates Stakes but took the horse home instead.

Sir Slick has now won 21 races including 13 over 1600 metres and has amassed more than $1.8 million prizemoney.

http://www.virtualformguide.com/cgi-...14sirslick.txt

Here's the replay of Sir Slick's win. This, ladies and gentlemen, is a horse that's happy to be home. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2f2wrkVkZE

And the 1000 Guineas? Wow...can't even think of words for it. So I'll just post the replay. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kosgY57Ucfw

:)

Wow and Wow, ed!

Was almost in tears watching the old man and oh that girl!!!!!

Fantastic!!!!! :tro:

First entries for the NZ Derby...
http://www.nzracing.co.nz/downloads/Derby2010Noms.pdf

Katie Lee! Monaco Consul! Prince Of Wales!

And a whole bunch of horses with awesome pedigrees that haven't raced yet.