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#1
02-25-2012, 03:22 PM
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Ridiculous.
Mufhasa gets his 9th G1 win and this is the story on Racing Post? http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse...international/ I love Eagle Mountain too but come on... they're kind of missing the bigger story! Finally had a look at Veyrons nice win... was I imagining that Vosne Romanee did okaaaaay? Oh yeah, lest I forget....  9!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
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#2
02-25-2012, 06:56 PM
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Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Can't wait for number 10.
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#3
02-26-2012, 02:23 AM
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It's time to take a look at the Derby horses!
Let's start with the two fillies. First, the one everyone's talking about... SILENT ACHIEVER  3 f O'Reilly - Winning Spree Owner & Breeder: Valachi Downs Trainer: Roger James Jockey: James McDonald 6 starts 4 wins 1 second 1 third Major races: 1st G2 Championship Stakes 1st G2 Avondale Guineas 1st G3 Waikato Guineas 3rd G2 Eight Carat Classic (fillies) Derby odds: 2.20 (favourite) Positives: * Considered by many to be the best 3yo in NZ. * Roger James has trained four Derby winners. * Undefeated in races further than a mile. * Won three of the major Derby prep races. * Has beaten most of the Derby field. * Amazing ease and superiority in her three big wins against the boys so far. * Two stakes wins at the Derby track, Ellerslie. Negatives: * The history of fillies in the Derby. Only three fillies have won the Derby in the last 45 years, and none since Popsy (Rock 'n' Pop's mum!) in 1993. But I think Silent Achiever can break that drought. She has a great trainer and NZ's best jockey, and she has just looked so much better than every horse she's faced so far. I think she wins. BUT she's not the only filly in the race! ZURELLA  3 f Zabeel - Doneze Girl Owner & Breeder: The Oaks Stud Trainer: Shaune Ritchie Jockey: Jason Waddell 6 starts 4 wins 1 second 0 thirds Major races: 1st G2 Sir Tristram Fillies' Classic (fillies) 1st G3 Eulogy Stakes (fillies) Derby odds: 9.00 Positives: * Zabeel has sired three Derby winners. * Closely related to Australian champion Lonhro (Doneze Girl is out of his half-sister). * Shaune Ritchie won the Derby with Military Move. * Has shown great stamina and a very strong finishing kick. Negatives: * The history of fillies in the Derby. * Has only been racing against fillies so far, so the Derby will be her very first time taking on the boys. * Her only run at Ellerslie was the worst of her career. * Temperament - some concern that she might melt down in front of a big crowd. Everyone's (understandably) so caught up in the Silent Achiever hype that some aren't noticing this other filly in the race. But I think she is a genuine contender as well. She has the breeding and the talent to be a real force in the Derby. I'm just a bit concerned that she hasn't faced the boys at all before, and her only run at Ellerslie was a failure. Also, she has a tendency to get really agitated and nervous before a race - I'd be worried about her in front of a big Derby Day crowd.
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#4
02-26-2012, 12:19 PM
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I look so forward to this every year, ed... thank you! I know it takes up a lot of time.
Can't wait to read the next bunch! 
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#5
02-27-2012, 06:48 AM
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ROCK 'N' POP
 3 c Fastnet Rock - Popsy Breeder: Barnaby & Co Owner: Te Akau Stud Purchased for $1 million at 2010 NZ National Yearling Sale Trainer: Jason Bridgman Jockey: Matthew Cameron 7 starts 3 wins 2 seconds 1 third Major races: 1st G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas Derby odds: 6.50 Positives: * Won the 2000 Guineas - along with the Derby, that's one of NZ's two best 3yo races. It was a much bigger race and better field than any other Derby horse has been victorious in. * Incredible quality in his pedigree - by Australia and NZ's best sire of the season, and out of one of NZ's champion mares of the '90s, Popsy (1993 Derby winner). * Carries the famous orange and blue colours of Te Akau, the dominant force in NZ racing. Negatives: * Some question marks about the distance. * Only 1 win in three starts since the Guineas, and that win was in a close photo against a horse who failed next start. Not sure if he's really on his game. * Te Akau may dominate NZ racing, but they've NEVER won a Derby. They haven't gone closer than 3rd (Te Akau Nick 1991). This guy's performance to win the 2000 Guineas was possibly the best by any 3yo this season. That was an awesome field, and he had this incredible turn of foot that made them look like they were standing still. He hasn't been as good as that since, although his 3rd against older horses in the G1 International was very solid. His mother won the Derby, but his sire is much more speed-orientated. I think he's in the top two in this race in terms of quality, but I'm just not sure he'll run out a really strong 2400m. OCEAN PARK  3 c Thorn Park - Sayyida Breeder: Trelawney Stud Owner: A Wong, S Yan & G Hennessy Purchased for $150,000 at 2010 NZ National Yearling Sale Trainer: Gary Hennessy Jockey: Chad Ormsby 5 starts 3 wins 2 seconds 0 thirds Major races: 1st G3 Wellington Stakes 2nd G2 Great Northern Guineas 2nd G3 Waikato Guineas Derby odds: 4.50 Positives: * Never further back than 2nd in his career, and he's shown amazing acceleration. * He's performed strongly in three major Derby prep races. * He's another horse with great pedigree - by Thorn Park (sire of 2011 Derby winner Jimmy Choux) out of Sayyida, who was an amazingly talented mare whose promising racing career was cut short by injury. * He's rated highly enough by his connections to be targeting next year's Hong Kong Derby. Negatives: * Beaten without excuses by Silent Achiever in the Waikato Guineas. * Inexperience - he's had the fewest starts of any of the major contenders. Some of this horse's efforts have been breathtaking. He's a very special talent. He was the clear Derby favourite until the Waikato Guineas, when Silent Achiever came from behind him and went straight past him. He didn't do much wrong in that race, but he just ran into one better. I find it just a little hard to see him turn that around here. But he's a very solid place chance. Last edited by _ed_ : 02-27-2012 at 06:59 AM.
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#6
02-27-2012, 06:17 PM
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It's FINALLY confirmed. She's in!
http://www.theinformant.co.nz/racing...or-Derby-entry The other big news is the Moroney-trained filly Chicharita is also now in the Derby! They paid the late entry today. So we'll have a closer look at her in the next couple of days too. Last edited by _ed_ : 02-28-2012 at 04:46 AM.
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#7
02-28-2012, 04:53 AM
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SHUKA
 3 g Bachelor Duke - Alabama Rose Breeder: The Oaks Stud Owner: Parr Bloodstock Purchased for $20,000 at 2010 NZ National Yearling Sale (!!) Trainer: Peter & Dawn Williams Jockey: Hayden Tinsley 13 starts 3 wins 3 seconds 2 thirds 4 stakes fourths and fifths Major races: 1st G2 Wakefield Stakes (2yo) 2nd G2 Championship Stakes 2nd G2 Avondale Guineas 2nd Canterbury Stakes 3rd G3 Waikato Guineas 4th G2 Great Northern Guineas 5th G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas 5th G1 Diamond Stakes (2yo) 5th G1 Sires' Produce Stakes (2yo) Whew! Derby odds: 8.00 Positives: * He seems to run a terrific race every single time he steps out on a racetrack. * No doubts about the distance or about Ellerslie. Negatives: * He just never wins! You have to love Shuka. He hasn't run a bad race in his life, and he's always right there at the finish of every single race he runs in. But he hasn't had a major stakes win since January 2011, when he was a 2yo. He seems to just keep finding one or two that are better on the day, and most of the ones that have been beating him lately will be in this field. He'd be a popular winner, but another lovely placing looks like his best hope in the Derby. CHICHARITA  3 f Towkay - Trisynd Breeder: Suncroft Bloodstock Owner: Segenhoe Thoroughbreds Trainer: Michael Moroney & Andrew Clarken Jockey: ? 7 starts 3 wins 0 seconds 1 third Major races: 1st G2 Royal Stakes (fillies) Derby odds: 14.00 Positives: * A G2 winner over 2000m at Ellerslie against a strong field of fillies. * Trainer Moroney has won the Derby three times before (Great Command 1996, Cut The Cake 2003 and Xcellent 2004) Negatives: * A bit disappointing last start. * Regular jockey Chad Ormsby has opted for Ocean Park instead. * The decision to run in the Derby seems to be a last-minute change of heart. The Oaks was the main goal. Will she be at her peak for this? I loved this filly's performance in the Royal Stakes, and I think she's a massive chance in the New Zealand Oaks. I just don't like that the Derby wasn't in the plans until quite close before it, while so many others have been trained to peak on this day for the last few months. But the Moroney team are amazing and wouldn't put a horse in a race where they have no chance. Another problem I have is that her Derby jockey will most likely be riding her for the very first time in this race.
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