|
|
 |
|
#261
03-04-2014, 08:59 PM
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
A moment of extremes as I just now saw your Final Touch post and oh please... let her make it. edit - I just watched the replay.... wow she was great!!!! I am thrilled for you! Congrats!!!!! Last edited by my miss storm cat : 03-04-2014 at 09:28 PM. 
|
|
#263
03-05-2014, 05:08 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Haha yeah but at least she waited till after the race.
 Again, my friend... well done! Have yet to watch the other replays but will get to it. Wow Chintz and Who Shot Thebarman? Surprised! How great for their connections. 
|
|
#264
03-05-2014, 05:14 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Thanks! So special to win a race at Ellerslie on such a big day.
Yeah, surprising! But they were both impressive. And Rock Diva! Wow! Never heard of her before this race, but she was stunning. With Rising Romance heading to Sydney instead, Rock Diva's my NZ Oaks pick.
|
|
#265
03-05-2014, 05:18 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
If you have a sec can you please remind me of when that is (?).
Thanks!
|
|
#266
03-05-2014, 05:32 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
March 15, down at Trentham.
I'll try to post some more about it over the next few days. One more day at Ellerslie on Saturday first! Great fields. Can't wait to see Bounding again, and Silent Achiever. Hope they both win their races.
|
|
#267
03-05-2014, 05:35 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Quote:
This is my new favorite time of year for racing. Cannot find a thing on Final Touch so will hope that no news is good news. Poor girl.
|
|
#268
03-06-2014, 10:56 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Latest update: http://www.nzracing.co.nz/News/12514...the-fight.aspx
|
|
#270
03-09-2014, 11:49 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
How great was that seeing Silent Achiever win like that?
... and oh Historian! Just a brave horse who doesn't quit. Sneaky good ride on Soriano (that was her and MDP along the rail, right?). No shame for Shuka or any of the rest... great field, great race! I am only caught up on about half the races but the problem is I have to watch them a few times each cause they are so fantastic.
|
|
#271
03-12-2014, 04:19 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Ed why is Ric McMahon listed as the jock for Chop Chop in the Oaks?????
Where is Opie? 
|
|
#272
03-13-2014, 02:12 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
His weight problems have returned, sadly.
It's been really hard for him throughout his career. He's taken the rest of the month off to try to get it under control. His weight is too high for the Chop Chop mount anyway. I really hope he can get through this and come back better than ever.
|
|
#273
03-13-2014, 03:31 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
With her amazing performance in the Derby, Rising Romance showed she’s clearly the best filly in the country (over classic distances, anyway – I haven’t forgotten you, the ball of electrifying speed known as Bounding). Her connections have opted for a short rest, followed by a trip to Sydney to take on the Australians, so her absence really affects this Oaks field.
Here’s the odds at the moment. Miss Selby 2.80f Rock Diva 4.50 Moozoon 8.50 Chop Chop 8.50 Include 12 Sports Illustrated 14 The Fire Inside 16 Hot Rod 18 Miss Mossman 21 Far Fetched 25 Tiara 30 Queenoftheamazon 41 Zanotti 41 Eyeful Tower 81 It’s worth noting that Waikato Stud bred and own three of these fillies. Sports Illustrated, Far Fetched and Tiara will all carry their white, green and blue silks. Amazing feat! Let’s take a look at some of the leading contenders: MISS SELBY  O’Reilly – Singing Star 6:2-3-1 1st Lowland Stakes (G3) 2nd Desert Gold Stakes (G3) 2nd Eulogy Stakes (G3) Trained by John Bary (of Jimmy Choux fame), this filly has done everything exactly right this season. She came second to Spellbinder in a maiden on debut, then cleared maidens next time out. From there it was straight to stakes level, and she produced flying finishes to finish second in both the Eulogy and Desert Gold Stakes. Those races were both over a mile, and it was obvious she was going to improve when she stepped up over more distance. That happened in the Lowland, and she won it impressively. The mile and a half is going to suit her. ROCK DIVA  Lucky Unicorn – Bohemian Blues (so a half-sister to multiple G1 winner SHAMROCKER) 4:2-1-1 1st Sunline Vase (G3) A filly most of us hadn’t really heard of before the Sunline Vase, Rock Diva produced one of the most spectacular performances all week to win that key Oaks prep at Ellerslie. She made us all go, “Wait, who’s that? Oh my... Wow!” She was jaw-dropping. And the 2400m should pose no problems. Owned by Raffles, trained by Pike/Donoghue and ridden by Innes, the connections are exactly the same as 2013 Oaks winner More Than Sacred. History could be about to repeat. MOOZOON  Perfectly Ready - Mizzna 9:4-1-0 1st Desert Gold Stakes (G3) 2nd Sunline Vase (G3) Bred and owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum and trained by Stephen McKee, this filly has had an outstanding 3-year-old campaign. She won four races in a row through the summer, including a win over Oaks favourite Miss Selby in the Desert Gold Stakes at Trentham (the Oaks venue) in January. But there are some lingering doubts about her stamina – doubts that weren’t eased with the way Rock Diva ran straight past her in the Sunline Vase. CHOP CHOP Guillotine – Go Hayley Go 7:2-1-1 4th Sir Tristram Fillies’ Classic (G2) 5th Lowland Stakes (G3) Suddenly captured everyone’s attention with a highly impressive win at Trentham in January. Hasn’t had a lot of luck in her two stakes tries since that win, and deserves to be forgiven for her disappointing results. Trained by Shaune Ritchie, who’s a two-time Oaks winner – Keep The Peace (2010) and Artistic (2012). INCLUDE Gallant Guru – She’s Snubbed 7:5-0-0 1st Dunedin Guineas (L) 1st Southland Guineas (L) The mystery horse of the field. She’s compiled a massively impressive record in her career so far, but all of her racing has been in the traditionally weaker South Island. But she has beaten male horses in stakes races in her last two starts, including a five-length romp in the Southland Guineas last time. She handles all track conditions, which could be in her favour if the rain predicted for Wellington this weekend hits before the Oaks.
|
|
#274
03-13-2014, 05:38 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Thank you for the news re Opie and for the Oaks insight!
I hope you'll have time to do the rest of the field (and if not of course I understand but I do so love and appreciate this)! Can't wait!
|
|
#275
03-13-2014, 05:58 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Just read a blurb about Cyclone Lusi...
Stay safe.
|
|
#276
03-13-2014, 11:36 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Yeah, it's sounding a bit dramatic! Hope it doesn't hit before I go home from work tonight...
Anyway, the rest of the Oaks fillies: MISS MOSSMAN Mossman – Dane Promise 18:2-2-2 2nd Lowland Stakes (G3) 5th Sir Tristram Fillies’ Classic (G2) 7th New Zealand 1000 Guineas (G1) Trained by John Sargent, who came so close to winning this race with Quintessential a couple of years ago. But this filly doesn’t seem to be quite on the same level as her, although she’s coming into this race on the back of the strongest performance of her career to date – a solid-closing second to Oaks favourite Miss Selby in the Lowland. Distance shouldn’t be a problem. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED Fast ‘N’Famous – Pin Up 6:2-1-1 4th Sunline Vase (G3) Probably the best of the Waikato Stud trio. A couple of very classy performances in lower grades, followed by a second to Moozoon at New Plymouth and a fast-finishing fourth in the Sunline. I really like this filly, but I’m not sure if she’s quite ready for a G1. THE FIRE INSIDE Sir Percy – Burning Desire 7:2-1-2 3rd Sir Tristram Fillies’ Classic (G2) 12th New Zealand Derby (G1) Ran the first bad race of her career in the NZ Derby last time, 14 lengths behind Puccini. She’s better than that, and she might prove it here – if the Derby run didn’t take too much out of her. HOT ROD Pentire – Little Deuce Coupe 12:2-2-1 3rd Sunline Vase (G3) 7th Sir Tristram Fillies’ Classic (G2) 7th Championship Stakes (G2) 10th Desert Gold Stakes (G3) Coming into this race on the back of a career-best effort in the Sunline at big odds. Her race there was unexpectedly good, and it’s hard to know whether it was a fluke or we should expect more of the same in the Oaks. Either way, stamina shouldn’t be an issue for her. FAR FETCHED Pins – Beyond 5:1-1-2 3rd Lowland Stakes (G3) 7th Desert Gold Stakes (G3) She was disappointing in her first stakes try in the Desert Gold, but took a huge step forward in the Lowland. She could be getting good at the right time. QUEENOFTHEAMAZON Savabeel – Thalestris 4:1-0-0 No stakes races Only a maiden win to her name from four starts so far, so has a huge step up here. But she’s trained by Stephen McKee, who won an Oaks with Boundless. Moozoon looks the more likely filly of his two this year, though. TIARA O’Reilly – Royal Lady 7:1-1-1 No stakes races Granddaughter of G1 Auckland Cup winner Royal Tiara, she’s another filly whose only win has been in maiden grade. This is a whole lot harder. ZANOTTI Strategic Image – Goody Two Shoes 10:1-2-3 3rd Soliloquy Stakes (L) 5th Sunline Vase (G3) Showed promise earlier in the season, with a stakes placing behind Spellbinder in the Soliloquy, but she hasn’t quite developed from there as much as they might have hoped. Sunline effort was OK, but she’s going to have to improve on that. EYEFUL TOWER Le Bec Fin – Aeon Triana 6:0-1-2 10th Sir Tristram Fillies’ Classic Hasn’t won a race yet, even in maiden grade, so seems unlikely to be a major factor in this race. Gotta say I'm liking Include more and more with the increasing prospect of Lusi having an impact.
|
|
#277
03-14-2014, 06:01 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Happy Oaks Day, ed, and thank you for all of this!
Hope you nail it and that all the girls come home safe. Great fields today (very excited for the 7th and 8th races especially) but if I start wishing luck will be here all day.
|
|
#279
03-14-2014, 11:22 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Quote:
I just watched the replay with Zurella (aaaah I wanted her to win) and wow Natuzzi! That was awesome! Was rooting for Antonio but wow that a super nice win. Cannot wait to see the Oaks replay but am having a problem with the site now damnit so hopefully soon... Yeah I am surprised though but good for her and huge congrats to her people.
|
|
#280
03-14-2014, 11:33 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Just watched it and glad Chop Chop got 4th.
Actually the one I was going to post as who I'd probably bet and forgot to was the last place finisher. Well good for the Miss Mossman and for Miss Selby as well. Just so not the way I thought that race would play out!
|
 |
| Thread Tools | |
| Display Modes | |
|
|
Linear Mode
