New Zealand Racing, 2015-16

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by _ed_

VALLEY GIRL!

Just amazing.

WOW! I am finally catching up and FINALLY watched this... I LOVE HER. Kawi looked spectacular as usual and oh Soriano.... I am so sad to have watched her final race (but happy at the same time) but oh wow I am a fan of this filly. Wonderful win! Will continue catching up later but in the meantime I am dreading looking at the angels thread. Any time I see your name there I just feel like the wind has been knocked out of me. Guess I'll go look.

[_ed_]

I think my favourite part of the Valley Girl story is that she went to auction as a yearling and didn't get a single bid! So her breeders kept her, and this was their biggest win.

[_ed_]

I'm still very confused about the Derby, and it's only two weeks away now!

Valley Girl would have to be my number one at the moment. We'll see if the Avondale Guineas changes my mind.

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by _ed_

I'm still very confused about the Derby, and it's only two weeks away now!

Oh my God is it really? I can no longer keep track! That's insane.

Originally Posted by _ed_

Oh, Xtravagant. I'm speechless.

Brilliant!

Loved your Ali Baba piece and desperately hope he wins. Nice field for Farm Boy and Pondarosa Miss tonight (Jimmy Mac too.. can't forget him!).

... and of course good luck to Tomorrowland , Storming the Tower and to Barbaric as well.

Love the Valley Girl story as well... the stuff of dreams.

[_ed_]

Rangipo wins again in the Guineas. He's such a good horse.

But I still doubt he'll run the 2400 metres of the Derby, so I'm more confused than ever.

[_ed_]

I guess it's that time again...

RANGIPO

gelding, Styker-Holloway

Trainer: Tony Pike (no Derby wins)
Jockey: Vinnie Colgan (Roysyn 1995, Zonda 1997, Hades 1999, Redoute's Dancer 2007, Habibi 2013 - all-time record)

11 starts
6 wins
0 seconds
1 third

NZ$234,570

1st Great Northern Guineas
1st Waikato Guineas
1st Avondale Guineas
3rd Levin Classic
4th Wellington Stakes

This horse keeps exceeding expectations! He's by a sprinting sire and it looked like a mile would be too far for him, but he's getting better and better with every race. He loves a tight battle down the stretch and never surrenders.

With three G2 wins leading into the Derby, his form is pretty similar to Jimmy Choux, Silent Achiever, Puccini and Mongolian Khan. All of those were very hot favourites for the Derby, and all of them won. So you'd think his odds are too high at 5-1!

But there's still that doubt about stamina. He's proven us wrong a few times already, but 2400 metres is a long way. Can he do it?

Odds: 5

[_ed_]

GET THAT JIVE

gelding, Street Sense-Cobbley

Trainers: Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman (Mongolian Khan 2015)
Jockey: Opie Bosson (Mongolian Khan 2015)

6 starts
1 win
3 seconds
2 thirds

NZ$57,250

2nd Great Northern Guineas
2nd Foal Stakes
3rd Waikato Guineas
3rd Avondale Guineas

He hasn't won a race since his debut, be's never finished further back than third, which makes him one of the most consistent horses in this group.

He's got the same owner-jockey combination as last year's winner Mongolian Khan (plus the same owners as Turn Me Loose!), and I love how strong he's been looking towards the end of his races. I think he'll get the distance.

Odds: 6