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#1
02-29-2012, 05:11 AM
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Two more...
RED SHIFT  3 g Lucky Unicorn - Scarlet Queen Breeder: Valachi Downs Owner: OTI Racing Purchased for $10,500 at 2010 NZ National Yearling Sale Trainer: Regan Donnison Jockey: Michael Coleman 9 starts 2 wins 1 second 3 thirds No major races Derby odds: 30.00 Positives: * A big, powerful gelding with a lot of stamina. * A winner over 2100m at Ellerslie. * Recently purchased for apparently quite a large amount by a successful and experienced Australian syndicate that rate him highly. Negatives: * Untested against this class of opposition. * Ran a terrible race last start - 7th in Rating 75 grade. Until his last start, I thought this guy was a live contender in the Derby at big odds. But he was so bad in that race that I was forced into a rethink. He has to make up a dozen lengths on that performance to be even vaguely competitive against much stronger opposition here. His pedigree, size and running style scream 'Derby', but his last start was just too bad to ignore. ANGELOLOGY  3 g Coats Choice - Fallen Angel Breeder: A Jones & E Morris Owner: A Illston, C Payne and M Prebble Purchased for $3,250 at 2010 NZ National Yearling Sale  Trainer: Kevin Myers Jockey: Kelly Myers 6 starts 4 wins 1 second 1 third No major races Derby odds: 18.00 Positives: * He's been monstrous lately, winning races by up to 7 lengths * Trainer Myers won the Derby in 2008 with C'est La Guerre Negatives: * All of his races have been in races worth $10,000 or less, and many of them have been on minor country racetracks - it's a big step up. The mystery horse. I'd barely even heard of this gelding until his name was thrown into the Derby ring this week. Looking back at replays of his previous performances, he's a very visually impressive horse. His 7-length win was jaw-dropping. But the horses he's been racing against would be lapped in this race. He has to make a really, really big step up in class here. I think these are all the major contenders - plus they're the only ones I have photos for! I'll cover the others in the next couple of days, but in a bit less detail.  
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#2
03-02-2012, 01:05 AM
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And the others...
TRAVOLTA 3 g Handsome Ransom - Belongs In Lights Trainer: John Kiernan Jockey: Mark Hills 9 starts: 2 wins, 1 second, 2 thirds 4th G2 Avondale Guineas A talented horse who ran a really good race in the Avondale Guineas, and it looks like he's peaking at the right time. But he was convincingly beaten by the first three in the Guineas, and I don't expect him to turn the tables on them. MR CHEZ 3 g Duelled - Tittletaat Trainer: Graeme & Debbie Rogerson Jockey: Sam Spratt 10 starts: 1 win, 1 second, 3 thirds 4th Geelong Classic (AUS), 10th G1 Victoria Derby (AUS), 6th G2 Avondale Guineas This guy seems to hardly ever run a bad race, but the fact that he's only had one win in his career so far makes it hard to see him as a real winning chance. CARRICK 3 g Shinko King - Sunday Trainer: Tony Pike & Mark Donoghue Jockey: Leith Innes 4 starts: 2 wins, 1 second, 1 third 3rd G2 Avondale Guineas Never further back than third in his life, and he looks like a strong, tough 3yo. He also handles off tracks, which it looks like it might be (again!). But he has to improve significantly on his Guineas effort to threaten Silent Achiever. GUESS WHAT 3 g Danroad - May Storm Trainer: Paul Shailer Jockey: Noel Harris 7 starts: 1 win, 2 seconds, 1 third 4th G3 Waikato Guineas, 11th G2 Avondale Guineas I really liked this guy's run in the Waikato Guineas, and I started to think he was a nice Derby longshot. But I expected him to improve in his next start, the Avondale, but instead he went backwards. Not a likely winner. NINE PIN 3 g Pins - Tantara Trainer: Leo Molloy Jockey: Danielle Johnson 12 starts: 1 win, 2 seconds, 1 third No major races This horse is really nicely bred, but his performances so far haven't really reflected that. He has to take a massive step up here. ROAMIN 3 g Spartacus - Mintelle Trainer: Robert Priscott & Clayton Chipperfield Jockey: Trudy Thornton 14 starts: 2 wins, 1 second, 1 third 5th G2 Avondale Guineas This horse seems to be improving, with his last two starts being a good win and a career-best effort for 5th in the Avondale. But I don't think he's improving enough to be a real factor. BARNEY 3 g Duelled - Light A Candle Trainer: Anne Herbert Jockey: Craig Grylls 6 starts: 1 win, 1 second, 1 third 6th G2 Championship Stakes, 7th G3 Waikato Guineas Solid galloper who always tries hard. I think he could win a nice race at some point in his career, but I don't think this will be it. COLORADO SUN 3 g Strada - Denver Night Trainer: Shane Crawford Jockey: Patrick Holmes 6 starts: 1 win, 0 seconds, 3 thirds 8th G2 Avondale Guineas His Avondale effort was OK, but it was a long way from the level needed to win a Derby. His odds are 100-1, and that seems fair. He might be a nice stakes horse one day, but tomorrow's not that day. JEROBOAM 3 g O'Reilly - Sexy Trainer: Graham Richardson Jockey: ?? 5 starts: 1 win, 1 second, 1 third No major races I actually really like this guy as a future G1 horse, but I think the Derby is coming just a bit too soon for him. He's never faced this quality of opposition before, and I don't think he's quite ready to compete with the big boys just yet. But Richardson's the in-form trainer of the summer in NZ. It seems almost every horse he saddles up wins. So you never know.
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#3
03-02-2012, 04:03 PM
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IT'S DERBY DAY!
Ocean Park was surprisingly scratched yesterday when the weather forecast was really bad. But the weather's fine today, so they must be regretting that now! Odds... Rock 'n' Pop 8.00 Shuka 7.00 Ocean Park SCRATCHED Red Shift 15.00 Travolta 26.00 Mr Chez 51.00 Angelology 13.00 Carrick 10.00 Guess What 61.00 Nine Pin 61.00 Roamin 61.00 Barney 51.00 Colorado Sun 61.00 Jeroboam 61.00 Silent Achiever 2.80f Zurella 13.00 Chicharita 10.00 Good luck to everyone lucky enough to be connected with one of these horses.
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#4
03-02-2012, 06:57 PM
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It's today??!! Wow that went by too fast!
Good luck to you, come home safe everyone, shocked about Ocean Park... let us know about the statue (!!!) and I have to say good luck to Shuka. I do think it's Silent Acheiver who wins this but if ever there were a day for Shuka to do it this would be an outstanding choice! HAVE FUN!!!!!
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#5
03-03-2012, 12:40 AM
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SHE DID IT!
 And it was so easy. What a filly. Rock 'n' Pop 2nd, Carrick 3rd. Shuka didn't get the trip. Durham Town won the G3 Darley Plate. Vonusti flew late to get 2nd, and Upsala was really close behind them.
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#7
03-03-2012, 09:33 PM
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Quote:
Wait a minute, I must be hallucinating cause I thought you posted that Vonusti was 2nd... (?????!!!!!) in the Darley Plate. Oh I need to go and watch that one as I'm falling on the floor! GOOD boy, Upsala. This girl though... Jesus Christ I did see that replay and whoa she certainly is special. 
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#8
03-03-2012, 10:21 PM
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She's amazing. It was an incredible thrill to be there! It's one of the best Derbys I've seen. I honestly can't choose between this one, Jimmy last year and Xcellent in '04.
James McDonald was fined $300 for his "premature celebratory gesture".  I doubt whoever made that decision ever rode a Derby winner.Yep, Vonusti got 2nd! He seems to really love the Darley Plate - he was 3rd in it last year and 2nd in it in 2010 as well.
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