We’re back this week with the Blackbook and I’m keeping it short and sweet with just four to follow this Saturday.
A couple with some important gear changes that caught my eye watching the trials, as well as two that were terribly unlucky last start, so we’ll kick off with Morphettville, where it’s South Australian Derby Day.
There’s a filly contesting the Listed Adelaide Guineas who comes off a luckless last start run in the Queen of The South and with even luck, I think she’ll be winning.
ON DISPLAY was only beaten half a length in the Group 3 feature and with clear running, she certainly would have made it very interesting. Held up for much of the straight, she darted through late to grab fourth and it was a tough watch if you were on her.
A daughter of Fastnet Rock, the Price / Kent trained filly has shown good ability in her seven starts to date and she has been stakes placed on two occasions. She looks to have come back bigger and better this time in and gets a senior rider back aboard, with Ben Melham to do the steering.
JUST PARTY will kick off his preparation in the Hawkesbury Guineas, and the son of Justify has been gelded since we last saw him on raceday. Luckless in three of his four starts in the Spring, he was then beaten by just the barest of margins in the Group 2 Callander-Presnell before heading to the paddock.
He failed to fire in two runs back in February and was subsequently spelled and given the ultimate gear change. He makes his return off two recent trials and his latest, an eye catcher, as he scorched down the outside to zoom past them when given a squeeze.
Nash Rawiller will take the mount, he draws to get the gun run and the 1400m kick off looks ideal.
I may regret adding QUANTUM CAT to the blackbook as he has let me down a few times, but I really think he can turn it around at Hawkesbury on Saturday. He hasn’t seen the winner’s stall since he arrived in Australia early last year, but he has raced consistently, filling the placings on a number of occasions.
The American-bred UK-import was luckless last start when resuming over the mile at Warwick Farm, edging for a rails run, the gap closed, and he did well to stay on his feet. With that run under his belt, the rise to 1800m suits, and he gets a senior rider back aboard with Nash Rawiller to do the steering for Chris Waller.
Up to Brisbane, where we have a hot field lining up for the Group 2 Victory Stakes, including last year’s Golden Slipper runner-up, COLEMAN. Another who caught my attention at the trials, the Pierata colt returns to the races here under new trainer Chris Waller.
He put the writing on the wall early on, saluting at his first two starts but was found to have heat in his feet after failing to finish off in the Blue Diamond. He quickly bounced back to his best, placing at his next three starts, two of which were at Group 1 level as he has continued to perform well at a high level.
With two ultra-impressive trials under his belt, he returns in top order, and several gear changes have been made, which is quite common when a horse joins a new stable. With luck in running, he’s sure to make his presence felt.