David Gately Caulfield Group Racing Review 27/2/24

Author: David Gately

Feb 27, 2024 03:45 PM
Photo: Getty

Gator's G1 review

Racing was at CAULFIELD on Saturday, the track went from GOOD-4 to GOOD-3 with the rail 4m.

It was a better day to be on-speed and/ or saving ground.

Swoopers found it tough with only 3 of a possible 30 horses that finished top-3 able to ‘’swoop’’.

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David Gately Group 1 Racing Review - Caulfield

Blue Diamond

The G1 Blue Diamond Stks was the feature and I guess the only real certainly, given all the talk of ‘not much speed in the race this year’ was that they wood go hard… And they did.

SPYWIRE led LADY OF CAMELOT and ran 34.12 1st-600m off a standing start, this is some +8L Vs G1/ 2YO average.

Winner HAYASUGI was just off midfield wide with trail but did peel wider before the turn and was still spotting the runner-up LADY OF CAMELOT 5-6L into the straight, she landed late (as aforementioned runner-up tried) and her 11.86 (ranked third) last 200m saw her arrive right on the line.

Safe to say said runner-up has ‘gone enormous’ after being left a sitting duck when the leader fainted. KUROYANAGI had the gun trail and never stopped trying, she grabbed third from ENEEZA (also never stopped giving) and this first home, were all fillies.

STAY FOCUSED was right with 3rd, 4th, 5th and first male home. FEARLESS was way back and good late, in fact, his 11.60 last 200m was race-fastest.

Time: 1-9.56 was +4.8L Vs G1/2yo average and also compared favourably to recent winners ARTORIUS (ran 1-9.57 off slightly slower 1st-600m) and DAUMIER (1-9.72 off an identical 1st-600m).

Futurity Stakes

The G1 Futurity Stks was won by, well, the only real G1 horse in the field and that was MR BRIGHTSIDE.

He sat off the strong speed (BUFFALO RIVER ran 47.15 1st-800m, over +3L Vs G1 average) and was simply too good!

PERICLES was alongside him mid race then on his back and whilst he never stopped closing (and as clear 2nd-best) he was no match for the modern day ‘Better Loosen Up’.

HEY FAT CAT made nice ground for the right race and his last 200m was bettered only by that of MUNHAMEK (12-flat Vs 11.96).

Time: 1-22.54 had them -.7L Vs G1 average on the clock.

Oakleigh Plate

The G1 Oakleigh Plate was at 1100m and (as per usual) run at a fast speed.

HYPOTHETICAL led and QUEMAN had her back, they went together that last 100m in a little 2-horse war but it was QUEMAN who just did the better.

They beat third horse MORNINGTON GLORY 1.5L into third, worth noting third to thirteenth here, there was 1.3L over all ten of them.

BENEDETTA needed room sooner but her last 100m was terrific (3rd-fastest last 200m), race-fastest home honours went to SGHIRRIPA (11.06 home was also fastest all day).

KING’S GAMBIT disappointed, maybe he just needs an ice-cold ride?

Speed, 28.55 1st-500m was bang on G1 average and overall of 1-2.63 was +2.8L Vs class ave.

Remaining Group Race Reviews

REVOLUTIONARY MISS is an underrated mare who sat up second in G3 Mannerism Stks (R10) at 1400m and they went 48.52 1st-800m (-1.2L Vs class) and then took over, kept going too well.

RUNNING BY had her back and chased but was no match at all. VAGRANT worked to the line well to get third (just missed 2nd) and her 11.66 home was bettered only by ETERNAL FLAME (11.60) who picked a tough day to be a swooper.

Overall time: 1-23.36 was +.3L Vs class average.

R6 was G2 Peter Young Stks at 1800m and CAMPIONESSA had the gun trail off the modest tempo (lead-speed -6.7l Vs class ave) but loved her toughness to fight off VOW AND DECLARE who had settled outside her, it was just a bob of the head that decided it.

GOLD TRIP rushed late for .8L third in a race where not much else changed. Time: 1-50.45 was -5.9L Vs class ave.

R5 was also at 1800m and was G2 for 3yo’s.

This was a better test of endurance with leader SOCKS NATION running 1-13.79 1st-1200m, putting this up against the Peter Young Stks these 3yo’s would have been roughy 11L in front of their older rivals with 600m to run, ha date races been run together.

Winner IMMEDIACY relished the strong pace (+2.6l Vs class) and the blinkers (he quickened much better in them!) before weaving through and powering to the line to win by 3L over CARACAS who had his back but was not as sharp (was niggled at a fair way out), CARACUS’ last 600m was .2l slower than winner’s and last 200m .16 slower, he will get further for sure.

OUR COUVER had the good trail and did get by leader SOCKS NATION for third prize.

They spaced 5th. Time: 1-49.61 was +.5L Vs class.