Races

It Pays To Follow

Posted on | Posted by Digby Beacham

Wednesday, November 13 @ Belmont

Race 2 – ART SESSION and DARK OPAL

Many eyeballs were focused on the first starter ART SESSION after he was pocketed in the box seat for just about the entirety of the straight, flashing home into second after getting out when the bird had flown. It was a flashing light run off the back of two impressive trial victories. So too was the effort of fellow first starter DARK OPAL, who didn’t get the best of beginnings and was very new throughout yet stomped home to run fifth, beaten less than three lengths. There will be no $81 about her when she presents second-up.

Saturday, November 16 @ Ascot

Race 1 – MADAME MAGIC

A stakes-performed mare last campaign, MADAME MAGIC ran well first-up without threatening to win. The same occurred on the weekend, although the closing second behind MISS SKYHIGH came in a 60+ 1400m event as opposed to a no-metro win 1200m. She settled rearward for Chris Parnham and made a run in the straight that was interrupted slightly before running into a placing that suggested a third win isn’t far away.

Race 5 – ROCKIN’ RUPERT

Sean and Jake Casey took a bold approach to run this six-year-old gelding in the Group 3 Colonel Reeves Stakes (1100m) first-up, but their aggressive placement was vindicated. ROCKIN’ RUPERT ran fifth behind ROPE THEM IN, but showed he wasn’t out of place in quality company.

Like a few horses at Ascot on day one of The Pinnacles, he was disappointed for a run in the straight. However, once one presented, the gelding accelerated brilliantly. The same could be said for WESTERN EMPIRE, but ROCKIN’ RUPERT entered the weekend as an 81-rater and if he drops back to a ratings race, will be firm in the market.

Race 8 – MAI ALOHA

This filly has got better and better as her preparation has gone along and indicated on Saturday that she continues to thrive for Grant and Alan Williams. Taken hold of early, she was coiled up behind a wall of horses in the straight and had to wait for a little longer than William Pike would have liked before darting through to produce a fast-finishing seventh. It’s unlikely she would have run top three, but would no doubt have got closer to WIND AND THE LION with an unimpeded run.




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