It Pays To Follow

Posted on December 3, 2024December 3, 2024 | Posted by Digby Beacham

Saturday, November 30 @ Ascot

Race 2 – KISSES FROM KELLY

Holly Taylor elected to trial this bloke just once over 1000m in the lead-up to his first-up assignment over 1800m, yet he remained firm in the betting from when the markets opened. Those that were with him, either straight out or each-way, will be following up you would think after he finished fourth. The margin from ROYAL TORONADO was only 1.5 lengths. It was a quality training performance and evidence that the five-year-old is ready to pick up from where he left off last campaign.

Race 5 – COOL MEMORY

The Darren McAuliffe-trained gelding rounded out his winter campaign with an all-the-way win in the Listed Aquanita Stakes (2000m), having run third in the Listed Belmont Guineas (1600m) at his previous start. He resumed on the weekend in a hot 78+ 1200m event and was terrific in finishing third behind GENEROSITY and JOKERS GRIN. The runs kept closing on Joseph Azzopardi and it wasn’t until late when he saw daylight that he was able to flatten out. Saturday was always going to be on the short side of his preferred distance range and he’s most definitely a watch second-up.

Race 7 – BONJOY and PETROUCHKA

Both mares finished their last preparations in style and, well, they have started their new ones exactly the same way. BONJOY overcame the dramas that led to her scratching in the Listed Jungle Mist a fortnight earlier with a sizzling fresh run in the Listed Jungle Dawn, clocking 33.69 sec. for her final 600m, despite darting back to the inside in search of clear air. The 1600m of the Listed Starstruck will be right up her alley. The same applies to PETROUCHKA, who also found the line strongly to place fifth, just over four lengths behind THE BOSS LADY. As the distances increase, so too will her winning chances.

Race 8 – ROPE THEM IN and ROCKIN’ RUPERT

It is possible these two will not meet again until 2025, but wherever they step out next will be closely monitored by punters. Colonel Reeves Stakes winner ROPE THEM IN was magnificent over the concluding stages to nose out ROCKIN’ RUPERT for fourth in the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes. Neither looked like beating OVERPASS, but as we now know particularly well, there is no disgrace in that. ROPE THEM IN looks like a genuine contender for the $1.5 million Gold Rush, while ROCKIN’ RUPERT will be a little harder to place given he is now a 90-rater and hasn’t won past 1200m. There is no arguing though that his twin fifth-place finishes in the Colonel Reeves and Winterbottom have been career bests.

Race 9 – COUNT THE SESSIONS and YARRALEA

This pair aren’t going to burn the candle at both ends in their races, therefore they need a slice of good fortune during the course of a race to salute. Unfortunately, they didn’t have any luck at key stages on the weekend. COUNT THE SESSIONS didn’t give Brad Parnham the best of experiences from the moment the barriers opened and did an excellent job to rocket home into third. As for YARRALEA, it was a complete forgive run. The low draw worked against her and through no fault of Chris Parnham, found backside after backside after backside. Keep both in mind when they step out next.