Positive signs for Godolphin ahead of 2015 Mackinnon Stakes
GODOLPHIN trainer John O’Shea believes both runners in the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington on Saturday have a very good chance of winning.
Both Contributer and Magic Hurricane have been working well and O’Shea says dual-Group 1 winner Contributer is “close to the mark” after taking longer than expected to warm up this spring.
“He’s taken a bit longer to get fit than I’d have liked,” O’Shea said.
“We have had to be a bit delicate with him so I haven’t had that luxury of working him hard, it’s been a slow process, a bit of racing and hopefully we’ll have him close to the mark on Saturday.
“The happiest I’ve been with him was Caulfield Stakes day and I was pretty happy with his effort that day so with a bit of improvement off that will have him in the mix on Saturday I think.”
Contributer is currently a $9 chance at Sportsbet.com.au and stablemate Magic Hurricane is the current favourite at $6.
The imported runner won the Group 1 Metropolitan at Randwick earlier this month and many believed it was unlucky to miss a start in the 2015 Caulfield Cup.
The six-year-old was forced to change paths and now O’Shea is using Saturday as a guide to see if it can run in the Australian Cup next year.
“He’s in good order and he looks well,” he said.
“It’s been a challenge to bring him back to 10 furlongs, up to weight-for-age but his Hill Stakes performance showed evidence that he’d be competitive in a race like the Mackinnon.
“He’s got a good winning strike rate and rarely runs a bad race for us.”
2015 Mackinnon Stakes full market:
Magic Hurricane – $6
Fawkner – $6.50
Stratum Star – $8
Flamingo Star – $9
Contributer – $9
Magic Artist – $10
Happy Trails – $10
Pornichet – $10
Fenway – $17
Extra Zero – $17
Our Ivanhowe – $17
Rising Romance – $17
Gailo Chop – $17
Gust of Wind – $21
Lucia Valentina – $21
Secret Number – $21
Set Square – $26
Weary – $26
Ecuador – $26
Elhaame – $26
Beaten Up – $26
Velox – $34
Kirramosa – $34
Hawkspur – $41
Moriarty – $51
Thunder Lady – $67
Index Linked – $67
Ethiopia – $101
Ritzy – $201
Countryman – $201
Punters looking to rebound with Royal Descent
Punters that took the each way odds around Royal Descent in the 2015 Caulfield Cup were left floundering as the usually tough mare finished last of 18 runners.
The Chris Waller-trained six-year-old is looking to rebound in the $500,000 Myer Classic at Flemington on Saturday and Waller believes there is no reason it shouldn’t bounce back.
“She wasn’t distressed,” Waller said about its Caulfield Cup run. “The one positive out of Caulfield was that Bossy shut her down when he knew she was beaten. She wasn’t punished.
“She came into this preparation much heavier than previously so even though she lightened-off a bit after Caulfield, she’s responded well with a freshen-up and is still carrying enough condition into Saturday.”
Waller firmly believes in keeping his horses happy throughout their training and he credits his success partly to that.
“You keep it simple by backing off their work,” he said. “Doing short sharp pieces of work. She enjoys it.
“She just had a breeze up the straight this morning instead of doing a big lap around the track.”
Royal Descent worked at Flemington on Tuesday and covered 1000 metres in 1:07.74 with its final 400 metres going in 23.09 seconds.
“She’s a miler,” Waller said. “Doncasters, Epsoms, George Mains, Chelmsfords, she’s been in them all against the best horses and always run well.
“Coming back to weight-for-age against her own sex is a big help.”
Hugh Bowman will take the ride on Saturday and bookmakers have it firmly in the market. Royal Descent is on the second line of betting at $5.50 at CrownBet.com.au, behind only Stay With Me at $4.
Exosphere controls Coolmore Stud Stakes market
Exosphere has clearly been the best three-year-old sprinter this season and bookmakers have it the odds-on favourite for this Saturday’s Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington.
The John O’Shea-trained colt is the current $1.40 favourite at Sportsbet and rival trainers have already shown their respect for the Godolphin runner.
“I was blown away with Exopshere at Randwick,” Chris Waller said.
“Early in the season it was Vancouver that was going to dominate the three-year-old races. Things change. Anything can happen.”
Waller will be represented by Counterattack and Japonisme with both horses working well at Flemington on Tuesday morning.
“The blinkers went on last start and he’s a different horse,” Waller said. “I gave both of them a jump-out up the straight here on Friday to give them a look around and they did everything right.
“But we need Exosphere to fail.”
David Hayes/Tom Dabernig-trained Keen Array has been a very good winner of late and bookmakers think it will be Exosphere’s biggest danger at $8.
The son of Bel Esprit has won its last four from five and beat the highly-regarded Mogador last time out at Caulfield in the Blue Sapphire Stakes.
“Exosphere is a champion I think,” Hayes said. “If he runs to his Sydney form we probably can’t beat him.”
“But it’s Melbourne, it’s up the straight and we’re in great form and we’ll race to a track record if conditions are right.
“You never scratch for one horse even though they do terrorise you.”
Coolmore Stud Stakes market:
Exosphere – $1.40
Keen Array – $8
Mogador – $8
Counterattack – $12
Hellbent – $12
Japonisme – $14
Kinglike – $14
Super One – $18
Sebring Sun – $18
Ready For Victory – $18
Zara Bay – $21
Spill The Beans – $26
Lake Geneva – $31
Dal Cielo – $31
Black Vanquish – $61
Prompt Return – $61
Ragazzo Del Corsa – $101