Punt Drunk: Apprentice Jockeys show how it’s done in Victoria
Punt Drunk Daily – 2/5/21
What a day of racing that was?! The Adelaide racing carnival is well and truly underway and Instant Celebrity duly got her deserved Group 1 win in the Robert Sangster Stakes. Media Award followed it up in the Australasian Oaks with a result that floored punters when she won at $61 for trainer Chris Calthorpe, with the filly being Calthorpe’s first ever Group 1 runner/winner. Just quickly, one of the #PuntDrunk team members had tipped readers into Media Award in his preview of the Australasian Oaks, yet did not have a cent on the filly. You hate to see it.
Fair Play Josh Fleming
Georgie's Pride is flying! 🔥 In driving rain the filly gives trainer @Desracing74 a nice birthday present! 🎁 pic.twitter.com/E9SG256RMR
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 1, 2021
The footage may not do it justice, but prior to Race 4 at Eagle Farm yesterday it was pissing down with rain. So much so, caller Josh Fleming had to call the first 1000m of the race off a monitor in the caller’s box. The rain proved to be no issue for track and distance specialist Georgie’s Pride who made it five wins from seven starts over the Eagle Farm 1300m. The rain was that bad, Fleming could barely make out who was in second place behind Georgie Pride at the 300m mark. If we had to give out three votes for the day based on calling it would go to J.Fleming purely for his efforts in Race 4. As we say that from the comfort of our sofa.
Apprentices show the Masters how it’s done
"Electric Belle's dropping from the clouds." 😯😯
That is some win from last! @MelbRacingClub pic.twitter.com/VkWSN8xbk7
— Racing.com (@Racing) May 1, 2021
We could go on all day about the Group 1 racing in South Australia, but for the moment let’s just admire the shift the apprentices put in at Sandown yesterday. Races 2, 3, 6, 7 and 8 were all taken out by apprentices after needing to pick up the slack that their elite counterparts had left behind with them travelling to Adelaide. Alexandra Bryan, Carleen Hefel, Teo Nugent, Will Price and Lachlan King all made their moments count when claiming victories at a Sandown meeting that was hardly one to write home about. Apprentices took out the first three legs of the quaddie, and it just shows you how deep the jockeys bat in Victoria.
Sunday Racing Tips – May 2, 2021
Feature Races
Punt Drunk’s best bet of the day
Our best bet around the country comes up in the Group 3 Northam Stakes, where William Pike has jetted back home to team up with the Simon Miller-trained Flirtini. The Artie Schiller mare has a sharp turn of foot that most of her rivals simply cannot match. She has two wins and two minor placings from five first up runs, and does race at her best when fresh. Expect her to get back in the running but be charging down the centre of the track to salute.
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Welcome to Punt Drunk! Our new daily column covering all the latest horse racing and punting controversies, dramas and headline news. Have a story or gripe or issue that just grinds your gears? Just hit us up in the comments or contact us page and our jaded, punt hardened Punt Drunk staff will give it the Punt Drunk treatment it deserves. Don’t expect pleasantries or typical racing media fanboy gloss from Punt Drunk – we’re on the punt and we don’t have time to bullshit; the next is about to jump…
