Punt Drunk: Mystic Journey turns bogus as Hela shines again
Punt Drunk racing news – February 8, 2021
Good morning, punters, and welcome back to your favourite daily news article, #PuntDrunk.
Here, you will find out what we truly think about Mystic Journey’s flop at Hobart yesterday, whether Hela can be a star of the autumn, and how the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes is shaping up ahead of this weekend’s running at Flemington.
With the first Group 1 out of the way for the year, we build the bank again this week and get ready to back plenty of winners on Saturday!
Not such a Mystic Journey
Mystic Journey beaten at an SP of $1.20 in the WFA listed Thomas Lyons Stakes at Hobart.@allstarmile pic.twitter.com/v4EDTGqBof
— Horse Racing Global (@HorseRacingGL) February 7, 2021
We got sucked in. The $1.45 looked like a steal for Mystic Journey to right her wrongs from her first-up second a fortnight ago. Unfortunately it was a familiar sight yesterday when the superstar mare got rolled as an odds-on favourite in successive starts. We aren’t ones to put a line through stars, but could Mystic Journey’s future be in the breeding barn? You have had a great career, Betty, but perhaps it’s time to move on.
Hela ‘f a good ‘orse
Alva Stud has clearly bred and sold a rising star in the shape of Hela who remains unbeaten (5 from 5) with another top performance in the Listed Strutt S. at Hobart. Hela was snapped up for just $30,000 at the 2019 Tasmanian @mmsnippets Yearling Sale. #ItPaysToBuyAustralian pic.twitter.com/Eoc05lYfCb
— Aushorse (@Aushorse_TBA) February 7, 2021
The Scott Brunton-trained filly Hela made it five wins from five career starts when absolutely shitting it in to win the Strutt Stakes at Hobart yesterday. Following the let down of Mystic Journey, punters jumped on the unbeaten Hela as she was backed in from odds of $1.65 to $1.40. And boy, did she reward them in style! In what is becoming a regular occurrence, she led from barrier to box, and despite Chequerboard looming up at the 400m mark, she quickly found another gear to scoot clear and annihilate her opposition. We love a horse who can set a good tempo but continue to power through the line, and boy, oh boy, is Hela in the black book.
Chips in on Bivouac in the Lightning?
A simply incredible win by Bivouac in the Group 1 Darley Sprint Classic. ? @FlemingtonVRC @RacingInsider @boss_glen @Godolphin pic.twitter.com/5wbLxRUOtX
— Racing.com (@Racing) November 7, 2020
Is it too early in the year to be chips in for a Group 1 race? The Godolphin superstar Bivouac is paying $2.50 to win the Lightning Stakes on Saturday, and we all know how much he loves the Flemington straight based off his win in the VRC Sprint in the spring. Glen Boss had a tortuous ride on Sir Dragonet in the first Group 1 of the year, but we think it’ll be party time with Bossy on Saturday night as he guides Bivouac to another Group 1 victory at Racing HQ. It may not be as smooth sailing for him this time around with the emerging September Run set to resume, while Nature Strip’s first-up curse could ease with the booking of Jamie Kah. However it turns out, we are already excited for the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes.
Monday’s Racing Tips – February 8, 2021
Punt Drunk’s Best Bet Of The Day
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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…
