Punt Drunk: Yensir & Zed Em go toe-to-toe at Oakbank
No, this is not a cringy April Fool’s edition of #PuntDrunk, despite how tempting it is to be extremely lame and list off plenty of quality dad jokes and stupid pranks. However, what we can not believe is that it is already April!
Just think about it: the Melbourne Cup is seven months away, the Group 1 racing season in Victoria is over, and the autumn races are heating up in Sydney. Throw in the Adelaide and Brisbane carnivals next month and before we know it, we will be building up to some of the biggest races of the year!
As it is Good Friday tomorrow, make sure to take in as much racing as you can today, folks. We saw a couple of jaw-dropping races yesterday, and boy, has it got us excited for what is to come over the next month or two.
Bring on the ‘Bool!
What an epic edition of the Von Doussa Steeplechase 🤯🤯🤯
Yensir holds off Zed Em in an incredible finish 🥇 pic.twitter.com/Jv4ZuRMbWp
— Racing SA (@RacingSA) March 31, 2021
We saw an absolute ding-dong affair at Oakbank yesterday afternoon in the Von Doussa Steeplechase. Champion jumper Zed Em came up against Yensir, who was having his first start over the sticks since August 2018, and the pair went stride for stride down the infamous home straight out in the Adelaide Hills. It was the Maher & Eustace-trained Yensir who got the better of the old champ, with Zed Em’s regular jockey, Steven Pateman, in the saddle for the import from Great Britain. With little separating the pair in the market, it was only a nose separating them in the end, and we expect a similar story with a few other runners in the Grand Annual at Warrnambool six weeks from now. To steal a line from Ric McIntosh, “How bloody good is the Bool?”
What did we just see at Sandown?
Serious horse. 👇🏻
The Group 1 Australasian Oaks could be next for Steinem. 👀@cmaherracing @MelbRacingClub
— Racing.com (@Racing) March 31, 2021
On the back of a sharp turn of foot, the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Steinem made it two wins from as many starts with a smart run at Sandown on Wednesday. Her 3.5-length smashing of her rivals has sent tongues wagging, and who is to say she would not be competitive in the Australasian Oaks over in Adelaide on May 1? If connections opt to go that way, it would take quite a performance to beat the Frankel filly. The great Frankel has sired many a handy stakes winner here, including Hungry Heart and Mirage Dancer. Could Stainem be the next progeny who provides the Frankel spark with a Group 1 victory at what could be only her fourth career start?
Thursday racing tips – April 1, 2021
Punt Drunk’s best bet of the day
With the scratching of joint-favourite Rousseau imminent after he went around at Sandown yesterday, this race is in Staredown’s hands. The Not A Single Doubt gelding smashed his rivals at Terang last time out in an all-the-way victory, which suggests the step up to BM58 grade is perfectly timed third up from a spell.
About Punt Drunk
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…
