The Follow Files: Exciting Godolphin filly wins again
The first of two massive Saturdays at the Gold Coast Turf Club took centre stage last weekend, while Randwick and Geelong hosted good support meetings during the day. In this week’s edition of The Follow Files, we have found three runners that you should put in your Blackbook with your chosen online bookmaker.
Randwick
Rail position: +6m 1600m – Winning Post, +4m Remainder
Race 7: Benchmark 88 Handicap (1400m) | Time: 1:21.65
- Horse to follow: Battleton (3rd)
Battleton from the Bjorn Baker yard has turned in two solid performances on his return from a four-month spell, with his last start fourth at Randwick over 1400m, showing that he is ready to win his next start. Both Cool Jakey and Felix Majestic ran the race at a hectic tempo up front and set the race up for a runner who settled closer to the speed. Dylan Gibbons settled near last on this son of Zoustar, but once the field entered the home straight, Battleton made up the most ground from the back and ran home well into third place.
When to bet: Battleton finished fourth in a Benchmark 100 first-up and dropped in class to a Benchmark 88 last start, which seems to be the right grade for this gelding. If Baker and his team can find another 1400m race in the same grade as last Saturday, he should get every chance to win.
Race 10: Benchmark 72 Handicap (1100m) | Time: 1:03.56
- Horse to follow: Shaken (1st)
We had to wait until the last race of the day to see Shaken put in the performance of the day at Randwick, as the lightly raced three-year-old filly dominated the Benchmark 72 Handicap from the front. After recording a dominant four-length win first-up, this daughter of I Am Invincible was sent around as an odds-on favourite and she delivered for her followers, defeating Squad by 1.35 lengths, going over the line eased down.
When to bet: To improve her rating, James Cummings will want to race Shaken at least one more time before going out for a freshen before the autumn carnival. There is a Benchmark 78 Handicap over 1100m at Rosehill on January 20 that appears to be the ideal race for her next start.
Gold Coast
Rail position: True entire circuit
Race 6: Maiden Plate (1400m) | Time: 1:20.82
- Horse to follow: Pasima (2nd)
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace sent their three-year-old colt Pasima to the $250,000 Maiden Plate at the Gold Coast on Saturday, where she kept her 100% place record intact after finishing second behind Vanquished. This son of Pierro jumped slow from barrier six and had to settle at the rear of the field, which gave him no chance to catch the runaway leader in the home straight. Although he was too far back and had to work his way through traffic, the colt let down with a blistering turn of foot in the final 200m when Heavelon Van Der Hoven asked him for an effort.
When to bet: Pasima is very close to breaking his maiden, and if the Maher & Eustace stable sends him to a slightly weaker Maiden Plate over 1400m next start, he should be winning.