The Follow Files: Raging Bull shows Australian Derby credentials
The weekend just gone had it all – Nature Strip got rolled by Shelby Sixtysix, Anamoe went down, Zaaki went down, and Profondo only beat two runners home. Despite a bit of a tough day for favourite punters, it was a quality day of racing with plenty of future winners to come out of the meetings at Randwick and Flemington. We hope to find you a few horses that can replicate the feats of Converge, who took out the Randwick Guineas after we suggested adding him to your blackbook following his first-up run.
Royal Randwick | Track: Heavy 10 (Heavy 9 after R4) | Rail: +6m 1000m-Winning Post, +3m Remainder
Race 7: GROUP 1 CANTERBURY STAKES (1300m) | Time: 1:19.29
- Horse to follow: PRIVATE EYE (3rd)
In the first Group 1 of the afternoon, Joe Pride’s Epsom Handicap winner PRIVATE EYE resumed with a strong third behind race-fit mares Forbidden Love and Lighthouse on a Heavy 9 surface. The son of Al Maher already have to give the first two runners a 2kg weight advantage under the weight for age conditions of the Canterbury Stakes, while he also spotted them a huge start in the straight on a track where it wasn’t all that easy to make up ground from the back.
When to bet: The four-year-old looks on track for a big campaign, where races like the Doncaster Mile and Queen Elizabeth Stakes could be on the agenda. With a month until the Doncaster, we would expect to see him line up in the George Ryder Stakes (March 19) at Rosehill, where he will take plenty of beating. Private Eye is a $5 chance for the George Ryder.
Easy as you like for @HugeBowman and Forbidden Love as they go from barrier to box in the Group 1 $500,000 Furphy Canterbury Stakes. The @Freedman_bros mare relished the seven day back-up to beat Lighthouse and the eye-catching Private Eye. @tabcomau pic.twitter.com/eJuudhbu21
— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) March 5, 2022
Race 8: Group 1 RANDWICK GUINEAS (1600m) | Time: 1:39.13
- Horse to follow: RAGING BULL (6th)
We made mention in our runner-by-runner preview for the Randwick Guineas last Thursday that RAGING BULL would be getting into his best work late, and that is exactly what the David Payne-trained three-year-old did. The son of Bullpoint was trapped wide early, so Sam Clipperton took the stayer forward to be outside the leader, before coming off the bridle before the turn. As expected for a horse like this, runners like Converge, Anamoe and Hilal went straight on by inside the 300m, but when it looked like he would drop right out of the race, he rallied back in the final 50m to go past Military Expert in what was a real grinding type of run.
When to bet: This gelding is no doubt on an Australian Derby path, and while he might find Hitotsu and Profondo too brilliant for him in that feature, he is going to have the staying prowess to be right in with a place chance. Keep in mind, he finished fourth to Hitotsu in the Victoria Derby as a $101 chance, and he is currently $51/$14 for next month’s race.
A 19th Group 1 win for @clarkyhk as he drives Converge to victory for @GaiWaterhouse1 & Adrian Bott in the Mostyn Copper Randwick Guineas. He held off Anamoe and they broke away from Hilal in third. @tabcomau pic.twitter.com/NH1ftTpCdh
— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) March 5, 2022
Flemington | Track: Soft 6 (Soft 5 after R7) | Rail: +2m Entire Course
Race 5: Inglis Sprint (1200m) | Time: 1:11.28
- Horse to follow: THE ART OF FLYING (3rd)
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace’s THE ART OF FLYING was first-up off no public barrier trials in over six months in Saturday’s $750,000 Inglis Sprint, and although there was only a length between third and tenth, he was pretty unlucky in the run. The three-year-old has only had five starts, dating all the way back to October 2020, where he finished second at Moonee Valley before running third to Anamoe in Listed grade, and then seventh behind Paulele at Randwick. We didn’t see him for seven months when he resumed in June in a Sale maiden when third, before having another nine months off the scene. On Saturday, this gelding was right out the back of the big field with a wall of horses in front of him, but once he saw some clear air he let down strongly to run into the placings.
When to bet: The Art Of Flying is still eligible for maiden grade, so if he is placed appropriately – which we assume he will be in this stable – he will win wherever he goes next.
A swift finish by Overpass! 🐎
Joshua Parr onboard the three-year-old at @FlemingtonVRC @BBakerRacing pic.twitter.com/bMPaAICwKb
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) March 5, 2022