The Follow Files: Strong Australian debut by Soprano Supreme
On this Tuesday edition of The Follow Files, we look at two horses from the Gold Coast and Caulfield that we want to blackbook and follow through their preparations. Both horses were first-up on Saturday, and both look to have plenty of wins in them over the next few weeks.
Gold Coast | Track: Heavy 8, downgraded to Heavy 9 after Race 8 | Rail: True Entire Course
Race 3: Gold Coast Cup (2400m) | Time: 2:37.04
- Horse to follow: SOPRANO SUPREME (2nd)
The Kiwis started their Brisbane raid on Saturday, with a number of very nice horses stepping out at the Gold Coast. Although unable to win a race, both SOPRANO SUPREME and Sword Of State ran encouraging second-placings. In the Gold Coast Cup, Soprano Supreme found the worst part of the track (the inside) and made up good ground in her first Australian start, only to be outgunned by the in-form Stardome, who came down the middle of the track – or, as we liked to call it on Saturday, the fast lane.
When to bet: The stable have advised that the mare will head to the Group 3 Premier’s Cup (2400m) on May 28 at Eagle Farm, where we expect her to be very hard to beat. The drier track should suit, as will the big straight at Eagle Farm.
Caulfield | Track: Good 4 | Rail: +9m Entire Course
Race 5: Benchmark 100 Handicap (1100m) | Time: 1:04.43
- Horse to follow: RANTING (1st)
RANTING has always been a bit hard to catch, but his first-up win on Saturday at Caulfield screamed ‘follow me’. The Leon & Troy Corstens-trained four-year-old resumed over 1100m on the back of being gelded and a throat operation, which looks to have worked wonders. Thanks to a strong tempo set by Starry Legend, Michael Dee was able to get the Group 3 winner out and going with enough time before the winning post to get this guy home. He has always shown top-line potential, and we might be about to see that.
When to bet: This is a tough one. We want to be with him wherever he goes next – whether that be another high-benchmark race, or the deep end in a race like the Goodwood Handicap (1200m) over in Adelaide. Follow him!
.@JaseRicho gets a roughie win with Ranting!
He takes out the Ian Miller Handicap at Caulfield 🙌 pic.twitter.com/79r6hC45mH
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) May 7, 2022