Weekend Racing Review: Another win in the wet for Jungle Edge
It was a wet weekend up and down the eastern seaboard, but that only made the horse racing action all the more intriguing for some. Here are the highlights from Saturday’s meetings at Caulfield, Sunshine Coast and Rosehill Gardens.
Win of the day: Jungle Edge
Hard to go past the muddy marvel, Jungle Edge, this week after a super win in the Sir John Monash Stakes. The nine-year-old claimed his 19th career victory, with all of them being on a rain-affected surface. Backed off the map on Saturday afternoon from as much as $4.50 into $2.60, punters rejoiced as the mudlark toughed it out for a 0.75-length victory over Viridine and I Am Someone.
We know Jungle Edge grows a leg on heavy ground and this was no exception. What a win by the 9YO mudlark. ? @MelbRacingClub @RacingInsider pic.twitter.com/moj0CXeA8I
— Racing.com (@Racing) July 11, 2020
Mystery Shot extends unbeaten run with Caulfield win
Mystery Shot kept an unblemished record in the fifth event on the program, making it four from four in the 1400m race. Michael Rodd has now ridden the Shooting To Win gelding to his last three victories and delivered a lovely ride on the three-year-old from barrier nine. Handy to the speed, Mystery Shot raced away with it in the concluding stages to defeat Wicklow Town by 2.5 lengths.
Mystery Shot bolts in! That's four on the trot and his best performance to date. ? @LSmithRacing @MelbRacingClub pic.twitter.com/93sc3eOyhZ
— Racing.com (@Racing) July 11, 2020
New Zealand import Lord Bouzeron made his Australian debut in the 2000m event and absolutely bolted in at the double-figure quote. In what was a dominant staying performance, apprentice Will Price sent the gelding to the front and showed them a clean pair of heels to race away with a 4.5-length victory over Queen Of Tarts and Tooradin. It was a first Saturday metro winner for the apprentice too.
Congratulations to Will Price who picked up his first Saturday win at Caulfield, with a brilliant steer aboard Lord Bouzeron. ? pic.twitter.com/bql4SvQM0t
— Racing.com (@Racing) July 11, 2020
Freedman Racing bookended the Caulfield meeting with Efflorescence and Bedford both claiming the spoils. Bedford had the closing race set up perfectly when France’s Boy ran the first 900m some nine lengths quicker than standard time over the 1700m journey. Jamie Mott pinched all of the runs along the inside and angled out towards the middle of the track in the straight to claim a 0.75-length margin over Lord Durante.
That was fast. @FreedmanRacing bookend the program with Bedford taking out the last at Caulfield. @MelbRacingClub pic.twitter.com/HnzTYnztWs
— Racing.com (@Racing) July 11, 2020
Kisukano delivers on Sunshine Coast
The only horse to beat Rothfire returned a winner at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday in a dominant victory. Kisukano overcame the top weight on a rain-affected surface, storming down the middle of the track in impressive fashion. She ran the fastest time of the three 1000m races on the card and now takes her record to four wins from five starts, with her only loss coming to Rothfire when second at her second start. She will now head to Sydney and is a sneaky Golden Rose contender in the spring.
Three 1000M races @SCTurfClub – (R1) Kisukano 59.02 – (R6) Bold Style 59.39 – (R9) Tullio 59.75 ( Downgrade to H9 prior to R9) @RadioTABAus
— STEVE HEWLETT ?? ? (@stevejoseph69) July 11, 2020
Wapiti got the spoils in the Winx Guineas in what was a very tough win over Knight Mariner and Love Express. Backed into favouritism before the jump, the gelding was sent forward by Sean Cormack and had to be lifted off the canvas late. After being headed twice at the 200m, Gary Duncan’s three-year-old kicked strongly inside the final 50m to claim the gold by half a length.
Wapiti rallies and hits the line strongly to win the Winx Guineas at @SCTurfClub for trainer Gary 'Jack' Duncan and Sean Cormack pic.twitter.com/299yAbESb7
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) July 11, 2020
Krone claimed a well-deserved victory in the Listed Glasshouse Handicap after having a very good winter carnival without winning. Taylor Marshall opted to switch back to the inside in what was a winning move on the mare to kick clear for a good win. Soxagon drifted in the market and only managed fourth, being edged out by the well-backed 2019 winner, River Racer. Special Missile was good on speed and kept fighting to run second.
Krone dashed clear in the TAB Glasshouse at @SCTurfClub for @tonygollan and Taylor Marshall pic.twitter.com/rLHnXp6lPq
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) July 11, 2020
North Pacific breaks the maiden at Rosehill
Hype horse North Pacific scored his first win in the opener at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday in a brilliant return to racing. After having just the one run and finishing behind Farnan, Team Hawkes put the colt away for the autumn and may have unearthed a potential star. Koby Jennings pulled out on the two-year-old at about the 200m and raced away with an impressive victory, justifying favouritism. He has now been installed as an $11 chance for the Group 1 Golden Rose.
An impressive start to the day at Rosehill with North Pacific bolting in under @KobyJennings for @HawkesRacing
He's certainly lived up the hype ?? pic.twitter.com/UCqbjn2Kd2
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) July 11, 2020
After beginning his career with seven victories from eight starts, Noble Boy made it win number eight at start number 18 on Saturday in the feature race on the program, the Winter Stakes. The talented five-year-old had been knocking on the door in three runs this campaign before finally putting it all together to win by nearly half a length in a rail-hugging ride by the in-form Jason Collett. Taikomochi was brave in defeat at big odds after leading the field.
Welcome back to the winners circle Noble Boy! @ClareCRacing's gelding was given another smart ride from Jason Collett to salute in the Listed Winter Stakes as the in-form hoop brings up a treble ??? pic.twitter.com/M4Ig0mNC4B
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) July 11, 2020
Partners did it again on Saturday, tearing away along the back to become nearly impossible to run down in the Rosehill Bowling Club Handicap over 1200m. Brock Ryan set the four-year-old gelding alight, proving the last-start Highway win wasn’t just a fluke to win by 0.2 lengths over Malea Magic.