Weekend Racing Review: Right You Are stars at Flemington

Right You Are
Jockey Damien Oliver says Flemington winner Right You Are has the scope to keep improving.

It was another big weekend in racing, where Ipswich played host to feature racing with the Listed Eye Liner and Gai Waterhouse Classic. Take a look at the big winners and flops from Saturday’s meetings at Ipswich, Flemington and Randwick-Kensington.

Win of the weekend: Right Your Are

Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr saddled up the talented Right You Are in the TAB/ATA Trainers’ Trust Handicap over 1600m for the three-year-olds. Stretto and Kuramae looked like they would fight out the finish, until Damien Oliver found a needle-eyed gap on the eventual winner and got every inch out of the So You Think gelding. While the winning margin wasn’t massive, the way in which he went about it was superb. He now takes his record to four wins from seven runs with three minor placings. A short spell is on the cards before Right Your Are returns for some middle-distance races in the spring.

Bandipur and Solar Star salute in Ipswich features

Bandipur snatched victory in the feature race of the weekend, the Listed Eye Liner Stakes. In what was a brilliant, rails-hugging ride by Jag Guthman-Chester, the ex-Godolphin runner shot clear to win comfortably over the luckless Boomsara and Monsieur Gustave. Well-backed favourite Pennino never looked like winning and finished ninth after being caught wide.

Wren’s Day got back in the winner’s stall with a brilliant turn of foot, arriving just in time to nail Porto Duo. The six-year-old gelding had a second to Cracksman in a French Group 1 two years ago but had failed to find that same form since arriving in Australia, having won just the one other start prior to Saturday’s victory. Andrew Mallyon rode the Medaglia d’Oro gelding to perfection and got the best out of him in the final 100m.

Solar Star made it an all-the-way victory in the Listed Gai Waterhouse for Tony Gollan and Robbie Fradd, defeating Jami Lady by a length. The Zoustar mare took her record at Ipswich to three from three, rounding out a solid campaign for the four-year-old. Jami Lady had every chance after sitting outside the winner and simply wasn’t good enough on the day. The eye-catching run came from Multaja, which jumped up out of the ground late to grab third ahead of Strome.

Third time’s a charm for Alcyone at Flemington

We’ve highlighted VRC Derby contender Alcyone in his last two starts and he finally got the job done on Saturday in the Byerley Handicap over 1800m for two-year-olds. The Teofilo colt had a lovely run in transit, settling fourth on the outside before moving up to the leaders under a strong hold from John Allen. He went on with it in the straight for a tough win over Johnny Get Angry, booking his spot in the Derby. He still has some doubters, but we think Alcyone looks the one to beat in the Derby after overcoming the big weight.

Romancer was an impressive winner of the James Dunbar’s Flemington Inn Handicap for Grahame Begg and Teo Nugent, winning by two lengths over Orderofthegarter and Dabiyr. It was a rather quickly run mile, although the final 200m was run in a slow 12.15 seconds. Romancer was given a great ride and shot clear in the straight. He will now be set for some spring riches.

Matt Cumani’s Creedence was a dominant winner at Headquarters in the Happy Retirement Pat Hyland Handicap over 2000m. The five-year-old gelding was given a lovely run in transit from apprentice Michael Poy and hit the front at the 200m. Vassilator and Sir Pippin filled the placings, both running credible races. Equal favourite Bartholomeu Dias was in a winning spot at the top of the straight but failed to find anything from there, beating home just the one runner in Muntahaa, which won the Ebor in 2018 and has now failed to beat a runner home in his last five starts.

Tailleur falls flat on dicey Kensington track

The slaughter of the afternoon was arguably the Kensington track itself, with punters around the nation expressing their frustration over social media at the state of a surface that displayed a clear bias to the inside. Those that led or found any room closest to the fence were hugely advantaged, with a number of leaders winning by a space.

The upset of the weekend was undoubtedly Tailleur. The Shooting To Win filly was unbeaten from her two previous runs, including a brilliant burst of late speed at her last start to run down Switched right on the post. She found the worst part of the track on Saturday, making only late headway as tear-away leader Killin gave Kris Lees his 2000th career winner.

Les Bridge’s Madam Legend was certainly a beneficiary of the leader’s bias, racing away for a 3.3-length win over Vitesse, which beat third-placed Capri Of Tuffy by a further 2.5 lengths. Ceejay Graham controlled the race from in front and never looked like being run down. Well-tried favourite Strawb was given no hope against the pattern and finished 13 lengths last.

Take a look below at Robbie Dolan’s run down of his rides at the track in a post-raceday video sent out to his followers. Robbie had just the one place getter in the last with Derbari but was able to share insight on his other rides, giving punters justification and horses to follow going forward.


Topics: Alcyone, Bandipur, Creedence, featured, Flemington, Ipswich, Killin, Madam Legend, Randwick-Kensington, Right You Are, romancer, Solar Star, Tailleur

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