3 minute read
A look at some of the remaining Winter Finals Day races.
Snowden colt found Aldolfito too strong
There were plenty of short-priced favourites on Finals day and many were expecting I Found You to start the day off well in the Next Generations Sprinters Series Final (1200m) for two-year-olds but it was the debutant Aldolfito who proved too strong.
Trained by Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman, the Fastnet Rock gelding Aldolfito ($6) edged out impressive maiden winner I Found You ($1.60 fav) by half a length under the urgings of Damian Lane, who extended his lead to 14 in the Victorian Metro Jockeys Premiership with his 80th winner of the season.
The Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) is the pie in the sky for these types, but co-trainer Katherine Coleman isn't getting carried away with the win.
"He's a nice horse that we've always had a decent opinion of but as a colt he was just really unfocused last preparation and still a real lad," Coleman said.
"Coming back this time as a gelding he's a real racehorse."
"If we could look to bring him back in towards the back end of the Spring if there was going to be something suitable there, that might be an option. It (Coolmore) might be a bridge too far, but you never know!"
Justadeel takes gold in Silver Bowl Final
Many were expecting first and second favourite Craig ($1.85 fav) and Rise At Dawn ($5) to renew their rivalry in the Silver Bowl Series Final (1600m), but it was the Mike Moroney trained Justadeel ($10) who upstaged the pair under Jye Mcneil, scoring by a head over Rise At Dawn with Craig working home for third, a further 1-½ lengths away.
Stable assistant Glen Thompson, who is set to enter into a training partnership with Mike Moroney in the upcoming season, said the team have always had a good opinion of Justadeel with the step up to a mile the key.
"He had to raise the bar a little bit against these horses today and he's definitely done that. He's a horse that the stable have always thought once he gets out over this trip you'll see the best of him and probably again once he gets out over even further," Thompson said.
McNeil, who rode Justadeel to a last-start second at Sandown Hillside, said the horse has further improvement to come, while also giving a shoutout to Moroney, who is recovering from a collapsed lung and pneumonia.
"A couple of times during the run he really got running on me so a little bit of work to do just to keep him settled but a really nice horse moving forward," McNeil said.
"Cheerio out to Mike as well, wherever he's watching on, I'm sure he would've gotten a good kick out of that today."
Brown in for big day
Ethan Brown came to Flemington Finals Day with a very strong book of rides including hot favourites Berkshire Breeze and Steel Run and wasted no time capitalising, winning the Taj Rossi Series Final (1600m) aboard the Ben, Will & JD Hayes trained Jenni's Meadow, who started a $5.50 third elect.
Already a 4-½ length winner on Berkshire Breeze earlier, Brown had to work a bit harder aboard the two-year-old daughter of Brutal, darting up the inside to deny stablemate Sneaky Sunrise ($4) by 1-¼ lengths with a further two lengths to Stay Silent ($21) holding third ahead of $2.80 favourite Pisces.
"She had to take quite a neat gap at the top of the straight, credit to the horse, she was quite brave but once she burst through she really ate up the mile," Brown said.
Ben Hayes said both the stable's fillies ran very well, with Sneaky Sunrise conceding 3.5kg to the winner, suggesting both will be spelled ahead of the Spring.
Former Kiwi denies Ellerton's Lady
When Brazen Lady burst through at the 200m under Damian Lane, it appeared that racing would give trainer Matthew Ellerton something to smile about, but it was the former New Zealand trainer mare Cindy Falls who sprouted wings late to take the Leilani Series Final (1400m).
Ellerton is currently stuck in a Bali hospital after suffering a stroke and will undergo further surgery to try and treat a blood clot in the Flemington-based trainer's brain, who unfortunately just missed out on a winner on Finals Day.
Cindy Falls ($7.50), formerly with Jon Miller, had only had one start in Australia when third at Sandown Hillside but appreciated a strong tempo to nail Brazen Lady ($4 fav) by a head under Dean Yendall with Belle Savoir ($6) close up in third.
"She relaxed beautifully out the back… she had a massive turn of foot for the last 400 metres," Yendall said.
"It's been a while since I've ridden for the (Hope) boys, it used to be an old partnership back in the apprentice days… good to get a good lightweight chance."
Steel Run stays best in Mahogany
Ethan Brown notched up his third win of the day aboard the Mick Kent trained Steel Run, who took out the Mahogany Challenge Final (2500m) at just his fourth start.
The son of Real Steel, a slightly easy $2.70 favourite was afforded a sweet ride by the in-form Brown, midfield with cover off a strong tempo and cruised up in the straight to win by 1-¾ lengths over pair of outsiders Hanafubuki ($41) and Phats ($26), both of whom came from well back in the field.
Stable representative Nikki Burke said the stable have been impressed with Steel Run so far, while also giving a reason for Mick Kent's absence.
"On the couch with a broken foot! But anyway, he'll be cheering hard at home, so it's good," Burke said.
"He's a lovely little horse, he's a really good stayer… early doors when he first came and started doing some work it was like 'this is a much better horse than (half-brother) Northern Barrage and he did well as a three-year-old' but this horse has got a lot more speed and great stamina."
It'sourtime successful in straight Santa
It'Sourtime has a great affinity with the Flemington straight and bolstered that form with his fourth win at the venue, the Danny O'Brien trained gelding taking out the Listed Santa Ana Lane Series Final (1200m).
Already a listed and Group 3 winner over the Flemington 1200m, It'sourtime turned the tables on Press Down from the Golden Topaz at Swan Hill, with the $2.40 favourite running well below expectations and finishing 11th.
Horses with straight-track form were to the fore with It'sourtime ($20) beating last-start Flemington winner Crosshaven ($15) by 1-¼ lengths, with a head back to Listed Straight Six winner Who Dares ($9.50). Group 3 winner and Group 1 placed The Astrologist carried 60kg and finished fourth at $12
Stable representative and assistant trainer Ellie Morrison pointed out that It'sourtime had given the O'Brien yard a pair of significant milestones this season.
"It's a fantastic result. It's our one hundredth winner of the season and he was actually our first winner of the season as well," Morrison said.
"He just loves racing and he's just a great horse to go along on the ride with."
