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The Rosehill Timeform recap featuring a race by race overview of key performers and ones to watch from the San Domenico Stakes meeting on August 31.
Team Hawkes enjoyed a winning treble courtesy of Exceedance taking out the San Domenico Stakes (1100m) along with Greyworm and God Of Thunder taking out the last two races on the program.
Exceedance was impressive to say the least, returning the highest winning figure for a San Domenico Stakes since Charge Forward claimed a star studded renewal of the event in 2004.
The Spring Champion Stakes-bound Quick Thinker provided connections with a welcome surprise in the other three-year-old stakes race on the card, dominating his rivals in the Group 3 Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m).
Come Play With Me (Premier’s Cup) and Desert Lord (Race 8) each produced first up outings which suggest they are each poised to enjoy a victory some time through September.
Race 1: Assault’n’bathory - Class 2 Highway Handicap (1400m)
Assault'n'Bathory was the first one out and first one home. The Danielle Seib-trained gelding went to the front, got the first look at the track and was never in doubt.
It was his first Highway Handicap win after having placed in two prior Highway Handicaps.
Who’s Shout was strong in second. He’s got Highway Handicap winner this prep written all over him.
The Norm Gardner stable in Canberra is a team who are punching above their weight. The small stable has had Upper House and Caccini win Highway Handicaps through the winter and off Saturday, Who’s Shout can join the club soon.
Race 2: Wimlah - Benchmark 78 F&M Handicap (1500m)
Wimlah landed outside the lead, was rock hard fit after racing through the winter and too strong at the business end.
The mare ran to a Timeform rating of 95 which is a new career peak for the daughter of Sebring.
The four-year-old has been up for a while, but she’s a mare in form so you’d suspect the stable will keep her going. There are lots of potential options for her at the middle of this month.
Le Lude was good in second and with only a Benchmark of 63, John Thompson has a host of options for her next start. Even back to the midweeks.
Race 3: Adana - Benchmark 78 3YO+ C,G&E Handicap (1500m)
Punters who stuck solid with Adana after the run prior were rewarded. The son of Snitzel was was given the ride he needed on Saturday and delivered.
The four-year-old won with a figure well below his master Timeform rating of 100, he ran that behind Vegadaze during the summer.
For connections, there is plenty to work with there both in terms of what Adana can produce based on his master rating and race options moving forward. There is a similar race to what he won on Saturday at Rosehill in a fortnight.
Realisitically, the Chris Waller-trained runner probably meets a similar group of horses in that race and can offer up a repeat does.
Irukandji spun his wheels badly on a wet track and was beaten six lengths. It means we can get a price about him third run from a spell on firmer ground. His first up outing for Bjorn Baker as a gelding behind Prime Candidate was strong.
Race 4: Mrs Madrid - Benchmark 78 3YO+ Handicap (2000m)
Mrs Madrid relished some solid early speed on up front and rattled home off it.
She is another who like Adana has won with a Benchmark in the mid 60’s meaning there are plenty of options for her next outing. Anthony Cummings can potentially take her back to Rosehill in two weeks either for an 1800m or 2400m race.
New Zealand Raider The Good Fight produced an excellent Australian debut in second under a big weight. It will be interesting to see where he heads second up.
Costello and Humbolt Current in third and fourth respectively are both knocking on the door too.
Race 5: Exceedance - Group 3 San Domenico Stakes (1100m)
This was a convincing win by a promising colt. The son of Exceed And Excel produced a Timeform rating of 119+ which comes in above the five year winning average of the race.
Team Hawkes have now won this race in three of its past six renewals. Nostradamus claimed the 2014 running while Star Turn won it in 2016.
Exceedance profiles as the strongest winner of the trio. He is in fact the highest rated winner of the San Domenico Stakes since Charge Forward produced a figure of 123 when accounting for Fastnet Rock and Dance Hero in 2004.
While Team Hawkes are going with the one run at a time line for Exceedance, the Run To The Rose into the Golden Rose is the obvious path for him.
Va Pensiero for Jason Coyle in 2013 was the last horse to claim the San Domenico Stakes - Run To The Rose double.
Duporth in 2008 is the only horse to claim the San Domenico Stakes - Golden Rose double.
Team Hawkes' first San Domenico Stakes winner Nostradamus went the way of the Golden Rose while Star Turn was kept to shorter sprints and won the 2016 Schillaci Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield beating older horses Malaguerra and Fell Swoop.
Second placegetter Bivouac perhaps spun his wheels a shade on the heavy track however the run still possessed merit while Anaheed was good against the boys in third.
Race 6: Wu Gok - Group 3 Premier’s Cup (1900m)
Wu Gok was the fit horse early in the spring on a testing track. A noted mudlark, he lapped up the conditions.
The son of Sebring produced a career best win and his third success in four starts. The six-year-old is likely off to the Wyong Cup this Friday, a campaign path you often see taken to good effect.
Beyond Thankful backed up from the Premier’s Cup to win the Wyong Cup in 2015, the warhorse Destiny’s Kiss did the same in 2017.
The runner up Come Play With Me is clearly the horse to follow from the race, with the West Australian producing a great stable debut for Chris Waller.
Come Play With Me is expected to tackle the Kingston Town Stakes at Randwick in three weeks. Before Avilius won it last year for James Cummings, Chris Waller had won the past four renewals - He's Your Man (2014), Silverball (2015), Mccreery (2016) and Libran (2017). Add in the likes of Shraaoh and Girl Tuesday amongst others from the stable who can head to the Kingston Town, Waller will likely reclaim ‘reigning winner’ honours.
Race 7: Quick Thinker - Group 3 Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m)
Considering the plans they have for this horse, Saturday’s Ming Dynasty Quality success sounds like a massive bonus for connections.
Quick Thinker has won with a Timeform rating of 111, it’s the highest winning figure of the race since 2014.
Panzer Division claimed that renewal and Shooting To Win ran second who went on to win the Caulfield Guineas that year.
The OTI-raced colt is headed toward the Spring Champion Stakes this spring via races like the Dulcify and Gloaming.
He’s only going to get better the longer the races get.
Aspect Ratio was solid in second and is another who is bred to appreciate ground. Trainer John Sargent is no doubt already eyeing off the VRC Oaks with the Declaration Of War filly.
Race 8: Greyworm - Benchmark 88 3YO+ Handicap (1200m)
Greyworm has quickly bounced back off a poor first up run. We’ve assessed the win at a Timeform rating of 98. It’s about a length off the level he hit through three runs earlier this year.
The Master Of Design gelding profiles to reach that mark third run from a spell. There is a 1200m Benchmark 88 for him at Randwick in three weeks time.
Stablemate Desert Lord resumed well in fourth. He’s like Greyworm in the fact the High Chaparral gelding produced a good run but is still open to substantial improvement looking at his best figures achieved last season.
Even Ranier and So Taken produced solid efforts and each have upside early in their preps.
This race produced an overall and final sectional time that was one of the closest to standard times for the day. Signs point to it proving a decent form reference at high Benchmark level the next month.
Race 9: God Of Thunder - Benchmark 78 3YO+ Handicap (1100m)
The final event of the day was hammered by scratchings and it was God Of Thunder who capitalised. The More Than Ready gelding ran to a new master Timeform rating. It’s no coincidence it comes in his second run as a gelding.
There are a couple of nice Benchmark 88 options for him over the coming weeks.
The four-year-old wrapped up a winning treble for Team Hawkes.
The pleasing thing for them about the treble is all three winners have bundles of upside.