3 minute read
Timeform recap the 2021 Doncaster won by Cascadian.
Sydneysiders on Saturday were given a rare glimpse of what Melbournians have been witnessing all season, Jamie Kah at her elite best.
It was only the second time we've seen Kah at Randwick and at just her sixth attempt she was able to bring up her first Group 1 at headquarters.
Kah first rode at Randwick on Day Two of the Championships back in 2019, a key highlight finishing a narrow fourth aboard Miss Siska in the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf [1600m].
Linking aboard the James Cummings trained Cascadian you won't see many better winning rides, she flushed it.
The baldy faced assassin, a nickname coined by bookmakers, Cascadian has often broken the hearts of punters since arriving in Australia, including myself.
In 18 starts in Australia he had only saluted the judge twice, but he put the writing was on the wall in the George Ryder that he was back better than ever, you just had to believe.
Rated 116 by Timeform in the lead up, Cascadian has never gone any better for Cummings and proceeded to springboard off that mark, third up on Saturday.
Drawing well on the inside he was finally able to take up a position that wasn't last.
A masterful ride from Kah she tracked favourite Mugatoo all the way and got the dream run through before popping off his back inside the 300m.
Letting down well down the outside he gradually wore down Icebath, getting his head down right on the line.
Watching live you did get the feeling he was going to turn it up, fortunately Kah was able to coax him over the line.
Do have to feel for both Brad Widdup and Jay Ford, much like Kah, Ford couldn't have done anything more on Icebath, she again just bumped into one better on the day.
Now rated 122, Cascadian sits slightly above the winning average for the last five years, though that is largely due to Nettoyer running a winning figure of 110 last year.
The Kris Lees trained Mugatoo held his own in fourth and won the race at the weights running a Timeform rating of 124.
It looked a decent Doncaster pre-race and given the margin spread expect it to be a good form race going forward.
One horse to highlight is the Annabel Neasham trained Zaaki.
In his Australian debut he was an eye catcher and expect him to be very competitive heading towards the Brisbane carnival.
Rated 121 on his best form from the UK, he ran a figure of 114 on Saturday - a great starting point for his career in Australia.
Quick Takes:
- Nature Strip was back to his supreme best running a Timeform rating of 129, he once again showed that on his day he is almost unbeatable.
- Out of the same race Masked Crusader was certainly the eye catcher and looks to have one hoof firmly on the All Aged Trophy
- Anamoe toyed with the 'B' Graders and returned a Timeform rating of 119. They are now expected to press onto the Champagne in which you suspect he could win in reverse