Saturday, 20 March 2010: A tough fighting win in the group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes at Warwick Farm a fortnight ago showed class weight-for-age galloper Theseo is back with a vengeance after an enforced injury-related lay-off.
The four-time group one winner had over ten months off after the 2009 Doncaster Handicap but after finishing unplaced in the Apollo Stakes bounced back quickly to top form with the Chipping Norton victory.
Theseo returned a
Timeform 
rating of 123 in the Chipping Norton Stakes, just under his master figure of 124, a level he should return to this afternoon when he tackles the Group One
Ranvet Stakes over 2000m.
Theseo will be attempting back to back wins in the
Ranvet Stakes having captured the race last year in a bold front running display defeating 2008 Melbourne Cup and 2009 Caulfield Cup winner Viewed.
Just three horses in the last 50 years have managed back-to-back
Ranvet Stakes wins, Tie The Knot (2000/1), Beau Zam (1988/9) and Sky High (1962/3), so Theseo will join an elite group should he be successful.
Theseo will be third up from a spell today, whereas last year he was fourth up after campaigning in Melbourne where he had won the St George Stakes and was just photo-finished out of the Australian Cup by Niconero.
Fitness should not be an issue as he is yet to finish out of a place in six runs third up plus he will have derived plenty of benefit from the Chipping Norton run.
I can see Theseo setting the pace in his customary role and proving hard to get past again.
The enigmatic Rangirangdoo, who was “worried out” of the major prize in the Chipping Norton Stakes by Theseo after appearing to have the race won at the 100m, looks the main danger again.
Last start he reached a new Timeform master rating of 122 but will need to improve that figure again if he is to turn the tables on Theseo.
The jury is still out on two counts with this fellow. There remains a query on his ability at 2000m as well as his toughness to put his head out in a tight finish.
Rangirangdoo failed in Melbourne in the Mackinnon Stakes over 2000m behind Scenic Shot when coming off a easy Waterford Crystal Mile win but the indications are he is a stronger galloper this campaign.
Also the plan to ride him back in the field is a strategy that may allow him to get the 2000m on this occasion. Trainer Chris Waller has also removed blinkers in an effort to get the gelding to settle.
2009 AJC Oaks winner, the New Zealand mare Daffodil is the new horse on the scene.
The mare won the Group One Windsor Park Plate over 1600m in New Zealand last September, then was unlucky in the Kelt Capital Stakes before heading to Melbourne for an eye-catching fourth in the Caulfield Cup.
She has raced twice since a spell and with a Timeform rating of 112 looks the one capable of causing an upset.
Coolmore Classic
A cracker of a field lines up in the Group One Coolmore Classic for fillies and mares over 1500m with early speed likely to be a deciding factor.
Several of the main chances tend to get back with the likely leader being the
Gai Waterhouse-trained Gold Water.
In terms of ratings, there is just a few pounds separating several chances and that when combined with the likely pace scenario points strongly to punters looking for value.
The three-year-old filly Set For Fame is the interesting runner and has the ratings to be right in the finish.
Trained by Peter Moody, who elected not to run his class mare Typhoon Tracy, Set For Fame was just run down by Rock Classic in the Group One Australian Guineas over 1600m at Flemington last Saturday and she is one of the form horses coming into the race.
Set For Fame has raced just three times since a spell and looked impressive winning the Kevin Hayes and Angus Armanasco Stakes before her Guineas second.
She comes into the race with a Timeform rating of 115 and has enough speed to overcome her wide draw of 17. She should be right in the finish.
The lightly raced improver is the “get-back” mare Palacio De Cristal who contests the race second up after a spell.
She resumed with a slashing first up third to form gallopers Danleigh and Rangirangdoo in the Apollo Stakes over 1400m at Rosehill after having an interrupted passage in the straight.
In that race she ran to a new master Timeform rating of 115 and her record second up from a spell is sound.
The mare has an impressive career strike rate of four wins form 17 runs and tumbles to 52kgs having carried weight for age last start.
Although she will get back she looms as a definite danger.
Other mares with claims at good odds includes Dane Julia and Prima Nova.
Reisling Slipper Stakes
This shapes as a three-way showdown between unbeaten Magic Millions winner Military Rose (Timeform rating 115), unbeaten Kindergarten Stakes winner Solar Charged (118) and Blue Diamond Prelude winner Psychologist (15).
It is hard to go past Solar Charged. The filly is unbeaten in two race starts and resumed after a spell with an impressive win in the Kindergarten Stakes at Warwick Farm two weeks back.
On that occasion she led throughout and despite racing greenly in the straight scored with something in hand.
She recorded a Timeform rating of 118, one of the highest Kindergarten Stakes winners in recent times and looks the one they all have to beat.
I would not be surprised if Hugh Bowman tries to restrain her behind the leaders on this occasion as there looks to be good speed on paper at least.
The form lines through Magic Millions winner Military Rose were franked last week when Ambers Waltz raced well against quality Melbourne filly Crystal Lily.
Ambers Waltz was well beaten by Military Rose over 1200m in the Magic Millions so the form stacks up well for this afternoon's race.
Military Rose will be aiming to become the first filly to complete the Magic Millions -Golden Slipper Stakes double and the Reisling Stakes engagement today is an integral step to that goal.
Although resuming, Military Rose has reportedly done well in preparation for today's race and one of her biggest attributes is the fact she does not have to lead and can take a sit, something which could prove a big advantage in this and the Golden Slipper Stakes.
She earned a Timeform rating of 115 in the Magic Millions and has scope to improve that figure further.
Psychologist looked a classy type with an easy Blue Diamond Prelude win rating 115, then was slightly disappointing in the Blue Diamond which has already proved to be an excellent form race producing three subsequent winners.
The Reisling looks like being a quality renewal.
Star Witness is the interesting runner in the Todman Stakes, the main lead up race to the Golden Slipper for male juveniles.
His win in the Blue Diamond Stakes a month back was stunning and although he will have been away from the track for that period does look the one to beat.
He heads the Juvenile Timeform Handicaps on 121 and would only need to run close to that figure to prove too good against this field.
Black Opal Stakes winner Decision Time looks the main danger. Unbeaten in four runs he is on trial for a Slipper berth and should be win here, connections will no doubt pay up the late entry fee to get their young galloper into the World's richest juvenile race.
Ends...
