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Saturday Post Mortem with Chris Scholtz

by Chris Scholtz , 5 years ago

3 minute read

Chris Scholtz reviews racing around Australia on July 28.

THE STARS

DARREN WEIR: A fitting end to his record-breaking season with nine victories across three venues at Caulfield, Mildura and Morphettville taking his season tally to 487.5 wins. It was another perfect example of how he manages a massive team of more than 250 horses in work. He’s milestones this season include setting new national and Melbourne records, a fifth Melbourne premiership and a personal best nine G1 wins. Next season his sights will be set on the once unthinkable target of 500 wins.

CHRIS WALLER: Celebrated his eighth Sydney premiership and best ever season of 337.5 wins with a quartet at Rosehill including the final black type race with Mister Sea Wolf in the Winter Challenge. Waller’s milestones this season include a new Sydney record of 189 race wins, leading metropolitan trainer with 252.5 wins ahead of Weir’s 207, leading the prizemoney table with $34 million and leading G1 trainer for the sixth successive season with 13 majors.

VEGA MAGIC: Had something to prove in the Bletchingly Stakes and answered the call to remain unbeaten at Caulfield. His emphatic display puts him front and centre for those three remaining Everest slot holders still looking for their right horse.

NATURE STRIP: Staked his Everest claim with a sizzling speed display to win the Lightning Stakes over 1050m at Morphettville by six lengths. There should be no debate now that he is not the real deal….up to 1100m at least.

SELF SENSE: The best hurdler of the season returns to the flat at Caulfield and maintains his winning streak under a big weight to set up his assault on next month’s Grand National Hurdle where he will attempt to make it four wins from four starts over the jumps.

HUGH BOWMAN: He was the master at Rosehill with a fine treble. Ready to sail into the new season in top form.

MICHAEL GEANEY/CHELSEA JOKIC: A 30-year-old local air conditioner repairer and trainer with just two horses in work and 22-year-old jockey carrying an injury win the $100,000 Townsville Cup with bargain buy Lady Skills raced by the trainer’s mother. That’s racing!

HIGHLIGHTS

HARRY COFFEY: Popular Victorian jockey wins four at Mildura to reach his goal of more than 50 wins for the season.

DAMIAN LANE: Gave Adelaide a taste of his talent with three wins at Morphettville.

MATT DUNN: Murwillumbah trainer ends the season as the king of the Highway races after Wallander makes it seven for the season for his stable and 17 overall, 1.5 more than Goulburn’s Danny WiIliams. And Racing NSW was worried Canberra trainers would dominate these events – go figure!

CAMERON CROCKETT: Young Mudgee trainer with a strong racing pedigree rewarded for astute planning when Sharpe Hussler to land a $51 to $16 plunge at Rosehill.

MICHAEL MURPHY: Led the way on a big day for apprentices at Doomben with a double. The apprentices won six of the nine races with Taylor Marshall, Stephanie Lacy, Jackson Murphy and Corey Bayliss also successful.

SAM WEATHERLEY: Rosehill double confirms he is going from strength to strength since his move to Sydney. Doubt he will be rushing back to NZ any time soon.

AIDEN NUNN: Polo playing Tasmanian trainer knows his business, adding a Doomben win to his Grafton victory on his annual winter polo holiday with his good stayer Brilliant Jet. Nunn is a top rated polo players and competes on the NSW/Queensland circuit during the winter.

LES TILLEY: Hard working Queensland jockey known as ‘Bubba’ notched his maiden Saturday metropolitan winner on the speedster Spurcraft at Doomben. He has ridden winners at 21 different tracks this season.

MICHAEL McNAB: Kiwi jockey Michael McNab rides his first city winner since moving to Australia to link with Chris Waller’s Queensland stable with an upset on Irish Optimism at Doomben.

LOWLIGHTS

DARREN WEIR/CHRIS WALLER: They are unstoppable but those upset results when outsiders beat their favoured stablemates is wearing thin with recreational punters – just visit a pub or TAB to hear their comments! In the trainer’s defence they are just doing their job…and they don’t frame the markets!

CHRIS SYMONS: Had a difficult ride on Call Me Handsome but fighting him all the way didn’t help his chances in the last at Caulfield.

SIN BIN

MOUNT KILCOY: Big failure but there were excuses - pulled up lame in near foreleg.

VAUCLUSE BAY There has to be two of him!

GALA MOSHEA: Double whammy – bled and also pulled up lame.

FALCON ISLAND: Weak conveyance. Trial required.

HALLELUJAH BOY: Concern with action. Ordered to trial.

WAY WE GO: Lame after first run in more than 1000 days. Not a good sign.

BEST GUESS: Limited future

RIDES OF THE DAY

HUGH BOWMAN: Timing and strength are his hallmarks – covered the spectrum with his rides on Huangshan, Paret and Eusebio at Rosehill.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

• “He is a blockbuster sprinter on his day. He made some good horse look ordinary, he played with them. He reminds me of Manikato, the hard going way he does things. He’s the best 1200-1400m horse around Caulfield for a while.” – David Hayes singing the praises of Vega Magic.

THEY SAID IT….

• “It's a credit to my staff - we have a happy group of people and the systems are in place. It's about keeping the owners happy and the horses winning at the level they can.” – Chris Waller sums up his record season.

• “He just builds momentum and can absorb pressure. I think if you had a slot you’d be foolish to look elsewhere - you’d be mad not to take him.” – Damian Oliver advice to Everest slot holders after winning the Bletchingly Stakes on Vega Magic.

• “He has been up and going since January and to keep it going at this rate is quite amazing. There’s no rhyme or reason for it but this horse loves to see a fence, draw to a fence and jump it. He’s motivated….it’s like he’s been re-awakened.” – Self Sense’s trainer David Brideoake tries to explain his gelding’s rebirth.

• “There wouldn't be a faster horse going around. It was a terrific run and it will give some people a few things to think about. I look forward to seeing what happens in the future.” – Darren Weir’s review of Nature Strip’s Lightning Stakes win.

• “Sunlight was just going too slow for him and he just wanted to get on with it. He's a very good horse and I wouldn't have expected anything less of him to tell you the truth.” – Nature Strip’s jockey Damian Lane.

• “It’s a dream for a young trainer to win his home town cup in front of friends and family.” – Townsville Cup winner Michael Geaney.

• “I don’t waste my words when I tell you to mark him down for the Derby.” – Gai Waterhouse has big plans for Rosehill winner Thinkin’ Big.

• “Each carnival you see one go through the grades, could it be Paret? He could get to an Epsom without too much trouble.” – Chris Waller’s aspirations with Rosehill winner Paret.

• “I wish I had a few more like her.” - Chiavari’s trainer Nick Harnett’s succinct summation after his mare lands a $21 to $9 plunge at Caulfield.

• “The more he gets to know him, the better he rides him.” – trainer Charlotte White praises Les Tilley for his fifth win from seven rides on her fast sprinter.

• “He had a bit of trouble when he first got here but he’s got his weight down now. He is going to be a force to be reckoned with here.” – Chris Waller’s Gold Coast stable manager Paul Shailer passes judgement on Michael McNab.

• “I’m starting to settle in now and I’m loving the lifestyle. I’m starting to get a few more chances - it’s a game of opportunity this one.” – ex-Kiwi jockey Michael McNab on life in Queensland.

BLACKBOOK

ISTRIA: Just missed first-up. Big upside.

SEE ME EXCEED: Excellent resuming effort. Certain to take improvement.

THE PASSAGE: Another solid placing. His turn is due.

SALSONIC: Positive return sets him up for a good campaign.

SOUCHEZ: Strong prospects as he steps up in distance.


Racing and Sports

tags

Mister Sea Wolf VEGA MAGIC NATURE STRIP SELF SENSE Wallander Sharpe Hussler Brilliant Jet Spurcraft Irish Optimism Call Me Handsome MOUNT KILCOY GALA MOSHEA FALCON ISLAND HALLELUJAH BOY WAY WE GO Huangshan Paret Eusebio Manikato ISTRIA SEE ME EXCEED

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