Weekend Racing Recap – Saturday 14th March
Group 1 racing was the highlight at Rosehill Gardens as the girls took centre-stage for the Coolmore Classic over the 1500m. In what looked an even renewal of the race this season, the Brad Widdup trained Savvy Hallie was sent out favourite at $4.20, and after Nash Rawiller found the rails and the lead and she controlled the race she looked like she would dash clear final 200m but her run peaked and she did not finish the race off well enough. The Waller/McDonald combination has been in super form in the Group 1’s of late and they had the second favourite Lazzura ($5) but she had to carry the impost of 58kgs which had not been carried to win this race since the Champion mare Sunline.
She was always going to need some luck from her awkward gate but McDonald was happy to settle back touch worse than midfield and wide but she did have cover. Once she got to the middle of the track when balanced-up she looked to be battling but she really responded to hard riding and she showed a will to win just proving touch too smart final couple of strides to defeat Arctic Glamour ($13) by 3/4 length with Vivy Air ($26) making good late ground to grab minor placing. The win bought James McDonald to within 1 winner of Damien Oliver in Australian Group 1 record of 129.
The Queenslander came into calculations for this year’s Golden Slipper Stakes when the Tony Gollan trained Pembrey demolished the two-year-old fillies in the Group 2 Magic Night Stakes. She did everything right when McDonald asked her to extend soon after straightening and she was eased down final stages winning by a clear 1 1/4 lengths. It gives McDonald yet another option for the Slipper.
There was big money on offer at Caulfield on Saturday for VOBIS Day but punters were not expecting one of the biggest upsets in recent history in Australian racing when Nostra Bella took out the $200,000 Gold Dash at $151 for trainer Karlene Tindale who has a history in trotting industry. Punched out by the experienced Dean Yendall she was responsible for plenty of torn up tickets throughout the racetrack.
Australian racing lost a legend last week when Makybe Diva succumbed to colic, so it was a big lift for her owner Tony Santic when the colours of Makybe Diva took out the $1,000,000 VOBIS Showdown on Big Wigs. It was an outstanding ride by the in-form Lachlan Neindorf who reeled in leaders last 200m for last stride win. The victory bought make memories of those colours being carried to three Melbourne Cup victories on the great mare.