Whobegotyou appeared not to stay the 2500m of the Victoria Derby and was comprehensively defeated by longshot Rebel Raider, with unlucky Pre Eminence third. But he’s a fine horse Whobegotyou, he's had a splendid campaign and his day will come again.
Perhaps in years to come we will be saying of Reset (pictured) what I have felt about his sire Zabeel – back them all at 2000m and beyond, and double the bet when the blinkers go on (as they did with Rebel Raider on Saturday!!). Wish I had thought about that before 3 p.m.
Talk around the traps had tagged Reset a ‘failure’ even before his first crop turned two, eighteen months ago, an opinion which dumbfounded me with its stupidity. Then I remembered I was in Australia where the smarties believe they can pick a sire in the breaker’s lungeing ring. Much the same opinion was held of Zabeel when his first crop went into training in Australia, though no one can be found who will own up to it. The feedback from the east coast was so negative that some original Zabeel shareholders bailed out prematurely, the rationale being that if that’s what the market thinks then the sooner you get your money out the better.
Reset is a long way off being an unqualified success, but his oldest crop are barely three years old in real time so what chance has he had? Reset himself had not even had a race by November of his three-year-old year, and he is by Zabeel – so I chuckle when would-be gurus of the game make these sorts of predictions.
Rebel Raider (ex G1-placed Picholine, by the emerging broodmare sire talent Dehere (USA)) was a lovely big yearling, no deprived first foal look about him. At Magic Millions 2007 I scored him a respectable 7.5, which is on my ‘buy’ line, and noted “looks a Zabeel type” – well, he sure did winning that Derby on Saturday. Rebel Raider may be the highest-rated winner doubly-bred to Sir Tristram, in his case 3m x 4m. I’ve watched doubling up to Sir Tristram with interest, it’s been tried often, especially in NZ, and the results have left me fairly cold. But now it’s getting back into the fourth remove it might be more effective, or less damaging, whichever way you want to look at it. Rebel Raider is distantly related to A Little Kiss, an amazingly tough filly trained by T J Smith who ran second in the Wakeful Stakes on this day 19 years ago.
Queensland Derby placegetter Moatize finally got his name in lights beating a second-rate bunch of handicappers in the G3 Saab Quality. Presumably he’ll be in the Cup on Tuesday and conventional wisdom would give him zero chance of getting a strong 3200m – even though Bart trains him – as he’s by Danehill Dancer (Ire). But wait, there's more – his dam’s by Zabeel! She won up to 2050m and was herself second in a Cup – at Waipukurau. Talking of Danehill Dancer, I thought one of my favourites, Kimillsy, was a good thing beaten in the Wakeful Stakes. Can she get the 2500m of the Oaks next Thursday? On physique, yes. On pedigree? Danehill Dancer sired the winner of last year’s restricted edition, Arapaho Miss, and her dam, a winner up to 2000m, is by Snippets, more regarded for speed. You wouldn’t think it's a convincing Oaks-winning formula, especially against the Zabeel factor – Samantha Miss - but funnier things have happened.
In contrast to Rebel Raider, Rocha (Encosta de Lago-Larrocha, by Danehill (USA)) was not an inspiring first foal but on pedigree alone she made $400,000 at the 2007 Sydney Easter Yearling Sale. Swettenham Stud had placed a $500,000 reserve on her but passed her in after bidding her up to $475,000. The sale was negotiated back at the boxes. She was a neat and compact filly but her legs went every which way. Her NZ owner, 64-year-old Terry Jarvis, with his agent Michael Otto, sniff around the sales for value fillies with strong pedigrees, often giving away a bit of conformation, and such was Rocha whose dam won the G1 S.A. Oaks and whose grandam Kensington Gardens (NZ) left five stakeswinners by Danehill. Jarvis was a useful right-hander for NZ when they had a pretty good team, playing 13 tests. In 1972, he and Glenn Turner made an opening stand of 387 against West Indies. Terry was also a pay-TV pioneer in NZ and a one-time stud owner (The Oaks). Hill Of Grace (NZ) is probably the best he’s raced.
It was probably only because of indifferent front leg conformation that Gai Waterhouse didn't end up training Reset. She was given to train the full brother before him, So Assertive (a raging bull until he was castrated as a late two-year-old, after which he became a good quality racehorse) and paid $1.3 million for the half-brother after him, Assertive Choice (died at three). The Graeme Rogerson/Lloyd Williams team bought the piggy-in-the-middle, Reset, for $190,000. An immature November foal, he had light bone and upright pasterns and was a bit jointy but he was very strong through the middle. Zabeel had 92 yearlings sell that year, 2002, and Reset was $10,000 under the average price. Graeme Rogerson signed for 20 of them.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quarter of a million bucks. Group 3 status. Just six two-year-olds. That’s all they could get for the Maribyrnong Plate at Flemington. With ‘big’ owners now reluctant to expose their costly, pampered two-year-olds early, there’s a more compelling case to demote this over-rated race than any case which can be mounted to tamper with the Victoria Derby. And what about four three-year-olds lining up for 70 grand in Sydney? Between Saturday 1st and up to and including Melbourne Cup Day Tuesday 4th there are 86 race meetings in Australia. To be fair, half these ‘meetings’ have little to do with good racing opportunities, they’re just an excuse to take Tuesday off and get pissed.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Good on you, Gai, Two G1 winners on Derby Day, Northern Meteor and Theseo, both of whom featured in this blog recently. One owned by a billionaire, the other by ten average Joes (with apologies to John McCain and the plumber).
In the excitement of the moment Gai can be forgiven in her post-race TV interview for crediting Secret Savings instead of Danewin for siring Theseo. At least she got the stud right!
I reckon few winners give Gai greater pleasure than those in Melbourne. I was with her for several of those years she had to endure a pasting from a baying Melbourne media mob (one or two cretins in particular) which reached a frenzied peak with the disgraceful treatment meted out over Platinum Scissors exactly six years ago this week. I was with her in Melbourne right through that week and was sitting next to her on the Wednesday when she first spoke to vet Percy Sykes about her concern with the colt, so I know the circumstances and the chronology. Sections of the press were determined to weave a web of conspiracy where none existed, their attitude in my opinion fuelled by pathetic sexism, the Melbourne/Sydney enmity and the long-festering Melbourne antipathy to the name Waterhouse.
So most Derby Days, Gai rubs their noses in it. I call it Gambling Man’s revenge. Give her the right horse and there is simply no better trainer in Australia, supported as she is by her proud, loyal and long-serving staff. Her figures over a long period of time prove it.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Four classier-looking colts you wouldn’t find than those which dominated the G1 Coolmore – Northern Meteor, Fist Of Fury, All American and Von Costa de Hero – and not a drop of Danehill in sight! What a tragedy to see Wilander and Tindal come out of the race at the barrier. The contest was much the weaker for it. And keeping on the subject of good lookers, of the opposite sex, the Miss Universe of the G1 Myer Classic field, Forensics (Flying Spur-Prove It, by Dehere (USA)) was a class above them. Again, scratchings materially weakened the field, this was not a vintage G1, but take nothing away from Forensics, she has always been right at the top of the class. I love G1 form in G1 races and apart from the South African Dane Julia, Forensics was the only G1 winner in the field. And what about two G1 winners on the day for Dehere mares, coming on top of Midnight Lute’s second G1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint last weekend? Dehere is young as far as broodmare sires go but he’s putting together quite a serious record, already 26 stakeswinners out of his daughters worldwide.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By how far Wanted? Try 1.3 lengths. He looked in real trouble at the top of the straight. The penny didn’t drop until the last 100m. Nice horse.
8 comments:
Hi Steve,
I breed to race and have taken a punt on getting a conception to Danewin this year (happy to take two years). Just wondering how you went with your mare to Spinning World?
There has to be merit in these subfertile stallions who can produce a topliner at a reasonable service fee.
My mare has been up twice, still empty. Her fault the first time, his fault the second. Will give it another shot. Fact is, Danewin (especially) and Spinning World are good stallions by any measure and are definitely worth using if you can live with the heightened risk of your mare not getting in foal. I have no money, so the risk is fine by me! It's a great thing, racing. I have watched Theseo (by Danewin) from the time he was bought at MM, not only on the track but also at the stable regularly. Even though he was immature for ages he showed ability from day one, but if you'd said 12 months ago that he'd win an Epsom and a Mackinnon you'd be locked up. I'm so pleased for the lovely group of people who own him.
could not agree wiyh you more about your comments on Reset I would have loved to have used him this year but his vic base stopped me i also do not like the way a lot of people will "can" a stallion before the horse even has a runner which baffles me ? why is it so
Why would you not use a horse because he is situated in Victoria? The cost of keeping your mare there for the season is presumably only a fraction of the service fee? The reason people "can" a stallion before the horse has a runner is because those people think they know and because they think/hope someone will remember later on that they said so.
I love GAI, you should write a book Steve. In order for the Cup Honolulu - Mad Rush - Profound Beauty - Nom De Jeu. Pretty simple this year, all the best.
Can't figure out if you're taking the piss or are serious. About Gai, that is.
Definitely love her, not taking the piss at all. Look at her Saturday, she’s punching home G1 winners looking like a big game hunter in the Sahara, she’s a superstar in every way.
Every current snotty nose journalist should grab a copy of the Gambling Man and also her book. You've had firsthand knowledge and you write so well, it should be a given.
While I’m on the women subject and I’m not one, what about the ride of Claire Lindop, pushes the fav out of the way and it’s see you later. Can you imagine Serena or Venus mixing it with Roger, or Libby trying to beat Phelps?
Horse racing and motor racing are probably the main arenas were the girls can mix it with the boys with skill and strength.
The way I see it, feminist’s have got it entirely wrong, people want to experience open class competition; it has nothing to do with gender.
Look at race programming, why can filly's run in Derby's yet colts and gelding can't run in Oaks, a throwback to the male chauvinistic days this industry is based on, they only got rid of the white line in the VRC betting ring in mid 80's so maybe I shouldn't be too impatient waiting for the industry to reinvent itself.
He is a big hulk of a thing that Rebel Raider, when he's doing a right turn with a full head of steam I wouldn't want to be in his way. He was going better than Whobegotyou. But I know what you're saying, no beg pardons from the lady. Darts and chess ought to be two other sports open to gender equity. The Classics: the Derby (and Guineas) are for all 3YOs so the best fillies can test their standing against the best colts if they wish. The received wisdom is that the best colts normally (not always) beat the best fillies therefore The Oaks (and 1000 Guineas) are set aside for the females so they can prove their breeding values as a peer group.
Post a Comment