SEISMIC BOOM looks destined for bigger things after producing the win of the day at Eagle Farm last Wednesday.
The filly lined up in the 1000m Maiden Handicap and with a race pace that was a touch above standard, she camped 3L off them coming into the home straight. Reeling off the 2nd fastest last 400m of the day, she was able to clock a slick 57.4 seconds, almost 4L above standard and half a second faster than the other maiden on the same day.
SEISMIC BOOM also produced the fastest last 800m and 600m of the day suggesting she is not only well beyond Maiden grade but has the capacity to step up in trip.
Two races later OCEAN ZAR ended a frustrating run of 10 Top 5 placings since her last win. The fast run mile suited her, and she ran standard time for the Class 5 contest. Frustration of not winning for 18 months is alleviated by her money-spinning ways. She hasn’t missed a cheque since that last win and is now a 4-time winner in town.
Not a lot went right for CARPET RIDE, who clipped heels in her debut over 1000m. You can put the pen through her run albeit she might want a tad easier target next time as the race only rated fairly.
TOWN CRIER kicked and looked home in his Class 5 event over 1200m only to be run down by the talented MINTAKA LAD. He still beat standard time by 1L and if he continues to run these figures, he’ll pick up another race like this very soon.
It was a similar situation with HEYOKA on Saturday when she kicked clear at the top of the straight only to be gunned down inside the last 30m in her 0 Metro Win race for the fillies and mares. She ran bang on standard time suggesting she could easily pinch a race of this nature in the near future.
Over at the Gold Coast, SHOT OF WHISKEY also led them until the dying shadows of his Class 4 assignment. He set a fast tempo for the 1200m clocking his first 600m almost 4L above standard. Alas, he was gunned down late but the clock tells us he, like the horses above, is destined to win a race of this nature shortly. His overall time was 3L above standard and he attempted to lead all the way on a day when only one leader saluted.
Super Saturday at Randwick kicked off with OTONO in the Midway BM72 over 1800m. We mentioned after her last run that she was desperate for a race with a faster tempo as she had settled back in two slowly run races thus far this campaign. But unfortunately the tempo of this race was too fast! They went 11L above standard through the first 1200m forcing OTONO to go 7L above just to stay in contact. She simply wasn’t ready for that. I hate to sound picky, but she wanted a genuine tempo not a brutal one.
COSMONOVA looked suited dropping to BM grade after a shot at stakes level. She wasn’t disgraced in the Randwick closer beaten 2L after clocking the 2nd fastest split of the race between the 600m and 400m. The mare also posted the 6th fastest last 600m of the day suggesting a win may not be far away – hopefully in this Saturday’s Group 3 Nivison Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill!
Last but certainly not least, FLYING BANDIT, was our sole Group 1 runner of the weekend. He lined up in the Metropolitan Handicap (2400m) and wanted to over race, which could’ve been the product of jumping from 1900m to 2400m. Coming from back in the field, he didn’t really finish off beaten just over 4L. That run will top him off for another crack at a distance race.
Still on the Group 1s and it’s hard to see AUTUMN GLOW winning a WFA G1 race with the figures she produced when taking out the Epsom Handicap. Off a slow tempo, she could only manage a last 600m that was 2L above standard and the rating I have her going to here is well below what I had expected. It could be the mile; it could be third-up (she rated down at her only other third-up run) or it could just be she’s become more dour and needs a faster tempo to run time? For mine she either goes to an Empire Rose or spells.
APOCALYPTIC was gifted the G1 Flight Stakes (1600m). She had beaten her 3YO rivals in both key lead-ups over 1200m and 1400m so you can imagine my disbelief when rival hoops let her sit outside lead in a race where they went 13L below standard.
Meanwhile in Melbourne we had arguably the most defining race of 2025 – the Turnbull Stakes. And boy did we learn from this.
SIR DELIUS is a deserved Melbourne Cup favourite.
ANTINO is a big chance in the Cox Plate.
VIA SISTINA is either behind in fitness or hasn’t come back.
AELIANA can’t win the Caulfield Cup or Cox Plate. That’s because only an international can beat HALF YOURS.
But perhaps the most sobering lesson was the one racing authorities were handed. When a $750,000 Turnbull Stakes attracts a field so far above what we’ll see in the $2million Hill Stakes this Saturday, we are yet again reminded that racehorse owners aren’t just in it for the money.
Nic Ashman is a form expert who has developed his own times rating system to assess races. He is the host of The Beaten Favourite podcast and appears on several other racing media outlets. For a more detailed summary of the past weekend’s racing, you can listen to ‘The Monday Podcast’ episode by The Beaten Favourite HERE.