PRIVATE EYE’s little brother, KING’S SECRET, has a long way to go to reach his sibling’s level but his on-pace victory at Rosehill last Saturday has set him on the right path.
It could’ve been a day to remember for Proven Thoroughbreds had the G1 Kingsford Smith Cup gone ahead as PRIVATE EYE was set to resume in the Eagle Farm feature just 2 hours after KING’S SECRET won. Alas, the weather gods dealt racing another blow and it was little brother’s moment in the sun. KING’S SECRET arrived at Saturday’s BM72 over 1100m having not missed a place in 4 runs but yet to really set the clock alight. That changed on the weekend when he beat standard time by 5L and smashed his personal best rating by more than 6L. It was his first go on a heavy track and unlike his brother, it appears he revels in wet going. The filly that finished 2nd, CODETTA, is one to keep an eye on over winter. Her wet data is superior to your average 3YO filly at this level and if she strikes similar circumstances next start then she’ll be mighty hard to beat.
With limited Group 1 racing left at this stage of the season, I always like to find a progressive gelding, who could blossom into a Group 1 winner. I say gelding because connections of geldings have one job – win prizemoney. Colts and fillies boast residual value if they win certain races and quite often are thrown into a stakes race despite not being stakes quality. Because standard prizemoney is not far off Listed cash, owners of geldings are far more likely to work through the grades thus becoming a better horse for punters to follow.
Two horses, one in Sydney and one in Melbourne, that raced on Saturday and could make it to the top are KERGUELEN and NIANCE.
KERGUELEN resumed off 300+ days in an 1100m BM78. He clocked the best last 1000m of the day and the 4th fastest last 200m on the card. At this point, his peak rating is about 3L off being competitive at stakes level. But with one start last prep and only one in his current campaign, you’d be silly not to think he only has improvement to come. Perhaps a Ramornie Handicap at Grafton during their carnival will suit? Or those July stakes races at Caulfield that include the Sir John Monash Stakes?
Speaking of Caulfield and NIANCE, like KERGUELEN, resumed with a win at 1100m. She’s had more recent racing than the Godolphin gelding. Her two starts in the spring netted two victories and now she looks set to sweep whatever trainer Grahame Begg targets her at before surely trying to fry bigger fish.
Outside of KING’S SECRET, it was a busy week of runners for Proven Thoroughbreds which began with MELTDOWN at Doomben on Wednesday. He finished 6th in a 3YO Maiden over 1200m after a slow beginning. It was his first run back from a spell and his first go at 1200m. I note he recorded the 2nd fastest split for the race between the 400m and 200m, suggesting he might’ve peaked on his run.
Then on Friday, Proven’s first 2yo runner for the season CHAMPAGNE LANE made a winning debut at the Sunshine Coast. The daughter of CHAMPAGNE CATH was off the map as expected in what looked a weak field. Her winning time was 1.5 seconds slower than the boys in the next race and the last 600m was sluggish too. She didn’t look totally at home on the very heavy ground and no doubt she will improve next time in.
The bottomless Sunshine Coast track didn’t suit ZATANNA who finished last in her BM65 assignment. The surface was no doubt world’s away from the synthetic Gold Coast track she won on at her previous start.
When bookies took BREAK FREE from $1.60 to $2.60 I began to wonder if the good thing on Friday was not such a good thing. But again we saw how the market can get it wrong with BREAK FREE cruising away to win the BM60 1000m contest by 3L. She will be winning better races.
While PRIVATE EYE dodged the big wet with Eagle Farm abandoned, FLYING BANDIT was one of the last horses to set foot on the track before it came to a halt. The Bandit settled near last in the 16-horse field and with a tempo that was 6L below standard, things were never going to be easy. That, and the Heavy conditions at your first go at 2400m was all too much for the budding star but he certainly didn’t disgrace himself in 7th.
The punters came for LITTLE COINTREAU at Rosehill on Saturday. Perhaps race fitness, his consistency on wet tracks and a map that suggested he would be winning down the middle was the attraction. He was gallant beaten 0.5L by EDITING BY in the BM78 1500m event. He’s racing well but the trick will be making sure he’s lining up on tracks where you can run on.
The week finished with STOCKMAN in the Listed Sandown Cup (3200m) on Sunday. The track was too dry for his liking and once he gets back over the hurdles you’ll see the best of him.
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.