The Melbourne Cup qualifier may have been run in Victoria last Saturday but the best guide to Australia’s most famous race came from north of the border.
SIR DELIUS made his Australian debut in the G3 Chairmans Handicap (2000m). He was first-up off 223 days with a track officially rated Heavy. Most horses will normally drift when resuming off a long break and that can be exacerbated if the track is wet. But not here. Not with this horse. His European ratings were so good that all the usual reasons for the market to let a horse drift got thrown out the window.
In the run, punters were nervous. As SIR DELIUS over raced when held up between horses, his rivals were building momentum into the race well off the rail as was the pattern at Doomben last Saturday, where all winners were in lanes 4 and beyond.
SIR DELIUS was headed by more than 1L as the talented FLOATING bounded clear. But the son of FRANKEL lifted and produced the 2nd fastest last 200m of the day to win with 60kg on his back. Don’t forget we had a G1 WFA sprint at this meeting.
To give some context. When WITHOUT A FIGHT won the Lord Mayors Cup in 2023 he rated about 2L better than SIR DELIUS did last Saturday. He was first-up off 207 days and had a better run in transit not to mention a more suitable race shape.
I suspect it will be all about protecting his weight in the spring as he now heads for a spell. The Ramsden Stakes at Flemington won by BASILINNA rated well but this race does that and then rarely replicates in the spring. Time will tell.
Back on the home front and Proven Thoroughbreds’ week began at Kensington with ICONIC TREASURE in a BM72 over 1250m. He finished last in a field of 7 and pulled up lame. Forget he went around.
On the same day up at Ipswich, CARTWHEELS was snagged back to the tail and tried to come between runners when she raced in the Class 4 over 1200m. It was the right tactics as every winner on the day bar one used lanes 3, 4 or 5 but unfortunately for CARTWHEELS, who clocked the fastest split of the race between the 800 and 600m, couldn’t finish off.
After a disappointing first-up run, ZATANNA bounced back at the Poly track at Gold Coast. Our speedy filly jumped straight to the front setting the fastest raw lead speed of the day before coasting to a decisive victory in standard time. She was beautifully placed by Matt Hoysted.
It was arguably too wet for NAVAL TRADER at Doomben on Saturday as all his best figures have come on drier ground. He missed standard time by just 2.5L which for a horse that will improve at least 3L on dry ground, bodes well.
Saving the best for last here with IN FLIGHT too good in the Listed Bright Shadow (1100m) at Doomben. Her trainer Joe Pride was bullish and she delivered. What we saw on Saturday was her ability to absorb pressure and still find. The field went through the first 500m more than 8L above standard. It became a war of attrition and the fact IN FLIGHT’s last 200m was bang on standard shows how this mare has developed her lung capacity. She’s always shown above average ability but 6 months ago she would’ve folded up over the last 100m. Well done Joe and the team.
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.