The G3 2400m Open Handicap saw the noted swimmer Decorah prove too strong the run home and clock a sluggish 2:33.67. The mare was ninth the outer before moving up wide into sixth at the 600m then swam to the front at the 300m and never looked like getting beaten from this point onwards. It was her seventh win in thirty-five starts and after today two of those have come at G3. Her range is good having won from 1200m to 2400m now and whenever a wet track arises she comes into the reckoning although after today WFA may be her only path now due to the handicapper sure to have a hefty say. Rose Of Virginia was a brave second after racing tenth and wide the whole way but did receive 4.5kg from the winner it must be noted. It was her second runner up finish at G3. King Kamada ran on well from the back as he always does but has not won for a while so may have lost that killer instinct. Storming The Tower ran on bravely after being sixth midfield and wide with the off wet track clearly helping his cause. Show The World ran on well late and the stablemate of the winner is near some form again. Delago’s Secret, which won this last year, got home late well too and he is near another win but needs a track that is not biased against his racing pattern. The rider of topweight Farm Boy clearly went too soon on his charge after sitting outside the leader then surging to a clear lead 600m out before being gobbled up at the 300m by the winner and then passed by six others inside the final 200m. Blizzard was okay as he came closer in the run home taking the slower lanes and is in good order at the moment. Surpass plugged closer down the outer late and the rest either one-batted the run home or stopped badly in the track conditions. Once again a false result due to the footing and track bias it created that got worse as the day wore on. This is only a future reference for another tricky wet track here or similar awkward footing at comparable venues.
Previous Winners
| Date | Horse | Jockey | WT | Trainer | BP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
DELAGO'S SECRET
(AUS)
4G ENCOSTA DE LAGO (AUS) - DIVINE SECRET (AUS) THUNDER GULCH (USA) |
DANIELLE JOHNSON | 53.5 | R JAMES | 12 |
|
|
MOSQUITO
(NZ)
5G GOLAN (IRE) - TIGER MOTH (NZ) SKY CHASE (NZ) |
JAMES MCDONALD | 54.5 | DONNA & DEAN LOGAN | 5 |
|
|
EASY ACES
(NZ)
6G JOHAR (USA) - CRYPTOMIST (NZ) ENTREPRENEUR (GB) |
DANIELLE JOHNSON | 54.0 | MURRAY MCKEAGG | 6 |
|
|
SINGLE MINDED
(NZ)
4G BACHELOR DUKE (USA) - CAPACITY (NZ) ZABEEL (NZ) |
C J GRYLLS | 54.5 | GRAHAM RICHARDSON | 3 |
|
|
SHOWCAUSE
(AUS)
5G GIANT'S CAUSEWAY (USA) - SHOWELLA (NZ) LORD BALLINA (AUS) |
D G BRADLEY | 51.5 | FRANK RITCHIE | 13 |
|
|
RED RULER
(NZ)
5G VIKING RULER (AUS) - RANSOM BAY (USA) RED RANSOM (USA) |
MARK DU PLESSIS | 54.0 | J G SARGENT | 14 |
|
|
SIX O'CLOCK NEWS
(NZ)
4G ZABEEL (NZ) - MAURINE (NZ) HARBOR PRINCE (USA) |
N G HARRIS | 52.5 | PATRICK & TRENT BUSUTTIN | 11 |
|
|
PASTA POST
(NZ)
4G POSTPONED (USA) - BLUE HEAVEN (NZ) CENTAINE (AUS) |
C J GRYLLS | 52.5 | GRAEME & MARK SANDERS | 6 |
|
|
HIGHFLYING
(NZ)
6M ENTREPRENEUR (GB) - CRYSTAL BROOK (NZ) STAR WAY (GB) |
T N HARRIS | 53.5 | D & C BOTHWELL | 4 |
|
|
ZARIUS
(NZ)
4G ZABEEL (NZ) - SADLERS HOME (IRE) SADLER'S WELLS (USA) |
L CROPP | 52.0 | MARK WALKER | 10 |
