This Listed mile Open Handicap was won easily by Polly Grey having her first ever attempt at a Blacktype race as she revelled in the awfully gluggy wet ground that saw each race have runners beaten by massive margins out the back. The track was a tricky Heavy10 and the times were ordinary all day too. The winners and where they came turning for home in race order were seventh (eight-off the inside and three lengths from the leader), led (four-off the inside and a head in front), fourth (three-off the inside and length and a half from the leader), led (seven-off the inside and half a length in front), led (one-off the inside and a neck in front), fourth (seven-off the inside and half a length from the leader), third (six-off the inside and a length from the leader) and led (two-off the inside and a neck in front). Polly Grey sat back and deep then swept up wider across the top on a track where the inside lanes were no go and slower avenues by far. The 5yo mare strode up deep near the home turn and led at the 300m then swam clear to end up almost three lengths ahead in 1:38.67. It was her sixth win from thirteen starts and all of them have come on slow or heavy footing. The fact she could put away this field even accounting for its overall weakness and lack of many form runners says all you need to know. The time was the best for a mile on the day but barely superior to Benchmark 65 (five grades inferior supposedly) that clocked 1:39.03 or just two lengths slower. Paisley Park, which up until today had never run in a grade higher than Benchmark 82 (three classes inferior to Listed level at least), raced fourth the outer then swam up to lead turning for home. He too was having just his thirteenth start today and has only won three races showing just how weak this Listed field truly was. Lady Shabeel settled back and wide then swept up sixth turning for home and kept coming to reach a distant third (beaten almost six lengths) with 50m to go. The 6yo mare before today had tried Listed (five times) and G3 (once) and missed every single time but today ended up with a Listed third on her resume, once again showing how weak this field really was. Tweedledee raced wide fifth and then challenged deep midrace until near the home turn and ended up fourth beaten over seven lengths. The 7yo gelding was having his first ever try at Blacktype and the strongest grade he had run in before today was Benchmark82. Verry Flash was a modest fifth after racing seventh and eighth wide and he has never finished top three in numerous Blacktype attempts. Battle Time led up and once headed turning or home stopped to finish sixth equal. Codecracker settled down last and ran on a shade to finish sixth equal. Yamuna and Hay Tiger ran on a shade for eighth and ninth from back on settling. Dez was a poor tenth and the second topweight of 59.5kg seemed to anchor him in the gluey mud. The rest got beaten almost sixteen lengths and up to almost twenty-four lengths and that included a big flop by Vin De Dance that could not carry 60kg in such awful footing. Polly Grey adored the wet ground and made her first ever race in Open Class let alone at Blacktype look like a walk in a mud park. The first four home all were either having a first outing at Blacktype or were gaining a first Blacktype placing after many failed tries prior. The result is purely wet track form and skewed by how the track was presented and performed so has a massive doubt over its relevance apart from being a Winter guide that was held almost halfway through Spring.
Sectional Times of MATAMATA - Saturday, 12th October 2019
Previous Winners
Date | Horse | Jockey | WT | Trainer | BP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
DEALS IN HEELS
(NZ)
5M IFFRAAJ (GB) - FASCINATOR (NZ) SPINNING WORLD (USA) |
M CAMERON | 58.5 | MURRAY BAKER & ANDREW FORSMAN | 2 |
|
COTE D'OR
(NZ)
5M MAKFI (GB) - OUR ECHEZEAUX (NZ) ZABEEL (NZ) |
DANIELLE JOHNSON | 53.0 | KEN & BEV KELSO | 11 |
|
TYNE COT
(NZ)
7G KEEPER (AUS) - FLANDERS FIELDS (NZ) TRADITIONALLY (USA) |
S C SPRATT | 57.0 | NEIL CONNORS | 1 |
|
ATACAMA
(NZ)
5M PENTIRE (GB) - ALMAVIVA (NZ) CATBIRD (AUS) |
MARK DU PLESSIS | 53.5 | SHAUNE RITCHIE | 8 |
|
INNOVATION
(NZ)
5M KEEPER (AUS) - MISS GROSVENOR (NZ) GROSVENOR (NZ) |
A FORBES | 53.5 | R R MANNING | 12 |
|
AMBERIO
(NZ)
5M CAPTAIN RIO (GB) - AMBIANCE (NZ) FALTAAT (USA) |
M T COLEMAN | 55.5 | K ZIMMERMAN | 12 |
|
NO EXCUSE MAGGIE
(NZ)
5M NO EXCUSE NEEDED (GB) - MAGGIE O'REILLY (NZ) O'REILLY (NZ) |
S C SPRATT | 53.5 | JOHN BARY | 15 |
|
THE PARTY STAND
(NZ)
4M THORN PARK (AUS) - CREMISI (AUS) ROYAL ACADEMY (USA) |
C J GRYLLS | 53.0 | R JAMES | 11 |
|
ATOM CAT
(NZ)
5G TRADITIONALLY (USA) - GATESTOPPER (NZ) CARNEGIE (IRE) |
S C SPRATT | 55.0 | GRAHAM RICHARDSON | 9 |
|
ELBLITZEM
(NZ)
6G ELNADIM (USA) - ARDUOUS (NZ) MOHAMED ABDU (IRE) |
D M WALSH | 54.5 | ROBERT PRISCOTT | 4 |
|
AGAMEMNON
(NZ)
5G GENEROUS (IRE) - ORATORIO (NZ) OREGON (USA) |
C J PARISH | 52.0 | SCOTT LUCOCK & SALLY GILLESPIE | 12 |
|
BONJOUR
(NZ)
7G FRENCHPARK (GB) - BUYERS DILEMMA (AUS) FULL ON ACES (AUS) |
C W JOHNSON | 58.0 | K ZIMMERMAN | 8 |
|
KING OF ASHFORD
(NZ)
6G HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS (NZ) - ZENA'S WISH (NZ) SUPER GRAY (USA) |
D G BRADLEY | 58.0 | K ZIMMERMAN | 14 |
|
PARTEE
(NZ)
5M SANDTRAP (USA) - TE AKAU JO (NZ) SIR TRISTRAM (IRE) |
B R LAMMAS | 52.5 | D & C BOTHWELL | 13 |
|
KAINUI BELLE
(NZ)
4M KASHANI (USA) - LADY UKIAH (NZ) STRAIGHT STRIKE (USA) |
C E LAMMAS | 52.5 | VANESSA & WAYNE HILLIS | 11 |
|
TITIAN
(NZ)
5G MASTERPIECE (AUS) - DUSKY AMAZON (NZ) MARCH LEGEND (NZ) |
L J ALLPRESS | 52.0 | KARYN MCQUADE | 10 |
|
RODIN
(NZ)
5G MASTERPIECE (AUS) - FINE DECISION (AUS) AVEROF (GB) |
E L LLOYD | 52.5 | K ZIMMERMAN | 8 |