Horse Racing
1 hour ago
Trial watch: Undefeated colt primed for Flemington run
By Connor Scanlon
Expert trial analyst Dean Watling has delivered us his horses to follow out of the last week of trials.
On SENTrack & RSN's Giddy Up, Deano let the punters know which horses to keep an eye on moving forward.
See Dean Watling's horses to follow below:
5 - Laksa
“Had his first trial the other day there at Randwick over 742 metres.”
“Ideally has a second trial this week or next, but that trial was really impressive and ties in through Crescent King, which will come a little bit further up the order of the list.
“Laksa goes in the blackbook this week.”
4 - Lux
“Chris Waller, James McDonald in the saddle.”
“Has had two trials this prep. The first was on speed but hard held; Wild Atlantic took that heat out.
“It's had another trial since when it was really, really quietly ridden in behind, but post the line he was outstanding through the post.
“Lux is ready to go to the races.”
3 - Bauhinia
“Probably a forgotten horse, you go back two preparations to the spring last year and ran fifth, beaten only 1.5 lengths behind Gerringong and Stefi Magnetica, and was only 0.3 lengths off Arctic Glamour."
“Then you go to the autumn, and it just didn't come up at all.
“This trial the other day though suggests it's back in a really, really nice manner.
“Ice Kool took the heat out, but this mare was down the outside and 200m past the post, she was galloping away from her rivals.
“So Lee and Cherie Curtis look to have Bauhinia back at the best time of year.”
2 - Mbube
“I don't ever venture down to Victoria for my top five, but I needed a slot this week.”
“I've done the Poseidon Stakes form and looking at the jumpouts there, I could not be more impressed with Mbube.
“I think the latest jumpout there looked as good, or if not better than Big Sky, and he's been heavily backed in that Poseidon Stakes market.
“I'm keen on him on the weekend. I think it's a really, really smart three-year-old colt for the Kennewell camp.”
1 - Crescent King
“Really, really impressive horse this.”
“Debuted behind Our Emperor and a couple of other horses, spelled 12 weeks and brought back with back-to-back impressive trials.
“Three-year-old Written Tycoon Colt, and James McDonald’s been in the saddle for both these trials.
“Peter (Snowden) only taps James (McDonald) on the shoulder when he's got one going really, really well.
“First trial was good behind Laksa, and the latest was outstanding; put 2.5 lengths on its rivals there at Rosehill.
“So Crescent King’s ready to go to the races.”
03/09
5 - Joliestar
“I think it was all eyes on this trial.”
“Maybe she's been a little bit forgotten with all these sprinters back at the races… But looking at her trial, she's come back in outstanding order.
“Some horses can go by the wayside with the trail, off that travel, but I think she's back in great order.
“I think we'll see a kick-off in The Shorts before she attacks The Everest again.”
4 - Low Key
“Really nice youngster. Had form around Lucand Magic and Wild Atlantic in its first trial.”
“Debuted in the Kindergarten Stakes as well, only beaten 3.5 lengths, so really nice form.
“Second prep, loved the latest trial, that was in really, really strong time. So Low Key's back and can knock off a midweek in the next couple of weeks.”
3 - Decorum
“He's back! He burst on the scene last preparation with back-to-back wins, went straight to town and won a Benchmark 72 by a good space."
“Then he started $10 in the Randwick Guineas, Group 1, over the 1600m. Pulled up with cardiac arrhythmia, so put a line for that performance.
“Gelded now, and this horse is trialling as good as I've seen at the trial.
“Goes around Saturday, drawn out, but that barrier should hopefully look a lot better come scratchings and Decorum hopefully goes home a winner on Saturday there at Randwick.”
2 - Fovea
“Trained to sort of get out on a trip, but you watch these two trials - they've both been at 800m - and they've both been won by 6+ lengths.”
“She's been running really, really slick time. Her action's good, and most importantly, through the line, she's been strong.
“So when they do trial like that, out in front of you, you want to see him with a bit of substance past the post.”
1 - Oui Oui Oui
“Loves to trial well this horse, didn't quite come up last preparation, but I really, really like this mare."
“She's come back in fantastic order.
“She tried behind Farnicle and Miss Freelove there on Randwick on the 28th of August. Probably the trial of the morning, to be honest.
“I'm not sure where they aim her up, she's a little bit left field, but she was easily the trial of the week, so she goes straight in the blackbook.”
22/08
5 - Flying For Fun
“She had her first trial back at Warwick Farm this week. She'll have another trial.”
“Bryce Heys is a cheat code when he does trial his horses on two occasions before they go first-up into any race as well. She won first-up last campaign.
“I just think she's perfectly placed this spring. There's a stack of options for her, especially in those fillies and mares races.”
4 - Peyton
“Really nice form around this three-year-old, comes through some really good races."
“Has had two really smart trials. I think he will kick off his campaign as a winner.
“And this time of the year, all those good horses that it did come up against in the autumn, they're all off in the Group races.
“So, he can knock off a maiden around the grounds.”
3 - Wild Atlantic
“I dare say this is the Hawkes’ best three-year-old. We were spruiking this horse in the autumn.”
“He's had three trials to date. All have been outstanding.
“Obviously taking time, which the Hawkes do with their horses, but again looked outstanding in his first trial back this preparation.
“Keen to see him at the races. He will look for another trial now, but the Hawkes stable is going super and this horse is going really, really well.
“So, I dare say it'll turn out to be that camp's best three-year-old this spring.”
2 - Starzintheireyes
“He debuted in a nice enough race in a Benchmark 78 back at Hawkesbury in May and then ran third to Tazima and King Of The Sea in a Benchmark 88 there at Randwick. So that reads really, really well.”
“James McDonald's in the saddle for this trial over 1040m, and I love the way it bursts through the line. It was going two to their one past the post.
“You look for a second trial, only been off the scene 11 weeks, a residual fitness, and this is a stayer that can knock off a lower-level Group 3 or maybe a Group 2 black type event this spring.”
1 - Jimmysstar
“Is there a horse going better at the trials? I do not think so.”
“I have a bit of a theory with Jimmy. His last spring, and I dare say this spring are going to be his best. And they're coming off when he's been up in Sydney or up in Queensland (in the winter).
“He looked lacklustre in the autumn like he didn't really want to be there, but I've never seen him trial as good as he's been trialling. He looks like he's got his mind on the job.
“The Queensland sun, vitamin D, has done him the world of good, and I dare say he'll be a mighty chance in The Everest this year.”
08/08
5 - Satin Serenade
“We'll kick off with a set of trials from the 4th of August.”
“So, Tuesday at Warwick Farm, Satin Serenade had her second preparation out of the trials at 789m.
“We liked her first campaign. She probably should've won on debut on the Canterbury track. She got too far back, but screamed home.
“She looks the proper type… when James (McDonald) gave a little bit of go late, she was really, really good to the line.
“I dare say I'll see her again at the trials, and then back to the races and potentially first-up in a Silver Shadow would be a nice race for Saturn Serenade.”
4 - Yellow Jersey
“Interesting horse. We found out a little bit more why this horse was at the trials in Sydney.”
“We learned that this horse was underdone for that first-up assignment (in winter) and probably hit the front a little bit too soon.
“But I love that springboard. The Brisbane Winter Carnival is a terrific springboard, especially for just one run leading into the spring.
“He trailed really, really sharply behind Gangsta Granny and Blue Door. Both are extremely speedy 1100m to 1200m types. So for that horse to be up and going with them probably surprised myself and the stable.
“We might see that horse first-up in the Memsie from that.
“I think this is the horse to follow out of any import throughout the spring.”
3 - Punxsutawney Phil
“All we've got to do is put some money on this horse first-up!”
“Second preparation at the trials, back-to-back trial wins last prep around, but I dare say the trial the other day behind Chanterelle and a couple of other nice ones was the pick of them.
“He’ll have a second trial now. Zac (Lloyd) rode him in that trial, and I dare say he will ride him in that second trial.
“This is another one for the three-year-old colt’s crop.
“Punxsutawney Phil will more than likely go to the midweeks, break that, and then hopefully push through the grades into the top line at three-year-old races this spring.”
2 - Striking Alibi
“A fascinating story about this horse. It was a $10,000 Magic Millions purchase for Luke Fernie, won on debut across Ascot by 3.5 lengths, then something went amiss in the Karrakatta Group 2 it was beaten 8 lengths.”
“Has since been transferred to Chris Waller, and in back-to-back trials has been outstanding. On the latest, it destroyed its rival down the outside with jockey Siena Grima.
“That horse is a really, really nice three-year-old filly. She's another one that slots into the above average three-year-old crop.
“Not sure where she blends in or who rides, but if James (McDonald) does jump on that horse, Striking Alibi, throw that in the blackbook.”
1 - Incognito
“Caught my eye. I didn't really like him as a two-year-old, he won the Breeders’ Plate, but I thought he was a tease for the punters out there.”
“When he had that break in between winning the Breeders’ and coming back for the top-end autumn two-year-old races, he probably just didn't really hit his mark.
“He had six runs as a two-year-old, which you'd be saying was more so the taxing side, but he's kicked on from that. His two trials have both been eye-catching.
“He's probably been one of the better three-year-old colts I've seen trial. He's going extremely well; Zac Lloyd was on for both of those.
“Not sure where he goes to first-up, but Incognito is easily the top pick out of the trials the last week.”
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