National Championships Summer Super Comp - Round 4 - Sat Feb 13

[PWJ]

POSTING PROCEDURE CHANGES

The comp will close 15 minutes before race 1 when the thread will be unlocked by Pete. This will give Captains 10 minutes to fix any issues. 5 minutes before race one I will close off the comp - end of story. Nothing will be accepted after that. I will post that it is closed.

I strongly urge Captains to have their team mates send them their selections in a PM. This will negate the need for the 10 minute "grace period". I will make these changes to the rules on Wednesday when the fields are posted.

Also DO NOT EDIT POSTS - for the 10th time I'm saying this ! If you have alterations, scratching replacements, then post them in a NEW POST.

If you don't know where to post, ask. Pete has provided very clear instructions on this. We don't want another day like last Saturday.

4. Scratching Rule (Changes). You may post replacements for any scratching by making a new post clearly indicating your replacement selection(s). This may now be done by competitors any time up until 15 minutes before the first race. At this point (15 minutes before race 1) Pete will open up the selection thread to allow everyone to view everyone else's selections. After the 15 minute cut-off Captains (or their appointed replacement) will have 10 minutes to submit a replacement set of selections on the selection thread. Any scratchings that require subs or BB adjustments can be made by the Captains at this time by a separate (new) post. It would be very helpful if you are at all able, to please check your selections for scratchings before closing time. Five minutes before the start of the first race I will close off the comp and ALL selections (or lack of them) are LOCKED IN. Late scratchings will go to the TAB sub followed by the 2nd favourite by TAB win odds in that order. If more than one horse meets the latter criteria then the replacement will be the horse with the higher number. 

ROUND 4 - Sat Feb 13

CLOSING TIME FOR SELECTIONS: 12.30pm (NZ time)

Races are:

1. Te Rapa R2 - 12.45pm - Te Akau Shark - Farewell to a Legend 1200 - $30k, 1200m, R74 BM

2. Te Rapa R4 - 1.55pm - Legacy Lodge Waikato Guineas (Gr2) - $100k, 2000m, 3yos SWs

3. Te Rapa R6 - 3.05pm - BCD Group Sprint (Gr1) - $200k, 1400m, WFA

4. Te Rapa R7 - 3.105pm - David & Karyn Ellis Fillies Classic (Gr2) - $100k, 2000m, 3yo fillies SWs

5. Te Rapa R8 - 4.15pm - Herbie Dyke Stks (Gr1) - $400k, 2000m, WFA

6. Flemington R7 - 6.05pm - CS Hayes Stks (Gr3) - $160k, 1400m, 3yos colts/geldgs SW+Ps

7. Randwick R6 - 6.25pm - Cellarbrations Southern Cross Stks (Gr3) - $160k, 1200m, qlty hdcp

8. Flemington R8 - 6.45pm - Black Caviar Lightning Stks (Gr1) - $750k, 1000m, WFA

9. Randwick R7 - 7.05pm - Yulong Apollo Stks (Gr2) - $250k, 1400m, WFA

10. Randwick R8 - 7.40pm - TAB Light Fingers Stks (Gr2) - $200k, 1200m, 3yo fillies SWs

Remember - one best bet in each country

 

STEELERS (3rd) vs TURBOS (4th)

Craig (2/1-545.60/597.40) v Blind Squirrel (1/2-656.20/567.40)

Rees (3/0-808.40/400.00) v Ziggy (2/1-871.40/368.20)

Richie (0/3-610.60/1046.80) v Ray (2/1-859.80/602.20)

Von Smallhausen (1/2-578.80/710.60) v Steve P (1/2-505.80/386.80)

Baby (2/1-587.40/596.60) v Gary (1/2-367.80/941.40)

 

CHIEFS (7th) vs CRUSADERS (1st)

Punter Pete (3/0-755.20/353.60) v Wrinkles (1/2-280.60/420.00)

Jack (1/2-434.60/655.40) v Robert (3/0-678.40/526.40)

Gee (3/0-1060.00/317.00) v Tom (3/0-1232.00/470.80)

Stevie N (0/3-279.40/505.00) v Rob (0/3-528.40/864.60)

Ian (0/3-396.40/1083.80) v Rex (2/1-536.20/560.40)

 

KAURI KATS (6th) vs HURRICANES (2nd)

Jen (0/3-129.00/520.40) v Porky (2/1-980.00/757.00)

Max (2/1-810.00/620.80) v John (1/2-540.40/572.20)

Pam (2/1-569.40/301.00) v Virgil (1/2-445.80/458.80)

Sharne (0/3-345.40/715.60) v The Crucible (1/2-564.00/648.40)

Graeme (2/1-661.20/385.60) v Hesi (3/0-586.00/297.00)

 

FERDIES (5th) vs BLUES (8th)

Maria (2/1-778.80/773.20) v Pete (0/3-355.20/675.20)

Zac (2/1-390.20/220.60) v Gordy (1/2-303.60/278.00)

Maurice (1/2-497.00/723.20) v Roland (2/1-297.20/282.80)

PJ (1/2-654.60/853.60) v Geoff (2/1-743.80/547.40)

Heather (2/1-478.80/623.00) v Howie (2/1-756.80/1114.20)

 

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN

1232.00 Tom (Crusaders)

1060.00 Gee (Chiefs)

980.00 Porky (Hurricanes)

871.40 Ziggy (Turbos)

859.80 Ray (Turbos)

810.00 Max (Kauri Kats)

808.40 Rees (Steelers)

 

THE SERENDIPITOUS SIX (those with the least $$ scored against them)

Gee (3/0-317.00) (Chiefs)

Pam (2/1-301.00) (Kauri Kats)

Hesi (3/0-297.00) (Hurricanes)

Roland (2/1-282.80) (Blues)

Gordy (1/2-278.00) (Blues)

Zac (2/1-220.60) (Ferdies)

 

THE UNFORTUNATE FIVE (those with the most $$ scored against them)

Rob (0/3-864.60) (Crusaders)

Gary (1/2-941.40) (Turbos)

Richie (0/3-1046.80) (Steelers)

Ian (1/2-1083.80) (Chiefs)

Howie (2/1-1114.20) (Blues)

 

TABLE AFTER ROUND 3

1st 6 points CRUSADERS $3255.60

2nd 6 points HURRICANES* $3116.20

3rd 5 points STEELERS $3130.80

4th 4 points TURBOS $3239.00

5th 4 points FERDIES $2799.40 

6th 4 point KAURI KATS $2715.00

7th 3 points CHIEFS $2925.20

8th 3 points BLUES $2360.00

 

[PWJ]

Comp Race #6

Draw key in Tagaloa decision

The barrier draw will determine whether Tagaloa (Lord Kanaloa) takes his chance in the CS Hayes Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m) at Flemington on Saturday or heads to Sydney to continue his autumn campaign. The Australian Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) at Flemington on February 27 is in the sights of training partners Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, while the Randwick Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) a week later is also possible. Young said if Tagaloa draws wide at Flemington on Saturday, he could instead head to Sydney to run in the Hobartville Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday week. “If he draws a gate, we’ll go there (Flemington), but if he happens to draw off the track, we may think about the Hobartville and then into the Randwick Guineas,” Young said. “The Australian Guineas is the preferred target, but he gallops super that Sydney way around and his work on Saturday morning, that way, was probably one of the best gallops he has put in. So, if he draws off the track, at least we’ve got that option, so we’ll just weigh it up.”

TAGALOA drew #1 at Flemington

Big Hayes run no Shock for Stanley

Here To Shock (Shocking) is set to line-up in the CS Hayes Stakes off the back of a dominant display at Geelong and the three-year-old’s trainer Brent Stanley believes a repeat of the four-length romp under Glen Boss is not impossible. "Bossy was over the moon with him," Stanley told Racing.com. "He said he gave him that good three-year-old colt feel and he has ridden plenty of them. He (Here To Shock) has done really well since Geelong and we will just wait and see the barrier and that will depend how we ride him. It won't surprise me if he wins on Saturday, he definitely can because he is a good horse but there is a bit to come."

[PWJ]

Comp Race #10

Firm tracks key to Elizabeel

John Sargent has indicated it is all systems go for promising filly Elizabeel (Power), who is set to resume in the Light Fingers Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Randwick on Saturday. Sargent said he was happy with the progress Elizabeel had made since the spring when her performances included a luckless third in the Reginald Allen Quality (Listed, 1400m) and a fourth-placed finish in the $1 million Bondi Stakes (1600m) in unsuitable conditions. "It was too wet for her a couple of times in the spring but she did a good job and she's fit and well and ready to go after a couple of solid trials," Sargent said. "She's a different horse on top of the ground." Elizabeel finished fourth in a Randwick trial on January 7, then had a good blowout in winning a Gosford heat on January 19."She's a nice filly and a lot stronger this time," Sargent continued. "She'll go into the race nice and fresh and I expect her to run well.

[PWJ]

Comp Race #8

Fabergino team stick to Flemington formula

Tiarnna Robertson is hoping her winning formula for Fabergino (Maschino) works again when the mare lines up in Saturday’s Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (Gr 1, 1000m). Robertson has followed the same lead up to Fabergino's past two wins by giving the sprinter a month between runs, then taking her to a 1000-metre race at Flemington and letting her use her brilliant speed. "She's thriving and she's going to have everything in her favour. I can't fault her. She's ticked all the boxes," Robertson said. "It's been working well, what we've been doing with her, giving her some down time after racing and then building her up. All the time keeping her in work so she's kept her residual fitness." Regarding Fabergino’s chances on the weekend, Robertson said: "I'm very excited about her prospects. This time she has things in her favour.” Fabergino has led from the outset in her past two wins at Flemington, most recently in the Kensington Stakes (Listed, 1000m), but that may not be the case on Saturday and, with Pippie (Written Tycoon) and Nature Strip (Nicconi) in the race, Robertson intends to let jockey Jordan Childs decide on tactics. "I'll leave that to Jordan to work out,” the trainer added. “We're going into the race confident she's ready to run to her best.”

Bivouac camp still eyeing Royal Ascot Lightning Stakes favourite Bivouac (Exceed And Excel) will leave Godolphin's Osborne Park base northwest of Sydney and head to Melbourne today with connections still planning on heading further afield with the three-time Group 1 winner later in the year. A trip to Royal Ascot for a tilt at the King’s Stand Stakes (Gr 1, 5f ) and Golden Jubilee Stakes (Gr 1, 6f ) remains in the mix, despite the obvious complications caused by the coronavirus pandemic. “It's still the plan but it all depends on Covid protocols and quarantine issues," Godolphin Australia managing director Vin Cox told Racing.com. "It can be done at the moment, but things can change tomorrow." Last year's Newmarket Handicap (Gr 1, 1200m) and VRC Sprint Classic (Gr 1, 1200m) winner down the Flemington straight was due to do his final piece of work before the Lightning yesterday and Cox said the James Cummings-trained four-year-old had returned as he had hoped. “My word, he has,” he said. “The horse is very, very well.”

[PWJ]

Comp Race #9

Verry Elleegant Apollo Mission for Jaymac

As the evenings turn a little cooler, the Sydney Autumn Carnival is slowly beginning to build, and just like a fine wine, racingnsw.com.au reports beautiful mare Verry Elleegant just gets better and better. Ace Sydney jockey James McDonald will have the privilege of riding the ever reliable daughter of the once underrated stallion Zed, and is looking forward to unfinished business, primarily exacting revenge on the English raider Addeybb who nailed two Sydney WFA Group 1’s last autumn. The rider is stoked with her condition ahead of Saturday’s Group 2 Apollo Stakes where she makes her return in a field comprising 8 individual Group 1 winners. An effervescent McDonald said, “She is a much stronger and more mature mare and if she’s got stronger she might have got faster. Hopefully! She’s maturing all the time, I know it sounds silly when she’s five years old but it’s the best she’s ever looked condition wise.” Although she’s around $4.00 for her race return, history suggests the 1400m will prove too sharp for Verry Elleegant as she works into a campaign that will culminate in the $4 million Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) during The Championships.