Even with the Group ones finished, the tail today is still wagging at the dead end of the season due to the Europeans, particularly Clear Thinking and Post Impressionist.
The considerable promise of Clear Thinking, bred by Queen Elizabeth 11, will be on show in the Highway Handicap at Royal Randwick and Post Impressionist will resume after a spell in the Caloundra Cup on the Sunshine Coast which has a distinct class edge on the southern capitols.
Yes, Flemington has the end of the Winter series finals, reasonable for the season, but spiced up with a couple of promising Europeans, while Randwick is more off-peak featuring Winter Stakes, dowdy considering King Of The Castle will be hard to beat despite a Flemington flop last start.
However the Highway, with the Clear Thinking element, plus Dar Lunn’s Elson Boy chasing seven straight wins in the Catanach’s Jewellers promises to be highlights.
Still they hardly have the big name appeal of Irish bred Post Impressionist, a $2.50 failure in Rosehill’s Tancred Stakes, one of Australia’s best races, last March with the subsequent stable change to Anthony and Sam Freedman from William Haggas.
A founding member for the Freedman Brothers Incorporated (FBI) Anthony is a talking point lately taking over as the best trainer of the family, held by brother Lee, the Hall Of Famer, with other contenders, the brothers Richard and Michael.
Decades back when Michael was very much the junior, I introduced him as “going to be the top Freedman”, on radio 2KY’s Turf Time. By gee it’s a big field now as family involvement expands with notable brilliance.
Anthony Freedman is now in partnership with son Sam, and launched the Irish-bred Without A Fight last year in Brisbane on the successful Melbourne Cup trail when the import scored first-up at Eagle Farm over 1800 metres.
Whereas once it took our trainers a preparation or two to get imports into the Aussie rhythm, they now basically have the knack in getting the best out of them quick.
Of course, the Tancred failure for Post Impressionist, owned by Lloyd Williams, who has Sheik like numbers when it comes to stayers, was on a heavy track, a possibility today. The gelding drew wide but has the services of Ryan Maloney, triumphant on Bella Nipotina last Saturday from an outside gate.
Should the negatives encourage the scratching of Post Impressionist Williams is also the part-owner of Point King, another import, he races with James Packer in the Caloundra Cup.
Also Irish-bred Point King, trained by Kris Lees, at the gelding’s Australian debut at Randwick in May, became “unbalanced” so beware of improvement. So, too, with blinkers today on stablemate Luncies, originally from Great Britain.
Obviously, they are different types to Clear Thinking and lacking his royal bloodlines. By boom stallion Dubawi out of accomplished Australian mare Sweet Idea, she was imported here by astute John Massara for breeding purposes but already has been tagged “one of the country’s most exciting horses”. From two Scone wins?
Prepared by Messara’s son Paul and Leah Gavranich, Clear Thinking at present falls short of their Know Thyself who contests the stronger Winx Guineas, a Listed class sprint, on the Sunshine Coast.
The European angle with Know Thyself, raced by Messara’s Arrowfield Stud and Ladbrokes Racing Club? The Autumn Son three-year-old will be ridden by Rachel King, the Pom just returned from her wedding and honeymoon abroad.
Know Thyself has scored at three out four attempts, should be unbeaten, and goes to the 1600 metres for the first time. Considering the substance of The Autumn Sun progeny this should suit him. Sure, he is up in class but produced the wow factor at Rosehill last start albeit only in a Highway.
Certainly the imports look strong at Flemington, headed by the Irish bred Berkshire Breeze, tuned by Ciaron Maher, in the Banjo Paterson. Berkshire Breeze, a Northern hemisphere three-year-old, won his last two, gaining a “most impressive” comment at Flemington on June 8.
The equally youthful Craig, who hails from Ireland, was also in the red yesterday for the Silver Bowl Final. Craig has only had five races and scored at Flemington on June 22 after a slow jump, the downside with Europeans.
Many fall out of the barrier like a bag of spuds, the case of another Irish bred, La Fracas, a danger to Craig, but it won’t be a problem with the seasoned Brit bred Munhamek in the Winter Championship Final. Manhamek is topweight but well handicapper under the quality conditions of the 1600 metres sprint. Maybe another import, Green Fly, a member of the Anthony and Sam Freedman team, is a danger. The import was beaten at Swan Hill last start but slow out (as usual).
So what is backable, where odds dominate? To what degree will Randwick be reduced by scratchings, a situation Joe Pride stressed last week?
Elson Boy, the bush cuddy, and the apprentice lass, Chelsea Hillier, will be out to do a David and Goliath as, amongst others, he will have to withstand the might of Godolphin with Contemporary, encouraged by the giant, Nash Rawiller.
And are the Europeans going to prove just too good? Hopefully my tips “Play The Exotics” can provide an insight.
