On weights and measures Tentyris, a barrier flopper who falls out of the gates like a bag of manure, cannot win Flemington’s Newmarket, on Saturday, so why the attraction?
Wise guys deduce I am going south because of the deplorable train service from Woy Woy to Randwick and it’s an easier transit to Flemington. Not wrong.
However exceptionals, for instance Bernborough, come to the fore in handicaps like the Newmarket that goes back to 1874.
Forgive me for the historical reference. My editor is on the boil. “Please write on this century”, she maintains. “Nobody understands your waffle. My last and much missed boss on the Sydney Morning Herald, Ian Fuge, would never have had the effrontery.
“Give us a rest from old rock ‘n’ rollers like Elvis and even the Beatles,” was the feedback I received after their mention in the last “Good, Bad and Ugly”. She must be tone deaf. “And no more pin-ups from the 60’s.” Mind you I’d back my trifecta Brigitte Bardot, Ingrid Bergman and Audrey Hepburn against any three fillies and mares this century.
Still I will desist, to a degree. The strength of Sydney in the autumn has kept me at home for most of the recent Newmarkets, and Royal Randwick on Saturday is just as good Flemington’s All Star Mile extravaganza.
Yes, the All Star, a pop-up innovation, is $2m 1600 metres sprint (a million more than it’s worth) the same prize as the Newmarket.
Yet they do not have much in quality or betting interest on the $1 million Australian Guineas at Randwick and $750,000 Canterbury Stakes, featuring Chris Waller’s Joliestar who won the Newmarket last year.
My last Newmarket was Hay List in 2012 and a year earlier I thrilled to Black Caviar, the champion, blazing down the Flemington 1200 metres.
Like Melbourne in general, straight races, especially the Newmarket, grow on you. To view from The Grandstand, the public section, without being glassed in is spine tingling, comparable with the Cox Plate as it was at Moonee Valley.
And that’s what I seek with Tentyris who showed a dash of “B” (finished like Bernborough that was etched in folklore) down the straight Flemington 1000 metres last start.
Alas that was weight-for-age and the Newmarket assignment is more demanding.
With 57kg Tentyris will be out to equal the weight-carrying record for the event, established in 1938 by Ajax.
Weight plays an important role in handicaps. Consider the Lightning: the colt had 55.5kg compared to the mare, My Gladiola (54kg) and beat her by a under a length.
My Gladiola has only 50.5kg for Saturday. In form student terms a length equals 1.5kg so it swings the balance very much in the mare’s favour.
In the Todman at Randwick on the corresponding day last year Tentyris downed Wodeton by under a length at level weights over 1200 metres but meets him six kilos worse in the Newmarket.
On paper Tentyris will be tested, but on turf? That’s why I’ve headed to Flemington. Greats produce what stop normal equine athletes. Favourites, short prices usually stop me, but I’m with Tentyris.
Waller and his knack of hitting the chosen target highlights Randwick as well as Flemington.
The trainer also opposes Tentyris with Angel Capital, owned by Yu Long investments who are sponsoring the Newmarket.
Angel Capitol resumed after a spell, head strong and erratic, in the Randwick’s recent Expressway, won by stablemate Joliestar, but has considerable yet untapped ability.
Waller’s chances in the All Star, Buckeroo who can do anything on his day, and Leica Lucy, mare he is developing, not top class but on the way.
Mares, though, hold the key to the event. Pride Of Jenni, eight but still fast in front, adds to the program.
Beware, too, for improvement from Bjorn Baker’s Steffi Magnetica: rough in the coat but went as well as expected when resuming behind Autumn Glow at Randwick recently.
Ironically a filly, Sheza Alibi, from Melbourne, with the Peter Moody touch, looks the major hurdle for Waller with Autumn Boy in the Randwick Guineas.
Waller, renowned for his results with the once weaker gender, has Autumn Boy and outsider Providence in a three-year-old event stacked with promising types, Attica and Ninja especially.
While Autumn Boy was disappointing against Ninja resuming in the Hobartville just how much did Waller keep up his sleeve with the The Autumn Sun colt?
As always thank you Max