He may have narrowly missed out on securing a spot in this year’s Melbourne Cup but Precedence delivered plenty of compensation to owners last week, when he won the G3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m)
Punters believe he can make it three wins on the trot in the G2 Zipping Classic this Saturday and have made him the $3.50 favourite, just in advance of his Sertorius, the horse he nosed out in last week’s win who is $3.70.
1. PRECEDENCE – C Williams (4)
The Bart Cummings’ trained 8yo has never gone better. He won the G2 Drake International Cup (formerly the Moonee Valley Gold Cup) two starts back over 2500m in good style before backing that up last Saturday with a tenacious and narrow victory over Sertorius in the G3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m). He ran third in this race last year behind Tanby and Exceptionally after finishing ninth in the Melbourne Cup and is in better form this year. Has to be rated among the leading chances.
2. SERTORIUS – R Maloney (1)
After running second (beaten 2 ¼ lengths) behind the impressive Pakal in the Listed Cranbourne Cup, the 6yo by Galileo saluted in the Listed Bendigo Cup (2400m) as 11/4 favourite, winning by a comfortable length and a half over Massiyn. With that win to his name, it was no surprise to see him start 13/4 favourite for last Saturday’s G3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m). He had a lovely run throughout, just behind the pace but in a tight finish, found Precedence a shade too strong and failed by a nose. Drawn to be prominent throughout again and is in form but, did have his chance last start and had a 2.5kgs advantage over Precedence whom he meets at level weight here.
3. RANSOMED – C Newitt (6)
New Zealand galloper who has won eight of his thirty-six starts including, two starts back, the G1 Spring Classic (2040m) in his native land. He came from well back in that win to account for Nashville who subsequently finished tenth (beaten 2 ½ lengths) behind Boban in last Saturday’s Emirates Stakes (1600m). Following his above win, he lined up in the G3 Sofitel Stakes (2000m) under WFA conditions, again in New Zealand and finished 2.2 lengths behind Zennista. Will be better for that run, his first for a month, but has had three starts at 2400m and beyond and been well accounted for on each occasion.
4. MIDSUMMER SUN – D Oliver (2)
Former imported galloper who impressed in winning at his first two Australian starts for trainer Sam Kavanagh earlier this year and was immediately shipped to Queensland to contest the G3 Premier’s Cup (2200m) and G2 Brisbane Cup (2400m). Despite starting favourite in the Premier’s Cup, the 6yo by Monsun finished a well beaten thirteenth and faired no better in the Brisbane Cup, running twelfth. Spelled, he returned with a good run over the unsuitable 1400m at Randwick before hitting the line in very good style behind Salon Soldier in the Listed Visit Victoria Stakes (1800m), beaten a length. That run and his European form suggest the longer trip will suit. He is drawn well, has a good jockey aboard and third up from a break, can see no reason why he will not put in a forward showing.
5. WHAT’S IN A NAME – D Dunn (3)
Adelaide galloper who will find this event, much harder than his last start second (beaten 1 ¼ length) in a BM 90 (2000m) at Morphettville a fortnight ago. Jumps significantly in class, rises 4kgs in weight and gets to 2400m for the first time in his seven start career. The son of Dylan Thomas is entitled to be a big price.
6. EPINGLE – B Rawiller (7)
Lightly raced 6yo mare by Pins and whilst her strike rate doesn’t read well, she’s won only three of twenty starts; she hasn’t been far off the winner in Group races on several occasions this year. At her second run from a spell, she was doing her best work late in restricted room when fourth (beaten 2.5 lengths) behind the very much in-form Catkins. She backed that up last week with a very good effort to run fourth, beaten ¾ length, behind Girls Gone Rockin’ in the G2 Momentum Energy Stakes (2000m). From a poor gate, the Mick Kent trained mare was wide throughout but never shirked her task. This is her first go beyond 2000m, at WFA and against males this time in but, she has her fair share of ability and this isn’t a strong renewal of this race.
7. DETOX – (9)
Adelaide trainer Jake Stephens has brought this 6yo mare by Golden Snake across to Victoria for her last three starts. She finished well two starts back to run fourth behind Queenstown in the Fillies and Mare at Moonee Valley (2040m) before running ninth (beaten 4 lengths) behind Girls Gone Rockin’ in the G2 Momentum Energy Stakes (2000m) last Saturday. She’ll find this no easier than last start and hard to see her turning the table on at least those who beat her home last week.
8. QUEENSTOWN – N Rawiller (8)
Progressive Stratum mare who kicked off this campaign with a nose second to Lucky Lago in BM 80 company four starts ago. Her three runs since, in longer and better classes of races, have all been first rate. After running second to in-form Sharnee Rose in the G3 Angst Stakes at Randwick, she was floated south to win a Fillies and Mares race at Moonee Valley over 2040m before lining up in last weekend’s G2 Momentum Energy Stakes (2000m). From a wide gate, she took up a forward position and in the long run home, was able to hold off all challengers bar Girls Gone Rockin’ who arrived right on the line. Will go forward again and whilst this is a new level again, hard to knock her form or commitment.
9. KAZANLUK – K McEvoy (10)
Yet another whose last start was in the G2 Momentum Energy Stakes last Saturday. It was the Red Ransom mare’s fourth start back from a spell and arguable her best. She drew wide and was happy to settle at the tail of the field but made good ground late to get within 2.1 lengths of Girls Gone Rockin’ and Queenstown. On that effort, the additional 400m should be seen as a bonus and from the five runners backing up from that race, one who could improve the most.
10. MISS ZENELLA – L Nolen (5)
After the well bred Zabeel mare ran second at her sixth career start to Gondokoro in the G1 Queensland Oaks (2400m), the Peter Moody trained galloper was spelled with big ambitions for the spring. She returned to racing seventeen weeks later at Caulfield and ran as well as could be hoped for first up over 1400m but in two subsequent runs, the anticipated improvement from her hasn’t been seen. She finished a well beaten tenth behind Zonza in the G3 Snowhite Classic and again last Saturday in the G2 Momentum Energy Stakes (2000m), made little impression from the back of the field when eleventh of sixteen. Hard to make a case for her on last week’s effort.
RACE OVERVIEW
Sertorius and Queenstown the likely leaders with, like he was last week, Precedence not too far away. We could very well see a repeat of last week’s tight finish between Sertorius and Precedence. They are both in very good form, proven over the distance and in a race of limited depth, the best credentialed to handle the WFA conditions. Midsummer Sun looks the big improver here. He finished very well last start and the additional trip here looks like it will be of benefit to him. He wasn’t that far away in Group 3 and Listed company in Europe, at his distance range, last year. Of the bottom half of the field, all coming out of the mare’s race last week, Queenstown and Epingle appear to be the two who hold most hope of causing an upset. Queenstown is tough and whilst the weight conditions are not favourable to her here, she will give her all in the run home. Epingle, with a better run than last week, can easily turn the table on Queenstown, especially if there should be any sting out of the track.
1. PRECENDECE
2. SERTORIUS
3. MIDSUMMER SUN
4. QUEENSTOWN