Soho Valencia

[mark diegutis]

In the WA Derby Friday night & in the Derby heats at Menangle Saturday night.

[Danno]

In the WA Derby Friday night & in the Derby heats at Menangle Saturday night.

G'day Mark,
pretty sad reflection on the lack of co-operation in programming.

do you reckon they'll turn up for both?

Hard to see but you never know

Cheers,
Dan

[mark diegutis]

Hi Dan . I suppose you never know but now that I'm Victorious has draw the 1 barrier they may regret nominating for both . I wonder what happens if he scratches from WA . Any ideas ?

[Danno]

Hi Dan . I suppose you never know but now that I'm Victorious has draw the 1 barrier they may regret nominating for both . I wonder what happens if he scratches from WA . Any ideas ?

12 hour vet certificate for a head cold???????

[Mitch]

Hi Mark,

Well done with Waldenburg last Saturday, super win from the breeze! I have always considered him the 3yo with the greatest potential. I will be cheering him and Major Post on in the derby heats on Saturday night.

I am surprised they pushed on with Scandalman, he clearly isn't suited at Menangle. A far superior horse on 1000m tracks IMO. I actually thought they were going to WA.

[Triple V]

On the big track on the lead I think Scandalman hears the footsteps Mitch.
Karloo Kix did it to him on Miracle Mile night by sticking with him in the lane, maybe getting to him a tiny bit further out and Mark's horse did it to him again on Saturday night, again by going with him when he threw his best at them & staring him down through a 26.8 closer. Look up the definition of the word 'Grit' in the dictonary...there'll be a picture of Waldenburg. 3 wide, to the breeze, leader kept rolling and still Mark's horse aimed up and gunned him down. Very impressive.

[mightymo]

I think they want him to race in WA Derby as Rob Watson is based there, but flights are very unreliable so im guessing they entered in NSW derby heats in case flight doesnt eventuate

[eliteblood]

I think they want him to race in WA Derby as Rob Watson is based there, but flights are very unreliable so im guessing they entered in NSW derby heats in case flight doesnt eventuate

That is the explanation given on In The Gig on MOnday night. If they can get to WA they will, otherwise off to NSW.

[broncobrad]

If he goes to WA he will have to be at the top of his game to overcome Gracias Para Nada (who I reckon wins) and Im Victorious. Like Dan said, bad programming, would love to see all three in Sydney espec. Gracias. For what its worth will be sticking with Waldenburg to atone for his minor placing in the Vic Derby. Scandalman will be found out on the big track.

[Triple V]

The way these races clash is terrible and it keeps happening year after year. Why there can't be greater co-operation State to State is beyond me. Surely it's for everyone's benefit? WA wise, I agree Brad. The combined powers of Gracias Para Nada & Jnr (who is in career best form as a driver) on GP's 'Circle Of Death' will likely prove to be too much. Waldenburg to take it all here in NSW. It has been a while since a better Derby prep. has come our way than that which he posted at Menangle last Saturday. He looked very sharp. Blake has him primed & ready.

[mark diegutis]

Rising superstar Im Victorious will travel to Sydney to contest the $200,000 New South Wales Derby at Menangle on Saturday week if he maintains his tremendous form and wins the $200,000 Sky Racing WA Derby at Gloucester Park on Friday night.


Really....don't you have to contest the heats????

[Triple V]

I thought so too. I thought the parachute in for one outing routine was all done & dusted?

[mark diegutis]

I thought so too. I thought the parachute in for one outing routine was all done & dusted?

Should be, wouldn't be real fair on anyone contesting the heats trying to gain a rightful place in the final . There is so much talent this year its not an easy get in .

[Danno]

Royal Witness the only scratching so far from the NSW heats..and so far no scratchings from WA, will be interesting to watch.

[Triple V]

Fellas, on this general subject...Rising Superstar? Geeze, that's one Hell of a tag. Is the Industry Media that starved of fodder that they rush to anoint such horses? He's going really well in WA, no doubt, but aren't they sending him up in a hot air balloon sky high and setting him up for a fall if he doesn't live up to the boom? There are so often quite unreasonable expectations put on them, IMO.

[G-Mac]

About 4 weeks ago all the buzz over there was about Gracias Para Nada.
4 weeks before that it was Western Cullen.
4 weeks from now it will be something else.

[Triple V]

Harness Racing's version of the 24hrs news cycle I guess.

[G-Mac]

Bingo

[Triple V]

Maybe it's asking too much however now and again I'd like to see them dig around in the background of these good ones a bit more.
Instead of blurting out the usual Rising Superstar thing...maybe someone could go back and take a quick look at how they came to be...where they were bred & raised, how they got from there to where they are now or whatever. It doesn't have to be a 3 part novel but something with a little more substance would be good.

[mark diegutis]

Maybe it's asking too much however now and again I'd like to see them dig around in the background of these good ones a bit more.
Instead of blurting out the usual Rising Superstar thing...maybe someone could go back and take a quick look at how they came to be...where they were bred & raised, how they got from there to where they are now or whatever. It doesn't have to be a 3 part novel but something with a little more substance would be good.

That's a good idea .
Also noticed Mr Nickle in at Kilmore Sat night .

[G-Mac]

I'm Victorious NZ: By Washington VC out of See Me Run NZ (Sokys Atom)
See Me Run NZ had 21 starts for 1-1-2 and Prizemoney of $6,453
See Me Run's dam, Maudes Legacy (Silk Legacy x Maudey), had 19 starts for no wins.

Qualified but no race starts in NZ.

Not much to write about there. Connections obviously saw something others did not.
Or they just struck it lucky.

[mark diegutis]

Im Victorious and Gracias Para Nada have been the standout three-year-olds in WA this year, but they could be seriously tested by Victorian invaders Soho Valencia and Mr Nickel if they arrive in time for the Group One feature.
There is one more chance for the pair to fly to Perth with a flight arriving around 8am the morning of the race. These circumstances are déjà vu for Mr Nickels trainer, Dean Braun, who was held up and made a last minute flight for the 4YO series in Perth last November and the Lara mentor rates the possibility of gaining access to the flight a "70/30 chance".


Thats a big ask of these top horses .

[Triple V]

Washington VC, you know here in Oz he has 10 in 1:55, 22 in 1:56.0...16 x 100k+ winners, 8 x 200k+ winners & 4 x 500k+ winners headed up by no less than I'm Themightyquinn. Given that they are all imports, that really takes some doing.

[teecee]

I'm Victorious NZ: By Washington VC out of See Me Run NZ (Sokys Atom)
See Me Run NZ had 21 starts for 1-1-2 and Prizemoney of $6,453
See Me Run's dam, Maudes Legacy (Silk Legacy x Maudey), had 19 starts for no wins.

Qualified but no race starts in NZ.

Not much to write about there. Connections obviously saw something others did not.
Or they just struck it lucky.

Maude's Legacy (I'm Victorious' grand dam was a half sister to Maudola.
Maudola is the dam of a fair enough nag named SOKYOLA..!!!!

[Danno]

Maude's Legacy (I'm Victorious' grand dam was a half sister to Maudola.
Maudola is the dam of a fair enough nag named SOKYOLA..!!!!

I'm with you there teecee! All the old gun breeders when I was a young bloke ( many,many moons ago) relentlessly told me " grandam, grandam,grandam" look there and you will get the answers.

[G-Mac]

Well there you go.

[Triple V]

Shows how strong some maternal families can be eh Tony?.
Over the years various people appear to have tried their best to kill that direct branch and associated branches off with the likes of Newport Chief, Tempest Hanover, Scrappy Wave, Sir Dalrae, Apollo's Way, Plat du Jour, Chiola Hanover, Silk Legacy & so on...but it has kept on producing, regardless. Even post Sokyola I note that someone took one last shot at doing it in with Julius Caesar. :p

[Triple V]

I'm with you there teecee! All the old gun breeders when I was a young bloke ( many,many moons ago) relentlessly told me " grandam, grandam,grandam" look there and you will get the answers.

[VVV] Around August/September of 2000 I was sitting on a bench at Carrick Raceway in Tassie watching the late Leigh Plunkett work one of ours & I was talking about her maternal family with Leigh's father, the late E.C.'Ted' Plunkett. He had trained her grand dam and knew a lot about the immediate family. He said "The family is stronger than the individual" which is essentially the same thing I guess. Leigh subcribed to much the same line of thinking only I remember him adding (broodmare wise) that he didn't mind having unraced mares/mares that weren't thought good enough to make the race track just so long as they had a good family to back them up & had shown him something that was a real plus when they were in work...even if they only had a dash of real high speed for a furlong, or they had a great gait etc. preferrably both. They had to have shown him a redeeming feature in addition to their family. It all made absolute sense to me.

[Mighty Atom]

Soho Valencia and Mr Nickel both scratched from G.P. unfortunately.

[Triple V]

Geeze, I feel sorry for both of them.... but particularly so the connections of Soho Valencia.
It's the toughest of tough breaks to pull (2) at the barrier draw for a 200k race on a half mile track only to have to scratch because you can't get a flight over.
WA is THE biggest SOB of a place to try to get to with anything.
Backloading East is easy, freight space into there however is always at a premium.
I recall that Garuda Airlines had a route where they used to fly out of Bali to Sydney & then across to Perth and they made it a habit to 'dump/temporarily lose/off-load' all of the Perth bound passenger luggage & then load up the hold with higher paying/profitable Perth bound freight.
The bags would eventually make their way West in dribs & drabs with other airlines. It used to drive the baggage guys at the airport nuts.

[mark diegutis]

Thats a shame . At least Soho can come to Menangle... Wonder why Mr Nickle pulled out , he was in the noms for the heats .

[broncobrad]

Im Victorious very workmanlike in leading go to whoa in 1.57.3, each 1/4 slightly quicker than the previous. Again Gracias manners let him (and me) down, when he should have been knuckling down, his mind was wandering. Interesting that the only 2 horses that challenged the winner both broke. Wonder if Hall Snr can find the key to this enigmatic gelding?

[Mighty Atom]

Gracias PN looks to have had enough this campaign but I'm not too sure whether the smaller track is also a problem with his racing style. Being a big three year old as he matures and develops even more I think it could be a worry. Your Good Fortune broke near the finish when Colin Brown laid a couple on the rump,I really think the horse wondered what the hell was happening.

[Mitch]

Mark,

That was a shocker by Blake, needed to work to the breeze with no speed on. Never gave your horse a chance being that far back when they walked in front.

It's shame he won't be in the final, he is a much better horse than what was displayed tonight.

Mitch.

[Mitch]

Interesting bunch of heats so far.

Heat 1: Smolda excellent last half in 54 and change working into the race wide... Macca Kelly was also a good run.

Heat 2: Winner was sensational, Grand Stride very good and Fly Like An Eagle most disappointing.

Heat 3: The winner got a picnic in front and never looked like getting beat. Poor drive Waldenburg IMO.

Heat 4: Still to come.... Go Chrissy Robinson!!!!!

[Mitch]

Well done to Scandalman he deserved that.

Smolda a clear favourite in the final from Ideal Scott for me after the heats!

Great to see Major Post in the final.

[Mitch]

Final field will be:

Smolda
Macca Kelly
Monarkmac
Grand Stride
Ideal Scott
Regal Knight
Scandalman
Major Post
Fly Like An Eagle
Theartofdelusion

[broncobrad]

What a sensational night!!! Heaps of questions answered. Wow how good are the NZders! Scandalman excellent! The QLDer sticking it up them! Sushi shows his vulnerable side again! Grand Stride solid. Waldenburg a pretty tentative drive. Doesn't matter. Lovin' every minute of it.

[broncobrad]

NSW DERBY FINAL

What a cracker of a final, Major Post out of 2 and Scandalman in 4 should come out smokin and with Ideal Scott drawn in 3, I reckon the pressure will be on for a fair way. Sets it up for Smolda to pounce. NZ one two. Just not sure which one gets the nod.

[Mitch]

NSW DERBY FINAL

What a cracker of a final, Major Post out of 2 and Scandalman in 4 should come out smokin and with Ideal Scott drawn in 3, I reckon the pressure will be on for a fair way. Sets it up for Smolda to pounce. NZ one two. Just not sure which one gets the nod.

Yes Brad sure to be a great race. Early tactics will be interesting, Scandalman will find the front with Ideal Scott on his back. major Post will look to hold a forward position in the running line without being clicked up off the arm. Grand Stride will push forward and may end up 1 &1 if fly like an eagle goes forward and finds the chair.

After the draw I'm warming to Grand Stride just in front of Ideal Scott & Smolda. Major Post & Scandalman the other dangers.

Great derby field!