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Saturday Post Mortem with Chris Scholtz

by Chris Scholtz 6 years ago 3 minute read

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Chris Scholtz looks at racing around Australia on April 28.

THE STARS

DARREN WEIR: Nothing new about the champion Victorian trainer winning three races including a black type double at Morphettville. What is significant is that he a clear second on the Adelaide training premiership such is the success he is enjoying on his border hoping raids.

IMPENDING: Always good to see high class thoroughbreds resume in sparkling form. He was the second leg of a double for the Godolphin stable at Doomben and sets up what could be a big carnival for the boys in blue.

STEVEN O’DEA: Training performance of the day to produce Tan Tat Diamond for a big first-up win at Doomben in his first race for almost two years due to tendon injuries. O’Dea admitted the horse had been retired but was given a second chance after treatment and using a water walker.

DAMIAN BROWNE: Popular go to rider for top southern stables over the Brisbane carnival ensures he will be in demand again with his strong riding to land a feature double for the visitors at Doomben. Coincidentally it doesn’t auger well for the locals – visiting horses won all four legs of the Doomben quaddie!

DAMIEN OLIVER/JOHN PRICE: Continued his great run of form with a double at Caulfield including a win aboard William Thomas for former Perth trainer John Price, a trainer he hadn’t ridden for since he left WA as an apprentice in the late 1980s.

JOE PRIDE: What a job he has done with the former Godolphin mare Pecans, who he purchased for a syndicate for $50,000 last year. Her first-up win in the $175,000 Godolphin Crown rubbed salt in the wound for her former owners as she has now won five races for Pride and almost $300,000.

HIGHLIGHTS AND LOWLIGHTS

STEPHEN BASTER: Punters are on a good thing following Baster’s association with the Gai Waterhouse/Adrian Bott team in Melbourne. He won last Wednesday’s VRC St Leger for the stable and his double at Caulfield on Saturday included another win for the team, his 30th for them in the last 10 years from only 110 rides with an outstanding better than 50 percent in the money record on their horses.

JOSH PARR/BRENTON AVDULLA: Parr is a rider who grabs his opportunities and made the most of them at Hawkesbury with a big feature double in the Crown and the Guineas. Avdulla matched him, with a timely return to form with his feature double in the Gold Rush and Hawkesbury Cup for the Hawkes stable.

MICHAEL CAHILL: Earned the wrath of punters with an ordinary ride on the well supported Kings Of Leon at Doomben. Should have won.

JAMES INNES JNR: Another rider in the black books with punters who supported Mandalay Bay in exotics at Hawkesbury. Beaten a short half head for second and then suspended for not riding the horse out to the line.

CLARRIE CONNERS: He’s on a bucket list trip to the Kentucky Derby while his classy filly Torvill gets the job done at Doomben thanks to a fine ride from wide gate by comeback jockey Jimmy Orman.

PAT HYLAND: Always good to see the 76-year-old former champion jockey train a winner, more so with a horse like Lizard Island that has frustrated him since he was placed in the Caulfield Guineas as a 3YO in 2015. Hyland has always been one of racing’s nice guys.

RIDE OF THE DAY

Hawkesbury is never an easy track to ride, especially from wide gates, but Jason Collett made it look easy going back to the rear then saving every bit of ground to land the money on Siren's Fury. For sheer determination Kerrin McEvoy’s effort on Graff was a beauty, especially when it was revealed he couldn’t continue riding due to his pain from an ear infection.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“The absolute worst part of being a jockey is when a horse dies that you have ridden. That is the worst part of this job - it outweighs having to waste hard, it outweighs losing a ride, it outweighs everything.” – Josh Parr reflects on the tragic breakdown of his ride Mackintosh in the Hawkesbury Cup.

THEY SAID IT

• We’re delighted to bring the Stradbroke winner back and have him in form to defend that crown. He’s been working the place down at home and this win sets him up for a great campaign,” – Godolphin’s Vin Cox after Impending’s win in the Victory Stakes.

• “He's got no malice in him, he's was just a child. He's finally come of age and worked it all out. He would have won a lot more by now if that had been the case a year ago." – Stable rep Charlie Duckworth after Sambro’s win in the Hawkesbury Guineas.

• “It’s nice to get a black type winner for my man Skilled, he was my first Group One winner so that’s cool,” – Josh Parr wins the Godolphin Crown at Hawkesbury on Pecans, a daughter of his first G1 winner Skilled.

• "It's been a frustrating month, I've been riding winners in between but not these Saturday winners which has been a bit disappointing. I'm my own harshest critic so it's been good to get back on the board." – Brenton Avdulla celebrates his feature double at Hawkesbury.

• “I'd given up on him coming to the corner when he came off the bridle. He’s a bit of a lad, he’s a colt with a stack of ability but he might need some blinkers to keep him focused,” - Graff’s trainer Kris Lees.

• “This is a Benchmark 84, it’s not an open Cup race. I know people are getting excited about him but he’s still got a lot to do. He’s on the right road but I’m not sure where he’ll go now.” – Roman Son’s trainer Richard Freedman.

• "She's been out of sorts a bit, she's not her normal self. She's been very irritated, hopefully it's only a hormonal thing and she'll settle down in time." – She Knows’ perplexed trainer Danny Williams.

• “John Price is a good old West Australian horseman and he knows his stuff.” – Damien Oliver’s praise for the trainer of Flemington winner William Thomas.
• "I can remember Damien riding for me as an apprentice. I said to him that it was a long time since he's had those colours on so it was jolly good." - former Perth trainer John Price.

• “He got a little bit lost when he was out in front. He’s a bit of a big, lairy bloke.” - Damian Lane after his Morphettville win aboard Leicester.

• “She's had a chipped knee and also a problem at the barriers three times. She used to have a blind fold and a stallion chain and went into the race today naked," – Creativity’s trainer Mathew Ellerton.

• “I thought it might stop around this time last year but it's kept going," – Stephen Baster on his wining association with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.

• “That was like winning the Melbourne Cup. It's been a while since we've been here.” – Pay Hyland after Lizard Island wins his first race since he was a 3YO in 2015.

BLACKBOOK

MICKEY BLUE EYES: Strong debut. Good prospect for Brisbane.

GHISONI: Looks on track for a return to her best.

KINGS OF LEON: Luckless first-up. Carnival banker.

MOST IMPORTANT: Pleasing start to his carnival campaign.

LEATHER 'N' LACE: Nice effort fresh. Better to come.

CRUZE: Ready to produce in the right Brisbane class.
Racing and Sports

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Siren’s Fury Graff MICKEY BLUE EYES GHISONI KINGS OF LEON MOST IMPORTANT LEATHER ‘N’ LACE CRUZE:

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