WA Champion Fillies Stakes Day

Once again we are heading into a purple patch of feature racing including the Karrakatta Plate, WA Oaks and the WA Derby. Saturday we saw what will be the favourite for the feature two year old race, Motion Pictures in action and there is nothing coming out of the pack to beat her at this stage. Le Plunge threw some of her more fancied rivals off their WA Derby aspirations in the Champion Fillies, capping a huge day for WA’s most outstanding trainer, Adam Durrant.

Race 1:

Motion Pictures  opened the shortest of good things at $1.50. There was some $1.60 bet but the majority kept her safe at $1.50. Hot Tamale ($8 - $10 - $8) had some friends, back to the 1000m after failing dismally at her previous attempt at 1200m. Military Madness was specked from $15 to $13 and the remainder were unwanted. Turning for home, Motion Pictures had to prove how good she was and that she did, mowing down the speedy Hot Tamale in the last few strides.

Race 2:

The market predicted a race in two. Shock Value, although the worthy favourite, was no $2.20 shot. He eased slightly to $2.50 before being crunched hard into $2.10 late. Lead Rope was the other fancy but wobbled from $3.50 to $4. On The Carpet ($3.50 - $6) had the plague despite the riding change to William Pike and Proud Falcon ($7 - $13)would struggle first up in this class. On The Carpet was perfectly ridden by William Pike and outsmarted the favourite Shock Value, who sat off the leader and afforded him to break away in the straight. The result was no good for us, unable to lay Lead Rope for enough to balance our book.

Race 3:

Saytorio was the run of a good horse at his debut for Adam Durrant. He opened at $2 and eased to $2.25 but with plenty of interest. Cheval Roi ($5 - $5.50 - $4.80) was well supported by the Pike fan club, looking for two in a row. Crafty Lodger, wearing the now very recognisable colours of the Day family, was fancied by the stable and was hammered from $8 to $6 after opening at $5.50. Prosaic ($4.60 - $5 - $4.40) was under the odds and remained that way, especially after being backed in late. Saytorio never looked like a winner, in fact, Crafty Lodger looked like he would be the first leg of a winning double for Peter Day until the favourite dug deep to pin him on the line.

Race 4:

Galaxy Queen was all the rage again in the staying race. Her form was faultless and Simply Adorable franked that by winning the Pinjarra Cup earlier in the week. She eased from $1.80 to $2.20 but had plenty of takers. Double Barrel ($7 - $8) had his chance to beat her at his previous attempt and the other stable mate My Becks ($6 - $7) also drifted. Catchphrase ($4.60 - $5) eased and was very hard to lay. Galaxy Queen was hampered by the tiring Nairobi in running and it probably cost her the race in the end with My Becks taking the clear running and passing her in the straight. A good result for the bookies after a tough start to the day.

Race 5:

Goldy Juinior ($3.40 - $3.80 - $3.30) opened at a decent dose of unders in our book and remained that way after steady support throughout. Flight Path ($6 - $6.50 - $6) was steady, as was China Bay ($4.20 - $4.40 - $4.20). The enigmatic Werd ($6 - $8.50 - $8) was specked only moderately by the stable after a long time between drinks for the volatile Hussonet gelding. Crown of Caitlin ($10 - $15 - $13) was also specked, but it seems she does her best first up and first up only. Werd just sped them off their feet from the jump and showed the same form that had him defeating Colour Correct back in 2008. The tide was beginning to turn in the favour of the bagmen.

Race 6:

Hawkeye Mort would lead and win in our book. The $5 that was bet was overly generous and plenty took the odds and more as he was smashed into $3.90. Calico Blue ($4.40 - $5 - $4.60) hadn’t convinced us on one run but did enough to attract some support. Truckin Tobie ($3.60 - $4 - $3.50) was the other well backed runner and would surely race closer to the speed today? We were horrified to see the one paced Hawkeye Mort show no interest in leading and in the slowest run race of the day, Truckin Tobie did as he pleased and cost us a bomb.

Race 7:

The thought of the Champion Fillies made us rub our hands together. For Your Eyes Only ($2.40) and Clueless Angel ($5) were both huge risks, drawn wide in the capacity field. Despite this, Clueless Angel ($5 - $4.40) was backed heavily with some rumoured huge bets taken by one of Ascot’s biggest bookies. For Your Eyes Only eased to $2.80 before solid support back to $2.40 and clear favourite. We liked the chances of Impressive Jeuney ($5.50 - $6.50 - $5) who we thought would lead, but just didn’t have the barrier speed to out jump Le Plunge. Thankfully, Adam Durrant’s filly didn’t live up to her name as $31 and $41 was bet throughout. The Bob Peter’s pair of Significant ($7 - $8.50) and Fromm ($15 - $20) were hard to lay. A few bookies managed to lay Le Plunge at the $41 but we were lucky enough to dodge her and wound up winning the lot thanks to an outstanding front running ride by Clint Harvey.

Race 8:

Ben Pearce has taken the training ranks by storm in his short time at the helm. Lie In Wait ($3 - $3.20 - $2.60) is one of the horses that have kept him in the lime light. Although his form warranted it, the pile of money for the Hold That Tiger gelding was unbelievable. Caller One ($6 - $10 - $7) was also specked at double figures while Admiring ($4 - $4.80) was harder to lay. We had a little tickle at Legend Express at the $51 and we weren’t the only ones as he firmed to $31. Talk To The Wall ($8 - $11 - $10), although running big races, just doesn’t seem to salute enough to warrant following and Key Miss ($7 - $8) was easy. Lie In Wait was never really in doubt after lobbing in the one by one for Peter Hall. Another city winner for Ben Pearce, adding to a stellar couple of months for the young Lark Hill trainer.

Early on, the day belonged to the punting public without a doubt with Motion Pictures ($1.50) and Saytorio ($2.20) winning as early favourites. My Becks ($7) and Werd ($8) begun to swing the pendulum, but the knockout blow was the Champion Fillies, won by Le Plunge as a $41 shot. With both favourites well supported, the bookies would be hard pressed to go home losing, even after the heavily backed Lie In Wait ($2.60) won the last. A rare win to the bookies in a points decision.

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