Winx faithful who loaded up 'in-the-run' were rewarded with some nice overs while I'm convinced we saw our second best middle distance galloper when Humidor stormed home to win the Makybe Diva at Flemington.
WINX FAITHFUL GET MASSIVELY REWARDED
Those who were betting mid-race in Saturday's George Main Stakes and managed to get on Winx were rewarded with the longest price we've seen about the champ since she won the 2015 Cox Plate.
Her first Cox Plate had Winx hit the line as a $4.50 chance and since then she has never started in the black through 15 consecutive wins however on Saturday, when everyone was getting itchy at the 700m mark there were plenty who apparently thought the winning run had come to an end.
So much so more than $100,000 was matched at $3 on Betfair.
Those 'overs' were nothing though compared to what was available in-the-run about the unbeaten Melbourne colt Royal Symphony at Flemington.
Held up for a run and seemingly out of contention Royal Symphony reached the point where he traded at an unbelievable $15 before storming home to win in the last stride.
Another winner who traded at a massive price mid-race was Humidor, who hit $40 before charging past Hartnell to easily win the Makybe Diva Stakes.
HUMIDOR'S BRILLIANT WIN – BY THE NUMBERS
To the naked eye the performance of Humidor in winning the Makybe Diva Stakes was ultra-impressive but it's only when you look at the numbers you get a real understanding of how well he really went.
The Australian Cup winner came home his last 1000m in 57.72 and the last 800m in 45.94 which was more than seven lengths faster than any other horse in the race.
It appeared Hartnell was Australia's second best middle distance galloper behind Winx, but not any more after Saturday's effort.
HUGE! HUMIDOR unleashes with a booming finish to win the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes. That was arrogant. #RacingLivepic.twitter.com/LIHgz3u1ZK
— Racing.com (@Racing) September 16, 2017
Nothing short of brilliant from Humidor.
THE EVEREST FAVOURITE STILL NO CLEARER
It's getting down to the pointy end for The Everest and while the spots are getting locked and loaded the race itself is not getting any clearer according to the price assessors.
Chautauqua seems to have a tenuous hold on favouritism and I'm not certain he'll be the popular elect come the big day.
Redkirk Warrior was exceptional on Saturday, as was Redzel and we now find there are six horses in the market rated between $5.50 and $7.50.
Sportsbet currently have Chautauqua and Vega Magic both at $5.50 with Menari at $6 and Redzel $6.50 while She Will Reign and Redkirk Warrior are both rated $7.50 chances.
DIRTY DAY FOR WILLO
Craig Williams went to Flemington with a strong book of rides and saluted on the heavily backed Theanswermyfriend but overall you'd have to think he finished very much on the wrong side of the ledger.
Muraahib was well in the market in the second but, after being given every chance, was very plain in the straight beating just one to the line.
Then, a couple of races later Craig was aboard So Si Bon who was ridden a bit closer than normal but was reluctant to stretch out between horses and he too disappointed eventually finishing a distant eighth behind Redkirk Warrior
Yogi and Cool Chap were both single figures in the last two races but failed to trouble the cameraman with both finishing fourth, however it was Jukebox which delivered the main blow in making it a dirty day.
Craig had ridden top filly Catchy and unbeaten colt Jukebox in their combined nine starts while he also piloted the unbeaten Esperance to win at Sandown recently but on Saturday he was aboard Jukebox and must have felt ill when Catchy charged down the outside to get the win under Regan Bayliss.
To make it a race Craig would rather forget he also copped the 23-meeting suspension for causing Limestone to fall.
Craig Williams handed 23-meeting ban for careless riding.
— Racing.com (@Racing) September 16, 2017
READ: https://t.co/3FpbuuxDvTpic.twitter.com/5ZbhHzMftb
The head-on of Limestone's fall.
SYMPHONY IN TUNE BUT NO LUCK FOR PRICE TRIO
All accolades were with Royal Symphony after he overcame severe adversity to win the second at Flemington on Saturday but with that being the case it took the focus off some real eye-catchers in the race.
And a trio of them all came out of the Mick Price yard.
Lone Eagle was held up on the fence for the majority of the straight and his run for ninth can be completely forgotten while Mighty Boss was another Price galloper which had traffic problems for the majority of the straight, eventually running on strongly for seventh.
However, it was the $61 outsider of the trio Hulme who turned in the run which had "back me next time" written all over it.
The winner of his only other start at Wodonga Hulme was slow to begin and held up in the early part of the straight before running on powerfully for fourth, only two-and-a-half lengths from the winner.
Check out the Price trio. Lone Eagle (dark blue on fence), Mighty Boss (chestnut, baldy face in yellow and red) and Hulme (black and white chevrons with a striped cap out the back).
That. Is. UNBELIEVABLE! ROYAL SYMPHONY had no right to win that. One of the better wins you'll see... #RacingLivepic.twitter.com/cLZlvuIqvv
— Racing.com (@Racing) September 16, 2017
RYAN GETS TO KEEP TABS ON THE OPPOSITION
Gerald Ryan will get the opportunity to keep a very close eye on one of Menari's major rivals during the lead-up to Saturday's Golden Rose Stakes.
Ciaron Maher has the third favourite, unbeaten colt Merchant Navy and he arrived in Sydney over the weekend for his big assignment and happens to be staying at Ryan's Rosehill stables.
Currently Menari is a $2.40 favourite with Sportsbet while Merchant Navy is a $9 chance. Pariah splits the two at $6.
SCALES SET TO DELIVER GROUP I JUSTICE
Redkirk Warrior elevated himself straight into The Everest with his sizzling win in the Bobbie Lewis Quality at Flemington on Saturday but the runner-up, Scales Of Justice may well be the one to grab Group I glory during the spring.
While the $10m Everest delivers the big financial prize the race doesn't carry any Group status.
Scales Of Justice won't be invited to Sydney so he sticks around Melbourne with some very big Group I prizes on offer for the West Aussie star.
He came east to display his wares with a super record (17-9-7-1) including the Group I Railway Stakes but it was his erratic effort down the Flemington straight on Saturday which really put the spotlight on him.
Following his run at Flemington the five-year-old has been elevated to favouritism for both the Rupert Clarke Stakes ($7.50) and Toorak Handicap ($8.50).
EXPLOSIVE! Redkirk Warrior jumps out of the ground at the 200m, charging away to a BIG win in the Bobbie Lewis. He loves @FlemingtonVRC! pic.twitter.com/HY9TiUZ2QF
— Racing.com (@Racing) September 16, 2017
Now that's a sidestep to be proud of.
FOLLOW ME
I'd be flabbergasted if Rodney Northam can't find a suitable race for After All That following his performance in Saturday's Shorts at Randwick.
Bookies went up $301 about the gelding but there must have been some who gave him the slightest chance backing the six-year-old into his starting price of $151.
While he finished out of the money as his price suggested After All That was only beaten 3.4 lengths by Redzel and finished only 1.2 lengths behind Chautuaqua.
When you consider this was a major lead-up to The Everest and After All That finished as close as he did that's good enough for me to put him in the blackbook as easier assignments certainly beckon.
FORGET ME
For a horse which has won twice at 2400m I'm not convinced Sayed is a stayer of any real quality.
After a couple of easy wins at Warwick Farm and Randwick the Chris Waller trained galloper was beaten twice when odds on, including a $1.35 third in the Wyong Cup behind old-timer Destiny's Kiss.
On Friday he was second favourite in the Newcastle Cup but, after being given the perfect run by Kerrin McEvoy was found wanting over the concluding stages and only plodded into fourth place.
Seems like the five-year-old has found his level, and that level for mine isn't up to the top grade.
.@GaiWaterhouse1 claims her fourth #Newcastle Gold Cup, with Broadside leading all the way! pic.twitter.com/zhCVpIPXir
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 15, 2017
