Winds to abate for Confluence at Flemington

Brad Waters - Monday August 7

Developing three-year-old Confluence is likely to get an easier run than his last outing irrespective of where he draws in Saturday's Flemington assignment.

Confluence has finished second at all three runs this time in, including at his last outing where he did it tough before finishing 2 ¼ lengths from Shamport in the $150,000 VOBIS Gold Ingot (1400m) at Caulfield.

Confluence was stuck three-wide and fighting into a strong headwind for most of the race but managed to pinch a break before Shamport over-ran him in the Caulfield straight.

The forecast is for calmer conditions than those that eventually forced the postponement of the last five races s at the July 29 Caulfield meeting and the son of Denman is one of 20 entries for the Super VOBIS 3YO BM70 Handicap (1400m).

Co-trainer Simon Zahra said Confluence had the required talent to break through for a city win but it was a matter of whether the colt was coming to the end of his preparation.

"He's going well and he's had three runs for three seconds but we just hope he can hang on for another run," Zahra, who trains Confluence in partnership with Mathew Ellerton, said.

"He's been up a while but it looks like a nice race for him.

"He's pretty smart this horse but it is only his second preparation but we're hoping he can just hold his form.

"He just needs to draw a decent barrier where he can get a bit of cover and he'll be hard to beat."

The powerful Darren Weir stable prepared Confluence's last-start conqueror Shamport and will provide another serious rival on Saturday with Peruggia, the winner of his last two starts, among the nominations for the $120,000 race.

Peruggia is one of four last-start winners among the nominations along with the Lindsay Park-trained pair French Skyline and Regal Embrace while Lee and Anthony Freedman have entered the Geelong maiden winner Sky Punch.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Kiwi Bred Comeback King Globe wins Cranbourne Cup
The super-talented Globe put a troubled 14 months behind him with a powerful all-the-way win in Saturday’s A$500,000 Listed Cranbourne Cup (1600m).
Xtravagant Gelding Nadal Brilliant in Meteorite
Ciaron Maher has a stranglehold on pop-up and slot races and was back in the winner's circle again after the inaugural running of the $1,000,000 The Ladbrokes Meteorite (1200m) at Cranbourne.
Storyville Downs the Colts in G2 WA Guineas
The WA Champion Fillies Stakes heroine Storyville earned a shot at the Group 1 Northerly Stakes after she gave the colts a start and beating in Saturday’s $500,000 Group II White Claw - WA Guineas (1600m) at Ascot.
Better Than Ready's Port Lockroy Triumphs in G1 Railway Stakes
Interstate visitors have a poor winning record in the $1,500,000 Group 1 Swan Draught - Railway Stakes, but Port Lockroy played his part in squaring the ledger when choosing the perfect spot to end a run of bad luck in stakes races.
Sires With Winners - Saturday November 23
Here is the full list of 117 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Yes Yes Yes Filly wins $100,000 Crystal Slipper
The $100,000 WATC Magic Millions Crystal Slipper (1100m) at Ascot on Saturday drew a competitive field of 13 and Yes Yes Yes filly Yes Queen produced a brilliant performance to score a dominant debut victory.
Wings Of Song Makes Stunning Return
A star of the carnivals in Tasmania and South Australia, Wings Of Song made a triumphant return from a 30-week break to capture Saturday’s Rosemont Stud Pendant (1400m) at Cranbourne.
Brad Waters' one to follow from Caulfield Saturday July 29
The wind put paid to the majority of Saturday’s Caulfield meeting but there was a strong performance worth following in the next few weeks.
Barnstorming Win by Headwall in the Warra
The super-consistent Headwall reaped a just reward in the $300,000 Group III Snap Print Solutions Wollongong The Warra (1000m) at Kembla Grange.
Another Feature Win for La Crique
La Crique sprouted wings in the Pukekohe straight on Saturday to come from a near-hopeless position and win the Gr.2 Dunstan Horsefeeds Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) in a photo finish.