Horse of the Rising Sun

     After last weeks warning about Snitzel and Street Cry progeny for the spring we saw more signs of that domination at Flemington this Saturday. Its a pity i didnt have a few dollars on Nozomi at 150/1. Her win may have been a bit of a fluke but be alert for a good campaign from Eureka Street.He did it tough on the outside of the leader in the last and did well to find plenty to win. Probably the race of the day was between the two Weir trained Raise the Flag horses which saw Yogi give Irishman John Allen his first win at headquarters. It was an epic battle all the ay down the Flemington straight.

Ben Thompson and Crown Witness -- The 3yo Star Witness filly, Crown Witness won the 100m Winter Lodge Hcp at Flemington ridden by Ben Thompson who had a mixed day in the saddle with a couple of winners and a couple of near misses. Star Witness has had a big week with 7 winners in the last week. The first event at Doomben in the 1600m Aquis Farm Hcp saw Arrestar ridden by Jim Byrne get the job done. The 3yo gelding is out of the Encosta De Lago mare Involve.

Star Witness winning the 2010 Blue Diamond 

stands at Widden Stud 

Aloft and Galileo -- It was an impressive win for this six year old gelding by Galileo, Aloft and ridden well by Ben Melham. He has showed so much promise over the years but injury has kept him away from the track. Its good to have him back and trainer Rob Hickmont seems to think this could be his spring and is not ruling a Melbourne Cup start, out for him. On Sunday at Sandown, Galileos Pearl notched up his third win in a row and is really looking strong. Michael Walker has a good connection with the gelding and more wins could easily be in store. 

Eureka Street and Street Cry -- Last week we saw the final two races at Rosehill go to Street Cry progeny and this week it was Flemingtons turn with rank outsider Nozomi at 150/1 holding on to win the 1200m and then the talented gelding, Eureka Street, doing it tough outside the leader pulling clear on the line to win the last. Daniel Moor sat patiently on him for as long as possible on the Smerden trained gelding before giving him his head and going on to win well. Pleased the 4 year old entire ridden by Jim Byrne, won the 1600m BM 70 at Doomben.


Snitzel -- The start of the brand new season saw the opening, 1000m Pavillion Hcp at Flemington go to Azazel. The Mcevoy trained Snitzel colt, ridden by Luke Currie finished strongly to win well. A signal that the breed are going to have a good carnival. While at Randwick the 5yo Snowden, trained gelding made it 5 wins of 8 starts with an impressive win in the benchmark 90 1600m event.


Yogi and Raise the Flag -- It looked a race in two in the 2500m Oliver Street Plate at Flemington and thats exactly how it turned out. Yogi,smarter than your average horse and Chequered Flag both sons of Raise the Flag broke clear on straightening to have an almighty struggle down the straight with Yogi the Sandown specialist prevailing by a slender margin. John Allen on Yogi got everything he could out of the 5 year old gelding. Darren Weir yard, trains both horses and he could be in for a lot of staying success this spring.

 Yogi coming back to scale after his Flemington victory. 

The first win at Flemington for  Irish jockey John Allen

Written Tycoon -- Winners everywhere on the weekend for this stallions progeny from Shogun Sun in the opener at Randwick to Written Era at Sandown on Sunday. In the opening event at Morphetville the 1000m, maiden plate saw the 3yo gelding Wallace Street get the job done for the Richard Jolly stable.

Invincible Gem and I Am Invincible -- The group 2 1200m, Missile Stakes was won by Invincible Gem with Corey Brown on her back. She sat on the back of her highly successful stablemate Le Romain until straightening, then pulled away down the straight. The I Am Invincible mare is another great advertisement for her stallion who stands at Yarraman Park Stud. Trainer, Kris Lees says her next start is likely to be in the Sheraco Stakes. Corey Brown had only just returned from walking the Kokoda Trail the day before raising money for brain cancer. His partners in the quest of the trail were Hugh Bowman, Kathy O'hara and Steve Baster and Corey said "they all struggled at certain times on the trek. It was an experience I wont forget."

Ability and Reward For Effort -- A booming finish on a wet Sandown track resulted in another awesome win in the group 3 Bletchingly Stakes, for Ability. Just when it looked like Lankan Rupee was going to return victorious the recently gelded four year old by Reward for Effort dropped from the clouds to make it four in a row. Mick Price on his horse said after the race "that he was very happy with the highly rated sprinters return and thought he had it won but gee the other horse (sic) Ability is right in the zone at the moment.  

                                           Thanks to Racing.Com for awesome coverage

Ability wins the Group 3 Bletchingly 

Other Highlights -- Reann a double at Morphetville on Saturday.
Wells winning the Crisp Steeple