3 minute read
A competitive nine race programme at the Hawkesbury stand along meeting saw several intriguing winners come out of the meeting.
Arguably one of the wins of the day came from Spill The Beans who was able to lead all the way to claim victory in the 2016 Group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m).
Caught wide in the early stages, jockey Tim Clark didn’t panic and allowed Spill The Beans to find the lead and kicking clear at the top of the straight never looked like getting run down.
The Gerald Ryan-trained runner ran to a career peak Timeform figure of 117, four pounds above his win in the Group 3 Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) in February.
Showing good ability behind Press Statement in the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes, (1400m) Spill The Beans was disappointing in the Arrowfield Sprint two runs back before returning to form in the Guineas on Saturday.
Spill The Beans is the highest rated Hawkesbury Guineas winner since Royal Discretion in 2008 (120) with 2015 winner Najoom running to 101p.
Gerald Ryan has indicated Spill The Beans will head towards $400,000 Scone Guineas (1400m) on May 14 and if he runs up to his Hawkesbury Guineas effort, history says that should be enough to claim victory.
Of the beaten brigade second placegetter Denmagic ran to 101, two pounds below her previous best achieved in the Darby Munro with third placegetter Serene Majesty returning a figure of 104.
Earlier in the programme Amovatio claimed victory in the 2016 Group 3 Hawkesbury Gold Cup after settling well back in the field.
The Chris Waller-trained runner ran to a career peak Timeform figure of 114, three pounds higher than his Doncaster Prelude effort behind Havana Cooler.
Amovatio is the highest rated winner of the race since Nuclear Sky in 2008 (116) and well above 2015 winner Sons Of John 105.
Since 2000, only one horse has won carrying more than the 56.5kg that Amovatio carried which was Nuclear Sky in 2008 who carried 58kg.
Mighty Lucky was very good in second place and ran up to his previous best rating of 117 with third placegetter Casino Dancer returning a figure of 107, her highest since winning the Group 3 Eclipse Stakes at Sandown last year.
Furnaces managed a strong return to form when claiming a good win in the Hawkesbury Gold Rush (1100m) after settling off the leader in second throughout.
The John O’Shea-trained runner returned a Timeform figure of 109, his highest since running third behind Chautauqua in the Group 2 McEwen Stakes last year where he returned a figure of 110.
The Racing and Sports field strength value (RSFS) of 110 is on par with a Group 3 race and he could go on to have a very successful preparation ahead.
Second placegetter Inz’n’out ran to a new peak of 107 with Kuro running to 116 carrying the big weight of 61kg.
Nancy rewarded the punters who stuck with her throughout the preparation when winning the Group 3 Godolphin Crown.
Having been very consistent the entire campaign without winning races, Nancy settled just off the leaders before putting away the field with ease in the straight.
Nancy returned a career peak figure of 109, one pound abover her second in the Group 3 Newmarket at Rosehill when second up.
Co-trainer Peter Snowden came had won the race four of the last five years and has now made it five of the last six.
Nancy ran to the same figure as 2015 winner Solicit and could be heading towards the paddock for a spell rather than lining up at Scone or in Brisbane.
One of the winners out of the meeting to follow is Mackintosh who led all the way to win the last race on the programme.
The former New Zealand galloper who was having his first start for the Chris Waller stable held off Man Of Choice and Dream Lane over the concluding stages to return a career peak figure of 101p, five pounds above his previous best.
Likely to head towards the Brisbane winter carnival, Mackintosh could be one to follow throughout the preparation on the back of that effort.
Brisbane also played host to some group racing on Saturday and Fell Swoop was able to follow up his brave second behind Chautauqua in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes with a win in the Group 2 Victory Stakes (1200m).
The Matthew Dale-trained runner was able to settle just off the leaders throughout in fourth and did enough to get past the leader Didntcostalot who finished second with Artlee third.
Fell Swoop returned a figure of 110 well below his 122 achieved in the TJ Smith two starts back.
In what was not a very strong field, Fell Swoop was not able to get near his peak figure but certainly looks on target to be very competitive in the Group 1 features like the Stradbroke Handicap.
Didntcostalot made full use of the fast rail in front and ran to 109 the same figure he produced when winning the Group 3 George Moore Stakes with Artlee hitting the line well for third and returning a peak figure of 106.
The Racing and Sports field strength of 115 is slightly below Group 2 Standard with Fell Swoop probably the only genuine Group 2 horse in the race.