FLEMINGTON RE -RATES  RACES 1 -4                  

"A FEW NOTABLES"

Race 1

Position, position, position was the important factor here.

Best place to draw was wide and best place to be was mid - wide late.

When you look at the sectionals, in combination with the vision .... LADY ESPRIT  was a victim of position in run and lane realistically.

She is limited in that she is a 1000m horse, but, she did well and in the right race under suitable circumstances, she will rate to her best figures and she consistently does when she gets same. On Saturday in this event she didn't get that opportunity, but did well regardless.

In this race she wasn't in the right place and the tempo and lane were against her ... but she was honest.

Race 2

This race was farcical and the one Jockey in Melbourne who has a fascination with going along as slowly as possible, D Dunn, was aboard the eventual winner ELECTRIC TRIBUTE  who led at a tempo that was as slow as they go.

ELECTRIC TRIBUTE was gifted the race and had an early Christmas.

We suggest therefore that ELECTRIC TRIBUTE would be one to avoid next time, but we say that with the caveat .... providing it doesn't find a race with exactly the same makeup nest time, which would be unlikely.

The rider of BALF'S CHOICE, D Oliver, was back in the field before the turn and Oliver reacted to the extremely pedestrian tempo and circled and was wide. The long run from a long way out took it's toll understandably and it simply couldn't quicken when the leader did.  BALF'S CHOICE did quite well and will be better next start at 2000m for sure.

ON WINGS likewise was three pairs back on the fence and it too was "fair" without being one to label going forward, but the margin was bigger than it should have been under normal circumstances.

Race 3

The on pacers HELL OR HIGHWATER & DOMINO VITALE dominated.

 DOMINO VITALE is still eligable for easier so its performance was meritorious ( even with the on pace domination) and so was LOVEITT who was by far the notable backmarker and was good sectionally but its racing pattern isn't great all the same.

Going forward, DOMINO VITALE can win an easier race as its still a Benchmark 75 horse, but it cant really run past 1600m. HELL OR HIGHWATER has been up a long while and went into this hard fit but hasn't any improvement and may be spelled soon you would think. LOVEITT isn't really going anywhere, is still a Benchmark 70 horse who has a poor racing pattern ( backmarker) and as a consequence is a professional placegetter who can win one back in grade, but these backmarker types are hard to bet into and even harder to profit from and best avoided.

Race 4

The winner ( whom we were on, one out) DIVINE MR ARTIE had a bit on these.

Of some note was SAN AMARO who was racing way out of its grade , 2nd up and needing 1400-1500. It copped a check and lost momentum late in the peace, was never  a winning threat ,BUT no horse was beating the winner.

 SAN AMARO is going well enough, is limited but at 1400 - 1500 in easier will be worth waiting for moving forward as it is just a Benchmark 67 animal and was only 2nd up this prep and needing fitness. Its no star mind you but one we see progressing a fraction more.

DIVINE MR ARTIE  is a ripper and has done what many can't do ( win after getting past 3 year old races). It was resuming and will keep winning more races and we suggest waiting for it to go to Caulfield at 1400 later on, which will see it go even better.