Due to the AFL grand final taking centre stage in Victoria last Saturday, most of the feature races took place at Moonee Valley on Friday night. With multiple Group races featured on the program at The Valley, we have focused on that meeting and the Sandown card on Saturday for this week’s edition of The Follow Files. You can add these runners to your blackbook with your chosen horse racing bookmaker and receive notifications when they run next.
Moonee Valley
Rail position: +3m entire circuit
Race 3: Benchmark 85 Handicap (955m) | Time: 0:55.26
- Horse to follow: Passeggiata (6th)
Passeggiata returned at Moonee Valley over 955m, where she was expected to be one of the speed influences; however, the Bjorn Baker-trained mare settled at the rear of the field. With an obvious tactics change in effect, the daughter of Winning Rupert tracked up behind the strong speed and finished off nicely down the middle of the track to record a modest sixth-place finish. Although she didn’t run into the placings, Passeggiata clocked the fastest last 600m (33.70s), second fastest last 400m (22.94s), and fourth fastest last 200m (11.60s) sections of the entire meeting.
When to bet: With a lack of 1000m races at metropolitan tracks on Saturdays in the coming weeks, keep an eye out for where Passeggiata steps out next, as it could be in a mid-week contest. If she strikes a 1000m race in a similar grade, she will be a massive player.
Race 6: Group 2 Stutt Stakes (1600m) | Time: 1:36.32
- Horse to follow: Henlein (2nd)
Anthony & Sam Freedman have a good opinion of Henlein, and his most recent runner-up finish in the Group 2 Stutt Stakes may have proved them right, as the three-year-old colt stormed home over 1600m. First-up, this son of Dundeel finished off nicely to record a sixth-place finish in the Group 3 Ming Dynasty Quality before switching to Melbourne last start. Although he settled at the rear of the field at The Valley last Friday, Henlein ran home in the fastest sectionals of the race and indicated that a longer trip would suit him down to the ground.
When to bet: The stable has mentioned the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes as a possible target race this preparation; however, that race is still four weeks away. Expect Henlein to line up in the Group 3 Gloaming Stakes on October 12 at Rosehill as he attempts to earn ballot exemption for the Spring Champion.
Sandown
Rail position: True entire circuit
Race 8: Benchmark 84 Handicap (1400m) | Time: 1:24.10
- Horse to follow: Riot And Rose (7th)
Following a long layoff, Riot And Rose from the Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman yard showed very good improvement in between her first and second starts this campaign. This daughter of Pins finished out the back fresh at Flemington over 1400m but produced a very strong finish at Sandown to run into seventh-place over the same distance second-up. Each of her sectional times from 1000m to the 200m ranked inside the top 10 for the meeting, with her last 200m (11.07s) being the second fastest time recorded for the day.
When to bet: With a good base of fitness under her belt after two runs, it wouldn’t shock to see Moody & Coleman step their mare up in trip to 1600m third-up. If they keep her in a similar grade or drop her back slightly, Riot And Rose will go very close.
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