This week’s edition of The Follow Files features three unlucky runners that all finished second on Saturday afternoon at the key meetings in Queensland, South Australia and New South Wales. Here they are.
Scone – Dark Jewel Classic Day
Track rating: Good 4
Rail position: +3m entire circuit
Race 5: Listed Ortensia Stakes (1100m) | Time: 1:02.71
- Horse to follow: Quantico (2nd)
Anyone that backed Quantico when first-up at Scone in the Listed Ortensia Stakes won’t want to relive the race or watch the replay, as he was held up on the rail until the 100m before storming home and missing by nose on the line. Jason Collett chose to settle this six-year-old gelding on the fence in the second half of the field from barrier two, and it turned out to be his downfall. The gelded son of I Am Invincible gave his all in an attempt to chase down Athelric in the concluding stages, but after being held up for the majority of the straight, he was unable to bridge the margin in the final strides.
When to bet: The John O’Shea-trained runner is nominated for the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup over 1300m on May 27, which would be the obvious step after racing at 1100m last start; however, his rating of 103 may not get him into the field. If Quantico goes to Queensland and finds a dry track over 1200m or 1300m, we will be following him.
Doomben – Doomben 10,000 Day
Track rating: Good 4
Rail position: True entire circuit
Race 3: Benchmark 80 Handicap (1350m) | Time: 1:19.26
- Horse to follow: The Drover (2nd)
The Drover is a runner who has finished in the placings at 20 of his 31 race starts, finishing second at 13 of those starts alone. Since April 1, this son of Bon Hoffa has had four starts for the preparation, finishing second three times and fourth once, and his last-start second behind National Choice over 1350m in a Benchmark 80 Handicap indicated to us that he is more than ready to win at his next start. The six-year-old gelding got into the race last Saturday as the second emergency with a low weight, and he ran home strong down the outside to only go down by half a length. This gelding is bursting to win another race and is racing in great form, so we will be keeping an eye on him.
When to bet: Trainer Natalie McCall has nominated The Drover to run in a Class 6 Handicap over 1600m on Saturday, backing him up seven days after his last run. If McCall accepts for this Saturday, we will be backing him, as we are expecting a wet track at Doomben and he has finished in the top two at nine of his 12 starts on a Soft surface.
Morphettville – South Australian Derby Day
Track rating: Soft 5
Rail position: +3m entire circuit
Race 2: Group 3 South Australian Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) | Time: 1:24.50
- Horse to follow: Nodachi (2nd)
The Matthew Ellerton-trained Nodachi jumped as an odds-on favourite in the South Australian Sires’ Produce Stakes at Morphettville, coming off the back of a massive 5.75-length maiden victory at Bendigo on April 30. This two-year-old daughter of No Nay Never appeared to receive the run of the race, but when the field straightened she didn’t get a lot of room until the 200m mark, where she peeled off the leaders’ heels and chased gamely but couldn’t get to the winner. Outside of the winner, Nodachi was the clear best run of the race, and she didn’t lose any admirers in her first attempt at Group level.
When to bet: Nodachi isn’t nominated for another race yet, but if she can find a nice race against her own age group with some black type over 1400m or 1600m, she will be very hard to beat. We will be backing her at her next start, no matter where she goes, as she looks to be very smart.
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