On The Money - Strickland Stakes Day

Matt Rigby | On The Money | Mon 11 July, 2011

The Race in Two:

We often see races that shallow they look to be a race in two. King Kool Kat and Impressive Jeuney certainly looked that on their last runs. The Kat remained steady about the $2.40 mark throughout betting while Impressive Jeuney drifted from $2.50 to $3 at start time. It was God Has Spoken who upset the apple cart and provided the result for bookies. They didn't escape totally unscathed however.

The Bolter:

God Has Spoken had put in two shockers at his last two. He's a big gross horse and there was always going to be a day when he would improve markedly. When the $26 and $21 was taken in the ring, there was an inkling he would improve in the Strickland. But the money continued and he went out a $16 shot and got the money. While it was still a good result for the books, we certainly didn't get the lot!

Redemption:

Flying Affair was narrowly beaten after taking a sit at her previous start as favourite. Connections took no chances this week and she led and was backed from $2.50 to start the $2.20 favourite. She looked to have them covered easily until Pattie Me Lass dived at her on the line but Harvey always had a good eye on the opposition.

As Cold As Ice:

School Rumble was backed from $7.50 to $4.80 in prepost markets and then again into $3.60 in betting proper. He got the front with the feather weight and did absolutely nothing after a three enormous lead up runs under big weights.

The Lays of the Day:

Morant at odds on, with blinkers added, up in distance and with no pace in the race, was our first real risk at the odds on quote. He did enough to win but as a bookie, we were probably justified in taking him on.

For similar reasons, Sweet Serenity was the second lay of the day. She was drawn wide in a race with very little up front speed. Pike so often manages to stride forward and slot them in, but this time he came unstuck and she had no chance after tracking wide without cover. She was backed from $2.60 to $2.40 and we got plenty out of her.

Under the Odds:

Impressive Jeuney had run a decent race in the Hyperion behind King Kool Kat, but to suggest she would be almost equal favourite for the rematch was stretching it. While she did drift from $2.50 to $3, she was still way under the odds as far as we were concerned.

Wide of the Mark:

Svara went up as much as $10 in prepost markets and was confidently plunged on race day from $6 to $4.80 before finishing seventh in the Oaks.

Right On the Money:

Black Moment on the other hand was specked from $13 to $9 and won the Dayana easily despite his trainer thinking he had trained off. More than the odd punter disagreed and he was one of the best backed winners of the day.

The Tragedy:

The Other Harv was boxed in for most of the race and found herself behind a wall of horses all the way up the straight. O'Donnell was zig zagging like a Hong Kong taxi trying to find room but couldn't do so until it was too late. It's the kind of run that will be over compensated for next time out, which will see her price much shorter than perhaps it should be. Despite that, it was a great run that should have seen it close to winning. She was backed from $7 to $6 on Saturday.

The Wobbler:

Heart Ache was a massive drifter, wobbling from $5 to $14 before only some speculative interest. She was never really a hope, getting back to last and doing very little in the run home.

Where There's Smoke:

Viarise went up $61 and $51 with the corporates and was specked into $31. On race day, she was further supported into $21. The Hana Dickson trained filly faced the breeze and was beaten just 2.5 lengths, a decent run in a quality field. Keep an eye out for her in slightly easier company next time out.