Lee Steere Stakes Day in Review

Matt Rigby | On The Money | Mon 7 November, 2011

Weather wise, it was a disastrous day for Perth Racing on one of the better racing days of the year. Persistent strong and cool winds hammered away all day, with at least half of the races run in driving rain. No doubt some of the runners will have excuses due to the slippery conditions while others simply excelled.

Race 1:

The betting suggested it was a race in one, Fuddle Dee Duddle was over the line, which was surpsising since Simon Miller had outstanding dual trial winner, Spice Again in the race. Spice Again led them up but Fuddle Dee Duddle was ridden like the best horse in the race, pulling out three wide and challenging for the lead upon straightening. Duncan Miller wasn't worried about hanging wide on the track and the Red Ransom filly did the rest. Spice Again was no match for Lindsey Smith's half sister to Hallowell Belle, winning convincingly and backed confidently from $1.80 to $1.70. Spice Again was a big drifter from $3.30 to $4.60 and even longer on Betfair, getting to $5.50 at one point.

Race 2:

Adam Durrant pulled it off again, backing Mr Moet up from Tuesday to win on Saturday. Michael Grantham once again rode him like the best stayer, making a mid race move to sit outside Senhor Da Gama, who at the time was happy to trail a moderate pace, set by Diener on It's Judgement Day. Brad Parnham rode the most patient race on Jappaloop, but just couldn't pull off three in a row. Mr Moet was backed accordingly from $3.30 to $2.70. Come Party was left when they sprinted again and finished off ok. He looks like he needs the speed on to be a real threat in his races. He was a big drifer from $3.80 to $4.60. Jappaloop opened under the odds at $2.70 and drifted steadily to $3.50, which was probably closer to its right price.

Race 3:

It was a bookies result in the third with the two fancies, Watermans Bay and Full Clip, succumbing to the outsider Success Park. Full Clip drove up to lead, but was pestered by the rank outsider, Sattelite of Love throughout, which told on him in the final 100m. Watermans Bay and True Gold both had their chances, while Success Park took the box seat and got the dream run in the straight. Full Clip ($4 - $4.40 - $3.80) and Watermans Bay ($3.50 - $4 - $3.80) were both pretty well supported while True Gold was steady at $5.50 and $6. Success Park had few friends, drifting from $12 to $16. Foo Foo The Snoo and Exclusive Honour both got back and made some ground in running, but were never a threat.

Race 4:

Barakey did what we all expected in the fourth, but he keeps a little trick up his sleeve every start. This week, he led and rolled along, winning eased down in 1.08.85, one of the fastest times of the year for 1200m. Questionable tactics on Mabel Grace saw here punching the breeze outside the superstar. It cost her a place without doubt. Barakey touched $1.22 and was well supported into $1.18. There remaining horses are just in another class.

Race 5:

King Saul was the best backed runner in the Fairetha with Ron's Call surprisingly easy. The Simon Miller trained speedster took the pie run third the fence and when the leader hung off, he put four or five lengths on them, showing a truly explosive turn of foot. Fort Courage follwed Rons Call through, enabling it to run second. The best two runs outside the winner were King Saul, who got a mile out of his ground, and Shining Knight, who was second last on the fence. Neither were ever going to be a thread when Rons Call dashed clear, but both were outstanding efforts. Rons Call drifted from $2.70 to $3 while King Saul was backed from $2.80 to $2.60. Shining Knight was a drifter ($4.60 - $6). Rebel Call sat wide throughout and faded badly to finish last.

Race 6:

In one of the surprises of the day, Ranger overcame a massive weight disadvantage to trounce Waratah's Secret and Grand Nirvana in stunning fashion. It left many a punter scratching their heads but the truth is, if Ranger raced truly, he would have won by more. Wolfe Dreams kicked up and held out Waratah's Secret in running, leaving the short priced favourite in the breeze. Grand Nirvana settled in the 1x1 and looked uncomfortable early on, put under pressure at the 600m mark. Waratah's Secret hit the front on straightening, but faded to finish a disappointing third. Ranger came from well back on the fence and it was a whitewash in the end. If he brings that form Railway Day, he'll give the eastern stater's a real run for their money. It seems not too many could have predicted a win like that, Ranger drifted hopelessly from $5 to $9 in the ring. Grand Nirvana was heavily backed to beat him ($4.60 to $3.60) while Waratah's Secret was steady at $2.20 and $2.30. Kid Choisir and King Kool Kat had every chance.

Race 7:

They backed Western Jewel to the exclusion of all others in the seventh. With the way Ranger had just won the previous, one could be excused for thinking the Grant Williams trained stayer was past the post. She was belted from start to finish, opening at $3.40 and closing the warm $2.30 favourite. Mega Steel was specked to beat her, but only after drifting heavily to $9. Likewise Knightlike from $17 to $13. Speccio took the front, over racing with Rocky Ranger perfectly suited outside it. Western Jewel was midfield with cover and never looked likely. Knightlike was trapped three wide and was stuffed back into its box, then chopped out in the straight. He was desperately unlucky. Gum Nut Guru was probably the biggest run of the race, wide with cover and ploughing them down late. Manila I Scream and Peg's Pride put in excellent runs down the outside. Rocky Range was another bookies result, easing from $10 to $12.

Race 8:

Solsay was one of the biggest runs of the day back on Belgravia Day, taking on the leader the whole way and going down narrowly. Ike got him to the front with relative ease in the last and he did the job with plenty in reserve and was backed from $4 to $3.20 to finish the day on a bad note for bookies. As predicted, pre-post favourite El Yong, drifted steadily to begin a $9 shot. He was virtually unlayable and missed the start to destroy his chances. Thunderluvn was crunched from $4.80 to $3.50 and had every chance, but did over race a little in second. Summer Swallow tracked up in the breeze outside Thunderluvn and faded badly, a reflection of his drift from $6 to $10. The best run of the race by a mile was Ginsberg who was poleaxed by Hayley Diener (Military Secret), which pushed him four wide and gave him some momentum that he could have done without. Poor Joe Azzopardi almost spun off at the turn but managed to pull it together and run fourth, beaten just over two lengths. There was specking for Ginsberg too from $21 to $19. Connections should consider themselves very unlucky considering there was hardly even a mention in the stewards report regarding the incident that probably cost them the race.