CBT

I was keen on Brutal Ernie until he drew the car park. Can’t see him winning from there. Also running a gut buster against Winx on a heavy track in the lead up is not ideal. Hartnell will be coming into this on fresh legs with a 3 week gap after racing on good tracks in Melbourne.

#1 Hartnell Hugh Bowman - tick Barrier 7 - tick 58 kilos - tick Soft track - tick 4th run up & peaking - tick Like the old warhorse Happer Clapper did last year I think Hartnell has been placed to perfection by Cummings. He hasn’t had the stuffing knocked out of him like most of the others running on heavy tracks in Sydney leading up to the race. A 3 week gap is perfect and he should get the perfect run from barrier 7 to win his handicap Group 1 and keep the roll going for Godolphin.

Brutal Brutal! (21)

James Cummings has the Australian based Godophin team running like a well oiled machine in tandem with Charlie Appleby who is doing a superb job internationally. Since James took over from John O’Shea the success has been quite phenomenonal in a short space of time. Especiallly with 2 year olds which he just keeps churning out winners week in week out! It’s great to see and the apprenticeship with Grandpa Bart is definitely shining through contributing to this unstoppable tidal wave of royal blue!

Correct. I’m pretty sure Owen bought his car from the Penrose dealership. What a weekend of racing! Verry Elleegant too classy over the 2000m on a heavy track but will the 2400m be a bridge too far? I think the Victorian Oaks winner Aristia and Frankely Awesome will be better over the longer trip and improved track surface. Avilius way too good and J Mac was correct in saying he should not have been paid for the ride. A 1.5 million track gallop! Almond Eye just sensational sitting 3 deep before putting them to the sword at the 200. Give her the Arc now!! Looking forward to the Doncaster this weekend. It looks to be a “Brutal” field.

Looking forward to seeing the Japan Cup winner tonight Red Rum. I think she’ll make a mess of them. Avilius will be rock hard fit now and I can’t see him beaten (still can’t believe the price they put up for him last weekend!) Alizee looks a moral today too.

Why not put a lazy million on her for a 100K return. Looking forward to seeing her in a couple of weeks. Racing won’t be the same without her.

Very stiff indeed Ernie! The commentator said in the call I Am A Cool Kid hit the lead down the straight? Not sure what race he was watching. Missed the jump, game over.

Penrose/Greenlane. Not bad for a guy who dropped out of school at 14 Ernie. Joyce’s daughter Angela probably has more $ than the whole of racecafe combined. Her daughter Genevieve was invited to Prince Harry & Meghan’s wedding.

Correct. I’m pretty sure Owen bought his car from the Penrose dealership.

How about brand new Ernie Goes better than Owen’s old Merc too that the old lady is still driving. You know, the one you sold him when you were still working as a car salesman.

He’ll do to the field what Collingwood did to your team last night.

It’ll be a sit and steer job Ernie. Should get out to even money by the jump in the 13 horse field.

This horse is going around again today. Muswellbrook Race 6 # 14 I Am A Cool Kid They stepped him up from 1100m to 1200m last time and he was nabbed late on the line after travelling sweetly in the run and kicking clear turning for home. He’s clearly an unsound beast and has been scratched a couple of times since this race but he has undeniable talent. He won a trial under double wraps recently and dropping back to the 1000m is perfect for him. Should jump straight to the lead and with the added fitness from his second up run and trial they won’t get him. Enjoy

Nice one Gary. I do miss the Bluff oysters over here and the mussels, they’re more like pippies!

My newsfeed keeps bringing up HQV with my friends there eating Bluffies! Last time I lived in NZ there was algal bloom which devastated them down there.

That’s the end of TAS short stuff. He won’t risk running him again with what happened to Voodoo Lad last week. I wonder what fee they’ll be asking for him in his first season?

All good short stuff. That’s a good effort to arrive Thursday morning and beat the red hot favourite fresh off the plane at her first look at the Valley! You’d expect she would improve a ton over here with that run under her belt and a couple of weeks to acclimatise (Sydney feels like Singapore at the moment). I’m assuming Michael Walker sticks? He’ll be riding the Hayes horses up there no doubt. Mark (Memphis2) and I will be there. Mark in his new suit and me with a fist full of dollars. Lookin forward to it!

https://www.justhorseracing.com.au/news/australian-racing/winxs-partner-who-will-it-be/510834

I’ll get in early and say they’ll send her to Fastnet Rock at Coolmore.

I’m assuming she prefers racing right handed as she was on one rein all the way down the straight at the Valley?

Long range forecast for Sydney is lookin good short stuff. She might get a good track to suit.

Yes, this is it Catalano. She’ll be off to the breeding barn after the QE.

When Winx wins her final race start on the 13th of April she will retire on the same day Black Caviar retired (13th of April) with the same number of wins Black Caviar had in Group 1 victories (25). She will also equal Phar Lap’s record of 37 career wins.

Copy book ride from Hughey Gary! He’s now $3 favourite for the Final. Flight booked for April 13th. It’s going to be an emotional farewell. Racing without Winx will be like tennis without Roger Federer. It’s been an absolute privilege to witness the greatest thoroughbred ever to grace the turf. Can’t believe we only get to see her one final time.