There’s A Fire Starting In My Heart
The Ascot Vale Cup is a traditional early season launching pad for greater things as it gets the Triple Crown for three year old’s under way. The honour roll speaks for itself and the season 37 renewal looks set to provide some sparkling action.
The Sires Produce winner enters the fray here – Rollin In The Deep – she has developed into a really handsome specimen and the daughter of Smoke On The Water looks ready to fulfill some of that promise that made her look quite exciting as a two year old. She ran on smartly last time to beat Dasher and looks set for another big effort. If one man could make the difference with a horse on the return it is DR Stables, don’t leave Colt Forty Six out of anything. He might just fire on the day.
Warlock is a consistent son of Fiordland and gets the services of Timika Linkhart, he is very effective and has a devastating turn of foot off a hot gallop. The daughter of Kushiel, Dasher, has shown general hardknocking form in her only start and could give the other runners a fright at best. Blacksmith has showed his true ability with his victory in the heats and if sufficiently recovered from his Sunday exertions, could bounce back to his best on Saturday.
The daughter of Big Bad Headhoncho Choppa, has not had a lot of racing and could be a lurker from the 6 draw. Whispering Death’s Megan Bogan Raton is very lightly raced, and may well be able to produce something better than her recent runs suggests. Alhaarth Charmz, the Golden Slipper winner, with a new jockey board, looks capable of another big effort. Cows Eat Grass was exposed at feature level last season and showed up well in the 2yo Sprint Breeder and Golden Slipper cups. She has drawn a bit wide but is a good front running sort who is capable of winning this race.
RECAP: ROUNDING OUT THE TOP 5
10/15/2016
| Pos | Gate | Horse | Stable | Jockey | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Blacksmith | Winning Post Farm | Kisha Castrellon | 1:13.131 |
| 2 | 2 | Colt Forty Six | DR Stables | Ferdinand Blixt | 1:13.185 |
| 3 | 6 | Choppa | Dopey Donkeys Digs | Rina Leyra | 1:13.186 |
| 4 | 1 | Rollin In The Deep | Bristol Turks | Bree Vascones | 1:13.356 |
| 5 | 4 | Dasher | Force | Morgan Metallo | 1:13.376 |
1. Rollin In The Deep |
3yo filly from Bristol Turks, Career earnings: $1,164,455 Overall rating: Satisfactory(46) – Mud-lark |
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Born:Fri 1st Jul 2016, bred by Bristol Turks
Lineage:By Smoke On The Water out of Cosmic Starlett
Recent form:8,5,1,1,1
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Stable comments: – “I wasn’t going to enter the Ascot this year seeing as it’s not exactly the right going for Rollin in the Deep but thought what the heck and entered anyway. To my surprise she ran quite well in the heat (thanks to a friend I found out it was a World Record time for age/distance/going). So another good run in the final and Rollin might well be in the mix.”
2. Colt Forty Six |
3yo colt from DR Stables, Career earnings: $854,822 Overall rating: Acceptable(44) – Competitive |
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Born:Fri 1st Jul 2016, bred by DR Stables
Lineage:By Blitzen out of Weer Flawless
Recent form:2,1,1,5,5
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Stable comments: – “Colt Forty Six has been battling IP issues which has slowed down his growth process. Fell a bit behind the other 3yo’s, so a top 5 finish is the best we can hope for. Rollin In The Deep from Bristol Turks looks like the horse to beat.”
3. Warlock |
3yo colt from Karaka Breeders, Career earnings: $558,200 Overall rating: Satisfactory(45) – Stalker |
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Born:Fri 1st Jul 2016, bred by Karaka Breeders
Recent form:2,2,3
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Stable comments: – “The other heat recorded a faster speed so the winner might come from there? But my horse should improve for the final as the jockey morale should be better than in the heat. will be happy with a top 5 finish.”
4. Dasher |
3yo filly from Force, Career earnings: $110,000 Overall rating: Satisfactory(46) – Competitive |
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Born:Fri 1st Jul 2016, bred by JEDIMIND
Recent form:2
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Stable comments: – “In his first competitive outing, Dasher finished second in the Ascot Vale Heat. Hopefully Dasher can build on this and run a good race in the stables first ever final.”
5. Blacksmith |
3yo colt from Winning Post Farm, Career earnings: $457,400 Overall rating: Acceptable(41) – Fast finisher |
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Born:Fri 1st Jul 2016, bred by Winning Post Farm
Lineage:By Wolfbrother out of Safe Bet
Recent form:2,4,9,4,1
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Stable comments: – “Blacksmith is good enough to be in the final but I’m not sure he is strong enough to win it. I’ll be delighted if he can finish in the top half but it’s been a struggle for him so far in his career. Perhaps the new jockey will bring about the improvement needed to turn the tables on those that beat him in the Golden Slipper last season.”
6. Choppa |
3yo filly from Dopey Donkeys Digs, Career earnings: $0 Overall rating: Satisfactory(47) – Stalker |
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Born:Fri 1st Jul 2016, bred by light weight
Lineage:By Big Bad Headhoncho out of La Days Clifford
Recent form:8,7,7
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Stable comments: – “A management screw up means that Choppa‘s chances are seriously hampered by a sub par jockey.”
7. Megan Bogan Raton |
3yo filly from Whispering Death, Career earnings: $25,000 Overall rating: Satisfactory(46) – Early sprinter |
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Born:Fri 1st Jul 2016, bred by Whispering Death
Lineage:By Silas Turds Chaser out of Kalamata
Recent form:4,6,6
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Stable comments: – “
8. Alhaarth Charmz |
3yo filly from Racing Stripes, Career earnings: $710,400 Overall rating: Satisfactory(45) – Competitive |
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Born:Fri 1st Jul 2016, bred by Racing Stripes
Lineage:By Mchippy Have out of Healthy
Recent form:10,3,1,9
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Stable comments: – “
9. Martha Jones |
3yo filly from Speed Breed, Career earnings: $323,300 Overall rating: Acceptable(41) – Mud-lark |
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Born:Fri 1st Jul 2016, bred by Speed Breed
Lineage:By Zig And Zag out of Brienne Of Tarth (Family Tree)
Career earnings:$323,300
Recent form:2,7,7,3,8
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Stable comments: – “Hoping it will be slow, but not very likely. Maybe a surprise is in store, but don’t hold your breath.”
10. Sludgy |
3yo filly from barnyards, Career earnings: $0 Overall rating: Satisfactory(45) – Early sprinter |
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Born:Fri 15th Jul 2016, bred by barnyards
Lineage:By Aseel Zefflen out of Yesturday (Family Tree)
Career earnings:$0
Recent form:8
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Stable comments: – “
11. Cows Eat Grass |
3yo filly from Sardean Lodge, Career earnings: $449,655 Overall rating: Satisfactory(45) – Early sprinter |
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Born:Fri 1st Jul 2016, bred by Sardean Lodge
Lineage:By Personal out of Phong Killer Odin
Recent form:1,4,4,3
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Stable comments: – “When you look at a cow eating grass make sure you pay close attention to it’s face. The amount of excitement a cow shows on it’s face as it chews it’s cud is equal to the chances my horse has of winning this race.”
12. Royal Toon Proven |
3yo colt from countrry boy, Career earnings: $42,500 Overall rating: Adequate(38) – Early sprinter |
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Born:Fri 1st Jul 2016, bred by Karaka Breeders
Recent form:6,13,4
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Stable comments: – “
13. Daisy Duke |
3yo filly from djs stable, Career earnings: $217,400 Overall rating: Acceptable(43) – Needs space |
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Born:Fri 1st Jul 2016, bred by Troublemaker’s
Lineage:By Godzilla out of Scorchlight
Recent form:24,20,17,3,7
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Stable comments: – “Daisy Duke will be lucky if we don’t finish last in such a hot field. Not a realistic win or place chance as far as I am concerned.”
14. Ickle Giving |
3yo filly from Spuraholics, Career earnings: $62,500 Overall rating: Acceptable(43) |
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Born:Fri 1st Jul 2016, bred by Spuraholics
Lineage:By Electron out of More Bratz Bumper
Recent form:9,7,5
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Stable comments: – “Didn’t really plan to race her in this series but hey you only live once! Bit late entering, so bad barrier doesn’t help. Haven’t got her stats to where l want but hopefully she can get into the top half. Looks like Rollin in the Deep is the one to beat even on top of the ground. Looks like there’s improvement in Dasher & Warlock.”
15. Taffarel Biraldo |
3yo filly from TiltaWhirl, Career earnings: $189,000 Overall rating: Adequate(39) – Early sprinter |
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Born:Fri 8th Jul 2016, bred by TiltaWhirl
Lineage:By Safur Sako out of Tink Cap’n TakeA
Recent form:5,9,6
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Stable comments: – “Realistically, even a top half finish will be a win for this filly. Correcting some balance issues, trying to get some work in see where this filly going to fit long term.”