By Neil Evans
An exciting Gold Coast filly is out to put the record straight when she crosses the border for the second time for Monday’s Port Macquarie meeting.
Speithtacular, a powerful daughter of group 1-winning sprinter Spieth, was unlucky not to have scored at Ballina on debut 17 days ago.
Racing returns to Port Macquarie on Monday.Credit: AFR
After losing ground at the start, she picked up from near last in the early stages and zoomed through to find the front before booting well clear, only to be run down in the last stride over 1000m.
It was the performance of a youngster going places, and after returning home she reloads in NSW primed to put her first win on the board in a Fillies & Mares Maiden Plate over 1106m.
Trained by Indiana Turner, and with a long list of owners, Spiethtacular has plenty of her father’s powerful stride and opened a short-priced favourite in early markets.
Connections are eyeing a bigger race over the Gold Coast late autumn carnival if Spiethtacular scores at Port Macquarie and then progresses.
Meanwhile, in the opening race on the program for the boys over the same distance, all eyes will be on resuming three-year-old Wobbly Boot.
An exciting and cheekily named son of Pierata out of a US mare called Plastered in the Kris Lees stable at Newcastle, Wobbly Boot hasn’t started for nine months since finishing a close third in the Star Kingdom Sprint at Muswellbrook.
That came after a string of progressive trials and whispers at track work that he was a good one in the making.
But a few setbacks have forced Wobbly Boot to bide his time, and he was even given five more weeks to prepare after an easy trial at Wyong in late January.
Opening a hot favourite early with bookmakers, Wobbly Boot looks destined for a two-horse showdown with Wild Sensation who is first-up for the Matthew Smith stable at Warwick Farm.
A four-year-old son of prolific sprint sire Shalaa, Wild Sensation returns for his first run since last spring behind two progressive trials.
Waller feeling good heading into Canterbury Stakes
Trainer Chris Waller was pleased with an exhibition gallop from Switzerland and Militarize on Saturday at Randwick ahead of their Canterbury Stakes test this Saturday. With James McDonald riding, Switzerland, which was fourth when first-up in the Lightning Stakes at Flemington (1000m), narrowly held off Militarize (Tommy Berry) over 800m in the hit-out between races. “It was just to stretch their legs basically,” Waller said. “They got up to top speed probably their last 200 metres only. Both horses are fit. Switzerland’s first-up run was a good run over a very short trip. He’ll be much better suited to 1300 second up. He’s come on very well and James was very pleased.” Militarize last raced 10 months ago in the Doncaster and is back after an unsuccessful stint at stud.
“Militarize, first day back on a racetrack with a little bit of atmosphere, and he handled it all very well,” Waller said. “He’s had two good two trials and he was very sharp as well.”
Ban won’t keep McDonald, Clark out of autumn carnival
Jockeys James McDonald and Tim Clark came away with suspensions that won’t hurt their Sydney autumn carnival hopes after a messy finish to the group 2 Sweet Embrace Stakes at Randwick on Saturday. Clark rode runner-up Bellazaine, while McDonald was aboard Snitzel Miss, which finished third, in the race won in a photo-finish by Within The Law down the outside. Snitzel Miss survived a protest from fifth-placed Artistic Venture, which was squeezed out close to the line when McDonald’s mount shifted in and Clark’s moved out. However, the two jockeys were penalised. McDonald, who had four winners on the day, including a group 1 double, is out from March 10, a Monday, and returns that Saturday. Clark serves his suspension from March 10 to 14.
Supplied by Racing NSW
Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au
