A Pleasure Delayed...
We may have had to wait a week, but the delay should lead to even sweeter gratification, with a magnificent ten races slated for Monday evening, including four $50,000 CTHS Sales Stakes heats
DIOCLES made up an impressive amount of ground to run AUGUST RAIN to a head in the BC Cup Nursery Stakes three weeks ago on what was his career debut. He’s unlikely to be as far back today and will take some stopping if he progresses even a little on that excellent first effort. PISCO got caught on the front end through some overly-eager early fractions in Diocles’ race and understandably weakened from the top of the straight. He should be a different proposition today. August Rain was also impressive; sitting on Pisco’s shoulder throughout and staying on resolutely to just see off the late challenge. NORTHERN FORCE trailed in behind today’s three rivals last time but is clearly well regarded enough by connections to take another shot today and should improve on his debut.
*CTHS SALE UPDATE: Hip #37 is a BAKKEN half-brother to DIOCLES*
Debutante DAZ LIN FORCE, the first foal out of former Horse of the Year, Daz Lin Dawn, has been alarming the wildlife in the mornings and will have plenty of fans. But experience counts for a lot with two-year-olds and LIZZIE’S RAYNE is making her third start of the campaign. She dealt comfortably with DONNA WYN in the BC Cup Debutante Stakes last time, powering 4-lengths clear down the stretch, and looks an obvious threat today. FLYING MISS is a full-sister to Miss Finality, who was second in this race a few years back. That was on sis’s third start, however - Flying Miss makes her debut here and faces a challenging first day at work. FEBRUARY is another debutante. She was an expensive CTHS Yearling Sale graduate, has had plenty of work and, on breeding alone, could easily be a danger.
*CTHS SALE UPDATE: Hip #17 is a COUNTERFORCE full-sister to DAZ LIN FORCE*
*CTHS SALE UPDATE: Hip #39 is a RALIS half-brother to DONNA WYN*
*CTHS SALE UPDATE: Hip #18 is a RALIS half-sister to FEBRUARY*
*CTHS SALE UPDATE: Hip #36 is a BAKKEN half-sister to FLYING MISS*
Six unraced juveniles take their first tentative steps in the racing arena. Both WEALTHY TEXAN’s sire and dam won on their racing debuts but he’s also entered in tonight’s fifth race and looks more likely to run in that. T’WASBAKKENTHEDAY is a half-brother to recent winner Tobesunny, while MR MORRIS is a full-brother to former Supernaturel Stakes winner, Floral, as well as another couple of multiple winners nand has been going well in the mornings. NU SOUP FOR BABY is a half-brother to winners Nine Oclock Ceaser and Bennys Button. NU BLEND is the only filly in the race and will have to overcome the wide draw. However, she’s been working well and is out of a three-time Hastings winner. Finally, SWEETSTRUTTINEDDIE is a half-brother to Hastings’ winner, Silarone.
*CTHS SALE UPDATE: Hip #54 is a RALIS full-brother to SWEETSTRUTTINEDDIE*
MATSQUI gave the wonderful Air Force a nervous moment when rallying late into second place in last month’s Hong Kong Jockey Club Handicap Stakes. That was the best performance of the tough filly’s career so far and she is a real danger if able to repeat. SHAMRA has been outstanding this season and returns to Hastings following a solid fourth-place finish at Century Mile in the equivalent of this CTHS Sales race. A repeat of her comfortable win prior to that, when putting three lengths on Rea Mea and Pretty Aria, make her a worthy favourite. Normally produced late with a rattling challenge, ARUNDEL CASTLE’s only win came when making every yard of the running. That’s an unlikely scenario today, given the class of race, but she teams up with Antonio Reyes for the first time and is no pushover. EBONY EYES was impressive when winning her maiden earlier this month but this is a very different challenge. She’s still lightly raced, however, and there may be more to come if she enjoys her first effort over 8½ furlongs. LICORICE finished behind both Matsqui and Arundel Castle when they met over this distance two starts ago.
It was quite the introduction to racing for both HIGHLINER and FRASER LANDING, who took on Stakes company on their racetrack debuts. However, they came through perfectly well without ever being a danger to the main protagonists and should feature a lot more prominently here. HIGHLINER in particular caught the eye after rider Fraser Aebly was forced to take avoiding action when caught in traffic on the rail and did remarkably well to run on again. VECTOR has been working well in the mornings and is a half-brother to former Jack Diamond Futurity winner Dat Day and a full-brother to former Ascot Graduation runner-up, BAKTURA, among others. WEALTHY TEXAN is also entered in a previous race but, if he shows up here, it’s worth noting that both his sire and dam won on their racing debuts. SKYSABLAZING has been showing some speed in the mornings but is, like I C KOFFEE, a filly taking on the boys.
*CTHS SALE UPDATE: Hip #57 is a SUNGOLD half-sister to HIGHLINER*
*CTHS SALE UPDATE: Hip #46 is a LENT half-brother to OUR BLOKE*
Much will depend on how quickly they go through the early stages here. WISELY PLAYED is normally produced late and has gone down narrowly to the smart Stay Fantastic in both his previous starts. However, if JUST JIMMY gets a comfortable time on, or near, the front end, he will take a lot of stopping. ROCKLIFFE has lost his way a little since being claimed in July, but a repeat of his third to Luck Force and Legacy Square in the Ross McLeod Stakes in June would make things interesting. Lightly raced EMPEROROFTHENORTH overcame some gnarly traffic to comfortably win his maiden last time and looks a progressive sort who should handle the distance. COUNTERACT also takes on the 8½ furlongs for the first time and gives every indication he’ll be suited by it; although he will probably need to improve again to take this.
*CTHS SALE UPDATE: Hip #25 is a COUNTERFORCE half-brother to ROCKCLIFFE*
*CTHS SALE UPDATE: Hip #21 is a COUNTERFORCE half-brother to EMPEROROFTHENORTH*
FILLY FATALE returns to the class and distance that saw her win gate-to-wire last time and a repeat of that effort should see her go very close again. SILVER ARROW had PEACEHAVEN behind in fourth when winning last time, while something close to DONE THAT’s third behind Harlan’s Angel and Anima two starts ago would make her a big danger. TOBESUNNY hasn’t run over this distance since 2021, but that was a second-place finish in way deeper waters than she faces here and she’s only missed the board once in five starts this season. VISENYA makes her first start for connections since being claimed last time. She’s another who has won at this distance in a better class, although she will need to improve on her three efforts so far this term.
HE’S GOLDEN made a perfectly acceptable debut when a staying-on fifth earlier this month and should be a different proposition at this class level in a race that may not take a lot of winning. DAPPER DON missed three seasons before reappearing this spring and returns to 6½ furlongs after fading late over the mile-and-sixteenth last time. He can be involved at the business end if repeating that standard. SHE’S ON FIRE looks the main danger and this is a good opportunity for her to lose the maiden tag after a narrow third last time in a similar event. MILO’S COMMAND has hit the board in three of his five races this term. His last effort wasn’t him and can probably be ignored. He’s one for the shortlist.
TIZ MEOW went down in a nail-biter last time, losing out to Another Guinness by just a head. If he can put another shift in like that, he’ll be heavily involved again. VANCOUVER’S HUNTER showed signs of recapturing some of his earlier form when second to the veteran Ace Deuce two weeks ago, although he is yet to hit the board in nine efforts over the 6½-furlong course. IT’S IN COMMAND is edging closer to his first win in two seasons and a repeat of his last outing, when third behind rival Tiz Meow, should see him in the shake-up.
TEXAS LEGACY finally put it all together when breaking her maiden earlier this month and she returns here to the bottom rung in a bid to follow-up. She’s performed well enough in marginally deeper waters than she faces again tonight and has to go on the shortlist. PERFECT PENNY is the definition of consistency at this level, having hit the board in five of her seven races this year. Hard not to see her heavily involved again. AUNTY J was entitled to need the race last time when fifth behind Kay’s Kitchen and co last month in what was her season debut. She’s lightly raced and even a small amount of improvement since her first run of the year would make her a major threat.
CTHS BC Yearling & Mixed Sale
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