 Classic Challenge Final Juvenile Filly  2200m Turf 29th March 2012 |
This Season's Contenders By Trainer
| Horse : Lu Kim, Gracious Lady | Trainer : Wrs Stables |
Lu Kim is a rare breed of horse and I don't mean by her make-up. The reason she is rare is purely because she is one of a few challenge animals ever to be sold out of the Shotgun Mike yard as a two year old. I think she was purchased as a back-up runner to the stables main hope in this race, Gracious Lady. Lu Kim, if I am correct in my train of thought, will run well on a yielding surface, something that her stable companion will falter on. The talented Gracious Lady, won't need a second invitation to step to plate, especially if yielding ground stays away from the course. The rumours have circulated all season long about this female superstar and the countdown is on to see her fully tacked and raring to go. Touted up as one of the greatest ever fillies to grace the virtual world, not of her generation but of all time, she has a lot to prove. The pressure will certainly be on the yard to get her spot on for the race. She has been a nightmare for her handler all season, not because of a poor random but just how much bagging she required to get her into this final on as low a weight as possible, she is that good! There is no doubt in my mind that she is a future hall of fame inductee.
| Horse : Bryony | Trainer : Currock Park |
Bryony was too good for them on her debut, with the blinks on and the shoes off, a cheap win was certainly something the yard tried to avoid. Alas, she still won, much to the disappointment of her yard. She picked up a few points in her early exchanges in this series but didn't really come to life until her last three outings. Her efforts in these races were solid, three cashes on the bounce and enough points to force her into the final line-up. She is a difficult proposition to weigh up and with a 2lb penalty for her latest booking of Charlie Saxon, I'm not sure how good she really is, therefore, she could be anything. The only ground she has not run on this term is good and it would be sweet irony if this was her forte and came on the night.
| Horse : Princess Lea | Trainer : Amber Fields |
This filly has run a hell of a lot of races in the qualifying series this season. All told she has nineteen already under her belt, making her one of the most active fillies around. Judging by the way she has performed, she looks like a horse who will adore a sound surface and a couple of form lines indicate a strong fancy on a fast running dirt track. She has winning lines on fast over 2200m and her latest run over 2400m was impressive to say the least. I don't think she will be winning here with her 4lb penalty but looks an obvious threat for next season's Oaks.
| Horse : Glacier Mojo, Dancing Brave Uk, Mojo Challenge | Trainer : The Free And Easys |
I have it on good authority that the yard will ruffle a few feathers next season in all areas of the game, from yearlings to auction. This can only serve to add to the yards strength and his determination to match the big boys of the game. I personally don't think he has to wait until next season, I reckon the whirlwind has already began. The strength in this final is again epitomised by three representatives. Glacier Mojo will benefit from a bit of underfoot give and if the ground comes up good to soft, she has a shout in the race. I don't think she will be as effective on firm ground and that could signal her downfall. She is one of two from the yard that get in on the minimum, the other being Dancing Brave Uk. She looks more suited to 2400m and might just be tapped for toe as her race depends on a stamina test. She could do well on a sounder surface unlike the previous mentioned and she might be ok if firm ground comes as she appears to hold some decent form on fast, sometimes the transition between the pair is easy. However, I'd rather have my pennies on Glacier Mojo out of these two. Mojo Challenge looks like a dirt horse to me and I can't make a claim for her winning this. I expect her main hope would be on good ground but with her penalty, she is edged out of this by a few.
| Horse : Baba Looey | Trainer : Squeaky Clean Stables |
Baba Looey has juggled a campaign between classic and staying trips all season. Another horse who has been active from the off, eighteen series races to her name. Both her wins have come on fast ground and her results on turf have not been inspiring. I think she will perform better next term and she will struggle here on the turf with a 4lb hike. Everything would have to fall into place for her to figure in the placings and I think I can safely swerve her as a potential champion this time round.
| Horse : Strawberry Rose | Trainer : Sky Castle Stables |
Strawberry Rose would have to be one of the favourites to go to post, if the ground comes up good. She is an animal of superior quality and there aren't many who could better her training efforts, Gracious Lady aside that is. A recent win will dampen spirits a little as I would hazard a guess that this was not an intentional win from the great Sky Castle Stables. It is only a blip on her race card though and I don't expect a miserly 2lbs making all the difference to her claim to fame. I like this filly a lot but a lot rests on her gaining a nice early position and the ground coming up trumps. She didn't come cheap from the auction but a win here would take care of that. If others fail to produce on the day, she could be the one to make most use of their misfortune.
| Horse : White Moon, Paint It Red | Trainer : G1 Racing |
G1 Racing, saddles a brace of runners in this final, both of them coming here with no weight penalty. White Moon was comfortable at the head of the standings, assured a place in the final but Paint It Red had to rely on the last effort of the series to claim her position. The former will hope that there is no rain at the Hong Kong track, firm or good ground will suit and should it come, expect a bold outing from the stalls. I would say White Moon has been nurtured into this final, rather than raced and my hat goes off to her owner for a well handled series. She looks set for a nice three year campaign also with excellent fast going form and she stays 2400m, which is a massive boost to the confidence of the owner. In contrast, Paint It Red's route to the final must have created a squeaky bottom scenario. Three horse shared thirty-eight points and by virtue of less races run, she made it but only just. Anything less than her second place in the last race would have been curtains for her final chances. She looks like a horse that handles fast or soft and therein lies her chance.
| Horse : La Femmezilla | Trainer : Nightmare Stables |
La Femmezilla followed her maiden up with a quick fire second victory in her first qualifying race of the series. Both outings were on soft ground but since then, her efforts have been a little lacklustre. Whether this has been planned or not is the question. It could be that she is a soft going specialist and has to rely on this going to put her best foot forward. Just like the horse in the previous write-up, I think she is of the mould of the fast/soft lovers. This is ok for finals when they are on dirt with a fifty-fifty swing of getting her ground, turf is an altogether different scenario, one in four. A predicted good effort will be put in on soft ground but I can't see her figuring on anything else.
| Horse : Cozmic Glamazon | Trainer : Shotgun Mike |
Cozmic Glamazon could be the main motivation behind the yards decision to part with Lu Kim. She is a filly of the highest order and her auction tag didn't come cheap. Ok, so she would be a knocking favourite in this race if we judged things on cost alone but with the emergence of Gracious Lady, she will enter the fray, not quite at the head of the market. She has been sand-bagged to the hilt, in order to get her here on the minimum weight permitted and her 2lb pull with some of these will be put to good use. She may have been purchased with an eye on future championships and that will materialise, I'm sure. It will be a year to the day, that, Crystal Dynamics powered home for victory in this, will the green repeat the feat this time round?
| Horse : Lush Lush Lashes | Trainer : The Chamberlaynes |
Her participation in this race was in serious jeopardy, turning for home in the final race of her campaign and even if the horse doesn't win this, it will be a memorable day for the yard as they saddle their first ever challenge finalist. I think it will be a tough ask for the filly, shouldering an extra 4lbs but if it rains and she gets a good draw, she might have an outside chance of sneaking a place. Regardless, I'm sure the yard will take this occasion in their stride and hopefully many more appearances in the future as they steadily build.
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The future of horse racing is online at RaceClubs.com
horses, racing, championships, sponsorships, entertainment
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