Sectional Times Also Indicate D’Argento Is Set For A Bright Future
Leading jockey Hugh Bowman spoke confidently of unbeaten colt D’Argento (So You Think) despite the colt’s seemingly workmanlike win at Rosehill on Saturday.
Visually, the Chris Waller-trained colt was under pressure in the straight before getting the upper hand on the leader Runaway (Manhattan Rain) to score by a neck in the Rydalmere Handicap (1500m) for two-year-olds.
But in a post-race interview, Bowman was clearly impressed by D’Argento despite his narrow victory, and the colt’s sectional times confirm that the performance held far more merit than it may have first appeared.
Advancing quickly to 1500 metres after his late-closing debut win a two-year-old maiden (1200m) at Newcastle on 15 July, D’Argento settled nicely for Bowman back in sixth place before making an early, wide move approaching the home turn after the pace had slowed.
In the sprint home, it took longer than expected for the $1.75 favourite to get the better of Runaway ($9.50) who fought gamely, with D’Argento running the final 200 metre sections of 11.22 and 11.51 in winning.
Time for the 1500 metre journey was 1:29.67 (11.97 200m rate) equivalent to 1600 metres in 1:35.80 which is quite sound on the Good 4 track but is was the colt’s closing sectional times that really impressed.
D’Argento was timed to run his final 1400 metres in 1:21.18, last 1200 metres in 1:09.92, last 1000 metres in 58.53, last 800 metres in 46.45, last 600 metres in 34.44 with his final 400 metres in 22.73.
Being a son of So You Think (High Chaparral) and judging by his racing manners, D’Argento will be suited to longer distances than Saturday’s 1500 metres race with connections now holding plans for bigger targets for the colt over the spring.
In the following race at Rosehill, the four-year-old gelding Clear The Beach (Sharkbite) recorded some very smart sectional times in winning the Benchmark 72 Handicap (1100m).
Trained at Gosford by Greg McFarlane, Clear The Beach was taken to the front from barrier one by Christian Reith but they were subject to extreme pressure in the mid-stages by Deanne Panya with Wide Acclaim (Congrats), resulting in a very fast pace.
Clocked from the 1000 metres mark, Clear The Beach returned 200 metre sections of 10.70, 10.86 (400m in 21.56), 11.10 (600m in 32.66), 11.03 (800m in 43.69) with is last 200 metres in 11.65 to give him a fast final 1000 metre time of 55.34.
Clear The Beach did very well in winning under the circumstances and he also impressed with his gameness in fighting off a late challenge by Difficult To Get (Tickets) to score by a head.
It was Clear The Beach’s third win from nine starts, which includes four placings, and he looks capable of progressing to better things judging by Saturday’s performance.
Metropolitan racing in Melbourne on Saturday was again affected by strong winds, as it had the week prior at Flemington, but it proved even more severe on this occasion, eventually resulting in the Caulfield meeting being called off after the fourth race.
The meeting did however produce a colt with considerable potential, the Darren Weir-trained Shamport (Shamardal) who impressed in winning the VOBIS Gold Ingot (1400m).
Having only his second start, Shamport settled nicely in fourth place behind a very steady early pace, as a result of the wind, with the first 800 metres clocked in only 52.45 (a pedestrian 200m rate of 13.11).
But the tempo picked up significantly from the 600 metres mark, where Craig Williams commenced his move with Shamport and after hitting the front at the 100 metres, the colt then dashed clear to score easily by just over two lengths.
Shamport sprinted home in quick time with his last 600 metres in 34.89, last 400 metres in 22.86 with the final 200 metres in 11.60 and he looks a smart colt with a good future.
The powerful Darren Weir stable then came out a short time later that afternoon at Morphettville in Adelaide to win the Medallion Homes Handicap (1050m) with another promising two-year-old Poseidon’s Pool (Pierro).
Having his second start after an impressive win on debut in a Ballarat two-year-old maiden (1000m) on 13 July, Poseidon’s Pool was a bit slow to move but recovered from an inside barrier to settle in fifth place on the rails.
After being held up behind the leaders at the home turn, John Allen switched Poseidon’s Pool deep shortly afterwards and two-year-old then finished too well to score quite comfortably by a length at the post.
Racing on a Soft 5 track, rated by Racing And Sports as being 0.71 seconds slow per 200 metres, Poseidon’s Pool was timed to run his last 800 metres in 46.66, last 600 metres in 35.45 with his final 400 metres in 23.70.
In the feature race at Morphettville, the SAJC Lightning Stakes (Listed, 1050m), the Godolphin-raced two-year-old colt Bandipur (Commands) showed he is another juvenile with a good future.
After settling in sixth place, Bandipur improved nicely under Dominic Tourneur nearing the home turn to take the lead shortly afterwards. The colt then went on to score well from his older rivals, seemingly with something in hand, in the Soft 7 conditions.
Bandipur was clocked to run his last 800 metres in 46.83, last 600 metres in 35.45, with his final 400 metres in 23.92.
It was Bandipur’s second win in four starts and his first win at stakes level. It also provided Godolphin’s recently appointed Australian head trainer James Cummings with his first stakes success in his new role.