Exciting filly Coolangatta remains undefeated but Timeform’s Gary Crispe says the door has opened for her Magic Millions rivals.
Coolangatta’s win in the BJ McLachlan Stakes on Boxing Day was met with a mixed response.
The brilliant filly, favourite for the Magic Millions and Golden Slipper, scored her second win from as many starts, winning by more than two lengths although her winning time of 1m 11.53s was only moderate.
Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Coolangatta didn’t “move the needle” in Golden Slipper betting, remaining $4.50 favourite, either.
Timeform’s Gary Crispe revealed Coolangatta returned a 106 rating last Sunday which was below the 109 figure she ran winning the Gimcrack Stakes so impressively on debut.
“It was a strong win at Doomben but certainly not as emphatic as her effort in the Gimcrack,” Crispe said.
“The run will do here the world of good and she can find improvement but even if she runs to her 109 rating from the Gimcrack, it might not necessarily be enough to win the Magic Millions.
“All you can do is win but think rival owners and trainers will look ahead to races like the Magic Millions and Golden Slipper with renewed optimism now.”
Crispe said the highest Timeform rating returned by a Magic Millions winner in recent years was Capitalist with 116 in 2016. Others included Sunlight (113, 2018), Houtzen (113, 2017), Exhilarates (111, 2019) and Shaquero (110, 2021).
Away Game returned the lowest winning Magic Millions rating during this period with her 107 figure when scoring in 2020.
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Star jockey Sam Clipperton makes his comeback to race riding after more than two months out with injury at Randwick’s Kensington meeting on Saturday.
Clipperton hasn’t ridden since suffering a broken jaw when kicked by a horse in a paddock incident just days before he was due to partner Maximal in the Golden Eagle back in October.
The multiple Group 1-winning jockey returned to trackwork riding two weeks ago and has picked up six rides at Kensington including early favourite Secret Revolution in the Ranvet Handicap.
Meanwhile, former premier Sydney jockey Brenton Avdulla is back in the gym as he works on his fitness ahead of a return to the saddle in January.
Avdulla has been convalescing after suffering neck injuries in a race fall at Randwick back in August.
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There will be plenty of interest in boom four-year-old Nasturtium’s attempt to maintain his unbeaten record at Gosford’s New Year’s Eve meeting on Friday.
Nasturtium, bred and raced by Gerry Harvey, was a stunning debut winner at Hawkesbury earlier this month, winning by nearly six lengths and recording a brilliant 1m 2.96s for 1100m even though he wasn’t put under any real pressure by his rider.
The Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained Nasturtium is by super sire Snitzel out of Miss Jakeo, the dam of four stakes winners including Oakleigh Plate winner Mrs Onassis.
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Champion jockey Blake Shinn’s treble at Sha Tin on Wednesday night earned praise from the most successful Hong Kong jockey of all-time, Douglas Whyte.
“Blake is riding with absolute confidence and it’s just beautiful to watch – he’s making the difference at the moment,” said Whyte, a former 13-time Hong Kong premier jockey.
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Finally, we can all put 2021 behind us and look forward to better times ahead in the New Year. I would like to wish everyone a safe and prosperous 2022.
Originally published as Form expert Gary Crispe declares Magic Millions favourite Coolangatta needs to improve for her grand final
