Giants Causeway
5 1/2 Furlongs Turf Stake Purse $100.000 Filly & Mare 4 Year Olds And Up.

1st Poncho Suzi, trained by Riggins Racing
I have lost count as to how many times a horse that has been campaigned almost exclusively on one surface has come out and provided a shock stakes win when it switches racing surfaces. Once again that happened here and in fact in winning in a sub 1.03 time this dirt sprinter is now right up there with the best female turf sprinters in the game. She broke well from her wide gate and powered to a lead running the first four furlongs in 45 seconds. Rather than weakening she stuck to her guns and was really game to the line winning by a half-length. You could argue that this was a training masterstroke but whilst Riggins Racing is indeed an excellent player I cannot believe he got it wrong 19 times before. So what can we make of this win. A fluke that seems to expose a glitch at HRP or a superior horse winning on a surface despite not liking it. I guess we will only be able to judge which of those it was today when this five year old runs again.

2nd Tim Tam, trained by Chili King Stables
Chased the winner the whole way and was fighting her way back when the post came for the winner. This was a super run from the six year old who was having her 35th career start but still looks to retain all her love for the sport.

3rd Natural Flower, trained by Maxmillion Farm.
One of the things that I have noticed this year is that older horses are dominating in many of the stakes races. This race was no exception as two five year olds and a six year old filled the first four places. This mare who ran well in the BC last year kept on nicely just a length back and looks as good as ever.

4th Mrs Stopheles, trained by Almost Adequate
Ran on from last to dead heat for fourth just a length off the winner this was a good run but her three efforts this year suggest she may be struggling against this class as she is ageing.

4th Cozzene Fairs, trained by Ketners Pa Ranch
On the speed from the off she just whacked away running her usual good race without really looking like the winner.

The Rest:
Last placed Molecule was only four lengths behind the winner but as we know margins mean very little here at HRP and it is clear that she is not in this grade. Ascension and Robot Man never really got into it either but again weren’t beaten far.

Categories: Ungraded