November 28, 2015

Apart from a single runner, all of the entrants in the Grade III Fall Highweight Handicap were on the lower end of the scale based on impost and that led to a blanket finish, with Zipline leading the charge by a neck from fellow older runners Forest Bay and Slow And Slower. An ON-bred son of Sarahs Zippy, winner of the Queen’s Plate and Prince Of Wales, he has excelled as a sprinter where his sire did not and now boasts eight career wins and earnings of nearly $400.000, including this initial Graded Stakes score in his first attempt at the level.

The scramble was on early in the Fall Highweight as Baffle (9.70) sprinted to a minor lead from Zipline (4.95) on his outside and while Foresight (4.50) hugged the fence, it was only Sinissippi Eagle (30.85) who dropped well off the early splits. As the topweight led the field into the far turn through an opening split of 22.77, the first five were only separated by two-lengths with Foresight trying to come up the rail and Forest Bay (*0.60) crying for room behind the leaders and it was not until the field straightened into the lane that the true test began. Four-furlongs came up in 45.61 and a line of three emerged as Baffle began to fade and while Foresight raced up the rail, Zipline came wide and that left room for Forest Bay to sneak through with Slow And Slower (9.65) also making a final push. In the end, Foresight did not have it and Slow And Slower was left with too much to do behind rivals, leaving Zipline and Forest Bay to battle with the former lasting by a neck, with only a whisker separating the latter and the closer in a truly blanket finish. Foresight was just able to outlast Sinissippi Eagle for the final cheque while Baffle backed up badly to finish sixth, proving that the weight disadvantage can be tough in a field of experienced rivals.

The pace in the Fall Highweight simply collapsed at the end but Zipline had enough on the outside to last for the win in what will most likely be a modest stepping stone for all involved, including winner Zipline who has had a great season but has not run fast enough to contend with the best. 11 races last year and 9 this year have not taken their toll on the four-year-old and he could still be seen again this campaign, with the Gravesend Handicap will within his scope if the weights are in his favour.

Congratulations goes out to owner Bigking and their four-year-old gelding Zipline, a last gasp winner of the Grade III Fall Highweight Handicap at AQU!

Prediction                Slow And Slower / Zipline / Forest Bay

Winner                     Zipline

                                    Four-year-old bay gelding

                                     Sarahs Zippy-Alien Soft Drink (Life On Mars)

Owner                        Bigking

Time                           22.77, 45.61, 57.15, 1:08.95

Overall

Zipline                        4.95 wide run, engaged, lasted in deep stretch

Forest Bay                  *0.60 between runners, sprinted home, missed

Slow And Slower      9.65 stuck in midpack, got out too late

Foresight                    4.50 inside run, failed to quicken when asked

Sinissippi Eagle        30.85 no threat

Baffle                            9.70 set pace, faded badly

Triple T Racing 🙂

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES