Auckland – 01/03/14 HIGHLIGHTS
Favourites dominated the day, so there werent many big divvies.
Trebles Selected –
Perfect Start (5th G3, 1st G2)/ Dresden Park (1st)/ Grand Admiral (3rd) $169-90
Jimmy Hoffa (3rd)/ Rough Copy (4th)/ In Style (1st) $538-50
The highlight of the day (for me) was Puccini winning the Derby. I have been
tipping this horse for a few weeks and he lived up to my expectations.
Yesterday I said –
This is my favourite race of the year. I like following the 3yo’s. It was great many
years ago when they had the NZ Derby, GN Derby & Wellington Derby… but things change.
On a dry track (hopefully) the way Puccini races, I see shades of a former Derby winner
Uncle Remus. I think Puccini may have too many guns for them in the home straight,
they possibly may not get within 2 lengths of him.
Over the years I have seen a number of good horses – La Mer, Balmerino etc.
but i always rated Uncle Remus the best I had seen. He won the GN Derby from the front and
treated them with contempt. In the Wellington Derby he settled behind, then bolted away in the
straight. Ive never heard anybody really rate his performances.
Unfortunately Uncle Remus got a wind ailment at 4 and I believe we never really saw the best in him.