Confederacy Needs A Cracker
With only five runners lining up in the Vikingbrothers Firecracker Router Stakes the results will be in danger of going un-noticed on a day of super racing as Sim History is celebrated. It looks to be a race in two with only Ale N’ Skittles and Confederacy having a realistic chance of winning. The writing is on the wall for Confederacy, after showing so much promise last year he has been disappointing this year and if he can’t win here will struggle to be taken seriously in the bigger races later this year.
PP1 This Stupid Horse (IRE) corza4 K.Griggs 8/1
What on earth would inspire somebody to give a horse such a silly name, as the name suggest this horse is simply not very good. In his 36 start career he has won four with the best being two starts ago when winning a restricted allowance worth $22,000. Prior to the this win he was racing at Grade 1 level without any success so probably appreciated the huge class drop which explains how he managed to win. He backed this up with a 7¼ length 3rd in a five horse race again at allowance level. His career best speed rating is 98 in a $10,000 Starter race and at five-years-old is not getting any younger. Even a five horse race needs someone to come last and here it will come in the form of This Stupid Horse.
PP2 Manor Utopia (IRE) ruok M.Mason 3/1
Lightly raced five-year-old having won 12 of his 25 career starts, is a six times Stakes winner and comes into this having won last two. Two starts back had an easy time of it when powered over the top of the early leaders to win racing away by 3¾ lengths. Followed that with his sixth success at Stakes level when again finished strongly in winning the Calder Tobasco Stakes over 12 furlongs. Has won once over this tip from four attempts but is meeting tough opposition here in Ale N’ Skittles and Confederacy. Can’t see him making it win number seven at Stakes level but should add to his bank by running third.
PP3 Ale N’ Skittles bigtime P.Jones 9/5
Surprisingly lines up here as the equal favourite and comes with reasonable claims after having done most of his racing at Stakes and Graded level. Is an eight times stakes winner and two times Grade 2 winner as well as being Grade 1 placed on two occasions. Three starts back won the Kinsho Kho Classic – G2 for the second year in a row over this journey to take his record to 14 wins from 33 starts. Followed this with his second Grade 1 placing when finished 3rd in the Red Light Special – G1 to four times Grade 1 winner Creepshow (IRE). Disappointed connections last start when finished down the track for 7th of nine in the Smackdown III –G1 over this journey. It may be best to forget his last effort as is meeting a much inferior field here and will look the likely winner at some stage.
PP4 Confederacy (IRE) dawgpound F.Stephenson 9/5
Two times Grade 1 winner last year of The Penn Marathon – G1 and The Long Walk – G1 who has been struggling to recapture that form this year after six runs. Opened his season impressively with a 2nd in The Asian Memorial Turf Classic – G1 and 3rd in the John Scott Appreciation Stakes – G1 before a disappointing 13th of fourteen in the Sand Castle Golden Turf Classic – G1. Three starts back ran 2nd in the Simply the Best – G1 behind superstar
PP5 S R Mix Oil (AUS) jakplummer W.Farthing 4/1
Lightly raced four-year-old having had only 13 career starts for six wins, connection have shown patience and taken he along slowly. After winning three on end was given first taste at Stakes level when he came out and won the Shadeed’s Ruler Memorial Stakes. Connections then threw him into the deep end when he was enter into the King Geoff and Queen Beth’s Emerald Stakes – G1 and the task proved beyond him as he finished 14½ lengths of the winner in 5th place. Has not proven himself against this class and at his very best maybe able to sneak into third.