The Fussy Storm draws only 5 runners

The FUSSY STORM Special Stakes
Two miles
Firm Turf
$70,000
All horses, 4 years old and up

Sadly Longchamp has again failed to attract a large field for their feature race and has only drawn 5 entries.  Despite that we have some serious racers prepared to tackle the marathon 2 mile distance, and though the prices in general are not very generous we do have a hot favourite. The runners are:

RAGING RIVER CAT

Trainer: siriusflit

(Storm Cat x Silver Ghost x Riverman)

Odds:  9/5                   Earnings: 224,880                  Runs/Wins: 25/8

A 5yo mare from Nextbonus Racing and based on a D grade horse.  A short priced favourite. And a mare to boot,  this one seems to be reaching her peak just now.  However after her win in her first race of 2008 you would have been forgiven if you expected her to build up a winning sequence, something she has failed to do and really needs to put right here.  Last time she was a this short a price over this distance she went badly wrong and finished last, but lightning wont strike twice, will it?

SMART ACRE

Trainer: lgbost9

(Smarty Jones x Danehill x Blushing Groom(FR))

Odds:  3/1                   Earnings: 118,035                  Runs/Wins: 32/6

A 5yo horse from Lgbost Stables and bred from a G class mare by super6.  A reasonable $40k claim as a 3yo but she hasn’t really made her mark.  Won over this distance last time in an allowance race but will need a large slice of luck to follow that up with another win here. 

ROASTING CHESTNUTS(SAF)

Trainer: teamatc1

(Horse Chestnut (SAF) x Dynaformer x Kris S.)

Odds:  4/1                   Earnings: 116,946                  Runs/Wins: 15/5

A scratch bred 4yo colt from Teamatc1 Stables.  A horse in for after two allowance wins in a row, including an excellent 14f performance.  Maybe a little early in his career to take on the older horses (and mares of course) over this distance and he has had mixed results over 2 miles in the past.  One for the future maybe?

BREW PUB(IRE)

Trainer: dragon

(Barathea(IRE) x Sort x Lawgiver)

Odds:  4/1                   Earnings: 215,955                  Runs/Wins: 21/7

A scratch bred 7yo horse from White Wolf Stables.  After a three year break this horse finally gets back to the track and leaves most of us scratching our heads.  He won last time as a 3yo over 14f so he has some form to count on, but he certainly wont be ‘Sharp’ so maybe a watching brief will be the order of the day.  Probably one to follow in his next race.

REBEL YELL N

Trainer: lordpye

(War Chant x Persian Bold(IRE) x Bounding Basque)

Odds:  5/2                   Earnings: 1,282,590               Runs/Wins: 53/18

A scratch bred 8yo mare from The Big Oil Conglomerate [Ft. Lordpye].  Another mare and this one has been a real star in the past and her owners’ only regret will be that she never quite managed to get that Graded win.  Sadly she is well past her best nowadays but it’s good to see her anyway.

Summary

Favourite Raging River Cat cannot afford to put in one of her lacklustre performances here as any of the other 4 runners could easily embarrass her.  Roasting Chestnuts comes here on a high after two straight wins and will be looking for any chink in her armour.