There’s just one Saturday remaining at Belmont in a long winter season and the black book is bulging with horses to follow ahead of the switch to Ascot for a big summer of racing.
PLATOON
Western Australia’s new season two-year-olds went to the races for the first time and we spotted one to follow straight away. Betting suggested Platoon was the second strongest chance of the four runners trainer Neville Parnham prepared for this initial juvenile scamper but gained plenty of admirers when running on strongly to finish a close second. After drifting back to last as stablemate Wakan Tanka duked it out up front, Platoon fanned wide turning for home before making good steady progress in the run to the line. He’s a son of Group I winning sprinter-miler Playing God and appears to have inherited plenty of the old man’s traits, too, so on that logic we can expect Platoon to keep improving as the season unfolds and the distances increase. The first two-year-old race beyond 1000 metres isn’t until November 4 but it looks a logical race to target even at this early stage.
Career record (1:0-1-0)
Race to look for – 2YO 1100m on November 4
OCEAN JEWEL
This was probably still considered an ‘off season’ three-year-old race but the way Ocean Jewel got the job done first-up over 1000 metres suggests she will more than measure up against stronger opposition in the coming months. Deliberately ridden cold from the widest barrier, just as she had been in a recent trial, the daughter of Ocean Park found herself back last on the turn and looking for room to gallop. Forced to seek a split through the ruck, Ocean Jewel charged to the line in dominant closing sectionals once clear to win going away. "The scary thing is, once she gets out to a mile you will see her at her best,” said trainer Simon Miller after the win. He’s already earmarked Guineas races and the weight-for-age Group I Kingston Town Classic against the older horses as likely targets over the Perth summer carnival.
Career record (3:2-1-0)
Race to look for – Anything she lines up in next
CONSEATED
There were some good runs in this race however few were as eye-catching as Conseated. The consistent mare with a 30 percent winning strike rate usually goes well fresh but after trialling only fairly ahead of her first-up assignment punters were entitled to expect she would need the outing. After drifting back towards the tail of the field Conseated found the line strongly and was doing her best work late to finish just a length behind the in-form Floyd. She’s won four times at Belmont although she looks equally as effective at the tighter Ascot track and with a metropolitan rating of 75 it might be time for her to step up to Benchmark 72+ company where she can benefit from having a senior jockey back on board. Stick with her.
Career record (21:6-5-5)
Race to look for – Benchmark 72+ 1200m
