2---- 10 ---- 16

Madeenaty made short work of her opposition in first two year old race of the season, the Maribyrnong Trial Stakes.

She had them off the bit from the time the field jumped away, it was obvious she had been well educated and never put a foot wrong in running.

It was an impressive win as you would wish to see, she had trialled well in private, although she drifted slightly in the market.

David Hayes is yet to decide whether to have another run here, or go straight to the Magic Millions in January with his $775,000 purchase, or have another run up the straight at Flemington.

Madeenaty

Patience has been the key to the success of Inside Agent in the listed Poseidon Stakes, the colt has had just the one previous start, he has been saved up until he was a three year old, and it is already paying dividends, the manner in which he put the field away shows there is more to come.

“He is very new and very green but there is a lot untapped potential there, we will take him along quietly, we are not in a hurry,” said Nigel Blakiston.

The Flemington trainer has exercised plenty of patience that is his style, he is never in a hurry, he still gets results and horses generally train on for him.

Once Inside Agent found his way out into the open he sprinted quickly and soon had the leading division in his sight, his mission is the Carbine Stakes on Derby Day and the Guineas in the Autumn.

Inside Agent

Wine Bush could be Derby material, he went into the Listed UCI Stakes over 1800 metres as a maiden and came out a winner.

At least he has the best credentials, he has won over 1800 metres at Flemington, most of his contemporaries haven’t won beyond 1100 metres, it is nothing more than catering for speedy squibs to satisfy totalisator turnover.

Wine Bush has done the hard yards, he comes into the Derby at least with six runs under his belt covering 8,750 metres, at least he has had a decent preparation to run out the Derby trip of 2,400 metres.

Chris Waller is a great trainer, in this instance he puts the work into his staying horses that is where he gets the results.

High Lad could be an improver, he has won twice in New Zealand and is bred to get the Derby trip, prepared by the training partnership of Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman.

Wine Bush (on the outside)

The Quarterback is back, he stamped his authority on the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes with a brilliant win, he was never off the bit at any stage of the race, he is becoming a Flemington specialist, he had the race won at every stage of the trip.

He was merely coasting on the inside of the two leaders, until it was time to get on with the job when called upon.

The gelding was well ridden by Matthew Allen, he used discretion, there was no point in being dragged into a dog fight when it wasn’t necessary.

Robbie Griffiths said,” the horse is going well in his trials, we expected him to run well, he will be improved greatly by this outing, he loves Flemington and that is where he will wind up his spring program,” he added.

“We had an original plan for just the three runs the Gilgai Stakes, Manikato Stakes and the Darley, we are a third of the way now and all is well,” he said.

The Quarterback (on the outside)

Almandin has served notice that he is a serious Melbourne Cup contender after an authoritative win in the The Bart Cummings.

He has put together two wins in impressive fashion over staying trips and looks to be a genuine fair dinkum staying prospect.

There is still a fair way to go, a lot can happen in a month, at this stage he is the best Cup prospect, excluding the overseas contingent.

Since his win on Saturday he has received a penalty of 1kg, he will now have to carry 51 kg, which is neither here nor there.

At his stage Lloyd Williams is likely to have Almandin, Gallante, Bondi Beach and The United States, running for him in the Melbourne Cup.

Almandin has the pedigree to win a Melbourne Cup, his sire, Monsun, has already sired two Cup winners of the race, Protectionist and Fiorente.

Almandin

Serenely Discreet, who blitzed her rivals coming from last to win the Edward Manifold Stakes, could have a busy schedule ahead of her over the Spring.

Her trainer, Phillip Stokes, announced she will run in the Thousand Guineas on Saturday at Caulfield, then the Wakeful Stakes, then the Spring swan song for fillies, the Oaks.

She came from dead set last to win the Manifold, a massive performance, easily the best run of the day, but possibly overshadowed by the performance of Hartnell, but let’s not forget Serenely Discreet is still a three year old.

Serenely Discreet

Hartnell left the opposition to quiver in his wake, rounding off a stunning win in the Turnbull Stakes, taking his stake earnings beyond $2 million.

A clash is now eminent with the two weight for age stars, Hartnell and Winx, meeting in the Cox Plate, but first things first, the mare will run in the Caulfield Stakes on Saturday.

Whilst Jameka was well beaten by Hartnell, the margin 3.1/4 lengths, she defeated the rest of the field by the same margin.

Jameka was not disgraced by any means, she will take a ton of tossing in the Caulfield Cup, she is a good genuine honest mare that is sure to run the trip out.

Tarzino raced closer to the pace than previously, but was found wanting when the chips were down, he is proving a concern for connections.

Preferment battled on fairly, but in hind sight the field was completely taken over by the presence of Hartnell, his Sydney form had been excellent, he started a warm favourite.

Hartnell

French Emotion gave Chris Waller a double, except he was not there to see it, by the time the race was run he had left the course to fly back to Sydney.

Joanne Taylor, standing in for Chris Waller, said, “the mare was better suited getting back in the field, at her previous start at Caulfield, where she led, she was found wanting, this time she came from behind which suited her better, “she said.

She will race throughout the carnival now she has a struck purple patch, she can easily win again.

French Emotion

Ulmann raced closer to the pace this time than when he ran previously at Flemington, he was right there at the business end of the job in the Paris Lane Handicap.

The gelding won three weeks ago at Flemington, he seems to enjoy the long straight where it gives every horse a chance, and he is one in particular.

“ We could look at some better races now, during the spring there is a mile Group 2 on Cox Plate day, we will have a look at that provided he does well, he toughed it out today, he is a pretty good horse on his day, I am very happy the way he went about the race,” said Darren Weir.

Ulmann started favourite, his price never shifted from the opening quote, he was really popular in the market place.

Ulmann