SnipThe Dancer is on the verge of breaking his city Maiden status after running a close second to Grand Emperor in the Premier Signs Plate Premier at Caulfield.

After beginning well he showed a brilliant turn of foot to, for most of the trip only, to be caught in the shadows of the post by the eventual winner.

The lightly raced gelding is prepared by Shea Eden, who is putting together a promising team of young horses at the seaside resort of Corinella.

While Snip The Dancer found one just a bit better on the day, his pay day is not that far off.

"I thought it was a brave run, he finds the lead pretty easily and he is always going to be a sitting duck for something to run him down, "said Eden.

"He is an exciting young horse in the stable raced by a great bunch of owners, they picked the gelding for less than $2,000," he added.

Snip The Dancer drifted in the betting from $11 to $15, that may not be repeated again.

However, there was some compensation for the stable over the week-end when To Infinity broke his Maiden status at Kilmore yesterday.

It Is Written was in more trouble than the early settlers before being declared the winner of the Mitchelton Tour Of Vic at Moonee Valley on Friday night.

Trainer, Robbie Griffiths, could not believe all the problems the gelding had to encounter during the race.

He is proving a very effective horse at Moonee Valley but he didn't begin as well as usual, with result he was out the back of the field, contrary to his normal racing pattern.

It was a case of riding for luck along the rails; you don't get many options from where he was placed

To the credit of his rider, Matthew Allen, he got the breaks on the home turn; it made all the difference between winning and losing.

Distance means little to jockey Dean Yendell while his profession takes him from Warrnambool to Mildura, and all places in between.

Friday it was Donald where he rode four winners, Saturday a ride in the Oakleigh Plate,  

Colac yesterday with a winning treble, taking his tally of winners for the season 99.

 The Penetrometre reading is 5.30, the track is rated a dead 4, with a likely upgrade later in the day, while 46 mls of irrigation has been applied to the track for the week.

This is an outstanding program with quality racing and excellent fields, with the exception of a couple of races.

The D'Urban Armanasco Stakes and BMW Autumn Classic both lack numbers for Group 2 races, in this case the stake money of $220,000 for each seems hardly warranted.

Mr Moet and Mawingo both meet again in the Carlton Draft Peter Young Stakes, after being placed behind All Too Hard in the C F Orr Stakes each will be better suited by the additional distance, there is not much between them as we saw last time they met.

Both will be improved by the run, with a slight preference for the Perth performer Mr Moet.

All Too Hard is already at odds on for the Cathay Pacific Futurity, he is the next budding weight for age star, irrespective of how the race is run he will take a ton of beating.

The reappearance of the Melbourne Cup winner, Green Moon, will be viewed with great interest; he would need to make a forward showing if the Australian Cup is to be on his wish list.

Miracles Of Life has held her place at the top of the market in the Blue Diamond Stakes since she effortlessly won the Preview, it would come as no surprise though if her price drifted on course when proceedings open.

She has received no favours, drawing the inside barrier she will have to be hunted out to maintain a position, she won't get a scrap of peace at any stage of the 1200 metres trip.

In reflection, she drew out from the fence in the Preview working her way into the race, it will be a lot different tomorrow, she has to jump well to retain the ascendancy, otherwise be swamped by horses coming across from the outside.

Guelph has a touch of class, she is a run on filly and the 13 gate should not bother her, she should have a trouble free run, plus the extra ground will suit her.  

Black Caviar’s win in Saturday’s Lightning Stakes was a mere walk in the park for the great mare, she was never under pressure at any stage, nor has she been in her previous 21wins with the exception being that day at Royal Ascot.

The superlatives were flowing during and after the Lightning Stakes, hardly out of a canter, setting a new course record of 55.42 secs., surpassing the time of 55.5 secs, recorded by Special when she won in1968.

It was a triumphant return for a mare that had not raced since June 2012, and had travelled half way around the world.

For what we saw at Flemington the great mare has never been in better shape, her longevity is credited to one man only, her trainer Peter Moody.

The Black Caviar saga commenced way back in April 2009, from that very day she was destined for stardom, she knew where she was going and she succeeded.

She wins her races so easily, almost extraordinary you might say, as if she performs in an exclusive zone, as she is just that dominant.

Peter Moody has performed a marvellous job, spacing her races and restricting her mainly to set weight races.

The Victoria Racing Club promoted the event extremely well, a great promotion deserving of better than an attendance 27,047.

Sadly racing has lost a lot as a spectator sport, when readers of a daily newspaper were questioned about the event, commented they would watch the race, but on T V.

The passion for racing is no longer there as we have previously known; leisure time has a variety of other options.

The best racehorse in the world can only attract a crowd of just over 27,000 people, when in the depression years it would have tripled.

Black Caviar makes it 23

Sheer Talent has staked his claim as an Australian Guineas aspirant after his win in the C S Hayes Stakes at Flemington.

After the win, the gelding’s trainer, Mark Kavanagh, pencilled in the Guineas as the most likely option.

It was a good performance in the C S Hayes as he was racing on the pace for most of the trip and withstood some strong challenges in the straight.

The race was a dress rehearsal for Flemington in two weeks; the only notable absentees were Mulaazem and Red Inca.

Plans may be altered for All Too Hard, originally he was going to go straight to the Australian Cup, now the Guineas could be an inclusion.

Greg Eurell was pleased with the runs of both Force Command, who finished second, and Hosting’s third, a most improved run from Caulfield.

Philippi turned in a great run, he began well and was then shut in on the fence, thereafter he hardly got a crack at the leaders.

Mick Kent was critical of the ride claiming the rider didn’t carry out instructions, he rode the horse upside down, he was told to get the colt off and out into the open.

Kent believes that the colt ridden correctly can still win the Guineas on one run. 

Sheer Talent - A Guineas prospect 

The Melbourne Racing Club has received four late entries for Saturday’s Blue Diamond Stakes, extending the number from 49 to 53.

Adelaide flying machine, Miracles Of Life, was declared a definite runner on Friday, while Peter Moody has declared Dissident.

Darley will be represented by three runners, all fillies Guelph, Metastasio and Montsegur.

The barrier draw will take place at 11am Tuesday at Caulfield Racecourse.