Racing
Australian Guineas Day undercard
A brief look at some of the races on Australian Guineas Day at Flemington.
Got a Good Feeling after Inglis Sprint win
Getta Good Feeling entered the $1 million Inglis Sprint (1200m) as one of the outsiders, but the Danny O'Brien-trained filly's class shone through.
Having her first start since weakening over the final stages in the Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m) last spring, Getta Good Feeling dived through late to score an impressive first-up win.
Matt Harrington, representing the O'Brien stable, said Getta Good Feeling was a high-class filly who was nearly the filly of the spring.
Getta Good Feeling won the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m) before going on to run third in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m).
The filly then went on to win the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes before finishing sixth in the Oaks.
"To be honest, if you stopped the Oaks at the 200-metre mark, she was probably the form filly of the spring," Harrington said.
"She has sort of come here a bit forgotten. The best filly in Victoria was first-up today and after the disappointment of that day we put her out, gave her time and came back here.
"She's always run well first-up over 1200 (metres) but that is the hardest one she has been in. She was smothered up and she really let down strong.
"You probably won't see her over 2500 metres again but the over a mile or 2000 (metres), the world is her oyster."
VOBIS Gold Dash a suitable back-up
An untimely abscess on the eve of the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate cost Bridal Waltz a start in the Group 1 contest, but a week later the mare carried topweight to claim the VOBIS Gold Dash (1000m).
The Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained mare was a contender in the Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield last Saturday but was scratched on race morning.
"She didn't lose any work," Moody said.
"It was only on the eve of the Oakleigh Plate, and it popped straightaway.
"We thought she might have got there but she was slightly tender on race morning and with those big ones you've got to be 110%.
"It was a good back-up here and it is a great advertisement for the VOBIS scheme and a pleasure to get some VOBIS dollars."
First prize money was $96,250 with an added $20,000 VOBIS bonus which pushed Bridal Waltz's prize money beyond the $650,000 mark.
Wide run suits Dirty Grin
Trainer Nick Ryan knows Dirty Grin needs galloping room and gave a little fist pump when the barriers came out for the Rubaroc Handicap (1200m).
Dirty Grin was afforded barrier 10 in the field of 11 in the straight 1200m contest and relished the galloping room as he wore down the favourite Rue De Royale.
"I had a little fist pump on Wednesday morning when the barriers came out. He's a horse that really likes room and getting to the outside," Ryan said.
"He likes being fresh. He had a week away after his last run as he struggles to run 1400 (metres) and I haven't done much with him.
"He had a very quiet jump out last week and less is certainly more."
Life's easy with Watersports
Trainer Archie Alexander wishes every horse was as uncomplicated as Watersports .
The daughter of Ocean Park has graduated from provincial company to a mid-week victory and now is classified a Saturday city winner courtesy of her win in the Good Friday Appeal Plate (1400m)
It was a dogged effort by Watersports to score after she was tackled strongly by the runner-up Maisy inside the final 200m but kept responding to jockey Damian Lane's urgings.
Now Alexander would like to add some 'Black Type' to the CV of Watersports and has picked out the Listed City Of Adelaide Stakes (1500m) at Morphettville in April as a potential suitable contest.
"She is making our life very easy," Alexander said.
"She keeps presenting well and loves racing, but she doesn't like it very wet and we'll keep an eye on that.
"We're looking at the 1500 (metre) City Of Adelaide which is her sweet spot and then there's mile options after that."
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