THE hype surrounding New Zealand colt Xtravagant has blown to new proportions, with the three-year-old being compared to both Sunline and Might And Power.
The Autridge/Richards-trained colt arrives in Australia this Wednesday for a tilt at Saturday's Group 1 Australian Guineas where it's the current favourite at $3.75 with Sportsbet.com.au.
The son of Pentire has already notched two group 1's in a short career. The first coming in the Group 1 New Zealand Guineas by a whopping 8.5 lengths last November, with the second coming two weeks ago in the Group 1 Waikato Sprint where it blitzed its rivals by eight lengths.
Co-trainer Jamie Richards is pleased Chris Waller is staying at home with Press Statement, but is aware of the other dangers the Guineas poses.
“His form has been spot on and he is a very exciting colt and it's just a real pleasure to have him in the stable and we can't ask anything more than what he has done at this stage,” Richards said.
“It's a good field but he'll be right as long as he can do everything he does at home.”
Much like Sunline and Might And Power, Xtravagant has the ability to fly the gates and lead from the outset which is a good quality to have for an attempt at the Guineas.
“He is very explosive from the gates and hopefully he can put himself right there and be hard to run down,” Richards said.
“And he is just turning into a real genuine race horse.
“He did a few things wrong early doors but he has got explosive gate speed and then he can relax and he can quicken. He has got some, very, very good traits.
“He is explosive when Matt Cameron lets the handbrake off.”
Xtravagant has been putting up big margins in most of its races, but Richards isn't expecting a similar result against a top quality Guineas field at Flemington this Saturday.
“There have been comparisons with Might And Power and Sunline and those sorts of horses,” Richards said.
“He is not near them yet but he has ticked a couple of boxes – has won a weight for age race as a three-year-old and he has won a classic as well.”
2016 Australian Guineas market
Xtravagant – $3.75 with Sportsbet.com.au
Palentino – $5.00
Tarzino – $6.50
Perfect Reflection – $7.50
Mahuta – $8.00
Tulsa – $13
Tivaci – $13
Risque – $13
Jameka – $13
Stay With Me – $17
Vanbrugh – $17
River Wild – $21
Torgensen – $21
Sailing By – $21
Lizard Island – $26
Ready For Victory – $26
Bon Aurum – $26
Sovereign Nation – $31
Sacred Eye – $34
Metallic Crown – $34
Pattern – $34
Data Point – $34
Snoopy – $41
Celtic Tiger – $101
Randwick Guineas updated market
Having the Randwick Guineas on the same day as the Australian Guineas was a controversial change in the racing schedule, but it appears to have worked out for the Chris Waller-trained Press Statement which is the overwhelming favourite.
The last start Hobartville Stakes winner is a $1.60 favourite at CrownBet.com.au with serious rivals Risque, Sacred Eye, Tulsa and Tiviaci expected to run at Flemington in the Australian Guineas.
The market suggests Press Statement's biggest danger comes from Montaigne, which is currently on the second line of betting at $9.00. The Anthony Cummings-trained gelding has had just four starts for two wins, but connections have lofty heights for the son of Road To Rock.
The $60,000 purchase is nominated for the BMW Australian Derby and the Queen Elizabeth Stakes later this autumn and it looms as a genuine chance this Saturday.
Other contenders for the Randwick Guineas include Stay With Me which was disappointing second-up on Saturday behind Ghisoni and Le Romain which stepped up from provincial level to finish second behind Press Statement last start.
The rest of the field contains no major threats to Press Statement and punters willing to take the shorts will be running it through their racing multi-bets.
Randwick Guineas likely field:
Press Statement – $1.60
Montaigne – $9.00
Stay With Me – $10
Vanbrugh – $16
Le Romain – $16
Dal Cielo – $17
Shards – $26
Crosley Hotshot – $34
Top Score – $51
Balmain Boy – $51
Etymology – $51
Mackintosh – $67
Gold Ambition – $67
Hierarchal – $101
Rich Enuff retires after bleeding attack
Group 2-winning colt Rich Enuff has suffered a bleeding attack in the Liverpool City Cup at Randwick and instead of seeing out the three-month ban, connections have decided to retire the sprinter.
The four-year-old looked to be cruising on Saturday, but came to the end of its run after suffering the attack. It will now retire to stand alongside Written Tycoon at Woodside Park Stud with general manager Murray Tillett having only purchased Rich Enuff last year.
“It's disappointing obviously but in the best interests of the horse,” Tillett said.
“He'd have had a three month and then it's the start of the season [stud] so it wouldn't have been fair to the horse.
“The real disappointing aspect is Peter Snowden was so confident the horse was about to reach the form that would have made him a group 1 horse again, but these things happen in racing.”
Rich Enuff won the Group 2 Danehill Stakes at Flemington and was the favourite for the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas where it finished second behind Shooting To Win.
“He'll be back at the farm later this week and we'll think about a fee for him and Written Tycoon after Capitalist runs in the Slipper,” Tillett added.
Capitalist drifted from $3.70 to $4.40 for the Golden Slipper at Sportsbet.com.au after Extreme Choice dominated its rivals in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes last Saturday.
The son of Written Tycoon is unbeaten in three starts which included the Magic Millions in January, but punters have been weary about the level of opposition it has faced and the Golden Slipper is another rise in the ranks.