Smarty

@TRBHorseRacing @WolfdenApp @sportandracing Hay List…….

In the @WolfdenApp autumn preview, she was the one I identified, beyond the obvious in Autumn Glow, who could develop into a star. She ran a big new peak 105.3 on Saturday. She does need to avoid AG so she doesn't become Hartnell, but she will at least do that next start by going to the G1 Ranvet.

🏇 WFA Performance Ratings ⏱️⚖️📊 – Top 5 winners from Randwick & Flemington 28/2/26: 🌏Autumn Glow’s win in the Very Elegant Stakes returned a 106 rating, marginally below the 106.3 she ran first-up in the Apollo, but focusing purely on the headline figure misses the real story, which is about how she put this figure together. The race was run slowly early, around 11 lengths below standard to the 800m, so it was never going to produce a fast overall time. That is the limitation of leaning too heavily on final time as a measure of performance quality. In this case, a proper understanding of the sectionals and what they tell you in the context of the overall race figures is what reveals the quality. Autumn Glow’s last 600m, 400m and especially last 200m (+6 lengths above standard) weren't just outstanding, they were elite among elite horses. It’s the kind of acceleration and speed that’s hard to describe properly, because it’s not just about the figures, it’s the ease and authority with which she can change gears when other good horses are already giving everything. Even though her overall rating didn’t quite match her first-up figure, the sectionals suggest she’s got more in reserve than we’ve seen so far. She's undoubtedly better than last preparation, and it's only when we get to see her in a race this preparation with genuine speed from the start that we will begin to understand her ceiling. She gives me the impression of a 110-plus rating horse, which is elite on the world stage. All being well, it feels like it’s only a matter of time before the right race allows the full picture to emerge. 🌟 Tempted landed her first Group 1 win in the Surround Stakes over 1400m, and despite the narrow margin, the clock says it was a very good performance. She earned a 102.2 rating, which is just half a length below the 103.3 rating she produced first-up when she won over 1200m. In other words, the raw margin might look tight, but the level she ran to didn’t drop off much. I think what’s happened is that Savvy Hallie’s huge new peak has slightly masked how well Tempted actually went. A 102.2 rating is almost a full length better than the median winner rating for the Group 1 Surround Stakes over the last 10 years, and this wasn’t one of those slow early, dash home races. There was even speed from Savvy Hallie early, and the tempo lifted from the 800m mark, which meant Tempted (4.8 lengths back) had to chase and build from there. She sustained a strong last 800m to get the job done. Yes, she may have peaked late, but she was still above standard over the final 200m, and the overall time was strong. 1400m may not be her absolute best trip, but she still ran a very good 1400m figure and one that stacks up strongly against the history of this race. To show how much Savvy Hallie has influenced the narrative, if she ran to her previous best rating, Tempted beats the Group 1 Thousand Guineas winner Ole Dancer by 1.9 lengths, with Savvy Hallie beaten 3.4 lengths in third and Apocalyptic beaten five lengths in fourth. If the race had played out like that, we’d all be talking about Tempted’s brilliance and saying she had no issue with 1400m at all. That’s why the key takeaway for me is that the merit was on the clock. Tempted didn’t need the race to fall apart, and she didn’t steal it with a soft tempo and sprint home. She won with sustained speed over 1400m and posted a rating that’s better than what we usually see from Surround Stakes winners. That's the real narrative (along with how well Savvy Hallie went!) 📈 Birdman gave us a strong push first-up that he'd come back in great order for this preparation, and he confirmed that with his dominant win in the Group 2 Blamey Stakes. With the tempo below average up to the 800m mark and then increasing sharply, Birdman sustained a fast chase from 5.8 lengths back off the lead, running an impressive +9.6 lengths better than standard from the 800m to 200m to have the race won well out from home, still finishing off a length better than standard over the final 200m. His 98.5 rating is a career peak, edging past his previous best of 97.5 from overseas and improving on his 96.8 best figure in Australia. This performance came second-up at 1600m, and his past form suggests he’s better over further. With fitness improving and a step up in trip likely to suit, he has the potential to run further new peaks. 🎯 King of Roseau’s 98.5 rating win in the Group 3 Liverpool City Cup at Randwick was a new career peak, up from the 95.5 he ran when winning the Magic Millions Cup over 1400m at the start before. It's worth noting that those last two races have been clearly the two fastest early-speed races that he's contested in his career, which has suited his get-back style nicely. Still, he's clearly in career-best form and has now won five of his last eight starts. 💎 Bridal Waltz made a strong return to her autumn campaign with a 97.7 win over 1000m up the Flemington straight. That’s the second-highest rating of her career, just behind the 98.5 she ran when winning over 1200m at Flemington in July. What stands out in her profile is that her four best career ratings have now come in her past five starts. It shows not only that she is clearly in career-best form, but also that there may still be more to come. When a horse consistently runs figures around its peak, it often indicates the capacity to find another level at some point in the future.

@nicksplitter Add in the Legal Team, have we ever had a suspension downgraded or exonerated?

The key areas St Kilda needs to bolster before a legitimate and sustained crack at the finals: Defense Midfield Forward Ruck #stkildafc #saintsfooty

@ausbloodstock2 Where do I find further info?

🚨 Sayedaty Sadaty, Top 3yo UK talent for the Caulfield Cup, is now with us! 🏇 Act fast to join the winners' circle! #HorseRacing #LastChance 🏆🇦🇺

@WillSchofield Did you defend Jack Higgins when he was given 3 weeks for a sling tackle on a bloke a foot taller and 20kgs heavier?

Bit late to the party here… if we think this is worth two weeks as a footy community, we are kidding ourselves. Genuine alternative here was to not tackle. Took him on, tries to step…not two motions, stronger body…. 2 years ago, this is play of the day.

@TimFernandoITPB It’s astounding how we coach players who should be high possession ball pigs to get 12-15 touches per game (see Henry) and forwards get sub 10 touches generally up the ground

I’m at that point where it’s become therapeutic listening to the saints get shit canned on radio and media

@TimFernandoITPB I think he needs specialist help, not sure why we’d knock back Matty Lloyd when I reckon he’d give Max enormous confidence, if not Lloyd then another past specialist full forward

@Dacks66 I mean half the time it’s not his fault, we kick it on his head or we kick it left or right of where he’s leading

Max King seems the easy target for the media and many fans this week, we just need to see him get a clear run at it, the last 18 months has been interrupted by suspension & injury, it’s hard to find any continuity in your game when you’re missing chunks of time. It will turn 💪

@BradFelstead Ross sits on oppositions best mid so his job isn’t always to get the ball, his season has been pretty good

Some interesting numbers here Saints fans..Sinclair needs to be in there much more than he has been so far! Also pretty damning stat for Seb 😐

@saintstvpod Yet again the Saints legal team fail, we need to employ Carlton’s legal team, they get players off every time.

We've failed to overturn Max King's one-match suspension. He'll miss the game on Saturday against the Bombers.

@rtralphy Spywire ride, although perhaps he rode to team Maher instructions to look after their $700k purchase Growing Empire!

JFC. Craig Williams gets constantly potted. Find me a worse ride in a big race than John Allen on Bella Nipotina there. Incompetent. Maps to settle 2 or 3 pairs in front of Imperatriz, restrains her to one in front, then falls asleep mid race 💩

@TimFernandoITPB Hunter has been moving at glacier like speed, I like him as a player but something’s up

Hunter Clark dropped… (probs sub) Another baffling change for mine, would’ve given him an absolute rocket and made him rectify that dogshit last quarter last week but that’s just me, Membrey the only IN that gives me any type of confidence this week. Ordinary.

@drboycewatkins1 @Jazzie654 The most accurate vid ever, a masterclass! 👏🏻

Hilarious

Inundation has broken the 1000m track record at @TheValley 🔥 @MichaelRhysKent @MickPriceRacing

🔥Inundation has broken the 1000m track record at @TheValley! 🔥 @jamieleekah07 and @MickPriceRacing teamed-up to deliver the sweltering time of 56.84 on today's Good 4 - beating the previous record of 56.92 set by by Written Beauty in 2020.

@stkildafc Did we hear from our captain on the appointment of Ross?

*St Kilda likes this post* 😍

@AndyMaherDFA Correct decision, terrific bloke who simply isn’t an AFL coach. Was ridiculous to re-sign him half way through a season.

Suspect those making the call on Ratten know what their next move is. Just a hunch.

@Racing @msellracing That’s a Slow 6 at Kyneton

The skies opened up on Kyneton racecourse 😲🌧 (📽 via @msellracing)

Today, @RacingNextGen donated over $15,000 raised at last week’s Turnbull Stakes day event - $4110 to the @AusChildhood Foundation and $3703 to each of @LivingLegendsAU, @JockeysTrust and @racingheartsorg. That’s in addition to $3500 donated to @DiabetesVic from the golf day 🐎

Whatever position Long played for Saints tonight keep him there every game next year, best game for the club.

That Sidebottom tackle represents all that is wrong with AFL football. Carlton player is caught holding the ball so throws himself backwards and numpty umpire pays a free and subsequent goal. It’s getting hard to watch.