The Hussler Comes Undone

I would dearly have liked to write “the Hussler wins again!”, but alas the Turnbull Stakes on Saturday was not to be one of Weekend Hussler’s winning days. In fact he failed to even get a place, being found flat footed when it really counted and failing to show his usual fighting spirit in the finish. I can’t really believe that the distance was the problem as he raced over 1800 metres and won convincingly a couple of weeks ago, so the extra 200 metres shouldn’t have made that much difference. He did have a hard race, forced to race three wide for most of the race, but he was expected to fire in the finish, being the champion he is. His Spring racing campaign is now up in the air, and the knockers are out in force in typical Australian fashion – delighted to see tall poppies lopped. I myself feel disappointed that he couldn’t manage the clean sweep, but I haven’t given up hope that he will still prove the knockers wrong. The Turnbull was won by Littorio who tracked Weekend Hussler throughout and stormed past him when he went flat footed.

Saturday saw some interesting results. The only predictable result was in the Flight Stakes where Samantha Miss smashed her rivals with a dazzling win. She is now being compared to the mighty Sunline and there is talk of running her in the Cox Plate. Speaking of New Zealand mares, Princess Coup won her second Kelt Capital Stakes in NZ on the weekend. She performed really well last Spring in Australia and will be apparently coming back here soon to try her luck in the rich spring races in Melbourne.

I’m glad I added Samantha Miss to my super stable but the rest of my stable is in disarray, with Tuesday Joy now out for the Spring after bleeding during the Turnbull Stakes, and Sugarbabe out too due to injury. Dorabella failed to perform on Saturday, so that’s her last chance, but I’ll keep Forensics in hand for the moment as she finished very well in fourth spot after being blocked for a run in the straight. Wither now the Hussler? It might be time to start building my stable more towards the long distance races coming up.