Rick Worthington knows what a good horse is and from the time he got his hands on Honesty Prevails he has thought she is one of the best he has ever had.
Worthington made a career out of breaking-in and trading horses, selling group 1 gallopers to Hong Kong, before he finally got the chance to back his judgment. Honesty Prevails is his choice.
Although the Redoute's Choice filly has won just once in four starts, on debut in last year's Widden Stakes, she was fifth in the Golden Slipper behind Capitalist, Yankee Rose, Flying Artie and Telperion – all of which have accrued significant group 1 references since.
Honesty Prevails has had her problems but her two barrier-trial wins, particularly the most recent in which she romped home by more than 10 lengths in 58.80 seconds for 1000 metres, suggests she is becoming the horse Worthington thought she was.
She is a more powerful and complete looking filly as she prepares to line up in Monday's Light Fingers Stakes. If she lives up to Worthington's opinion of her, the $7 will look very good value following the Light Fingers.
Three-year-olds centre stage again
The three-year-old crop has already proved to be a match for the older horses this season and Impending and Defcon are set to continue the trend in Monday's Southern Cross Stakes at Randwick.
Impending is the $2.30 favourite as he returns for a sprinting campaign after winning up to 1500 metres in the Stan Fox Stakes as a spring three-year-old.
He has strengthened up with maturity which is why Godolphin has decided to target the Canterbury Stakes and TJ Smith.
He meets the quality older horses Le Romain and Dothraki very well under the quality conditions on Monday and if he is to measure up to the planned group 1 program, he would have to beat them.
The main danger will be Defcon, the Black Opal winner as a two-year-old. He has looked strong in three barrier trials, without winning one, and was a good winner first-up in the spring.
However, Impending would appear to have his measure, despite having just one quiet public barrier trial in which he wasn't asked to do much. He has been kept fresh and should attack the line.
Chautauqua going the distance
The talking point out of Caulfield on Saturday was Chautauqua after his first-up third over 1100 metres.
The suggestion was that he might be better suited over further this preparation, but it would be a surprise to not see him be very competitive at 1200m, considering he has won the past two TJ Smiths.
He has never been that sharp type of sprinter that sits on the speed. Rather, he overpowers his rivals with sustained speed from back in the field, which can often also be his undoing.
Saturday was a test of speed, in which he gave away too much of a start. As they step up to 1200m, he will be closer and he will be winning.
Postponement right decision
There is no doubt that the right decision was made to move the Apollo Stakes meeting from Saturday to Monday, with the horsemen and the stewards reaching the same verdict on Friday afternoon.
Two of the biggest stables in Sydney expressed concerns about the effect racing would have had on the horses, not only on the day but throughout their preparations going further into the autumn.They were willing to scratch their runners.
Stewards had monitored conditions at Randwick on Friday, where the wet bulb went through the 30 mark, which is when racing has to be stopped.They were worse on Saturday.
The meeting could not be lost altogether because it was a stepping stone to races in the next month, so the solution was to run on Monday.
Racing NSW has got it right to move a two-year-old maiden from Kembla to Wednesday, where a couple of potential Golden Slipper will make their debut.
The shuffle of barrier trials, with Hawkesbury moving to Tuesday and Randwick to Thursday, means trainers will be able to stay on track for the autumn.
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