Stephen Hunt: Recent races at Riccarton and Te Rapa

Stephen Hunt  •  October 1st, 2024 1:33 PM
Stephen Hunt: Recent races at Riccarton and Te Rapa
Age of Discovery winning at Riccarton last weekend. Credit: Race Images NZ
Headlines:
  • Age Of Discovery 87.1 rating does not include any allowance for being notably untouched in the last furlong. He's the very definition of an untapped potential top-class talent. 
  • Even though he’s a 9YO, promising signs for Times Ticking, resuming at a much higher rating level 92.5 than his 87 average when 60+ days since last run.  
  • Snazzytavi 93.8 couldn't have done much more with the race shape against. She has a career peak of 97.5. All the signs that she has more to come.  
  • Love Poem resumed in winning a 3YO maiden, rating 88.5, set up by her consistency at a good level in all three runs as a juvenile 89.5, 88.9 and 90.8.  
RICCARTON:
Speed Ratings
Stephen Hunt RICC speed rating 01/10
How the track played… 
There were two leaders that won, with winners coming as far back as 8.6L off the leader at the 600m mark. 
Winners were in lanes 4,5,1,3,6,2,3,4,3. 
Considering the rail was out 9-11m, the track played fair with many of the results down to tempo related. 
Age Of Discovery ran 87.1 to win the Guineas Trial, but he was far from suited back in the field by the race shape and closed with dominant fast sectionals, including a (32.99) final 600m, quickest out of all the circle races on the day.
Thus far his ratings are just standard and for me data is a huge asset, however, it’s important not to get carried away with it and think racing analysis is a science.
It’s just as much an art form and I’m happy to embrace both elements of the game, in particular the latter when assessing Age Of Discovery.
He undoubtedly has more to offer and looks like he will be suited up to 1600m and potentially 2000m in the future.  
TE RAPA 
Snazzytavi showcased her class with a terrific win over 1600m at Te Rapa, running 93.8 to defeat Chattahooche (87.4) under handicap conditions.
Overcoming an unsuitable race shape = T600 (62.21) -4.4L vs the class with the L600 (34.68) +4.2L vs the class, she produced her trademark turn of foot, coming from mid-field and underneath her rivals, closing with fast sectionals to have the race in her control at the 100m mark.
Given the slow early tempo and that jockey Warren Kennedy didn't push her out over the final 25m, Snazzytavi’s performance was as good as expected in the circumstances.
She has been a regular 93 – 94 performer in the past, with isolated runs showing more elite talent, having posted a 97.5 rating when winning the Easter Handicap earlier this year.
There looks to be a real sense of timing as she targets the Livamol Classic at 2040m, third up, two weeks between runs, racing over 1400m and 1600m in her lead-up, and with the race to be held at Te Rapa,
Snazzytavi has the platform to improve on Friday’s performance towards her peak.  
Note: Since 2016, 98.5 is the winners average for the Livamol Classic. 
 
Wewillrock dominated his opposition with a strong front-running performance.
He recorded a rating of 94 in his 0.8 length win, improving from the 87.9 he recorded in the Foxbridge Plate just 34 days earlier.
It was a great ride from Liam Kauri who led and rated the horse perfectly T600 (37.15), running home a sharp (33.38), making it very hard for those chasing, but while the 6YO improved, it was still 1.8L short off his June and July victories. 
THIS WEEK’S JOCKEY STAT: 
Wiremu Pinn has been a star performer for punters since returning to NZ. 
Stats show that in the last 3 months, up to $10 SP, he’s retuned +24% POT from 57 rides. 
He also has a terrific combination with the Te Akau stable, +76% POT from 27 rides. 

Picture at the Top of the Page: Age of Discovery winning at Riccarton last weekend. Credit: Race Images NZ
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