Platinum Racing

A 9,000 Euro filly wins the ARC De Triomphe, a $26K (AUD) filly wins the Epsom, a 30K (Euro) colt wins the Lagarde, and $18K (AUD) gelding wins the George Main, such is the tale of the cheapies in the the Gr 1 races around the world in the past couple of weeks - which only reinforcers my view that the majority of yearlings are way, way over-priced.

It was terrific to see German rags to riches filly Danedream streak away from her rivals to win the Arc last night, leaving in her wake the Coolmore, Sheik Mohammed bin Khalifa, Aga Khan, Wildenstein and company blue bloods in her wake as she raced into history as the fastest Arc winner ever.

The last start winner of the Gr 1 Prosser von Gries (Baden Baden), ironically the race where Strawberry Road (ridden by Brent Thomson) scored his European Gr 1 win, was devastating in her win for trainer Peter Schieger and jockey Andrasch Starke.

As for So You Think - he was terrific in finishing fourth. He was mile back and would have been standing the leaders 15-20 lengths at the 1200 metres, and to finish fourth he did a great job.

THE WOW FACTOR HITS EARLY

The weekend started with Sepoy being cosmic in Friday night's Gr 1 Manikato Stakes at the Valley. He is without doubt the second best sprinter in the country behind Black Caviar and to do what he did on Friday night showed that he would be more than competitive in any sprint race anywhere in the world (on turf).

Rick Hore-Lacey's Chase The Rainbow was also very impressive in the winning the Gr 2 Stutt Stakes,  and he is undoubtedly a horse that will at least measure up in the Caulfield Guineas and the AAMI Vase on Cox Plate. He may well even be a Derby horse.

Streama was also outstanding in winning Saturday's Gr 1 Flight Stakes at Randwick. She is undoubtedly a great filly and it is pleasing to see that Guy Walter has decided to put her away to the autumn. She is a filly that is so adaptable, tractable and talented, that she will be a real force in the autumn.

Secret Admirer laid lie to her run the previous week when a beaten favourite, when she scored a great win in the Gr 1 Epsom. Whether or not she is a Cox Plate mare or not remains to be seen but she would sure as hell be in the mix in a Myer Classic at Flemington.

Unless it is very wet I am not anticipating The Verminator (winner of Saturday's Gr 1 Metropolitan) figuring in Melbourne's major staying races, and the Metrop more resembled a dodgem ride from the 1000 metres on than a horse race.

HUSSOUSA A GREAT START FOR HUSSON:

I am sure Nathan Tinkler and his Patinack Farm group would have been thrilled with the win of Hussousa in the Gimcrack Stakes, Sydney's first two year old race of the season on Saturday. She is the first runner of Tinkler's Chilean import, Husson, a Gr 1 winning son of Hussonet in his homeland. Hussousa was Husson's first runner in Oz.

The filly jumped, ran and showed a lot of fight to win easily. I too was particularly please as I have several Byblos foals about to be born, and he too was a Gr 1 winning son of Hussonet in Chile.

Unfortunately, his early days in Australia were handicapped by his being placed at Eagle Park Stud at Orange. Thankfully for all he has now moved to Egmont Park Stud at Oakey in Queensland, where he now may get a chance to show his potential.

ROBINSON CALLS IT QUITS:

After 1400 winners, English jockey Philip Robinson (50) called it quits after the funeral of his long time boss, trainer Michael Jarvis. In Australia Robinson would be best known fis his association with top class galloper Ratki, on whom he won 5 Gr 1 races.

But Robinson won three British classics, two 1000 Guineas' on Pebbles for Clive Brittain and another on Ameraat as well as a St Leger on Bob's Return. He also won an Irish 1000 Guineas on Katies and a French Derby on Holding Court. He was also twice champion jockey in Hong Kong when he was stable rider for British expat David Oughton.

FROM BENALLA TO POONCARRIE!

Veteran Benalla trainer Jim Scott is not adverse to travelling. It is not uncommon for him to load the truck up and end up at Coonamble in western NSW, Cunnamulla and Birdsville in outback Queensland.

He took another long trek on the weekend to Pooncarrie in the far flung west of NSW to win the Cup at their annual race meeting with his equally as widely travelled galloper Mr Marju, who was ridden on Saturday by Mt Gambier (SA) jockey Paul Marks.

DABARSIM COULD BE SPECIAL AND FRANKIE IS:

I hope plenty of Australian knockers were up late and watching the Arc meeting comverage from Longchamps last night to watch the unbelievable ride of champion jockey Frankie Dettori on Dabarsim in the Gr 1 Lagarde for 2YO's. The odds on favourite missed the start and ended up last on the fence and more than a dozen lengths from the leader at the 600 metres mark.

His hopes still looked forlorn at the 300 metres mark when he was last on the fence and Frankie could not get away from a straggler hanging there sufficiently on hbis outside to keep him in. Dettorie stayed on the fence and went from last to first without leaving the paint to win narrowly - but very impressively.

The win was Dettori's 500th Gr 1 winneer in a casreer that has spanned 27 years - and outstanding performance.

Dabarsim is trained by rookie trainer Christophe Ferland, who began his association as foreman for Richard Gibson (now training in Hong Kong). Ferland travelled the world with Gibson's outstanding galloper Doctor Dino before returning to France to set up his training base.

He could end up having a 2000 Guineas colt in his first couple of years of training.

ENTRAPMENT AND AMBITIOUS DRAGON ADD TO THE SENSATIONS:

Champion jockey Douglas Whyte dismounted from Ambitious Dragon after winning the National Day Cup at Shatin on Saturday afternoon and called him "the best horse I have ridden."

He was sensational on Sunday. The Derby winner from last season, who also won the QEII Cup, put paid to his opposition in ridiculously eay fashion over the 1400 metres, a distance well short of his best.

The horse has been ridden by Whyte at his last two wins and French ace Maxim Guyon piloted him in his earlier wins including the Derby before he returned to France. There is some speculation Guyon will be back on the horse when he returns to Hong Kong later in the season - but I will have my money on Dougie putting plenty of work into his trainer Alan Millard between now and then to retain the ride.

Whyte was also on board Entrapment who won the Gr 3 Sprint down the straight 1000 metres - and the unbeaten gelding surprised even his trainer, Aussie expat at his first start for 18 months.

A winner of his first 7 starts, Entrapment was struck down with a mystery illness which seen him unable to back leg properly and he was dragging it constantly. Vets, Size and all were at a loss to explain the horse's illness and he had to be continually stabled and nursed back to health.

No less than Sacred Kingdom finished second to him on Sunday.

He is a superstar!

GOLDIE JUST FAILS WITH A SUCCESSFUL AU REVOIR!

Champion racemare Goldikova, already the world record holder with 14 Gr 1 wins to her name, just failed to bow out of French racing with another Gr 1 under her belt when she went down by a half head to Dream Ahead (William Buick) in the Gr 1 Prix Foray at Longchamps yesterday.

Trainer Freddie Head said after the race that she "may not have the turn of foot she used to" which is a bit too humble. Dream Ahead was last year rated a superior two year old to Frankel in the UK and this year he has won the July Cup and two other Gr 1's.

"Goldie" will now head to Churchill Downs for her racetrack finale as she tries to do the impossible - win her fourth consecutive Breeders Cup Mile.

She is already the first horse to win three successive Breeders Cups and her place in immortality is already assured. Let's hope the racing Gods smile on her in Kentucky.