Platinum Racing

SEVERAL HORSES SOUNDED warnings that they will be forces to be reckoned with over the spring carnival in both Sydney and Melbourne today.

Lee Freedman's announcement that he may bring SPEED GIFTED to Sydney to contest the Metropolitan to ensure he is qualified for the major cups at least settles one thing - he will be winning the feature at Randwick. He is a very talented horse and his two wins from two starts since he has come to Australia have been exceptional.

Another son of freak sire Montjeu, Speed Gifted is not mono faceted and after coming from a mile back first up to win with a devastating sprint, today jockey Dwayne Dunn put him up on the pace and he raced wide without cover for a part of the race, before again racing away to win easily.

Peter Moody may have an outstanding filly in BLACK CAVIAR, but he also has an outstanding colt in WARNED and his second to the filly in today's Danehill stamped him as a real Caulfield Guineas chance.

Formerly trained in Sydney by Tim Martin, this colt is very smart.

SWIFT ALLIANCE was terrific for Gai Waterhouse winning down the straight, and he is now bound for the Manikato. He did a lot of work today and came away at the business end to deal with a good quality field easily.

VIGOR was simply sensational in winning the Makybe Diva, narrowly beating Typhoon Tracy after racing three deep the entire trip (albeit with cover). In doing so he kept his exceptional Flemington record almost intact, having had six starts at the track for five wins and a second.

With only 51 kgs in the Caulfield Cup he is really going to take some toppling in the feature. Damien Oliver was so impressed with the performance that he said he was seriously considering embarking on a program to get down to the 51kgs to ride the horse.

PREDATORY PRICER and HEART OF DREAMS were ordinary in the race. Predatory Pricer will blow considerably for the Cox Plate after today's run, which was well below the first up win at Caulfield two weeks back.

BART CUMMINGS COULD HAVE unearthed another star SO YOU THINK, who was exceptional in finishing a close second to More Than Great in today's Ming Dynasty at Randwick. This colt was giving the leaders six lengths from the home turn and he absolutely charged in the straight to just miss.

The run had quality stamped all over it. In the same race ONEMORENOMORE was also very good after being ridden upside down and he too is on track to be competitive in all the big three year old races.

O'LOHNRO'S win in the Chelmsford was very good and he is going to add considerable interest to s star-studded Epsom. ROMAN EMPEROR was very good late in the race and he looks on track to be competitive in whatever he contests from here on in. I thought ROAD TO ROCK went terrific in the last race - which suprisingly ended up devoid of speed. He hit the line very well from back in the field and he too looks a real Epsom player.

RANGIRANGDOO was impressive in winning the race, but he did have all the favours today and is sure to be right in the Epsom market.

THE BOYS FROM TRIPLE CROWN, Michael and Chris Ward, were in the winner's circle again today at Randwick when their very brave mare Patronyme led throughout to win over 1400 metres. Trained by Joe Pride, and ridden by Tommy Berry, Patronyme atoned for her terrific second at Rosehill a week earlier and she is a quality mare.

Michael and Chris have been very patient with Patronyme who has had some real issues and they are being rewwarded for that patience now. DRUMBEATS was very good in running second at his first start for nearly a year. He had a big weight and the slow early speed was not in his favour - so his run was full of merit and he could be a real lightweight chance in the Epsom.

"THE BARONESS OF BOMBALA" Barbara Joseph added another feature win to the trophy cabinet at Canberra yesterday when Louisianna Flyer won the Tony Campbell Memorial Cup on the Acton track at Canberra yesterday. Ridden by talented young apprentice Benny Moffatt, who only recently returned to the saddle after a break from the game, Lousianna Flyer raced on the speed throughout and hung on to beat Zarvista (Nick Souquet) and Fast Bullet (Mark Newnham).

Moffatt followed up yesterday's win with another winner at Cowra today on Dior Me for Matty Dale.

IRISH TRAINER AND JOCKEY COMBINATION Mark Wallace and Derek Nolan, had their first Australian winner when Star Spangled scored an easy win in the 1800 metres maiden at Cowra this afternoon.

Wallace has only been training at Warwick Farm for the last 12 months and Nolan recently came to Australia to ride for him. Star Spangled started a short priced favourite today and won easily.

TOXINS SCORED AN EMOTIONAL WIN IN the maiden at Port Macquarie today. Toxins was prepared by the late Pat Quinn, who was killed last month in an unfortunate accident at Canterbury racecourse. The horse was since taken over by Quinn's son Marc and today was ridden by Quinn's former apprentice Alan Chau, who is now apprenticed to Marc.

Starting favourite Toxins won very easily.