Racing: Derby questions remain unanswered

You went into Saturday's Avondale Guineas thinking it would answer a lot of questions.

It answered some, but nowhere near all of them.

Like, how close would the Derby second and third favourites Banchee and He's Remarkable have finished had they not been hampered in the home straight?

Like, Icepin showed he could successfully jump from 1600m to 2100m, but can he extend that to the Derby's 2400m?

Like, how representative will this race be overall when they come to run a Derby in 12 days' time?

Jason Collett (Jeset Lad) was suspended for six racedays and fined $500 for crowding and checking Banshee and O'Reilly's Prize in the home straight.

In a separate incident, He's Remarkable ran out of room at about the 200m when running on.

Rider Matt Cameron felt that without the check He's Remarkable would have finished within 1 lengths of the winner, Icepin.

"We knew what to expect when we went out there that because of the wide barrier we'd have to drop back and that it would be hard for us from the back of the field," said Cameron.

"The Derby is going to be different. The rail will be in and it will be ideal to get out into the centre of the track in the home straight. I feel the horse is peaking at exactly the right time."

He's Remarkable, once the reigning Derby favourite, was yesterday eased out to $8 second favourite by the TAB bookmakers.

Jimmy Choux was shortened into $2.80 favourite.

Icepin had his odds slashed in half from $18 to $9 after Saturday's win.

The long-odds victory surprised a few, but not trainer Jason Bridgman.

"If you look at his form he lacks that last bit of top-end sprint to finish off those 1600m races, but he was always fighting hard.

"I was actually quite confident he could win this race.

"The only dent I had in my confidence was when Vinny [Colgan] got off him to ride Hidden Asset, which made me think he wasn't confident of him getting the 2100m.

"If you ask me whether he can run the extra 300m in the Derby I have to say, 'why not?'.

"Of all the horses that worked hard early in this race he beat them easily and he beat all the others who had soft runs."

Bridgman says he admires Icepin's toughness.

"You take him to the races and you just know he's going to give you everything.

"There's nothing left after each race, but he bounces back."

On The Level finished off well to take second at long odds, ahead of Sierra Nevada, Historian and O'Reilly's Prize.

Banchee finished 12th and Hidden Asset beat only one home.

James McDonald said he felt Banchee and O'Reilly's Prize were both going to be in the money when they were checked going for the same narrow gap along the inside in the home straight.

"I'm not saying Banshee would have won, but she'd have got some of it.

"And I thought O'Reilly's Prize was going as well when we both had to check." Neither trainer Shaune Ritchie nor Vinny Colgan could come up with a reason for Hidden Asset dropping out in the late stages. "He felt terrific all the way to the 600m, but then there was just nothing there," said Colgan.

"I'll have the vet run over him tomorrow [Monday] morning and unless he can find something that has a fix to it we'll put him him the paddock," said Ritchie.

Market: $2.80 Jimmy Choux, $8 He's Remarkable, $9 Icepin, $10 On The Level, O'Reilly's Prize, King's Rose; $14 Hidden Asset, Banchee, Sierra Nevada; $18 Jetset Lad, Raffles Knight; $21 En. Diablo, Historian, Wisecrack.

AVONDALE GUINEAS

* Icepin won too well to leave many excuses.
* But checks to Banshee, O'Reilly's Prize and He's Remarkable changed the complexion of the placings behind him.
* Jimmy Choux tightened into $2.80 Derby favourite even in his absence.