Royal Descent and Hana’s Goal are the 2014 Coolmore Classic tips for leading form analyst Dominic Beirne; with the former bookmaker of the belief that both mares are well over the odds for the Group 1 event that will be run at Rosehill Gardens tomorrow.
Royal Descent is returning to Group 1 racing for the first time since she finished fifth behind Fawkner in the 2013 Caulfield Cup. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Beirne has always had a high opinion of Royal Descent, tipping the daughter of Redoute’s Choice to win the 2013 Caulfield Cup (2400m), and believes that the Chris Waller-trained mare is more than capable of recording her second win at Group 1 level in the Coolmore Classic this weekend.
“Royal Descent was our long-term pick for the Caulfield Cup last year and she hit a hard track on the day; barring that she would have been hard to beat,” Beirne told RSN this morning.
“She will love the sting out of the ground and she has been kept fresh for these good mares races that are at a shorter distance.
“That has been wise by trainer Waller and I think that she is a great chance, provided that they can come from the back of the field.”
Japanese mare Hana’s Goal is considered the wildcard in the Group 1 event, but Beirne is happy to include the daughter of Orewa Matteruze in his 2014 Coolmore Classic tips.
Beirne believes that Japanese form is generally underrated by the International Handicapping community and he would not be surprised if Hana’s Goal can join 2006 Melbourne Cup winner Delta Blues as a Japanese-trained Group 1 winner in Australia.
“The other one that I think the marketplace has got wrong is the Japanese mare Hana’s Goal,” Beirne said.
“Hana’s Goal has wisely come over here for handicaps, she is not in the top echelon of the Japanese horses, but Japanese racing is just around the best in the world.
“I have a way of paralleling the ratings and I think that the handicapper has done a pretty good job.
“I think that Hana’s Goal is very, very much over the odds.”
Catkins remains a clear favourite in 2014 Coolmore Classic betting following her impressive wins in the Group 2 Breeders Classic (1200m) and Group 3 Wiggle Stakes (1400m), but Beirne said that he is happy to leave the daughter of Dubawi out of his selections at her current Coolmore Classic odds of $4.
“She comes out favourite and deservedly; she just doesn’t run a bad race,” Beirne said.
“I think that it is a bit dangerous at this stage because we don’t know where they will be on the track, but she has been drawn in a manner that gives her the opportunity to race handy if it is at an advantage and she will be ready to loom on the outside if that is an advantage.
“I can see why she has been popular, but if you have to put a price on all the horses you end up struggling to get her at $4 or over.”
Royal Descent is currently available at Coolmore Classic odds of $10, while Hana’s Goal is available at the lucrative price of $17.
