I’m All the Talk is flying in the build-up to Billy Ain’t Silly’s shot at the LR Belmont Guineas this Saturday.
Billy Ain’t Silly has opened a $2.05 fixed-odds favourite to make it four winners by the Darling View Thoroughbreds sire this week following The Spruiker, Short Talk and Hollywood Gossip.
The Spruiker had been tagged the TBWA Winner Of The Week after defeating Timely Outburst first-up at Belmont on May 22. He franked that form with another impressive victory in the Dream Horse In Cinemas Hcp (1400m) last Saturday.
“He’s genuine with tactical speed and is a real racehorse,” trainer Steve Wolfe said. “We dodged the Raconteur and we were also tempted to go for the Belmont Guineas. But he’s lightly-framed and is better with three weeks between runs. There aren’t any special plans apart from trying to win another Westspeed Platinum bonus race before the end of the season.”
The Spruiker has banked $176,000 in prizemoney and Platinum bonuses in the back-to-back victories. “It’s a wonderful system and anyone who doesn’t pay up is stupid,” Wolfe reasoned. “Win one and you’re covered.”
Short Talk broke through at her second start on Wednesday in the Peninsula Dining Room Maiden (1200m) at Belmont. Trained by Stephen Miller, the Mungrup Stud homebred followed the speed and established a winning break despite drifting out in the straight.
“She felt good in her trials but is a work in progress,” jockey Brad Parnham reported. “She led first-up at Pinjarra and then waited for the others. She got to the front a bit early again today but was laying out and looking around. I’m sure there was a bit left in the tank. S.J. has a high opinion of this filly and he will probably remove the blinkers for her next start.”
Short Talk is an I’m All The Talk 3yo half-sister to Properantes (Danehill Express) who won a G3 R J Peters Stakes & LR Raconteur Stakes.
Their dam Scala’s Quest (Marooned) sold for $6,000 to Kingsgrove Stud’s Shannara Beresi at the Mungrup Stud Dispersal last August and she foaled a Playing God colt in October. The mare’s yearling colt by I’m All The Talk was knocked down for $7,000 to Bunbury trainer Chris Stelmach.
Hollywood Gossip popped up with another win for I’m All The Talk and trainer Gary Portelli when his former speed-machine sired the 2yo filly to a runaway victory at Nowra on Thursday.
At her only other run in January, Hollywood Gossip attempted a front-running victory at Rosehill but folded in the straight. She turned that form upside-down when returning from a spell in the KNK Builders Plate (1000m).
“She’s very new to it all and looked lost when that far in front today,” Portelli said. “Beating older horses is a great sign and she will improve further with experience. It’s a great result for the owners and her sire. There are bigger things to come!”
Hollywood Gossip was a $75,000 buy for Portelli at the 2020 Perth Magic Millions. She is a half-sister to three winners including Dueton (LR Scenic Blast Stakes).
Their dam Californium (Geiger Counter) was sold to Jessica Carbery for $3,500 at the Mungrup Stud Dispersal and she delivered a colt by A Lot (USA) in October. The yearling colt by Playing God out of Californium was purchased by Neville Parnham for $37,500 at the same Sale.
Portelli had bought I’m All The Talk’s first-crop colt from Scuffs (Speed Week) at the 2019 Perth Magic Millions and he was an on-pace maiden winner at Wyong on June 3. Named Walkin’Talkin’, he has been nominated for Kembla Grange next Thursday, June 24.
Darling View stands I’m All The Talk (Stratum) for $6,600 this year with Playing God ($16,500), Patronize ($4,400) and Lucky Street ($3,300). All fees (inc GST).
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