Bel Mer
August 1st is the traditional birthday for all Southern Hemisphere racehorses. It’s January 1st in the Northern Hemisphere. What this means is that all racehorses will be classed as one year older, despite the fact that in many cases they will not attain that age until later in the season.
There are two races of interest on the cards tomorrow. In Melbourne, the Group Three Bletchingly Stakes a sprint over 1200 metres is the first group race of the new season. It has a pretty classy field containing no less than three group one winners – Bel Mer, Orange County and Mr Baritone and the current up and coming sprinting star I Am Invincible.
In Sydney, the Group 3 Missile Stakes sees the return of last year’s Manikato Stakes winner, Typhoon Zed. He will be up against some smart up and comers in the Gai Waterhouse trained Dreamscape and the three year old Rarefied, trained by Peter Snowdon, as well classy mare Fritz’s Princess.
It will be a few weeks before we see the return of the real star race horses. Apache Cat will be starting his spring campaign in the Memsie Stakes later in the month.
However, the season will be missing Weekend Hussler, who is undergoing treatment for an injury and Samantha Miss who has been retired. Former star filly Amelia’s Dream, who sustained an injury that kept her out of racing for several years, may be back shortly. It will be interesting to see if she still shows her early brilliance.
Augusta Proud won last week in Adelaide, and New Zealand mare Daffodil (who won the AJC Australian Oaks in autumn) scored a close second in her first race for the season yesterday.
Looking forward – on Monday, The Shu’s great Spring Super Stable Competition on the Racing & Sports website will be open for entries.
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