The Handsome One (centre)Though a long way off from the major competitions of October and November, it is always quite thrilling watching the stars of last spring and autumn going through their paces in the early races of the season.
Witness last week’s Bletchingly Stakes, which enhanced by the presence of potential super star of the turf, Shoot Out, was a race not to be missed, if only to see how Shoot Out coped with his first run in Melbourne. He passed with flying colours, of course, racing uncharacteristically close to the lead and sprinting away at the 100 to win by half a length on Stanzout. Not bad for a stayer just beginning his campaign. He’ll next run in the Liston Stakes on August 14 and will most likely be up against Cox Plate winner So You Think in that race. Two very classy High Chaparral four year olds going head to head is an exciting prospect.
This coming weekend’s races are not without interest either, with four Group 3 races scheduled in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth.
The Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap, a sprint over 1200 metres at Flemington, has an interesting field and includes recent money spinner (for me) The Handsome One who won an unlisted race back in late June. This time however, he has a much harder task with classy runners like Headway, Spacecraft and Royal Ida to contend with. Still, The Handsome One is a lightweight chance, especially if the track is soggy, and may show enormous improvement since the autumn. I hope so anyway.
Randwick hosts the Group 3 Missile Stakes and San Domenico Stakes which have both attracted top fields. The Missile Stakes (1200 metres) has top Sydney gallopers Danleigh, and Snipers Bullet resuming, along with American import Cannonball, and top pick, Love Conquers All who last raced in June beating up-and-coming sprinter Hay List on the same track.
The San Domenico (1000 metres) sees quite a number of three year olds who last raced in the Golden Slipper, beginning their spring campaigns. For instance there is the very promising Solar Charged, Golden Slipper runner up Decision Time, Gai Waterhouse hopeful, Brightexpectations, and talented Queensland colt Spirit of Boom all in the mix.
Witness last week’s Bletchingly Stakes, which enhanced by the presence of potential super star of the turf, Shoot Out, was a race not to be missed, if only to see how Shoot Out coped with his first run in Melbourne. He passed with flying colours, of course, racing uncharacteristically close to the lead and sprinting away at the 100 to win by half a length on Stanzout. Not bad for a stayer just beginning his campaign. He’ll next run in the Liston Stakes on August 14 and will most likely be up against Cox Plate winner So You Think in that race. Two very classy High Chaparral four year olds going head to head is an exciting prospect.
This coming weekend’s races are not without interest either, with four Group 3 races scheduled in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth.
The Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap, a sprint over 1200 metres at Flemington, has an interesting field and includes recent money spinner (for me) The Handsome One who won an unlisted race back in late June. This time however, he has a much harder task with classy runners like Headway, Spacecraft and Royal Ida to contend with. Still, The Handsome One is a lightweight chance, especially if the track is soggy, and may show enormous improvement since the autumn. I hope so anyway.
Randwick hosts the Group 3 Missile Stakes and San Domenico Stakes which have both attracted top fields. The Missile Stakes (1200 metres) has top Sydney gallopers Danleigh, and Snipers Bullet resuming, along with American import Cannonball, and top pick, Love Conquers All who last raced in June beating up-and-coming sprinter Hay List on the same track.
The San Domenico (1000 metres) sees quite a number of three year olds who last raced in the Golden Slipper, beginning their spring campaigns. For instance there is the very promising Solar Charged, Golden Slipper runner up Decision Time, Gai Waterhouse hopeful, Brightexpectations, and talented Queensland colt Spirit of Boom all in the mix.
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