Australian Cup 2023 Review

Cascadian wins the 2023 Australian Cup

The Australian Cup used to be run on the same day as the Newmarket Handicap, but this year it was the single feature race two weeks after.

I’m not at all sure that this strategy on the part of Racing Victoria worked, as the other races on the card were not that interesting.

Anyway, it being the final Group 1 race of the Melbourne Autumn carnival, I decided to attend the meeting.

As no City Loop trains were running last Saturday, it was a bit tricky getting to Southern Cross Station to catch the train to Flemington,  but I managed quite comfortably and arrived at the big track at around 1.40 pm.

Race 3 was just about to start as I wandered up the public lawn to the stalls area, so I lingered at the fence to watch favourite Sparkle flash by and win easily by two lengths from Black Penn.

In the stalls area, the first horses I came across were the Living Legends special guests, Harlem and Gailo  Chop  who ran the quinella in the 2018 Australian Cup. Indeed Harlem also won the race again in 2019.

Harlem

Gailo Chop

My main aim whilst I was in the stalls was to get a photo of highly regarded  New Zealand mare Campionessa. Her compatriot and stablemate Imperatriz had won the Group 1 William Reid Stakes the night before at Moonee Valley.

Campionessa

Campionessa was entered in the Australian Cup, and only got a run after several horses were scratched.

Other Australian Cup runners I came across in the stalls were…

El Patroness

Nonconformist

Smokin’  Romans

Cascadian

Bear Story

Yaphet

Figuring I probably needed some action photo practice I abandoned the stalls and wandered up to my favourite spot on the Western Lawn in plenty of time to watch Race 4, the Listed Bob Hoysted Handicap, a sprint over 1000 metres.

Kallos won the race from The Bopper with A Very Fine Red finishing third

Kallos wins the Bob Hoysted Handicap

The Bopper

Kallos returns to scale

Race 5, the  Listed Roy Higgins, run over 2600 metres was of more interest as the winner scores a Golden Ticket into the Melbourne Cup.

Goldman led the race from the start to the finish to win by almost three lengths from Soulcombe with Swords Drawn running third a further length behind. Goldman is now early  favourite for the Melbourne Cup, and I  can understand why; it was an impressive win.

Goldman wins the Roy Higgins easily

Soulcombe (blue) & Swords Drawn run second and third

Goldman returns to scale

Soulcombe returns to scale

A couple of years ago speedy mare Sunlight was a big favourite of mine, so it was pleasing to see that she now has a race named in her honour. This was the Listed  Sunlight Classic, a sprint over 1000 metres and run as Race 6 last Saturday at Flemington.

A large field of fifteen runners contested the event and What You Need was the starting favourite. He won convincingly by a length from Renosu and Benedetta.

 
What You Need (navy & white) overtaking  Renosu  and Benedetta to win the Sunlight Classic

What You Need returns to scale

Up next was the feature Group 1 race of the afternoon, the Australian Cup.

Whilst waiting for it to start I checked out the band that was playing in the Elms. Over the afternoon, they had been playing soothing pop numbers, the only one I recognised was Water Melon Sugar, mostly because I have fond memories of reading the book  (by Richard Brautigan) with a similar name in the dim distant past.

Band

It wasn’t the classiest field assembled for the Australian Cup with no real stand out horses. Cascadian started as favourite after his impressive second placing in the All Star Mile.

Here are some photos of the contestants on their way to the barriers…

Cascadian

Emissary

El Patroness

Campionessa

Nonconformist

Pounding

Regal Power

Smokin’ Romans

Numerian

Cascadian won the race in sensational  fashion, storming from the back of field to overtake Numerian who led from the start. Pounding finished third.

Australian Cup finish – another photo

I didn’t hang around after the Australian Cup was run being anxious to catch the first train back to city from Flemington at 4.39 pm.

The focus of Group 1 racing will switch to Sydney from now on with the so called Championships offering plenty of exciting racing action, which I will be content to watch at home.

All Things Bright and Beautiful

Mr Brightside wins the 2023 All Star Mile

When heading off to the races you never really know how the afternoon will play out, the weather, along with the racing action, making the experience unexpected.

Last Saturday the weather was pretty awful, overcast for the main with gusty winds, making it unpleasant for this contact lens wearer.

Anyway, it was All Star Mile Day at Moonee Valley and I had a ticket, so forth I went on the trusty 510 Bus, arriving around 2.00 pm.

Surprisingly it wasn’t all that crowded, so it was easy to get a good position on the fence from which to take photos of the action.

I tested the camera in Race 4 and noticed that the light was not ideal.

Race 4 charge up the straight – winner Bel Air is furthest left

I gave Race 5 a miss, and hung around in the stalls area for awhile before deciding I needed more photo practice before the main event.

Race 6 was the Listed Abell Stakes run over 1200 metres, so I returned to the fence and managed to get better photos of the action. I saw the fall of Florescent Star from a distance, and was dismayed to see the green screen go up, as she was euthanised.

She’s All Class won from In The Boat and Mileva.

Race 6 – She’s All Class is furthest left in olive green silks

As the All Star Mile was up next, I stayed where I was on the fence. The fall in the previous race delayed the start by over half an hour. The sun briefly emerged from the cloud cover, but didn’t hang around for the feature event.

A bit of pomp and circumstance  in the form of girls marching out on to the track with flags signalled that the race was not far off.

Here are photos of some of the contenders as they made their way to the barriers.

Alligator Blood

Alenquer

Keats

Mr Brightside

My Oberon

Pounding

The Inevitable

Sheeza Belter

So Si Bon

As All Star Mile fields go, it wasn’t the most interesting by any means, but the race itself was worth waiting for.

No doubt the Hayes brothers were delighted with Mr Brightside’s victory.  Cascadian finished second and Tassie champ The Inevitable ran third, just ahead of Alligator Blood.

Another photo of Mr Brightside winning the All Star Mile

And so ended another All Star Mile, after which I headed home.

With the delay in proceedings at Moonee Valley, I did manage to see the Sydney races on the Big Screen, where Anamoe won the George Ryder Stakes and Shinzo was victorious in the Golden Slipper,  giving trainer Chris Waller his first Golden Slipper trophy.

Next Saturday is the last Group 1 meeting of the Melbourne Autumn Carnival and is at Flemington, where the Australian Cup is the feature event.

Secret Girl Power–Super Saturday Review

In Secret wins the 2023 Newmarket Handicap

When I set out to catch a train to Flemington, I was hoping to get there in time to watch Race 3,  the Group 2, Kewney Stakes, but I missed it. It was won by Revolutionary Miss.

Rather than head for my usual spot on the western lawn, I decided to check out the stalls area first and get some photos of the Newmarket Handicap contenders, though I only came across a few.

I Wish I Win – the Newmarket starting favourite

Last year’s Newmarket winner Roch ’N’ Horse

2019 Melbourne Cup winner Vow and Declare was also present, set to run in the Australian Cup Prelude later in the afternoon.

Vow and Declare

Whilst I was dilly dallying in the stalls area, I missed getting back  to my usual spot to photograph the Group 2 Sires Produce Stakes. I did however manage to watch the field charging down the straight and noticed the two riderless horses, though mercifully missed the falls that resulted in jockeys Craig Williams and Jamie Kah being transported to hospital. Both horses, Flyball and Dubenenko, were alright thank goodness.

This alarming incident delayed proceedings for the rest of the afternoon, so the next race, the Group 2  Matron Stakes was run half an hour after its scheduled start.

By the rime it was run I had managed to get to my favourite spot and was able to get photos of the action.

Sirileo Miss wins the Matron Stakes

Sirileo Miss led from start and won by over three lengths from Excelida and Barb Raider.

Sirileo Miss on her way to the barriers

Excelida (checks) and Barb Raider fill the placings

It was a pleasant sunny day trackside, so not that onerous to kill time between the rescheduled races, and there wasn’t much of crowd present either.

Next up was the Australian Cup Prelude, run over 2000 metres.

Right You Are started as favourite and prevailed, holding off Vow and Declare to win by over a length. Emissary ran third.

Right You Are wins the Australian Cup Prelude from Vow and Declare

Right You Are on his way to barriers

Vow and Declare on his way to the barriers

Emissary on his way to the barriers

The feature Newmarket Handicap was next up. It had attracted a super field of classy sprinters. I Wish I Win started as favourite, but sole three year old filly In Secret thrashed the field to win convincingly from Lofty Strike with I Wish I Win running third.

Luckily, In Secret raced down the centre of the track, so I was able to get some good photos of her winning the race.

Another shot of In Secret winning the Newmarket Handicap

Lofty Strike runs second

In Secret returns to scale

By this time, what with the delay caused by the falls in Race 4, it was after 5.00pm, so I called it quits and headed for the station and home.

It’s interesting that the two recent Flemington Group 1 sprint races were won by three year old fillies, no doubt in part due to the light weight they were allotted to carry.

Next Saturday I’m heading to Moonee Valley for the running of the All Star Mile, but I will be returning to Flemington for Australian Cup Day  on 25th March.