Alligator Draws Blood in the Guineas

Alligator Blood wins the Australian Guineas

The Australian Guineas meeting at Flemington last Saturday was run under sunny skies, so it was more pleasurable than my last outing to the big track. 

The expected showdown between Alligator Blood and Catalyst in the feature race didn’t eventuate, but the tough Queensland gelding, niggled most of the way by rank outsider Commodus, won his first Group 1 race comfortably by 1¼ lengths from the fast finishing West Australian gelding Superstorm and Soul Patch. Catalyst failed to fire and finished sixth.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

I arrived at  Flemington shortly after 1.00pm where Race 2, the Roy Higgins Quality was in progress. It was won by King of Leogrance from Dabiyr and Naval Warfare.

As there was plenty of time on hand I headed for the stalls area to see who had arrived on course. The Guineas contenders were there and the first I came across was none other than Alligator Blood.

Alligator Blood looking bright in his stall

Alabama Express

Catalyst

Superstorm

Soul Patch

Back trackside Race 3, the Listed Very Special  Kids Plate was next up. Run over 1000 metres it was a race for two year olds and was won quite impressively by Ilovemyself from River Night and Time Is Precious.

Ilovemyself winning the Very Special Kids Plate

Warm favourite Sylvia’s Mother won race 4, the Group 3 Frances Tressady Stakes from Mamzelle Tess and Fidelia.

Sylvia’s Mother (yellow silks) wins the Frances Tressady Stakes

Most of the races preceding the Guineas were not terribly interesting, but good for photography practice.

Another Group 3 , race 5 was the Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap and was won by Blazejowski a grey son of Dash For Cash who coincidently won the 2002 Australian Guineas. Morvada finished second and starting favourite Age of Chivalry third.

Blazejowski, Morvada & Age of Chivalry cross the finish line together

The highly touted Western Australian mare Fabergino, having her first start in the East, led  from the start to the finish to easily win Race 6, the Listed Bob Hoysted Handicap, a sprint over 1000 metres down the long Flemington straight.

She won by over a length from Embrace Me and Haunted.

Fabergino wins the Bob Hoysted Handicap

Fabergino returns to scale

As the Australian Guineas was next to jump we headed to the mounting yard for the pre-race parade and watched the running of the Surround Stakes in Sydney on the big screen. New Zealand filly Probabeel stole the prize from Funstar with Xilong running third. Fellow New Zealander and stablemate Te Akau Shark took out the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes later in the afternoon.

Meanwhile back at Flemington the small Guineas field was parading in the mounting yard.

Alligator Blood

Catalyst

Superstorm

I’ve described the 2020 Australian Guineas above, and was delighted that Alligator Blood was victorious and glad that I managed to get some good photos of him in action.

Alligator Blood defeats Superstorm & Soul Patch

Alligator Blood on his way to the barriers

Alligator Blood returns to scale – a delighted Ryan Maloney throws his goggles to the crowd on the fence

A pat from trainer David Vandyke

Alligator Blood’s next race is the All Star Mile at Caulfield on March 14. I do hope his connections don’t burn him out with over racing. I would not be disappointed if he doesn’t run in the ASM. He has after all run and won five races since early December 2019 with hardly a break between.

Next weekend is Super Saturday at Flemington again, featuring the Group 1 Australian Cup and Newmarket Handicap.

As I’ve been writing this post a big truck has been digging a hole in the footpath and making a hell of a racket – very distracting!

Alligator Blood vs Catalyst - Round Two

Alligator Blood & Catalyst – CS Hayes Stakes finish

It goes without saying that I am keenly looking forward to the Australian Guineas at Flemington next Saturday, where a rematch between Alligator Blood and Catalyst  in the feature race will be the must see event of the afternoon.

As well as the aforementioned rivals, Orr Stakes winner Alabama Express is an exciting addition in the field along with the mystery West Australian Superstorm. Let’s hope Alligator Blood and Catalyst have recovered from their fierce competition in the CS Hayes Stakes and provide another exciting contest. The Australian Guineas is run over 1600 metres, 200 metres longer the CS Hayes, and  that could make all the difference to the outcome of the race.

Last year, Tasmanian filly Mystic Journey thrashed the boys in the 2019 Australian Guineas, but this year’s crop of three year old colts and geldings are cut above those that ran in that race.

Mystic Journey winning the 2019 Australian Guineas

Speaking of classy fillies, the Group 1 Surround Stakes at Randwick on Saturday has a really excellent field that includes Flit (2019 Thousand Guineas winner), Lyre (2019 Blue Diamond Stakes winner), Kiamichi (2019 Golden Slipper winner), Funstar (2019 Flight Stakes winner) , and highly regarded New Zealand filly Probabeel.

The other Group 1 race at Randwick on Saturday is the Chipping Norton Stakes. From 2016 to 2019 it was won by the mighty Winx, so this year another horse will have a chance to add it to their CV.

In contention are the usual suspects such as Happy Clapper, Avilius, Homesman, Dreamforce and Fierce Impact. The inclusion in the field of talented New Zealander Te Akau Shark, who ran third in the 2019 Cox Plate, makes it interesting.

Due to the Flemington train timetable, I’ll probably get to Flemington early in the afternoon, probably by race 3. Another mild and sunny afternoon is forecast – perfect for photography.

Blue Diamond Stakes Day Review

Tagaloa holds off Hanseatic to win the Blue Diamond Stakes

There has been much commentary since Saturday regarding the track bias at Caulfield on Blue Diamond Stakes Day, which favoured on pace runners. And indeed watching the racing action, the winners of the four races I witnessed either led from the start or were close to the leader during the race. It was a disastrous day for favourites.

I took my time getting to Caulfield arriving just before race 4, the Group 3 Mannerism Stakes for mares over 1400 metres. Pretty grey mare Greysful Glamour led from the start and was never headed, winning by over a length from Bam’s On Fire and favourite Spanish Reef.

Greysful Glamour burns down the straight with Bam’s On Fire in hot pursuit

Greysful Glamour on her way to the barriers

La Tene in the Angus Armanesco Stakes (race 5) raced mid field on the fence, then broke through to overtake the leaders to win by a nose from Lady Lupino.

La Tene & Lady Lupino fight out the finish

Race 6 was the first of the Group 1 events, the Futurity Stakes where it was expected that Kolding, Super Seth and Melody Belle would feature prominently.  The unfancied Streets of Avalon who hadn’t won for yonks,  took the lead shortly after the start and held off a challenge from Super Seth to win his first Group 1 race, and a chance to run in the All Star Mile. Kolding was a major disappointment, apparently not handling the Melbourne way of going, and finished fifth. Melody Belle ran a meritorious third.

Streets of Avalon holds off Super Seth to win the Futurity Stakes

Hanseatic was the warm favourite for the Blue Diamond Stakes and was aiming to become the first horse to win the Blue Diamond Preview/Prelude and Blue Diamond Stakes since Sepoy in 2011. As was the pattern of the day he did not succeed, beaten narrowly by the 26/1 shot Tagaloa, though he tried hard to overtake him. Personal stormed from the back of the field to run third.

Tagaloa parades in the mounting yard after winning the Blue Diamond Stakes

Hanseatic playing up as he heads for the barriers

I did not stay for the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate.  Speedy mare Pippie led all the way to win from Zoutori and Crystal Dreamer. The trifecta paid almost $6,500.

There are only three more Saturdays of Group racing in Melbourne and next week features the Group 1 Australian Guineas at Flemington. Mystic Journey won it last year, but this year promises to be super special with Alligator Blood and Catalyst set to resume their rivalry. They will be challenged by Orr Stakes winner Alabama Express and the highly regarded West Australian Superstorm, among others.

The weather is expected to be similar to last Saturday, mild and sunny.

Orr Stakes Express

Alabama Express returning to scale after winning the Group 1 Orr Stakes

Due to the positively awful weather I chose not to attend the first Saturday meeting of February at Caulfield, much as I would have liked to go, so was disappointed not to see Super Seth take out the Manfred Stakes in impressive fashion. I did however watch the races on my computer, and seeing the rain bucketing down, was thankful to be home and dry.

The weather last Saturday was warm and sunny, though a stiff breeze made it somewhat less than perfect, but it was the first Group 1 meeting of the new Autumn racing season and one not to miss.

Trains thankfully were back on track, so it took less time to reach Caulfield and I arrived in plenty of time to see the first of the Blue Diamond Preludes, the Group 2 Fillies Prelude run over 1100 metres.

As the field was heading out to the starting gates, one filly, Clean Machine, ditched her jockey, Luke Nolen, and took off back to the mounting yard. She was easily caught and guided out once more without drama. I assume a slipped saddle caused her to rear as I noticed she was resaddled at the barriers.

The race itself ended in 30/1 shot Letzbeglam running away with the prize, winning by over 2 lengths from Muntaseera and Geist. Starting favourite was Fresh who finished last.

With a swish of her tail Letzbeglam takes off down the straight

It was different story in the colts and geldings  Blue Diamond Prelude with second favourite Rulership looking the winner up until the last minute when Hanseatic bolted from the tail of the field to snatch victory on the line.  Raithlin finished third.

Rulership & Raithlin fight it out down the straight

Hanseatic charges into the picture to overtake Rulership

The next three races on the card were won by favourites, the first of these being the Group 2 Autumn Stakes, a race for three year old's over 1400 metres. Microphone who won the Group 1 Sires Produce Stakes last year and ran second to Kiamichi in the 2019 Golden Slipper was the class colt in the race and the natural favourite.  He looked at one stage as if he couldn’t win, but rallied and tackled the leader Banquo to win by a narrow margin. Adelaide Ace ran a close third.

Microphone about to overtake Banquo as they approach the finish line

Microphone on his way to the barriers

Race 6, the Group 2 Rubiton Stakes was up next. A sprint over 1100 metres it has been won in the past by the likes of Chautauqua, Lankan Rupee, and Nature Strip last year. The favourite was three year old filly Anaheed, who romped in to win by 1¼ lengths from Bold Star and All Too Royal.

Anaheed in full flight down the straight

The feature race was of course the Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes, scheduled to run as Race 8 at 4.50pm, so the Group 3 Carlyon Cup was next up.  A race over 1600 metres, Miss Siska, a half sister to Black Caviar’s great rival Hay List, was the favourite.

She delivered in spades, and after racing three wide for most of the race, won by 1¼ lengths from Odeon  and Guizot.

Miss Siska flashes down the straight

Odeon leads the rest of the field behind Miss Siska

Miss Siska on her way to the barriers

Odeon on his way to the barriers

Guizot on his way to the barriers

It had been a long afternoon so it was a relief when the Orr Stakes field finally filed out onto the track.

As my photos of some of the contenders turned out rather well here is a selection.

Avilius

Begood Toya Mother

Hey Doc

Ringerdingding

Scales of Justice

So Si Bon

Former Western Australian horse Scales of Justice started as favourite, but ended up unplaced. Hey Doc and Begood Toya Mother fought out the lead for most of the race, then were swamped by Alabama Express who had been racing handy in fourth place and sailed past to win by a neck from the fast finishing Fierce Impact and Kings Will Dream.

Alabama Express takes the lead

Alabama Express in full flight down the straight

Alabama Express was the sole three year old in the field, so he did have a weight advantage. A son of Redoute’s Choice, he emulated his sire who won the C.F. Orr Stakes at the age of three 20 years ago in 2000.

I can’t say I’ve ever taken much notice of Alabama Express and obviously the punters didn’t give him a chance as he paid a generous double figure dividend.

Next Saturday the racing is at Flemington for the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning, starring Nature Strip. Also on the card is the C S Hayes Stakes which looks like it could be a doozy of a race with the exciting prospect of Alligator Blood taking on top New Zealand colt Catalyst and possibly Super Seth as well.