Easter Weekend–Thank Heavens for Horse Racing

Winx – QE Stakes 2017

As we’ve never gone anywhere at Easter(or not for many decades), the Covid 19 lock down hardly makes a difference to the Cat Politics domicile, we being content to stay home and kill the time with our usual occupations.

In my case I’ve always enjoyed watching the races which thankfully are still being run, albeit without public attendance.

This Saturday’s race meeting at Randwick marks the first anniversary of Winx’s final race in her illustrious career in the 2019 Queen Elizabeth Stakes. She went out a winner naturally, achieving the rare distinction of winning the QE Stakes for the third time. I was fortunate to witness in person her first QE victory in 2017.

As well as the Queen Elizabeth Stakes there are three other choice Group 1 events on the program – Sydney Cup, Australian Oaks and Coolmore Legacy Stakes.

The Oaks is the first to run and appears a match race between New Zealand filly Probabeel and new filly on the block Colette, with Shout the Bar, Nudge and Toffee Tongue all a good chance as well.

Verry Elleegant won the Australian Oaks last year and is one of the fancied contenders in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes this year. At her last start a fortnight ago she won the Group 1 Tancred Stakes spectacularly by over 4 lengths, though was beaten narrowly by English horse Addeybb in the Group 1  Ranvet Stakes at her previous start.  Addeybb is again one of her rivals in the QE Stakes, so it will be interesting to see if she can turn the tables on him this time round.

Both will have to defeat the classy Japanese contender Danon Premium whose form against such leading lights as Cox Plate heroine Lys Gracieux and Japan Cup winner Almond Eye is excellent.

Overall the 2020 Queen Elizabeth Stakes field is a doozy with the likes of New Zealanders Te Akau Shark and Melody Belle, Melbourne Cup winner Vow and Declare and highly regarded import Master of Wine all in contention. It looks a fabulous race and one not to be missed.

The Sydney Cup like its Melbourne counterpart is run over 3200 metres. Top chances are Young Rascal, Mustajeer and Raheen House, among others.

Run over 1600 metres, the Coolmore Legacy Stakes for fillies and mares has attracted  a top class field that includes shock Doncaster Mile winner Nettoyer, the classy Alizee, Victorian mare Miss Siska, the in form Positive Peace and sole filly Funstar having her first start against the older mares. 

So that’s my Saturday afternoon entertainment settled, even if I can’t be there in person.

Update Sunday Afternoon

It was an interesting afternoon of racing that I watched on my computer yesterday.

Colette, a small but tough filly, a daughter of 2014 Golden Rose winner Hallowed Crown, won the Australian Oaks impressively by a couple of lengths from Toffee Tongue and Quintessa. She’s one to watch for in the spring.

New Zealand mare, Etah James now trained by Ciaron Maher, won the Sydney Cup from fellow New Zealander The Chosen One.

As expected the Queen Elizabeth Stakes was exciting and resulted in British horse Addeybb getting the better of Verry Elleegant once again. The hyped Japanese horse Danon Premium was left wanting on the heavy track and finished third.

The Gai Waterhouse trained, former American mare, Con Te Partiro took out the Coolmore Legacy with Funstar unable to overtake her in the straight. Danzdanzdance, another New Zealander finished third.

Rest In Peace Might and Power who died yesterday evening after suffering a colic attack from which he could not be saved.

He had an illustrious career on the track winning the rare treble of the Caulfield Cup, Melbourne Cup and Cox Plate, as well as several other Group 1 races.

I was at Moonee Valley when he won the 1998 Cox Plate and still remember the occasion vividly.

He was a long time popular resident at Living Legends and was often to be seen on race days at Flemington, which is where I took the above photo in 2016. He was 26 years old.

Stayin’ Alive

Bingo keeping watch on the front veranda

As years go, 2020 has turned into an annus horribilius. We’ve had drought, fires, floods and now pestilence- apocalypse now!

It’s hard to believe that we are now living through a Science Fiction dystopia, though I can’t recall that in any of the SF dystopic novels I’ve read, toilet paper (the lack thereof)  becoming such a big issue as it is in these crazy days.

Being retired there’s no problem maintaining a social distance as I’m not obliged to get up every morning and go to work and mingle with the general populace. I’ve hardly stirred from home for weeks, my only outings have been to the Victoria Market on Thursdays and going to the Super Market every so often for supplies.

Two concerts I was to attend in March have been postponed or cancelled, and forget heading off to the Museum and National Gallery for an art or cultural fix, they’re closed. That also goes for Saturday afternoons at the track.

I was disappointed that fans were banned from attending  the All Star Mile meeting at Caulfield last weekend, but would have felt apprehensive about attending anyway. Alligator Blood ended up unplaced and Western Australian gallopers Regal Power and Superstorm ran the quinella. Melody Belle ran third.

Being in the age group most vulnerable to infection by Covid19, I feel paranoid travelling on public transport, and have become hyper alert about keeping my distance from other commuters and avoiding contact with surfaces likely to be infected.

By chance I happened to be in Chemist Warehouse earlier this week when some hand sanitiser was put on the shelf. It didn't last long, but I managed to grab two containers, which eased my anxiety when travelling to the market yesterday as I could sanitise my hands on the go.

This time last year I travelled to Sydney to see Winx in her penultimate appearance at the track.  I returned with a nasty cold, so I had no desire to attend the Golden Slipper meeting at Rosehill this year. Even if I did I wouldn’t have got into the racecourse; the ATC has banned public attendance.

Who knows how long the racing industry will be able to keep the races going. Sydney’s big Autumn carnival is just starting, Golden Slipper Day kicking it off tomorrow in fine fashion with five Group 1 races on the program.

2019 Golden Slipper Trophy

The first of these is the Ranvet Stakes, run over 2000 metres. It was won by Avilius last year and he will be aiming to win it again this year. So far this season he has been disappointing, failing to run a place in three starts. Irish horse AddeyBB having his first start in Australia looks a very classy horse considering the quality of opposition he has raced against in the UK and may blitz the local mob.  Verry Elleegant ran a narrow second to Te Akau Shark in the Chipping Norton Stakes recently and is highly fancied to win.

Winx won the past four George Ryder Stakes, so another galloper has an opportunity to win it this year. Top chances are Te Akau Shark, The Bostonian, Alizee and Super Seth.

Shadow Hero, winner of the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes and more recently the Randwick Guineas, is understandably the favourite for the Rosehill Guineas. His main threats are New Zealander Sherwood Forest, Victorian Derby winner Warning, Prince Fawaz, Chenier and Castelvecchio who was disappointing last start.

The Golden Slipper is always a fascinating race. I was fortunate to witness the last two editions in person. Fillies Estijaab (2018) and Kiamichi (2019) won those. So who will win the richest two year old race this year?

Of the boys, the top picks are Tagaloa (Blue Diamond Stakes winner) Hanseatic (Blue Diamond Stakes runner up) Farnan (Todman Stakes winner) and Prague. Fancied fillies are Away Game, Dame Giselle, Hungry Heart and Minhaaj.

The final Group 1 of the afternoon is the Galaxy, a sprint over 1100 metres, won by Nature Strip last year.  Pierata narrow runner up to Nature Strip last year appears the top chance in this year’s edition. Others worthy of consideration are In Her Time with a great first up record, the in form Savatiano, and Kementari , who was a failure at stud and is back racing after a year’s absence, and gelded to boot.

Tonight at Moonee Valley the final Group 1 of Melbourne’s Autumn racing season, the William Reid Stakes, is scheduled to run at 8.30pm. Mystic Journey, whose Autumn season was stymied by a leg infection. makes her first appearance since the Cox Plate in this race. It’s a bit short for her, but it will be interesting to see how she runs in it.

Newmarket Handicap winner Bivouac is the favourite, but he faces a classy field that includes along with Mystic Journey, Loving Gaby, Gytrash, Exceedance and Pippie.

Even though I will be maintaining a social distance at home (pretty normal for me) there are still things to enjoy, such as the racing on TV.

There are  also books to read – I’m currently rereading Hilary Mantel’s first two Cromwell books, preparatory to reading the last book, The Mirror and the Light which I have acquired in a lovely signed hardcover first edition.

Also I have a backlog of purchased computer games I mean to get through over the next few months, waiting for Covid19 to pass. Above all I hope to still be alive at the end of it.

Justice Triumphs – Memsie Stakes Day Review

Scales of Justice storms down the straight to win the Memsie Stakes

The major disruptions to public transport on Saturday, meant that it took considerably longer than usual to reach Caulfield from Ivanhoe, but I did arrive shortly after my anticipated ETA , as Race 4 was in progress.

For a change, as trains were not running on the Caulfield line, I took a tram from Flinders Street to the track. It traces a scenic route through the bayside suburb of St Kilda, and stops very close to the Caulfield Racecourse, so I only had to catch two methods of transport instead of three if I’d taken the replacement bus.

On arrival I didn’t bother watching race 4, but headed to the stalls area to see who had arrived. I came across Alizee first off, standing calmly in her stall.

Memsie favourite Alizee

It was rather pointless taking stall photos with the bright sunlight making it difficult to see the subject and also adding an unwanted flare effect to my photos.

Though the sunlight was problematic in the stalls area it was welcome when taking photos trackside on the public lawn.

My step stool is blessing as I can now get a clear view over the rail, which was impossible previously. I had no trouble getting it into the course, though admittedly was not stopped at all by the security personnel at the entrance gate.

Race 5, the Group 3 H. D. F. McNeil Stakes was the first of four races I witnessed over the afternoon. Super Seth started as favourite and prevailed over race leader King of Hastings, winning by 1¼ lengths, with Sebrakate running third.

 
Super Seth (no 4) is about to overtake King of Hastings in the straight

The second race in the MRC Everest Series, which qualifies the winner to run in the Schillaci Stakes was The Heath, race 6, a sprint over 1,100 metres.  Vega Magic, back after a long lay off due to injury, started as the warm favourite.  However, though he initially raced on the speed, he faded to finish last and may not race again. He actually won the 2017 Memsie Stakes and was regarded a top sprinter a year or so ago.

Crystal Dreamer won the race at big odds (40/1) by ½ length from Gytrash with race leader Ball of Muscle filling third place.

Crystal Dreamer overtakes Ball of Muscle in the dash to the finish

The speedy Pippie, on a roll of two consecutive wins, was the warm favourite for Race 7, the Group 3 Cockram Stakes, and win she did, leading from the start to record a 1½ length margin over second placed Spanish Whisper and  Sylvia’s Mother, a close third.

Pippie holds her lead from Sylvia’s Mother down the straight

Pippie returning to the stalls area after winner’s presentation

The feature race was of course the Memsie Stakes and it was up next with Alizee starting as favourite.  It was however a pretty open race, with any number of chances. Begood Toya Mother fought out the lead with Despatch, but  both were swooped by the back markers, in particular Scales of Justice who seized the lead half way down the straight. So Si Bon and Alizee flew from the rear to run second and third, close to the finishing post.

Scales of Justice on his way to the barriers

Though I didn’t have to wait long for a tram and train home, it still took two hours to get there, so hopefully  transport disruptions will not be too tiresome as the Spring Racing Carnival progresses.

It has been enjoyable going back to the races, and it can only get better as the equine stars come out to  shine, and also pleasant to catch up with my racing photographer friends Rebecca and George.

Next Saturday is Feehan Stakes day at Moonee Valley. I’m glad that the so called Cox Plate qualifier, known as the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes since 2005, has reverted to its original name after all this time. What’s more a pretty good field has nominated for the event. But the icing on the cake is the nomination of both Sunlight and Nature Strip in the McEwen Stakes, a mouth watering prospect. Alas they’re also nominated for the Concorde Stakes in Sydney, so I suppose it all depends on weather and track conditions where they will run.

Winter’s Almost Over–Group 1 Racing Returns at Caulfield

Humidor - winner of the 2018 Memsie Stakes

A sunny day is forecast tomorrow, so what better way to celebrate the last day of winter than to head out for an afternoon at the races.

The first Group 1 of Melbourne’s Spring racing season is the Memsie Stakes and it is the feature race at Caulfield.

Run over 1400 metres, it boasts a star studded cast of prior winners that include Sunline, So You Think, Makybe Diva, to name a few.

Last year it was won by Humidor at big odds. He is again part of the field of thirteen that have accepted for the event. Black Heart Bart, who won the Memsie in 2016, has emerged from retirement to try his luck in this year’s edition, having not been seen at the races since October last year.

Alizee is the current favourite and could well prevail, already having a win at her first start this season. She won the Group 1 Futurity Stakes in autumn over the same distance and course.

The highly interesting field also has the popular Begood Toya Mother thrown in at the deep end at his first start at Weight For Age, and the reformed rogue So Si Bon who won the Group 3 Aurie’s Star earlier this month.

Overall it’s a pretty even field with any of the runners in with a chance, such as  Hartnell, Scales of Justice, Fundamentalist and Cliff’s Edge.

The  support card is also pretty interesting with several Group 3 events, particularly the HDF McNeil Stakes for three year olds, where Dubious will be out to redeem his reputation after his poor showing in the Vain Stakes.

It will be tricky getting to Caulfield via public transport tomorrow, with no city loop trains and buses replacing trains to Caulfield and leaving from Parliament Station, leading me to decide to tram it to Caulfield from Flinders Street, where the Hurtsbridge train line terminates.

I hope to arrive at Caulfield around 2.00 pm. Happily the rail will be in its true postion, so photography should be easier this time. Even so, I’m taking my new step for public lawn shots.

Mystic Magic – All Star Mile Review

Mystic Journey wins the inaugural All Star Mile from Hartnell & Alizee

Though the supporting race card was somewhat uninteresting, it was worth all the trouble of getting to Flemington via public transport for the first running of the All Star Mile.

As the papers have said, it was one of those fairytale results, where the bargain basement Tasmanian trained filly Mystic Journey blitzed the All Star Mile field and earned her connections over $2 million in prize money.

I have personally witnessed Mystic Journey racing four times for four wins, firstly on 22 September 2018 at Caulfield, where she won a listed race at big odds, then at Moonee Valley on Cox Plate day when she won the Group 2 Fillies Classic, beating Fundamentalist who recently narrowly lost to The Autumn Sun.  Then of course I saw her win the Australian Guineas earlier this month.

She is certainly a special filly, whom I thought had a really good chance to take out the All Star Mile.
I reached Flemington at around 1.20 pm after a long bus ride from Ivanhoe to Queen Street, then a walk to Spencer Street to catch a train to Flemington Racecourse.

Race 2 was in progress as I made my way up the public lawn to stow my step behind the rose hedge near the access gate.  When passing through security at the railway entrance I thought for a moment that I would not be permitted to take the step inside, but eventually was waved through after the security guard checked with another guard who had no issue with it.

With the inner rail being out 7 metres, it would have been impossible to get good rail free photos without the step.

One of my aims for the day was to get Tony McEvoy’s signature on Sunlight’s name in the Coolmore Stud Stakes and Newmarket Stakes racebooks. I’d also taken along the Australian Guineas racebook on the off chance I could get Mystic Journey’s trainer Adam Trinder’s signature.

I therefore hung around in the stalls area for a fair while and missed both race 3 and race 4.

Mystic Journey  arrived whilst I was waiting, so I managed to get a blinkers free photo of her in her stall.

Mystic Journey

Note that in the above photo she is wearing a green bridle. Shortly after this photo was taken she was moved to another area close by and emerged with a red bridle.  Adam Trinder was with her so I attracted his attention and he signed my copy of the Australian Guineas racebook. He was pretty amazed to be asked and actually thanked me.  A pity I didn’t get his signature on the All Star Mile racebook, but I didn’t want to jinx Mystic Journey by presumption of victory.

Tony McEvoy didn’t show up in the stalls area, so I gave up on his signature and returned track side for the rest of the afternoon.

Race 5 was the Grand Classic Final, a race for 4 year olds and up over 2000 metres.

Wetakemanhattan won the race from Dark Pearl and El Don.

Grand Classic Final finish

Wetakemanhattan on his way to the barriers

Dark Pearl on his way to the barriers

More photography practice was afforded by Race 6, the Grand Mile Final, also a pretty open race with a number of imported horses having their first start in Australia.

The locally bred Prometheus romped in to win by three lengths from race favourite Mr Reckless and Remember the Name.

Prometheus then daylight at the Grand Mile Final finish

Mr Reckless on his way to the barriers

The All Star Mile was scheduled to run at 5.10 pm as Race 8, so there was one more race to run before that happened.

This was the March Stakes and somewhat more interesting than the previous races.

Widgee Turf was the starting favourite and won by a short margin after fighting out the finish with Tasmanian trained Hellova Street and Streets of Avalon.

March Stakes finish – Widgee Turf,  Hellova Street & Streets of Avalon
cross the line together

Widgee Turf on his way to the barriers

Hellova Street returns to scale

Streets of Avalon on his way to the barriers

After the March Stakes I stowed my step and headed for the mounting yard, ostensibly to watch the Group 1 Coolmore Classic in Sydney on the big screen and also grab a rose free section on the mounting yard fence to photograph the All Star Mile runners parading.

I certainly wasn’t expecting the razzmatazz that ensued in the mounting yard before the runners arrived. And forget the screening of the Coolmore Classic, as the interim period was taken up with over the top pomp and circumstance in the form of drummers, flag bearers, dancers (in glittering leotards) accompanied by loud musical effects.

Drummers

Flags & Dancers

Jockeys enter through a corridor of dancers

Dancers

Flags

As previously mentioned it was excessive and over the top, but it made me laugh and I did get some good snaps.

The decks were cleared before the horses were brought to the mounting yard.

Hartnell

Mystic Journey

Alizee

Hawkshot

Le Romain

Happy Clapper

Back on the Western Lawn just past the winning post, I reassembled my step and found a low rose hedge point that gave me a good view of the post and straight. I had to move around a bit to avoid being blocked by the official photographers.

The All Star Mile as a race was up there with Group 1 class in terms of interest and excitement, with Hawkshot setting the pace and Le Romain and Grunt close behind him. Mystic Journey started from barrier 13 and raced mid field, three wide, for most of the trip, then took off at the 200 in pursuit of Alizee who had seized the lead. She sailed past her to win by 1.75 lengths. Evergreen Hartnell, who raced on the inside and was blocked for a run until the last minute, ran second. Alizee hung on for third.

The cream certainly rose to the top, the first six runners home being  Group 1 winners and the 200/1 chances all finished at the tail of the field.

Mystic Journey returns to scale

Hartnell on his way to the barriers

Alizee returns to scale

Mystic Journey has been sent for a spell, but will be back in Melbourne in spring where she will tackle the Cox Plate.  She has never raced beyond 1600 metres, but her breeding suggests she’ll have no trouble running 2000 + metres.

As the sun sets on the great Winx, who has only two more races to run, it’s thrilling that already there’s a potential heir apparent in the Tasmanian filly.

And so ended Melbourne’s autumn racing carnival. Last year I was underwhelmed by the carnival, but this year was a great improvement mostly due to the performances of the star three year old fillies Sunlight and Mystic Journey.

Next Saturday I will be in Sydney to witness Winx running her penultimate race in the George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill. There are five Group 1 races on the program, the Golden Slipper being the feature event, supported by the Ranvet Stakes, Rosehill Guineas, George Ryder Stakes and The Galaxy.

The final Group 1 of Melbourne’s autumn season is the William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley on Friday night, where Sunlight will be aiming to add a third Group 1 win to her CV.

The All Star Mile

Mystic Journey – Flemington 2/3/19

This Saturday at Flemington sees the running of the inaugural All Star Mile, a new “pop up” race devised by Racing Victoria to emulate Sydney’s Everest sprint.

A field of 14 contestants will vie for the $5 million prize money and the fame and glory that goes with winning a new race for the first time.

Half the field are given no chance, these being the horses elected by the general public whose form leaves a lot to be desired. They all have big ownership groups, hence their popularity. Old Foundry has been scratched which allows one of the better quality emergencies to run, in this case Le Romain, a triple Group 1 winner.

Despite the dross, there are several classy gallopers in the field, these being Group 1 winners Happy Clapper, Alizee, Hartnell, Grunt, Amphitrite and Mystic Journey.

Alizee is the favourite with Mystic Journey being highly fancied as well. Happy Clapper has not won a race in Melbourne to date, but is likely to be in the finish if he has recovered from his last race against the mighty Winx.

I’ll be barracking for the Tasmanian filly. Go Mystic!

It will be tricky getting to Flemington tomorrow with buses replacing trains again, between Heidelberg and Parliament Stations this time.  I think I’ll travel by a different route as I’ll have to get to Southern Cross Station to catch the train to Flemington – the 250 Bus perhaps which terminates in Queen Street in the city and takes about 45 minutes.

Girl Power – Blue Diamond Stakes Day Review

Just after the finish in the Blue Diamond Stakes – winner Lyre (blue silks)

So far there have been five Group 1 races in 2019 Autumn racing carnival, and remarkably four of the five have been won by the fairer sex.

Such was the case last Saturday where the girls triumphed in all three of the feature Group 1 events.

I arrived at Caulfield in time to watch Race 3, the Group 3 Mannerism Stakes, a race for mares over 1400 metres. It was won by Jamaican Rain from Naantali and Teleplay.

Jamaican Rain returns to scale

Race 4 was the not very interesting Group 2 Angus Armanesco Stakes, for three year old fillies, also run over 1400 metres. Qafila scored the second win of her 13 starts career, winning by half a length from race favourite Angelic Ruler, with Zoubo a close third.

Qafila on her way to the barriers

A small field contested the Group 3 Zedative Stakes with only five starters in contention. The Chris Waller trained Zousain was the hot favourite and was expected to shoe it in.  Everyone underestimated the so far unbeaten Terbium, an attractive grey-bay colt trained in South Australia, who romped in almost two lengths in front of Zousain. Yulong January finished third.

Terbium returns to scale

Zousain (red silks) & Yulong January return to scale

The next three races were the Group 1 events and the Futurity Stakes was the opener. Sydney mare Alizee started favourite and franked her form with a very impressive win. She raced wide for most of the race, her jockey, Hugh Bowman, opting to keep her unhindered in her run. She hit the front close to the finish line and won by half a length from Malaguerra with grand old trooper Hartnell running third another half length behind.

Futurity Stakes just past the post

Alizee returns to scale

Malaguerra on his way to the barriers

Hartnell returns to scale

It was not long to wait for the feature Blue Diamond Stakes and as the youngsters filed onto the track it was anyone’s guess who the winner would be with Loving Gaby and Athiri sharing favouritism at around 5/1.

I Am Immortal grabbed the lead shortly after the start  and led until the last 100 or so metres, where he was swamped by the swoopers Lyre, Lankan Star and Free of Debt and others.  Lyre won by half a length from Lankan Star with Free of Debt finishing third.

Lyre returns to scale, her jockey Luke Currie celebrating with a thumbs up

Lankan Star returns to scale

Free of Debt on his way to the mounting yard

In the Oakleigh Plate, the final Group 1 race of the day, Nature Strip was short priced favourite, but was a major disappointment after leading throughout, fading in the straight to finish 10th.  The winner, local mare Booker came from the back of the back of the pack to win by almost a length from Encryption with Eduardo finishing third.

Oakleigh Plate just past the post – Booker still leads

Booker returns to scale

I called it a day after the Oakleigh Plate, heading for the station and home.

It had been another pleasant day at the races. It was fairly crowded on the course, but not where I hang out on the hill above the stalls area.

Next Saturday, the races in Melbourne are at Flemington for the Australian Guineas. A fabulous field has been nominated for this event and I’m looking forward to seeing how super talented Tassie filly Mystic Journey fares in it.

In Sydney at Randwick, Winx will be running in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes. She’s won it the last three years running and will be aiming to make history by equalling Tie the Knot’s winning sequence of 1999 to 2002.