Diamonds For Daumier

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

A colt may have won the prized Blue Diamond Stakes, but the fairer sex took out the other two Group 1 races on Saturday at Caulfield.

The weather forecast was for an overcast day, but it turned out to be hot and sunny with a fast track, whilst in Sydney it looked very gloomy and inclement and the track was rated  a heavy 10.

As the main races I wanted to see were later in the day, I took my time getting to Caulfield and arrived a half hour before the running of Race 4.

This was the Angus Amanasco Stakes, a Group 2 race for three year old fillies, run over 1400 metres.  A field of blue blood fillies had accepted to run, including Argentia (Frankel –Princess  Coup ), Yearning (Snitzel - Rising Romance) and  Mokulua (Redoute’s Choice – Dear Demi). I remember the aforementioned fillies dams racing several years ago and winning prestigious races.

Argentia started as favourite, but was outgunned by Lavish Girl  who led from the start.  Argentia was blocked for a run, stuck on the inside rail,  so by the time she managed  to break clear Lavish Girl had too much of a lead to beat. Yearning finished third.

Lavish Girl maintains her lead to the finishing post

Argentia in hot pursuit of Lavish Girl

Yearning (black & gold) overtaking back markers up the straight

Our usual spot on the fence was occupied by a corporate event, so Rebecca and I had to settle slightly further from the winning post than we normally would.

Race 5 was the Peter Young Stakes, another Group 2 race, this time over 1800 metres.

The highly recognisable Cascadian was the favourite and proved his superior class by winning by half a length from Yonkers and Emissary.

Cascadian (blue) about to pass Yonkers, Emissary is behind them

Cascadian on his way to the barriers

Yonkers on his way to the barriers

Emissary on his way to the barriers

The first Group 1 of the day was the Futurity Stakes and set to run next up.

Tofane who won the Orr Stakes recently was favourite for the race, but she only managed to run third. Sierra Sue, who raced close to the pace in fourth spot, broke through to take the lead up the straight and won by over a length from Mo’unga bolting from mid field to run second.

Sierra Sue hits the front from race leader Turaath with Tofane in pursuit

Sierra Sue parades in the mounting yard after winning the Futurity Stakes

Naturally the Blue Diamond Stakes was the feature Group 1 race of the afternoon, but before that was run we watched the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes from Sydney  on the big screen. Wonder mare Verry Elleegant demonstrated that she had returned to her fighting best with a thrilling win, after disappointing at her first start a few weeks ago in the Apollo Stakes.

Saturday was the tenth year that I have attended the Blue Diamond meeting; my first time in 2012 I recall being a sizzling 40°C, and the feature race was won by Samaready. Also running that day was 2011 Blue Diamond Stakes winner Sepoy in the Oakleigh Plate,  2011 Cox Plate winner Pinker Pinker in the Futurity Stakes and 2011 Caulfield Cup winner Southern Speed in the Peter Young Stakes. I must say there were  more stars of the turf at that meeting 10 years ago than there were at this year’s edition.

Anyway the 2022 Blue Diamond was a puzzler with a pretty even field with no standouts. Jacquinot started favourite. It resulted in a win for Daumier who beat Revolutionary Miss by a short margin and Jacquinot ended up in third place.

Daumier, Revolutionary Miss & Jacquinot  in a line of three overtake race leader Semillion as they charge to the finish line.

We stayed on for the final Group 1 of the day, which was the Oakleigh Plate. I was keen to see unbeaten mare Marabi, who seems to have come from nowhere into prominence. She is a very lightly raced five year old mare having only contested seven races, but she has won them all by a good margin.

Such was the case in the Oakleigh Plate, Marabi winning easily from Away Game and Oxley Road to register her first Group 1 victory. It will be interesting seeing how she goes in her next race.

Marabi streets ahead of her rivals up the straight

Marabi parades in the mounting yard after winning the Oakleigh Plate

And so ended another Blue Diamond Stakes extravaganza. Next year it will be run at Sandown while the Caulfield track is upgraded, so I doubt if I will attend.

There are only three Saturday meetings remaining in the Melbourne Autumn Carnival, all at Flemington. I have tickets for all three and am looking forward to seeing the Australian Guineas next Saturday.

The world may be heading for world war three with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine unsettling the world order, but at least there are still enjoyable outings to be had in the meantime, before hell breaks loose.

Tofane stars at Caulfield–Orr Stakes Day Review

Tofane leads all the way to win the 2022 Orr Stakes

As anticipated it was a long day at Caulfield racecourse last Saturday, but worth the effort with the racing action being engaging and bright sunlight the order of the day.

My arrival at the track,  a little after 1.30 pm, was in plenty of time for the first of the Blue Diamond Preludes, this being for colts and geldings and run over 1100 metres.

Jacquinot was the favourite, but missed out on running a place. 10/1 shot Lofty Strike with a burst of speed down the outside won the prize from Semillion, and Blue Diamond Preview winner Daumier ran third.

Lofty Strike takes the lead from Semillion as they charge to the finish line

The fillies Blue Diamond Prelude was the next to run and impressive Blue Diamond Preview winner Miss Roseiano was the hot favourite. She raced on the speed second to race leader English Riviera, but after briefly taking the lead was pipped at the post by Revolutionary Miss, another long odds winner.

Revolutionary Miss (red silks) about to overtake Miss Roseiano & English Riviera

It certainly wasn’t a day for favourites as the result of Race 5, the Group 3 Kevin Hayes Stakes, only went to prove when Argentia spoiled the party for Scorched Earth at odds of 8.5/1, 

Argentia (white silks) looms into the picture about to overtake Scorched Earth

The next race, the Group 3 TS Carlyon Cup, was run over 1600 metres. It had an interesting field of contenders that included Spanish Mission who ran third in 2021 Melbourne Cup, as well as one time Melbourne Cup favourite Surprise Baby who has been off the scene for a couple of years due to injury.  All Star Mile aspirant Callsign Mav was also in the field.

French bred import Normandy Bridge started favourite, but as with the earlier results, he finished unplaced.

Callsign Mav and Earlswood ended up fighting out the finish with 14/1 shot Earlswood being the victor by a narrow margin. Spanish Mission finished third and Surprise Baby ran fourth.

Earlswood (red silks) & Callsign Mav neck and neck down the straight

Earlswood on his way to the barriers

Callsign Mav on his way to the barriers

Spanish Mission on his way to the barriers

Surprise Baby on his way to the barriers

After the Carlyon Cup had been run there was only one more race before the Orr Stakes to witness.

The afternoon had passed quite quickly and despite the intensity of the sunshine it wasn’t hard to find a cool shaded spot to sit for a bit between races.

The crowd was larger than the two previous meetings I had attended, and I was pleased to see my photographer friends Rebecca and George back at the track again.

The stalls area at Caulfield has changed considerably. It all looks bare and treeless and quite different to what was there before.

Race 7, the Group 2 Rubiton Stakes was next up. A sprint over 1100 metres, and for a change the favourite, Marine One, was successful this time and won by over a length from Oxley Road and Sword of Mercy.

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Marine One (no 8) overtaking Sword of Mercy and Oxley Road

Our favourite spot on the fence by this time was in the shade though the track was still bathed in sunlight, so it was more comfortable to watch the running of the Orr Stakes.

As mentioned before, Tofane took the lead from the start and was never threatened, going on to win by over a length from fellow mare Lighthouse with Cascadian running third.

Tofane burns up the straight

Tofane in the mounting yard post race

Lighthouse on her way to the barriers

Pretty boy Lightsaber missed the start and ended up finishing second last, however I was glad to get some nice photos of him as he travelled to the starting gates.

Good looker Lightsaber on his way to the barriers

The wait for the last race, even if it meant a long afternoon at the track, was worth it to see wonderful New Zealand mare Probabeel win the Bellmaine Stakes for the second year in succession.  She did it hard from the outside, carrying a top weight of 60kg, overtaking the leaders Mariamia and Flying Mascot to win at the last instant.

Probabeel zooming to overtake Flying Mascot and win the Bellmaine Stakes

My trip home was uneventful though it was close to 7.00 pm when I  finally got there.

Next Saturday I’m looking forward to going to Flemington for the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes. It looks a doozy of a race with  a top field of sprinters that include Nature Strip, who won the race last year.