Underwood Stakes Day Review

Alligator Blood wins the Group 1 Underwood Stakes

As the best races were to be run towards the late afternoon, I took my time getting to Caulfield, arriving just after 1.10 pm.

I watched, but did not photograph Race 3, the Pancare Recycle Plate, which was won by Cardigan Queen from Seradess and Le Danseuse Rouge.

The earlier races were not that interesting, but I got in some photography practice during the next few races.

Race 4 was the Here For The Horses Handicap for mares run over 1400 metres, which resulted in a win for the Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman runner Nunthorpe, who won easily from Frigid and Yellow Sam.

Nunthorpe on her way to the barriers

Oz Empress won Race 5, the Jim Moloney Stakes, with De Sonic Boom and Poifect filling the minor places.

Oz Empress leads to the finish ahead of De Sonic Boom and Poifect

Buffalo River was the victor in Race 6, the Testa Rossa, leading from the start to the finish to narrowly hold out challengers Savannah Cloud and Corner Pocket.

Buffalo River wins the Testa Rossa

The next race held considerably more interest, it being the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude, where Steparty, winner of all five of his starts won the bickies from Southport Tycoon and Scentify by a short margin.

Steparty (no 3) coming wide to overtake the leaders of the Guineas Prelude

Steparty about to hit the front as they race to the finish line

There was one more race before the feature Group 1 and this was the Group 3 MRC Foundation Cup (registered as the Naturalism Stakes), run over 2000 metres, where the winner earns a chance to run in the Caulfield Cup.

Uncle Bryn won the privilege from race favourite Floating Artist with Alaskan God running third.

Uncle Bryn on his way to winning the MRC Foundation Cup

The Group 1 Underwood Stakes is run over 1800 metres and has been won by top class horses, most memorably from my point of view by It’s A Dundeel ten years ago in 2013, where he defeated star mare Atlantic Jewel, the one and only time that she was beaten in a race.

This year’s edition had attracted a good field of stayers that included the likes of Vow And Declare who had  won the 2019 Melbourne Cup.

Alligator Blood was the warm favourite and he prevailed, winning by over length from Tuvalu with Duais running third.

Alligator Blood on his way to the barriers

It was a bright sunny day last Saturday, perfect for an afternoon at the races.

Caulfield Racecourse is going through some kind of upgrade, so several areas that were accessible in the past were off limits, but surprisingly it was relatively easy to get a position on the fence to take photos.

Let’s hope that by the time the Caulfield Cup is run the renovations will be less obstructive and more areas will be open.

The main race meeting next week is on Friday night at Moonee Valley with the Group 1 Moir Stakes being the feature event, starring New Zealand mare Imperatriz, so next Saturday I will be watching the racing action at home for a change.

Give me somewhere to go…Lockdown Blues

The first part of the Post title comes from the James Reyne song Motor Too Fast, contained in the chorus that goes:

Give me somewhere to go
Don't give me train rides
When the shops are all closed
Don't give me train rides

I must admit that stage 4 restrictions here in Melbourne are getting a tad tedious, so I find the above lyrics running through my head every so often, as I certainly can’t go anywhere beyond 5 kilometres from home, and have not caught a bus, train or tram since the restrictions came in, coincidently on my birthday.

However time flits past and I fill the it with trivial pursuits such as playing computer games and reading.

The current game is a moderately amusing point and click adventure titled Willy Morgan and the Curse of Bone Town, and the current book is the new David Mitchell novel Utopia Avenue, which, set as it is in 1967, I am finding quite enjoyable. I’ve also downloaded a heap of books onto my Kindle, redeeming Amazon gift vouchers I received for my birthday. So for a change I have eight new novels in my TBR pile (albeit electronic).

But what I’m pining for is an afternoon at the races, which of course is out of the question at the moment and probably for the rest of spring.

The Memsie Stakes, the first Group 1 race of Melbourne’s Spring Racing Season is at Caulfield next Saturday and I’m sorry to miss it having attended the meeting since 2013.

Of the several notable deaths this week, Justin Townes Earle for instance, the announcement of Atlantic Jewel’s death giving birth to a foal by Justify, was particularly sad for the racing fraternity.

A coodabeen champion of the likes of Black Caviar and Winx, Atlantic Jewel  won 10 races out of 11 starts, her only loss being the 2013 Underwood Stakes where she was beaten by a whisker by It’s A Dundeel , her second last start before retirement. It’s pity she was so injury prone, otherwise she could have won many more races, including the 2013 Cox Plate.

I saw her in action several times in 2013, including the Memsie Stakes. Unfortunately my camera at the time was not as good as the current Nikon, so the photos are less than perfect.

Atlantic Jewel on her way to winning the 2013 Memsie Stakes

Atlantic Jewel returning to scale

This year’s edition of the Memsie Stakes has attracted a field of 15 contenders that include star mares Mystic Journey and Arcadia Queen, as well as All Star Mile winner Regal Power, dual Australian Cup winner Harlem, and other familiar gallopers such as Mr Quickie, Begood Toya Mother, So Si Bon and Gatting.

Many in the Memsie Stakes field contested the cursed P B Lawrence Stakes a fortnight ago, which was won by Godolphin mare Savatiano, who is also part of this year’s Memsie field . It will be interesting to see if she wins again this spring or is cursed like recent P B Lawrence Stakes winners who have failed to win again in the season, for example Mystic Journey last year.

Mystic Journey

Who knows what the race outcome will be this year. I’m hoping that either Mystic Journey or Arcadia Queen are in the finish somewhere. They disappointed in the P B Lawrence, but second up on a firmer track might show their true colours.

Last week the first Group 1 of the spring, the Winx Stakes, was run at Randwick. Verry Elleegant demonstrated that she was well and truly  heading for a good spring by winning the race impressively.

On the home front Bingo has continued to eat well, in fact his appetite is voracious. We now worry that he’ll become overweight. Fortunately he still eats zucchini and other vegetables which we give him to fill him up between meal times and go easy on the dried food. He loves his home comforts of warmth and affection and even still remembers how to fetch.

Caulfield Guineas Day – Spring Heats Up

Royal Symphony at Caulfield 1/10/17

I haven’t previewed a race meeting for awhile, the recent house move intruding on the time I had to scan the form and write about it.

However, the super race meeting at Caulfield this coming Saturday is worth writing about, with the stars of the turf out in force.

It’s only two weeks to the first of the big Cups, the Caulfield Cup, and the Caulfield Guineas meeting is always held the weekend prior, and offers a considerably better race card than on the big Cup day with four Group 1 races,  and several Group 2 and Group 3 races.

The first of the Group 1 races is the fillies Thousand Guineas. It is run over 1600 metres and has been won by some classy girls in the past such as Alinghi,  Miss Finland, Atlantic Jewel, Commanding Jewel ( AJ’s sister) and Guelph (who actually is the dam of one of the debutants – Encryption -  in Race 1 on the program).  Sydney filly Global Glamour won it last year.

Only eight acceptors will contest this year’s edition and another Sydney filly Alizee appears the top pick. She won the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes and Group 1 Flight Stakes at her last two starts, which is a similar profile to previous Thousand Guineas winners.

Of the local girls, Booker and Shoals are in with a chance, both having recent wins to their credit. 

The Group 1 races are scheduled in consecutive order and the Caulfield Stakes (2000 metres) is run 40 minutes after the Thousand Guineas. Last year the Caulfield Stakes was a three horse race between Winx, Black Heart Bart and He Or She who finished in that order. This year, without Winx in the field, there are 11 acceptors. They include the regulars Hartnell, Gailo Chop, Single Gaze, Inference, Jon Snow and Abbey Marie, and the wonderful New Zealand mare Bonneval who beat them all in the Underwood Stakes. Also in the field are several International runners here for the Cups, the Aiden O’Brien trained The Taj Mahal and Johannes Vermeer, and the Willy Mullins trained Riven Light, which makes the race unusually interesting. I’ll be barracking for Bonneval and hope she prevails again.

Catchy, rather than running in the Thousand Guineas against her own sex, will be taking on the boys in the Caulfield Guineas. She’s a big strapping girl who has won against the boys twice in the past and has a 2kg weight advantage to assist her. History is against her however, as the last filly to achieve this was Surround in 1976, who also won the Cox Plate the same year.

Of the boys, the top picks are Royal Symphony, Summer Passage, Perast, Kementari, Showtime and New Zealand bred colt Salsamor.

Royal Symphony had his colours lowered in his last start where he finished fourth in the Guineas Prelude. I hope that was just a hiccup in his career and that he can resurrect his reputation with a good win in the Caulfield Guineas.

The Toorak Handicap is the final Group 1 race of the day and has a huge field of 18 acceptors. It is run over 1600 metres and the most interesting runner is the Chris Waller trained mare Egg Tart who is making a second  start to her spring racing campaign, having recently suffered from an eye infection that interfered with her preparation. She’s a classy mare who won the Group 1 South Australian Oaks and Queensland Oaks in the autumn. Interestingly her granddam is Born To Be Queen, a talented staying filly of the 1980s that I followed at the time.  Egg Tart will probably start as favourite and her main threat comes from the likes of I Am A Star, Mr Sneaky and Tom Melbourne.

Trying, and probably succeeding, to steal some of Melbourne’s Spring Racing Glory, Sydney  is running the richest race in the world at Randwick on Saturday.  A sprint over 1200 metres the winner takes home a massive $5.800,000 out of the $10 miilion in prize money.  It is called The Everest and has to its credit attracted a very classy field of 12 sprinters that include Chautauqua, Redzel, Vega Magic, Redkirk Warrior, She Will Reign and Houtzen. I kind of hope that the grey flash wins it, but I’d be equally pleased if She Will Reign was the victor. Whatever the result, it is a must watch race.

As the Group 1 races at Caulfield are later in the day, the first to run at 3.15pm, I’m going to take my time getting to the course and won’t be so fretful at all public transport complications still besetting the Hurstbridge train line.

Of course if I was still living in Northcote, none of that would have mattered with other transport options being available.

Back to Caulfield Again–Underwood Stakes Day

2014 Underwood Stakes finish – Foreteller hits the front

Saturday is expected to be warm and sunny, perfect in fact for another fine afternoon of racing as the Spring Racing Carnival, literally and figuratively, heats up.

There are two Group 1 races on the program – Underwood Stakes and Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes – plus two Group 2 Guineas Preludes, one for the boys, the other for the fillies.

The fillies Thousand Guineas Prelude is scheduled as Race 5. It is run over 1400 metres and has a fabulous field of classy fillies. The main contenders are Pasadena Girl, Stay With Me, Jameka, Miss Gunpowder and Alaskan Rose. The first three above ran the trifecta at Moonee Valley in early September  in the Atlantic Jewel Stakes, with Stay With Me being the victor on that occasion,though Pasadena Girl’s run was the most eye catching.  Miss Gunpowder ran third to Petits Filous in the Quezette Stakes, then won her next race at Morphettville in her home state. Alaskan Rose is unbeaten in two starts and is highly regarded. It looks to be a doozy of a race.

Race 6 is the colts and geldings Guineas Prelude run over the same distance. It’s time for pretty boy Ready For Victory to live up to his name, after running second and third in his first two starts this season behind Gold Symphony on the first occasion and Kinglike in the second. Neither of these colts are entered for the Caulfield Guineas Prelude, so Ready For Victory has a very good chance of winning this time. However he’ll have to beat the Chris Waller trained Metallic Crown  who has two wins under his hat so far this season, and the Ciaran Maher trained Bon Aurum, also a last start winner . New Zealand colt Dal Cielo, trained by the wily Murray Baker, Snoopy who was unlucky in his start and Tulsa, could also feature in the finish.

The first of the Group 1 races on the program is the Underwood Stakes run over 1800 metres. Last year it was won by Foreteller from Happy Trails and the year before was the memorable duel between Atlantic Jewel and It’s A Dundeel with the latter being the victor.

It’s always a great race and a fab field has been assembled this year.  Fawkner is the top pick, if he can defy the Makybe Diva Stakes hoodoo and beat The Cleaner, who has drawn Barrier 1 which will enable him to take the lead without expending any energy. Who knows, the Longford Lion could leave them all in his wake, and at least assure an honestly run race. 

Contributer failed to impress at his last start running fifth behind The Cleaner in the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes. Perhaps he didn’t enjoy the tight Moonee Valley track, but could show his true colours at Caulfield. Whatever, dismiss him at your peril. The same goes for Dibayani who has run third behind The Cleaner in his last two starts.

Four year olds have a good record in this race and both Mongolian Khan and Volkstok’n’barrell are in that age bracket and have as good a chance as any in the field, though the Khan would prefer it longer. I’m interested to see how they go.

The Group 1  Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes is now incorporated in the program of Underwood Stakes day, previously being run on the Sunday after the AFL Grand Final. It makes more sense to run it with the Underwood Stakes and adds to the quality of the meeting.

It is run over 1400 metres and has a super field of middle distance runners.  As we’re now in the sign of Libra (ruled by Venus), you would think that Charmed Harmony is the perfect name for the Astrological season.  He has won his last four races leading boldly from start to finish, but faces much tougher opposition in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes with classy gallopers like Disposition, Cosmic Endeavour, Rich Enuff, Amicus, Strawberry Boy and Under The Louvre all being in the picture. The Venus influence could spread to Amicus and Amorino  with their names reflecting the Latin for love (amor).

In Sydney, everyone’s favourite race mare, Catkins, is having her second start for the season in the Golden Pendant in which she ran second to Arabian Gold last year. That mare is also in the field, as is Amanpour who relegated Catkins to second place twice in the autumn.  Cross fingers for Catkins to beat them this time round.

The Equinox on September 23, as well as heralding the warmer weather, also marks a royal birth. Black Caviar delivered her second foal on the night of the Equinox, a colt by Sebring.

There are some lovely photos of the new foal here.

Petits Filous Wins Again!

Petits Filous parading in the mounting yard prior to winning the Quezette Stakes

The photo above of Petits Filous has echoes of the great Black Caviar. They have a similar look; both dark brown with no white markings, though Petits Filous is nowhere near as large in size as the great mare.  She’s a slight filly, but has speed and a determination to win that marks her as special. Whether she can emulate the exploits of Black Caviar is yet to be seen, but we followers of the turf live in hope that a new star of the turf has arrived.

Arriving at Caulfield at around 1.40pm, I was in good time get a position on the fence to view the runners in Race 4 going out onto the track. The Williams Plate was a race for mares over 1100 metres, and Vezalay was the hot favourite.  Her racing silks looked familiar – they are in fact the same as Atlantic Jewel.

Vezalay on her way to the barriers

More Radiant – runner up

I’m A Flying Star – third place

Vezalay led from start to finish and won by a good length to More Radiant with I’m A Flying Star three lengths behind, running third.

Vezalay  zooms up the straight to win the Williams Plate

As there was 40 minutes to wait until Race 4 , the Group 3 Vain Stakes, I wandered out to the stalls area to see who had arrived.

Petits Filous waiting patiently in her stall

Petits Filous trainer Ciaran Maher outside her stall

The Gai Waterhouse contingent were nearby and the strapper of Giulietta was posing for an affectionate shot with her charge for another photographer, so I got into the act and snapped the following photo.

Giulietta getting a kiss from her strapper

Next door to Giulietta was Excess Knowledge, a handsome British import who Gai Waterhouse says reminds her of 2013 Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente. He does have a similar look and is certainly a good looker.

Excess Knowledge

Tasmanian star The Cleaner was also present in the next block of stalls.

The Cleaner

And the David Hayes & Tom Dabernig newly imported stayer Dibayani was nearby and looks a magnificent beast.

Dibayani in his stall

Back in the mounting the colts and geldings were assembling for the Vain Stakes.

Demonstrate – started favourite, ran 4th

Gold Symphony – the winner

Top Me Up – runner up

Star Planet – third place

Whereas the previous mares race was run at a rattling pace, the Vain Stakes had no clear leader and seemed to be slightly slower, with runners bunched up and running wide at the turn. Demonstrate was blocked for a run and was never a chance. Gold Symphony and Top Me Up fought out the finish down the straight with Gold Symphony having the winning edge.

Vain Stakes finish – Gold Symphony & Top Me Up head to head in the lead.

After the Vain Stakes was done and dusted I killed time till the Quezette Stakes getting a drink and watching the  San Domenico Stakes on the big screen. Vancouver was rolled, finishing in 4th place. The honours went to the Chris Waller trained Japonisme who won his fourth race in succession. King’s Troop finished second and Haptic held on for third, after being up on the speed throughout the race.

As I mentioned in my previous post, the Quezette Stakes was the most interesting race of the Caulfield meeting with Petits Filous up against other unbeaten fillies like Miss Gunpowder and Don’t Doubt Marley as well as the smart Jalan Jalan. 

Jalan Jalan – she has interesting markings looking as if white paint was splashed on her head.
She ran second.

Miss Gunpowder – finished third

Petits Filous

Giulietta – unplaced

The race was a ripper, run at the speed of light, with Petits Filous taking the lead shortly after the start and maintaining a blistering pace until the finish line, where she scored by 1¼ lengths from Jalan Jalan with Miss Gunpowder running third. It struck me as a natural trifecta – the three best fillies in the field taking out the first three places. As a matter of interest, Petits Filous race time was faster than Vezalay and Gold Symphony over 1100 metres.

Petits Filous comfortably ahead with only 100 metres to go.

Petits Filous in winners rug

I only stayed for one more race, that being the feature P.B. Lawrence Stakes. With such an evenly matched field it was hard to guess who the winner would be. The Cleaner kept it honest, taking up the running as usual. It finished with he and Mourinho going head for head down the straight and hitting the line together for a photo finish. Mourinho won by a whisker. Dibayani ran third a length behind.

Dibayani in the mounting yard

The Cleaner in the mounting yard

Mourinho on his way to the barriers

Excess Knowledge in the mounting yard

The Cleaner (inside) and Mourinho fight out the finish down the straight.

Mourinho poses for snaps in the winners rug

It was a pleasant afternoon at Caulfield, the weather being on the whole mild with occasional sunny breaks. The Club was celebrating VP Day (Victory Over Japan) on Saturday, so there were military vehicles parked outside the Norman Robinson Stand, and old soldiers wandering about, laden with medals. An army gal sang the National Anthem surrounded by RAF cadets, before the feature race.

I’m looking forward to getting back to Caulfield in a fortnight for the Memsie Stakes and the true start of the spring racing season.

Farewell Super Cool–Rest In Peace

Super Cool returning to scale after the 2014 Makybe Diva Stakes

The sad news of the death of one of my favourite race horses, Super Cool, came to my notice the other night. Apparently a leg infection led to his demise and that is all that has been reported.

If you have been reading my racing posts over the last three years, you’ll know that I had a real soft spot for Super Cool and that I tried to get photos of him every time I saw him race, and many of them featured his devoted strapper Jade, who demonstrated on several occasions the sweet temper of the horse by getting him to kiss her.

So my thoughts go out to Jade who must be sadly missing her special friend.

Super Cool first came to my attention on Cox Plate Day 2012, when he was three years old.  That afternoon he was too speedy for hot favourite, the very talented It’s A Dundeel, and won the
Group 2 Mitchelton Wines Vase.

Super Cool, with Jade in attendance, parading before winning the Vase in 2012

Super Cool’s three year old season was his best where he ran second to his great rival Fiveandhalfstar in the 2012 Victoria Derby and went on to beat him in the 2013 Group 2 Autumn Classic and then again in the 2013 Australian Cup, becoming the first three year old to win the race since Saintly in 1996. The world appeared to be his oyster at that time, but he never won another race.

He returned in the Spring 2013, acquitting himself well running third to his classy stable mate Atlantic Jewel in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes and Caulfield Stakes. He also tackled the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes. Turnbull Stakes, Cox Plate and the Melbourne Cup that spring, and though never scoring a place, was never that far from the leaders.

He had a long break, missing the 2014 Autumn season and returned last Spring, where unfortunately he was unable to regain the form of his three year old season.

I was looking forward to seeing him at the track this autumn, but alas he will not be present. I’ll miss seeing him as he was a great horse to photograph, always obligingly looking my way when I took a snap.

So rest in peace Super Cool and enjoy running free in horse heaven.

Watch Super Cool’s greatest victory in the 2013 Australian Cup

Spring Fever–Caulfield Guineas Day

Caulfield Guineas favourite Rich Enuff – Flemington 13/9/14

With only a little over a week till the running of the first of the big cups, the Caulfield Cup, the Melbourne Racing Club presents a wonderful day of racing this coming Saturday at Caulfield Racecourse.

Caulfield Guineas Day is in fact a better race day than the Caulfield Cup meeting, with a total of four Group 1 races on the program as opposed to the sole Group 1 on Caulfield Cup day. Added to the attraction of Caulfield Guineas Day, there is a super support card with the majority of races being at Group level.

My aim is to arrive at the racecourse early enough to watch the Group 3 Thoroughbred Club Stakes (1200 metres) where Blue Diamond Stakes winner Earthquake will be making her first Spring appearance in Melbourne. She has been disappointing so far this spring, running third at her last two starts at Randwick, but perhaps she’ll appreciate running the Melbourne way, on the track where she has scored two victories.

Up against her are eight other fillies, the most threatening being Tawteen, Silversands, More Radiant and Igritte.

Interestingly, Rubick who was regarded as the top colt in Autumn and started as second favourite in the Blue Diamond Stakes where he finished fourth, makes his first appearance on the racetrack since that race in the Group 2 Schillaci  Stakes, a sprint over 1000 metres.

He faces a small field of classy sprinters that include Gregers, Platelet and 2013 Golden Slipper winner Overreach, also returning after a long break.

Melbourne will get its first chance to see Hong Kong star Dan Excel, out here for the Cox Plate, in the Listed Weekend Hussler Stakes, a handicap race over 1400 metres. He’s been handicapped to carry a whopping 63.5 kilos giving nine kilos to the majority of the field, so it’s unlikely that he’s in it to win it, but more likely to familiarise him to Australian race tracks.

Various Caulfield and Melbourne Cup bound imports and International horses have been entered in the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes, a race over 2400 metres, so it will be worth watching to see how they fare.  There’s the German horse Protectionist, the British Lord Van Percy and Renew, up against locals like Sangster, Let’s Make Adeal and Albonetti, and seasoned  imports that include Bonfire, Masked Marvel, Signoff and Big Memory.   

The first of the Group 1 races is the Caulfield Stakes, run over 2000 metres. It has attracted a first class field with no less than 10 Group 1 winners in a field of 12 starters.  The pundits are calling it a Cox Plate preview and it is quite likely that the eventual Cox Plate winner is in the field, if you discount The Cleaner, whose next race is that Group 1 event.

Last year the Caulfield Stakes was won by Atlantic Jewel with Foreteller and Super Cool running second and third.  It turned out to be her last race as she sustained an injury shortly after that, which resulted in her not running in the Cox Plate and being retired.

So who will win this year’s edition?  It’s an evenly matched field, but the top picks are Dissident if he can run 2000 metres, Fawkner who certainly can, and who finished a very close second to Dissident in the Makybe Diva Stakes, Foreteller of course, and Happy Trails who had a torrid run in the Turnbull and usually manages to win at least one major race over the Spring carnival. You’ve also got Dear Demi who is in great form,  Victoria Derby winner Criterion and Sacred Falls, the dual Doncaster winner, who won the Group 1 George Main Stakes at his last start. Take your pick!

It’s going to be a looong day as the four Group 1 races are being run consecutively from 3.55pm, the feature race being scheduled at 5.40pm.

The Group 1 Toorak Handicap follows the Caulfield Stakes. It is a 1600 metre race and has attracted a fantastic field of contestants. You’ve got English horse Guest of Honour as top weight, having his first run on Australian racetracks, and Commanding Jewel, Trust In A Gust who beat Dissident in the Rupert Clark Stakes, top Sydney mare Arabian Gold, New Zealand mare Recite, and other good performers like Speediness, Bull Point, Solicit and Atlante. 

Since 1998 the Thousand Guineas was run mid week, but this year has been added to the Caulfield Guineas day program. It’s the fillies equivalent of the Caulfield Guineas and is also a Group 1 race over 1600 metres.

It has top class fillies like Bring Me The Maid, Go Indy Go and Afleet Esprit who are best chances. It’s lucky Flight Stakes winner First Seal is staying in Sydney to contest the boys in the Spring Champion Stakes, so the abovementioned fillies have their chance for Group 1 glory.  Also in the picture are Lumosty and Amicus who have been placed in shorter races recently and could likely feature in the finish.

The Caulfield Guineas is seen as a match race between Sydney and Melbourne’s top colts. Rich Enuff heads the Melbourne brigade and looks the genuine article, being unbeaten in his three runs this spring. Also batting for Melbourne are Merion and Chivalry. The Sydney team have Almalad and Shooting To Win, and are both last start winners.  Then you’ve got Queenslander Looks Like The Cat, who has run second to Rich Enuff at his last two starts, and New Zealand colt Our Vespa who already has a Group 1 win (in NZ) under his belt. I’ll be cheering for Rich Enuff.

Sydney’s sole Group 1 this weekend is the Spring Champion Stakes run over 2000 metres. Top pick is the so far unbeaten Sweynesse who is certain to start favourite. Flight Stakes winner First Seal appears to be his only serious opposition, but others like Panzer Division, Valentia and Hampton Court could mount a challenge to the favourites and steal the prize.

The weather in both Melbourne and Sydney is expected to be fine this weekend so the racing will be on good tracks. 

Myself, I’m looking forward to attending yet a another superb race meeting.

Who will be the feted stars this Saturday?

The Stars Will Be Shining at Moonee Valley On Friday Night

Lankan Rupee & Angelic Light fight out the finish of the McEwen Stakes 6 September 2014

As much as I dislike night racing (mostly because it is awful for taking photos), I’m really tempted to go to Moonee Valley’s first night meeting this Friday, where the feature race is the Group 1 Moir Stakes, a sprint over 1200 metres.  Unlike last year, the feature race is scheduled at the reasonably early hour of 8.15pm rather than as the last on the card at 10.00pm as was the case then, where the bulk of  patrons departed before the race was run. Wise move MVRC!

As well as the feature race, there is a top class support card with two Group 2 and Group 3 races on the program.

Commanding Jewel and Dear Demi meet again in the Group 2 Stocks Stakes (1600 metres), so if I do attend the meeting, I’ll have to get there early enough to witness it.  These two are the top contenders, meeting last in the Let’s Elope Stakes, where Commanding Jewel prevailed narrowly over Dear Demi. Of the other five in the field, Solicit appears as the next best chance. Last year Commanding Jewel’s big sister Atlantic Jewel won the Stock Stakes, so it would be nice if Commanding Jewel could keep it in the family.

The Moir Stakes is the fourth race on the program. A small field of five acceptors will compete for the prize money, chief among them Lankan Rupee who will be out to redeem his reputation after his shock defeat to Angelic Light in the McEwen Stakes in early September at this course.  Angelic Light is one of the five contestants along with Buffering and Rebel Dane. I’ll be cheering for the horse with a heart.

Hot on the heels of the feature race is the Group 3 Champagne Stakes, a race for three year old fillies over 1200 metres. It has a doozie of a field as well with Eloping and Tawteen being the main chances. Eloping finished third in the McEwen Stakes after battling out that race with Lankan Rupee and probably contributed to his defeat. Tawteen is on a winning roll, her last victory being at Moonee Valley on Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes Day, where she won by over 3 lengths.

The Cleaner makes a welcome return in the Group 3 JRA Cup which is run over the Cox Plate distance of 2040 metres. No doubt he’ll take up the running as is his style ala Vo Rogue. Can any of the rest of the field run him down in the short straight? It’s a big field of 13 contestants, mostly stayers. Old Precedence has a good record at Moonee Valley and could mount a challenge. Others with a chance are Big Memory who finished second to Brambles at Flemington recently, Mourinho who ran second to The Cleaner in the Dato Tan and won this race last year, and Signoff who has been recently placed in weaker races and has won at the track in the past.

The seventh race is the Group 2 Stutt Stakes for three year olds run over 1600 metres. It is seen as a match race between local hero Chivalry and Sydney colt Almalad, both of whom were beaten at their last starts and will be out to prove themselves. Also in the picture are Zebulon, Kumaon and  Caveka.

There is no major race meeting in Melbourne on Saturday with the AFL Grand Final dominating the sporting arena locally, however in Sydney racing is as normal with two interesting Group races.

The first of these is the Stan Fox Stakes, a race for three year olds over 1500 metres. Top chances are Scissor Kick who narrowly lost the Golden Rose to Hallowed Crown and Shooting To Win who ran third in that race. 

Catkins continues her Spring campaign in the Group 3 Golden Pendant (1400 metres) against her own sex. No doubt she’ll start as hot favourite and could well prevail.  Her main opponents appear to be Arabian Gold and My Sabeel.

A second Group 1 race will be run at Caulfield on Sunday, that being the Sir Rupert Clark Stakes, run over 1400 metres.  Dissident will be aiming for his third win in succession and could well do so, even if he is racing back in distance. He faces Sweet Idea again who was runner-up in the Memsie Stakes. Others with claims are Atlante, Cluster, Late Charge and Trust In A Gust who all won their last starts.

Also on the program on Sunday are two Group 2 Guineas Preludes, one for fillies and the other for colts and geldings, which have both attracted really good fields that I don’t feel like analysing here. 

Finally on a breeding note…

There was news today about the pure white mare The Opera House, who is a three quarter sister to Might And Power, who had a short but not very successful racing career a couple of years ago. She was retired to the breeding barn after an injury and has had several foals since. However, her latest foal by High Chaparral is a duplicate of herself – a rare, pure white filly. Read the story (with photo) here.

The Thrills Continue–Racing at Caulfield & Randwick

Silent Achiever in the mounting yard at Caulfield – Memsie Stakes Day

Caulfield is offering free entry on Saturday for the Underwood Stakes meeting, so naturally I’ll sally along to take in the atmosphere of first class racing once more . And hopefully Melbourne’s weather will play nice, after this past week brought a return to winter chill.

The feature event is the aforementioned Group 1 Underwood Stakes, run over 1800 metres. Last year Atlantic Jewel and It’s A Dundeel fought out an exciting finish down the straight with It’s A Dundeel the victor by the narrowest of margins.

This year’s edition has a pretty good field as you’d expect in a Group 1 contest.  The top contenders are Silent Achiever who in my opinion is the top pick, Foreteller who always runs an honest race, Happy Trails ditto, and Star Rolling who won the PB Lawrence Stakes at  Caulfield in August. Of course I’d love old fave Super Cool, who is backing up in this race after running last week, to show some of the form that won him the Australian Cup – his last win in fact.  Lidari and The Offer also have a chance.

The support card is mildly interesting though not top class. A few of the horses I follow are engaged in a few a them.

The Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2000 metres) is one for stayers hoping to win a place in the Caulfield Cup.  Top pick is the Chris Waller trained Our Voodoo Prince. His name is a clever interpretation of his breeding (out of Kingmambo x Ouija Board). Spillway has had two runs so far in his Spring campaign, running second to Star Rolling in the PB Lawrence Stakes and fourth in last week’s Makybe Diva Stakes, so he is one of the top chances and must win this to have a hope of running in the Caulfield Cup.  Bonfire has claims with close seconds in his only two runs this spring in Sydney. The most interesting runner is Zanbagh who ran second to Rising Romance in the Sydney Oaks. And when will Let’s Make Adeal make some headway? She has generally been disappointing of late.

The Group 3 Sportingbet Sprint Series Heat 2 Stakes (1200 metres) is run after the feature race, and looks to have attracted a really good field of smart mares. Samaready makes a welcome return to racing in this event and is the class act if she is back to her best.  It’s good to see She’s Archie’s daughter May’s Dream back on the track again. This race is too short for her, so she is not expected to win. She won the South Australian Oaks at her last start in April. Also in the field is Spirits Dance who in Autumn built up  four wins on the gallop and shouldn’t be dismissed, A Time For Julia who ran a close second to Gregers in the Cockram Stakes and Shamal Wind who has a good record first up and can fly like the proverbial over the distance. Throw in Jessie Belle and Girl Guide as place chances.

The final race on the program at Caulfield is the Le Pine Funerals Handicap and is of interest only because Cauthen is in the field. He was thrown in at the deep end at his last start in the McEwen Stakes and finished sixth. I had a look at him on that day and he has grown into an impressive looking young horse.  With his light weight and the services of top jockey Tommy Berry he may show the form that had him beating Long John and Shamus Award back in Spring last year.

In Sydney the racing card at Randwick is much better.  The Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600 metres) is the feature race of the day and has almost the same field that contested the Chelmsford Stakes on
6 September, with a few variations. Anyway you’ve got Hawkspur who won the aforementioned race by a nostril from Royal Descent who is also in the field along with Sacred Falls who ran fourth. He will appreciate the good track that is finally likely for Randwick on Saturday and is a top contender over the distance. Perhaps Lucia Valentina can repeat her incredible win in the Tramway Stakes if that effort didn’t overtax her, and maybe the spruiked sole three year old Panzer Division can give all the older horses a galloping lesson.  Also New Zealand mare Rising Romance, who won the Sydney Oaks is sure to feature somewhere.

Earthquake will be out to redeem her reputation in the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes (1400 metres). It’s obvious she is not suited to heavy tracks after her defeat at her last start in the Furious Stakes where she ran third. The winner on that occasion was Winx who will be aiming to keep her perfect unbeaten record intact in the Tea Rose.  Also in the picture are Peggy Jean and Alpha Miss.

The other interesting Group 2 race at Randwick is the Hill Stakes run over 2000 metres. After two horses were scratched, a field of six will compete for the honours. These include La Amistad, Criterion, Bagman and Moriarty. I’ll be torn between barracking for La Amistad and Criterion.

All in all it looks to be a good day of racing, and so you would expect as the spring racing season progresses.  It’s less than month to the running of the first of the big Cups – the Caulfield Cup – so my Saturday afternoons are taken care of for the next month or so.

Super Cool–The First Group 1 of the Spring Racing Season

Super Cool at Caulfield - Memsie Stakes Day 2013

The excitement of first class racing builds this weekend with the running of the first Group 1 race of the 2014 Spring Racing season.

The Group 1 Memsie Stakes is the feature race at Caulfield on Saturday and is run over 1400 metres. Also on the card are several Group 3 races with classy fields.

You will have gathered from the photo above, that my old fave Super Cool returns to racing this Saturday. He’s had a long spell after his gruelling spring last year, so I’m curious to see how he runs in the Memsie Stakes, which has attracted an excellent field of contestants with no less than six Group 1 winners in the mix.

Atlantic Jewel won the race last year by three lengths, but it is harder to pick the winner this time round. A top chance is Boban, who is avoiding the currently heavy tracks in Sydney and has two Melbourne wins on his CV. His  fellow Sydneysider Sweet Idea started off her spring with a bang, winning the Group 2 Missile Stakes and could possibly repeat that feat. There’s also Caulfield specialist Moment of Change, running at his favourite distance and with the Peter Moody/Luke Nolen factor and Messene who was runner up in the Missile Stakes. Super New Zealand mare Silent Achiever kicks off her spring campaign and cannot be ignored – after all she has beaten the likes of Carlton House and It’s A Dundeel . Then you have others like Puissance de Lune, Happy Trails and Super Cool - all of whom have a chance to take home the prize. It looks to be a fascinating race, which I intend to witness first hand.

Atlantic Jewel winning the 2013 Memsie Stakes

Atlantic Jewel’s little sister Commanding Jewel returns to the track after a long injury induced lay off in the Group 3 Cockram Stakes (1200 metres). She faces stiff competition from the likes of Dear Demi, Gregers, Thiamandi, Bonaria and Sino Eagle, but class could well prevail.

The Group 3 HDF McNeil Stakes looks interesting as well. For three year olds it is also run over 1200 metres and has familiar contestants from a fortnight ago – Cornrow and Jabali for instance -  but also the very promising Nostradamus who won the San Domenico Stakes at his last outing. Other interesting runners are Chivalry, Tan Tat Diamond and Moonovermanhattan.

Melbourne is enjoying a warm and sunny break this week and these pleasant conditions are expected to continue into the weekend, so the track at Caulfield will be in good shape.

I’m keenly looking forward to getting to the track on Saturday to soak up the sunshine with the racing action, as well as seeing my favourite race horses competing again.

Spring has finally sprung!