Blue Diamond Stakes Day Review

Hayasugi on her way to winning the 2024 Blue Diamond Stakes

Last Saturday I set out for Caulfield around 12.40pm and arrived at the track 40 minutes later, in time to locate my friend Rebecca and practice photography on Race 4, the Group 3 Zedative Stakes, a race for 3 year olds over 1200 metres.

Raikoke led from the start, and despite a late challenge from Brave Mead, won by over a length. Scully ran third.

Raikoke wins the Zedative Stakes comfortably

Brave Mead in hot pursuit

The Group 2 Autumn Classic, over 1800 metres was next to run and was won by over 3 lengths by Immediacy. Caracas finished second with Our Couver a further length behind in third place

Immediacy wins the Autumn Classic easily

Caracas and Our Couver run second and third

It was a sunny day with a cool breeze offsetting the heat of the sun,  pleasant to be in the open air.

Race 6, the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes was of interest due to the presence of highly regarded New Zealand mare Campionessa taking on the likes of past Melbourne Cup winners Vow and Declare and Gold Trip.

The mare proved her metal with a gritty win over a very short margin (a nose) from Vow and Declare. Gold Trip finished third.

Campionessa wins the Peter Young Stakes from Vow and Declare

Campionessa on her way to the barriers

Vow an Declare on his way to the barriers

Gold Trip on his way to the barriers

There were three Group 1 races on the cards last Saturday, the first to run being the Futurity Stakes. Star miler Mr Brightside was the hot favourite and he didn’t disappoint, winning by over length from Pericles with early leader, Buffalo River, hanging on for third.

Mr Brightside burns up the straight to win the Futurity Stakes

With feature Blue Diamond Stakes up next, Rebecca and I stuck to our spot on the fence, rather than jostling for position with other racing enthusiasts.

Coleman started as the favourite, but 14/1 shot Hayasugi, given a lovely ride by Jaimie Kah, won the prize narrowly from the highly favoured Lady of Camelot, with Kuroyanagi running third, completing a fillies trifecta.

Hayasugi became the first horse since Sepoy in  2011 to win the Blue Diamond Preview,  Blue Diamond Prelude and Blue Diamond Stakes – quite an accomplishment!

I also recall that I saw her racing on Cox Plate Day last year, where she ran second to Bold Bastille in the Group 2 Inglis Banner.

Hayasugi returns to scale after winning the Blue Diamond Stakes

I didn’t stay for the final Group 1, the Oakleigh Plate which was won in my absence by Queman, opting for home after a pleasant afternoon trackside.

Next Saturday I will probably attend the Australian Guineas meeting at Flemington.

Lightning Strike–Imperatriz wins again

Imperatriz winning the 2024 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes

Over the past decade I have attended Lightning Stakes Day at Flemington many times.

This year with super star sprinter Imperatriz being set to run, it was a no brainer to be present again, so I headed off to the big track last Saturday for the event.

Happily it was a sunny day, quite warm in fact, and I arrived at the track shortly after 1.00 pm and was in plenty of time to get to my favourite possie on the fence to witness the Talindert Stakes, a race for two year olds over 1100 metres.

The bizarrely named Aardvark won the race by a little over length with Reasonable Point and Bittercreek running the minor places.

Aardvark wins the Talindert Stakes

I gave Race 4 a miss and decided to visit the stalls area to get a photo of Imperatriz.

Imperatriz in her stall looking bright & beautiful

Race 5 was the Group 3 Frances Tressady Stakes, run over 1400 metres for fillies and mares.

Revolutionary Miss who I recall witnessing winning the Blue Diamond Prelude in 2022, proved the winner in this race, narrowly beating Forbidden City and Fortunate Kiss.

Revolutionary Miss wins the Frances Tressady Stakes from Forbidden City

The the Group 3 Vanity was next up and Grizinger Belle, who led from the start, prevailed to win comfortably from French Endeavour and Mollyknickers.

Grizinger Belle wins The Vanity

The colts equivalent of The Vanity, the C S Hayes Stakes, followed and 2023 Victorian Derby winner, Riff Rocket, surprised everyone with a solid victory, running from the tail of the field to overtake King Colorado and score the bickies. Verdad ran third.

Riff Rocket wins the C S Hayes Stakes

Riff Rocket on his way to barriers

Flemington was in Carnival mode with a small band entertaining the crowd and stilt walkers cruising the public lawn.

Stilt walker posing for photograph.

It wasn’t all that crowded last Saturday so it was easy to get around when seeking shade from the sun.

The feature event was of course the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning. It was renamed in Black Caviar’s honour in 2013 to recognise her dominance in the event. She won it three years consecutively from 2011 to 2013.

Imperatriz was the hot favourite this year and she won by a short margin after overtaking Private Eye in the straight.

Imperatriz returns to scale

Calling it quits after the Black Caviar Lightning I headed home, pleased to have attended to have seen Imperatriz win yet again.

Her next race I assume will be the Group 1 William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley in late March – I’ve already  purchased a ticket!.

Next Saturday I plan to go to the Blue Diamond Stakes meeting at Caulfield.

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.

Lightning Review–Home Affairs To the Fore

Black Caviar Lightning –Home Affairs leads with Nature Strip & Eduardo in hot pursuit

My arrival at Flemington on Saturday afternoon was earlier than I anticipated. This was due to the train timetable, where I erred on the side of caution rather than cutting fine my connection to the Flemington train at Southern Cross Station.

Not to worry, I at least got to see Race 3, the Vale Jack Styring Trophy, a race over 1600 metres, and could practice  photography before the real action began.

The unbeaten mare Yonce having only her fourth start was the warm favourite and she won easily from Groovy Kinda Love and Divine Diosa , running from the back of the field to overtake the leaders.

Yonce (blue silks) challenges Divine Diosa (pink)

The Talindert Stakes was up next but before that was set to run I sauntered up to the stalls area to see who had arrived.

Several of the sprinters engaged in the Lightning Stakes were already in their stalls…

Eduardo

Gytrash

The Inferno

The three above were in proximity to each other in the first section of the stalls area, so I didn’t bother heading to the back stalls area, returning to my spot on the fence to see the two year olds run in the Talindert Stakes.

In all the Blue Diamond build up races there has been a different winner each time, not any of the two year olds contesting those races repeating the feat in another race. This makes assessing the actual Blue Diamond Stakes quite tricky with no stand out performers evident.

Such was the case in the Talindert with filly I’mlovin’ya winning the prize from Waltz On By and Lamda at her second start.

I’mlovin’ya  (pink)  about to overtake Waltz On By to win the Talindert Stakes

It was a pleasant sunny day at Flemington, hot in the sun, but I found a cool spot to have sit between races in the Elms area.

The Group 3 Vanity Stakes was next to run.  A race for three year old  fillies it is run over 1400 metres.

Barb Raider was the favourite and she didn’t disappoint her backers winning from a fast finishing Cardigan Queen with race leader Ancient Girl hanging on for third.

Barb Raider (lime)) Ancient Girl (pink) & Cardigan Queen (red cap)

Barb Raider on her way to the barriers

Cardigan Queen returns to scale

Then there was only one more race to run before the highly anticipated Black Caviar Lightning and this was the Group 3 C S Hayes Stakes, also run over 1400 metres for Guineas bound colts and geldings.

Pretty boy Lightsaber started as favourite but he played up in the barriers and was subsequently scratched.  Pascero lead the field for most of the race and put a good gap on the chasers, but a swooping runs from Pinstriped overtook him on the line. Captivant finished third.

Pinstriped (no 7) wins the C S Hayes Stakes from Pascero

Pinstriped returns to scale

Pascero  on his way to the barriers

Lightsaber on his way to the barriers- an exceptionally photogenic horse

The Black Caviar Lightning lived up to its hype, though not in a way that anyone envisaged.

From the start it was dramatic with Nature Strip’s lunge from the gate stymied by Profiteer who veered left into his trajectory, causing him to lose ground. Profiteer continued to  race erratically throughout most of the race, causing interference to several other runners . Nature Strip denied his usual style of taking the lead had to catch up to the leader, Home Affairs, who was unimpeded in his run.

As the winning post drew closer, Nature Strip was seen to be gaining ground and caught up to Home Affairs at the post, to lose by a whisker.  Eduardo, who was also hampered by Profiteer at the start, finished third.

Home Affairs returns to scale

Nature Strip returns to scale

Eduardo returns to scale

I did not tarry after the Lightning, heading for the station directly to catch the train.

Next Saturday I’m looking forward to returning to Caulfield for Blue Diamond Stakes Day.

Blue Diamond Babes at Caulfield

Miss Roseiano on her way to winning the Fillies Blue Diamond Preview

It has been over a week in Melbourne that  we’ve had to endure hot and sticky weather, quite tropical in fact.

In the past I used to quite enjoy summer weather, but as I’ve got older I find it hard to endure  hot days, so it was with some trepidation that I wended my way to Caulfield on Australia Day for the Blue Diamond Previews meetings.

Fortunately trains were running on the Hurstbridge and Frankston lines, so at least I didn’t have to put up with the concomitant inconveniences of transport disruptions.

I arrived at Caulfield about twenty minutes before the first race as intended. This was the colts and geldings Blue Diamond Preview, one of the races I wanted to see.

Not many other people were in attendance, so I had no trouble getting to my favourite spot on the fence for action photography and finding a seat in the shade in between races.

The stalls area was blocked off for major renovations so general admission race patrons were limited to the front lawn area and Norman Robinson Stand.

Interestingly, first starters won both the Blue Diamond Previews, Daumier proving too good for race favourite Philosopher and prevailing over the challenging Rampant Lion in the colts division to win by half a length.

Daumier holds off Rampant Lion to win the Blue Diamond Preview

Miss Roseiano led the much larger field of the fillies Preview from the start, and couldn’t be run down by challenging fillies Written Swoosh and race favourite Latizia. She came in at big odds, being unfancied in the betting.

Miss Roseiano zooms up the straight

I stayed at Caulfield for the following two races, the first of these being the Evergreen Turf Handicap a race over 1100 metres. I can’t say that I’d ever taken much interest in any of the runners.

Asfoora beat Jilette by a length with For Real Life running third.

Asfoora  (no 2) and Jilette fight out the finish in the Evergreen Turf Handicap

Race 4 was the Listed W J Adams Stakes, another sprint over 1000 metres. Only four contenders were set to run in this race, one of them Enthaar, who started as the hot favourite. I’ve at least seen her race a few times, including on Zipping Classic Day where she won the Listed Doveton Stakes  from Streetcar Stranger.

This time however she ran last, over racing early in the race to fade in the straight, whilst Streetcar Stranger went on to win from Mossman Gorge and Esta La Roca.

Streetcar Stranger challenges Esta La Roca with Mossman Gorge charging on the outside

It was a disappointing performance by Enthaar, but no doubt she’ll be back in the winners stall again sometime or other.

Calling it quits after the W J Adams Stakes, I headed home, the trains coinciding nicely, but I faced a hot and sticky walk home from Ivanhoe Station.

I survived, and overall was pleased by the rare outing despite the challenging weather.

Let’s hope that the rest of the Autumn racing carnival is run in more tolerable conditions.