Catch Me! I Am Immortal – Blue Diamond Previews

Shortly after the finish of the fillies Blue Diamond Preview – first three home Catch Me (green silks) Jedastar (blue silks) & Shih Tzou (blue cap)

The first Group 1 race of Melbourne’s Autumn Racing Carnival is less than a fortnight hence, so I decided last Saturday to psych myself up and head to the races at Caulfield.

It wasn’t a terribly interesting meeting other than the two Blue Diamond Previews, where one is afforded an early opportunity to see  Blue Diamond bound babes in action.  Several winners of the Previews have gone on to win the Blue Diamond Stakes, most recently Sepoy (2011), Reward For Effort (2009) and Miracles of Life (2013).

I did not make a long day of it, arriving at Caulfield in time to watch Race 3, which was the Le Pines Funerals Handicap run over 1400 metres. The Hawkes trained Groundbreak started as favourite but finished out of the placings. Critical Thinking, a son of So You Think, led from the start and held on to win narrowly over Simply Invincible and Indian Thunder.

Just past the post – Critical Thinking still leads

The first of the Previews to run was the colts edition and I Am Immortal started as favourite even though this was his first start, though he had impressed recently in a trial at Pakenham.  He also led from the start and held on to win by a length from second favourite Microphone with Alburq running third another length behind.

I managed to get photos of most of the field in the pre-parade ring, and the standout good looker was Brazen Brando who looked the spitting image of his sire Brazen Beau, also a stunner. He ran fourth, racing from the rear of the field with an impressive turn of foot.

Brazen Brando in the pre-parade ring

I Am Immortal in the pre-parade ring

Shortly after the finish, I Am Immortal still leads Microphone

I Am Immortal returns to scale

In the fillies Blue Diamond Preview, Catch Me’s win was the more impressive and hard won, as she ran three wide for most of the race, then broke through to defeat race favourite, and leader, Jedastar by a length, with Shih Tzou following for a narrow third.

Catch Me returns to scale

Interestingly both Catch Me and I Am Immortal were sired by I Am Invincible. Whether either are good enough to win the Blue Diamond is yet to be seen.

I called it quits after the fillies Preview and headed home, the heat of day putting me off staying longer.

Next Saturday’s race card at Caulfield looks somewhat more interesting with a possible clash between classy speedsters, the handsome chestnuts, Written By and Nature Strip in the
Listed W J Adams Handicap, and Victoria Derby winner Extra Brut is nominated for the feature Group 3 Manfred Stakes.

The equine stars are emerging at last as the racing scene builds up to Group 1 action.

And of course there’s Winx, who will kick off her final season of racing in the Apollo Stakes on February 16.

I’ve been contemplating going to see her in Sydney again for the last time and tossing up between Golden Slipper day and Queen Elizabeth Stakes day. Golden Slipper day, at Rosehill, where Winx, all going to plan, will be running in the George Ryder Stakes, has won out.  I would prefer to go to Rosehill rather than Randwick – it’s better for photos.  Anyway, my flight to Sydney is booked, as is accommodation, so I can’t change my mind.

Super Saturday at Flemington

Chautauqua returns to scale after winning the 2016 Black Caviar Lightning

The grey flash, Chautauqua returns to the scene of his latest victory, to attempt the Lightning/Newmarket double at Flemington this coming Saturday. He is the top weight on 58kg and has drawn the outside barrier, but he is the one to beat, and will probably start as favourite. 

Ten other horses will be trying to one up him, the most threatening being the Chris Waller contingent Delectation and Japonisme. Terravista is missing from the field, so that’s one less to worry about. Last year the Newmarket Handicap was won by the lightweighted three year old Brazen Beau who relegated Chautuaqua to second, so that gives Japonisme, sole filly Secret Agenda, Counter Attack and Keen Array all a chance.  A new name in the eastern states racing scene is Black Heart Bart (great name!), another West Australian galloper now trained by Darren Weir,who will be having his first start in the east in the Newmarket. 

As well as the Newmarket Handicap, Flemington hosts the Group 1 Australian Cup a race over 2000 metres for middle distance runners and stayers.

Old campaigner, Happy Trails is pitted against the younger brigade, the top picks being Bow Creek and Preferment along with mares, Rising Romance, Suavito and Fenway. It has been a long time since a mare has won the Australian Cup, Makybe Diva being the last in 2005, but the above girls have been holding their own against the boys, so one of them could steal the show.

Mourinho was an acceptor for the Australian  Cup, but he was scratched today having succumbed to an old tendon injury, which signifies the end of his racing career.

There is a fine support card at Flemington that includes the Group 2 Sires Produce Stakes, Blamey Stakes and Kewney Stakes, but I’m not going to preview them here.

And at Rosehill the feature race is the Group 1 Coolmore Classic, a race for fillies and mares over 1500 metres. Unbeaten filly Ghisoni is the current favourite, but she’ll have to beat classy mares like Lucia Valentina, Politeness, Solicit, Amicus, Zanbagh and Azkadellia.

We have been experiencing a late summer heat wave here in Melbourne over the past two weeks, though yesterday it rained practically all day – welcome after the long dry spell – but today, Friday it’s back to being sunny and humid, so the Flemington track shouldn’t be affected all that much.

Tomorrow is forecast to be mild and overcast with a chance of rain in the afternoon.  Those conditions suit me fine, as I intend to soak up the racing action with the last Group 1 race meet for Melbourne’s autumn racing season. Australian Cup Day is always enjoyable, not overcrowded like the spring carnival and generally pretty laid back.

Tatts Tiara–The Last Group 1 of the Racing Year

Catkins – Derby Day – Flemington 2014

As one of my favourite racehorses, the sweet grey mare Catkins, is running in the final Group 1 of the Australian racing year, I thought I’d pen a post about the event.

Run this year on the Gold Coast when it is normally hosted by Eagle Farm, the Tatts Tiara (formerly run as the Winter Stakes) is a race over 1400 metres for mares and fillies.  I’m hoping that this year Catkins can finally win her first, well deserved, Group 1 race. She has contested quite a few and has always come up wanting, running second or third in most of those.

The Tiara has attracted a very nice field of classy mares and a few well regarded fillies, and Catkins main rivals are Srikandi who won the Stradbroke Handicap at her last start, Hazard  who beat Catkins in the Dane Ripper Stakes recently and Najoom, a spruiked filly trained by Gai Waterhouse, if she gains a start – she’s currently 2nd emergency. Others with a chance are Real Surreal, Solicit and Avoid Lightning. Naturally I’ll be barracking for the bonny grey mare –cross fingers, touch wood, she’ll win.

In the UK, the annual Royal Ascot meeting is in train. Several Australian horses are entered in various events. Two have already run – Criterion and Shamal Wind. They both finished unplaced, Criterion performing the better of the two finishing 5th in the Prince of Wales Stakes.

This weekend two more Aussie horses are to race in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes run over 6 furlongs (approx 1200 metres) on Sunday. Three Australian horses in the recent past have won this race – Choisir, Starspangledbanner and, most notably, Black Caviar.

This year’s great Australian hopes are the handsome Brazen Beau, who won the Group 1 Coolmore  Stud Stakes and Newmarket Handicap, and Australian Guineas winner Wandjina. Both are quality gallopers, who if they have acclimatised after travelling to the UK, could well do Australia proud.

Alas we will not see Brazen Beau in action in Australia again as he is to retire to stud after running in the UK. The same goes for Wandjina and quite a few of the Spring and Autumn stars over the 2014/2015 racing season, such as Dissident, Sweet Idea, Silent Achiever, Hallowed Crown, Adelaide, Earthquake and others who don’t spring to mind at the moment.

The racing scene in Melbourne doesn’t start to get interesting until late July in the build up to the Spring racing season’s early Group races.

Update Saturday

Speaking of Australian horses who have been successful at Ascot, the news came today that the “people’s champ” Takeover Target passed away this morning. euthanised after a paddock accident. He was 15 years old.  He cost his humble taxi driver trainer a mere $1400 and won over $6 million in prize money.  He won races everywhere, at Royal Ascot, Singapore, Japan and all over Australia. His record stands at 41 starts for 21 wins, 8 of which were at Group 1 level & 10 places. 

The archetypal “rags to riches” story, Takeover Target will live long in Australian racing memory – a very talented sprinter.

And the Tatts Tiara resulted in Catkins running unplaced, being forced back through the field early in the race.  Srikandi scored a rare double (Stradbroke/ Tiara) with a solid win, holding off Avoid Lightning and Lumosty who ran the minor placings.

Further Update Sunday

Brazen Beau just missed winning the Diamond Jubilee at Ascot early this morning.  He gets a second chance in the July Cup at Newmarket on July 11.

Gun (Jockeys) and Roses–Flemington Super Saturday Review

Brazen Beau returns to scale after winning the Newmarket Handicap

Saturday in Melbourne was set aside for the qualifying laps of the Melbourne Grand Prix, not something I am interested in.

So eschewing the rev of hotted up motors echoing through the metropolis, I headed out to Flemington for the thunder of hooves, and to smell roses rather than fuel.

I got to the track early on a surprisingly crowded train, arriving  around 12.40pm and stayed until the Australian Cup, which was run at 4.30pm. So it was a long day, but the time passed quickly as there was plenty of exciting racing action and pretty horses to view over the afternoon.

The title of this post refers to the winning doubles of jockeys Michael Walker and Joao Moreira who each rode one winner of the Group 1 races plus one other on the program.

And of course the roses were resplendent as you’d expect.

My arrival at the track was in plenty of time to watch race 2, the
MSS Security Stakes, wherein Brazilian born, Hong Kong hoop Joao Moreira booted home the first winner of his double. This happened to be  12/1 shot Pittsburgh Flyer, who I thought had no chance. My interests were centred on Earthquake and Sistonic. Earthquake ran a close second, but Sistonic finished second last and didn’t feature at all.

Earthquake in the mounting yard

Sistonic on her way to the track

Pittsburgh Flyer returns to scale after winning the MSS Security Stakes

After watching the race I sauntered up to the stalls area to see if the Living Legends had arrived.

Both Zipping and Better Loosen Up were present, and lovingly attended to by the Living Legends staff.

Zipping in his stall – all dressed up and ready to parade

Better Loosen Up with a rose tucked into his bridle

Better Loosen Up will turn 30 on 29th August this year and was a champion of the turf in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He is the only Australian bred horse to have won the prestigious Japan Cup which he did in 1990.  He also won the 1990 Cox Plate, MacKinnon Stakes, and the 1991 Australian Cup as well as several other Group races. He was named Australian Horse of the Year for the 1990-1991 season.

The Living Legends were taken off for a walk in the mounting yard, so I cruised through the stable area to see which of the present stars of the turf had arrived.

Lankan Rupee was being hosed down by his strapper, and I got a lovely photo of him in the watering section of the stalls.

Lankan Rupee in the stalls area after being hosed down

Alas, much as I hoped to see Lankan Rupee win the Newmarket Handicap, it wasn’t to be. Everyone was puzzled by his failure to run a place, but on Monday it was revealed that he had  torn a muscle in his chest and was also displaying signs of inflammation in his stifles.  This obviously happened during the race as he was over-racing in the early stages and pulling hard, then failed to produce his devastating sprint in the finish.

Returning track side, Race 3 was about to get underway. This was the Group 2 Sires Produce Stakes for two year olds run over 1400 metres.

Jameka was the favourite and she delivered a comfortable win for her backers, winning by a length from Lazumba with Sampeah,running third, three and a half lengths behind.

Jameka returns to scale after winning the Sires Produce Stakes

Lazumba on her way to the track

Sampeah on his way to the track

Back in the stalls more horses had arrived, among them Red Cadeaux.

Red Cadeaux in his stall – he has such a kind face.

Terravista was waiting patiently in his stall as well.

Terravista

Brazen Beau, the eventual winner of the Newmarket Handicap was being walked in the parade ring. I got this great head shot of him.

Brazen Beau – a head turner

Meanwhile, in the mounting yard, the Living Legends were grazing on the turf, whilst the CEO of Living Legends, Andrew Clarke, was interviewed on TVN about the organisation and the profiles of the equine special guests.

Race 4, the Group 2 Blamey Stakes run over 1600 metres was next on the agenda. Suavito, who spectacularly won the Group 1 Futurity Stakes two weeks ago was the hot favourite and she didn’t disappoint.  After missing the start, she quickly moved up to take the lead and was never headed, winning by a length from Sertorius, with Kourkam running third.

Suavito returns to scale after winning the Blamey Stakes

Only one more race remained before the big two feature races were to run, this being the Group 2 Kewney Stakes, for three year old fillies over 1400 metres. As I had not had a bet all afternoon I was toying with the idea of putting a few dollars on Wawail, but thought better of it after noticing Michael Walker was riding her. He’d recently put in a few poor rides so didn’t inspire confidence.

How wrong I was.  Wawail upstaged hot favourite Sabatini who was aiming for her third win in succession. Sabatini raced at the tail of the field and though she flew home, she was unable to reel in Wawail.

Wawail returns to scale after winning the Kewney Stakes

Sabatini leaves the mounting yard for the track

Though my heart was with Lankan Rupee in the Newmarket, my head or some strong intuition told me to put money on Brazen Beau, which I did. So I was delighted that he won, and like everyone else bemused by the performance of Lankan Rupee. He looked fine in the mounting yard as did all the others.

Chautauqua finished second and Terravista ran third, but they were blitzed by Brazen Beau who won by almost three lengths.

My photos of the Newmarket parade are really dark for some reason I can’t fathom, so I won’t be showing them in this post

Brazen Beau in the winners rug

The Australian Cup ended in a boilover with the unfancied Spillway winning the bikkies by a nose from the also unfancied Extra Zero, with the ever honest Happy Trails running third. Michael Walker proved me wrong again with his winning ride.

Spillway returns to scale after winning the Australian Cup

As expected The Cleaner led the field at a good pace and he managed to hang for fourth. Protectionist was never in it, but Red Cadeaux ran well and finished fifth.

The light was better for the Australian Cup parade, so here are photos of the main contenders.

Red Cadeaux

Happy Trails

Extra Zero

Protectionist

The Cleaner

Foreteller

The Australian Cup meeting is basically the last of the Group 1 racing for Melbourne in autumn, though the finale is the William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley on the 27th March.

The focus of racing  now shifts to Sydney for the so called Championships. Next weekend Rosehill will feature five Group 1 races including the Golden Slipper Stakes.

Speaking of the Sydney races, the Coolmore Classic resulted in an upset win by long shot Plucky Belle, who pipped favourite First Seal at the post. Diamond Drille ran third.

I’ll miss my Saturday afternoon outings to the races as I’m really only interested in attending the Group meetings. So I will be watching the action from Sydney at home from now on.

Lankan Rupee–Lightning Fast

Lankan Rupee  returns to scale after winning the Black Caviar Lightning

It was a day of weird weather, chaotic public transport and fabulous racing action, capped by the stunning victory of Lankan Rupee in the feature race.

Due to several events coinciding on Saturday – White Night, Cirque du Sol, Soundwave Festival and of course the Lightning Stakes meeting at Flemington - public transport was disrupted. When my local train arrived at Flinders Street Station I was expecting to step onto a Flemington Racecourse train on another platform as usual.  I was obliged to catch another train to Southern Cross station and link up to the racecourse train there. I found it on Platform 8A  and hastily boarded, only to have the train sit idle for another 15 minutes before it departed.  Coming home was hellish, but more about that later.

So I was rather later arriving at the track than I anticipated. I did manage to get there in time to watch race 3 The Vanity, and get some photos of the field.

Set Square who ran second

Wawail who ran third

Sweet and Speedy – the winner -  returns to scale

After that race I headed to the stalls area to see who had turned up.

I found WA colt Disposition in his stall…

…and Tawteen who was being prepared for the next race

Race 4 was the Indian Summer Handicap and I was expecting Tawteen to at least run a place, but she faded in the straight and finished 7th. The winner was Chloe in Paris.

Chloe in Paris leaving the mounting yard for the track

Runway Star finished second with Sweet Emily taking out third spot.

Sweet Emily on her way to the track

The early part of the afternoon was hot and sunny, before clouds started to build up over the course. It was a welcome relief to have the sun obscured but it was still very humid and oppressive.

Back in the stalls area, a number of new arrivals were waiting patiently in their stalls. Naturally I made sure to visit Lankan Rupee who was looking a picture of health.

And at one time was communing with stable mate Dany The Fox in the adjacent stall

Lankan Rupee with  Dany the Fox

A few stalls away, Deep Field had quite crowd of admirers in front of his stall.

Deep Field in his stall

Brazen Beau was close by looking as handsome as ever.

Brazen Beau in his stall

I also went and visited Silent Witness, the Living Legends representative for the afternoon, and gave him a pat as he grazed on the rose bushes.

Silent Witness

The fifth race on the program was the Lawn Handicap an unlisted race over 1400 metres.  I made it back to the public lawn in time to watch the race. It was won by Gracious Prospect with Swift Shadow and Amorino running second and third.

Also rans The Wingman and Infinite Energy return to scale after the Lawn Handicap

There was only one more race before the Lightning was due to run. This was the Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes for Guineas bound colts and geldings.

Disposition was the favourite, but he was denied victory by the Gai Waterhouse trained Wandjina winning by a narrow margin. Stratum Star ran third.

Here are some of the contenders in the mounting yard


Disposition

Stratum Star

Wandjina – ear muffs and all

Merion ran fourth

A big dark cloud had by this time gathered over the course and the odd drop of rain was falling as lightning flashed and thunder rolled. Quite ironic really considering that the Black Caviar Lightning was up next.  There was a glitch in the video coverage caused by an electrical disturbance, so the feature event was delayed until the storm had passed.

Sky over Flemington at around 4.15pm

The storm mostly bypassed Flemington as the city and northern suburbs were subjected to a torrential downpour with only a passing shower hitting the course.

Anyway it was finally time for the race we had all be waiting for, the famous 60 second dash down the straight.

The horses had no sooner entered the mounting yard than they were mounted and heading for the track.

Lankan Rupee

Brazen Beau

Deep Field

Lankan Rupee’s trainer, Mick Price, stated several days ago the he was training the horse to take a sit during a race to conserve his blistering sprint until the end.  Previously his pattern was to race on the speed and was therefore left a sitting duck as back markers swooped and overtook him. This is what happened in the Darley Classic last Spring when he finished third behind Terravista and Chautauqua.

Deep Field started as favourite for the Black Caviar Lightning, but had his colours lowered, being left wanting in the straight.

The early leader was Fab Fevola who raced all by his lonesome on the outside. The rest were bunched in the centre Lankan Rupee running just behind Deep Field, stride for stride with Brazen Beau, who was on Deep Field’s inside.  Lankan Rupee took off at the 200 metre mark and sailed effortlessly past Deep Field with Brazen Beau in hot pursuit. Lankan Rupee won by nearly three lengths with Brazen Beau finishing second, relegating Deep Field to third place.

I was delighted with Lankan Rupee’s win, though I didn’t have any money wagered on the race.  The new race tactics worked a treat courtesy of the superbly timed ride of Craig Newitt, who made a special trip from his current residency in Singapore to ride the beautiful horse with a heart.

Lankan Rupee parades in the mounting yard after his win

Lankan Rupee’s next assignment is the Newmarket Handicap on
14 March, a race he won last year.  It will also have a top class field. Can Lankan Rupee turn the tables on Chautauqua and Terravista this time?

Throughout the afternoon I took time out to watch the race action in Sydney and was pleased to see Catkins win the Millie Fox Stakes from Plucky Belle and Avoid Lightning.

Hallowed Crown won the Hobartville Stakes, defeating a top field. Sweynesse finished second with Kermadec running third and the Silver Slipper was won by Headwater from Voilier and Mishani Honcho. Ottoman finished fourth.

I left Flemington after the Lightning Stakes and made it back to Southern Cross station. I should have caught another train to Flinders Street, but decided I would tram it the rest of the way home. This was a mistake, as I’d forgotten all about the White Night, and trams were few and far between, most of the central CBD being blocked to traffic.

Signage or information on tram movements was non existent.  In the end I caught a tram to the corner of Queen and Bourke Streets, then walked to La Trobe Street in the hope of connecting with an 86 tram to take me home.  I eventually found out that 86 trams were only running from the Nicholson and Gertrude Street corner.  So I caught a tram in La Trobe to Nicholson Street and walked to Gertrude,  finally managing to board the 86 tram and get home almost two hours after leaving Flemington race course.

Next week the racing is at Caulfield and features the Blue Diamond Stakes and two other Group 1 races, the Oakleigh Plate and Futurity Stakes. 

The racing action intensifies from now on in both Melbourne and Sydney as the Autumn Racing Carnival gears up for the Sydney Championships and in Melbourne, the Australia Cup.