Jenni by a Mile

Pride of Jenni on her way to winning the 2024 All Star Mile

It wasn’t what you would call a top class field contesting this year’s edition of the All Star Mile, but worth attending nonetheless as an outing away from home.

The sun was shining and the wind was gentle as compared to the ghastly weather at Flemington on Newmarket Handicap Day.

As the All Star Mile was scheduled to run at 4.15pm, I took my time getting to Caulfield, arriving around 2.15pm.

After locating my friend Rebecca,  I discovered that we were permitted in the Members area, which was directly in front of the winning post; something of a bonus.

Race 5, the Listed Quayclean Anniversary Vase, run over 1600 metres was handy for photography practice before the better races following.

First Immortal who raced on the pace in second place overtook race leader Keats as they approached the winning post to win narrowly from The Summit with Nugget running third.

First Immortal charges to the finish up the straight

The Summit on his way to the barriers

The next race was the Redoute’s Choice Stakes for two year olds, and hot favourite Bold Bastille won easily from Immortal Star and Yes Lulu.

Bold Bastille wins the Redoute’s Choice Stakes

Immortal Star (pink)  overtaking Yes Lulu to run second

I was pleased to see that Race 7 was named for Mystic Journey, the inaugural winner of the All Star Mile.

The 2024 edition featured a field of pretty smart three year old fillies.

Waltz On By, a grand daughter of former star mare  Miss Finland who won the Golden Slipper and ran second in the Blue Diamond Stakes in 2006, won the bickies in the Mystic Journey, beating Lady Jones by a length with Seonee running third.

Waltz On By wins the Mystic Journey from Lady Jones

The next race was the feature event, that is The All Star Mile, but before that happened there was a modicum of entertainment in the form of a singer in the stands accompanied by a trumpeter, singing the Tina Turner classic Simply the Best…

Singer

Then the All Star Mile field emerged onto the track.

Attractable

Ayrton

Cascadian

Desert Lightning

Mr Brightside – favourite

Munhamek

Holymanz

Mr Brightside was the warm favourite despite having to start from gate 11. This in the end defeated him with Pride of Jenni leading from the start to the finish, running at a solid pace that he was unable to match in time.

Pride of Jenni  burns up the straight to win the All Star Mile

Mr Brightside came dashing  from the rear of the field to finish second and Cascadian ran third.

And so ended yet another All Star Mile, after which I headed for the station and home.

Next Saturday I’m heading to Moonee Valley to see Imperatriz run in the William Reid Stakes.

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.

Thousand Guineas Day at Caulfield

Joliestar wins the 2023 Thousand Guineas

Melbourne Racing Club has scheduled the Thousand Guineas at various times over the years. For some time it was run on Caulfield Guineas Day, and at other times contested at a mid week meeting during the Caulfield Cup mini carnival.

This year however it was held on Saturday afternoon with the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes added as an extra attraction. Also it was the last Melbourne race meeting for well known jockey Damien Oliver. He seems to have been around forever, but he is to retire at the end of the year.

If I had realised that public transport disruptions made it difficult to get to Caulfield by train, I would not have attended, as it seemed last Saturday that I spent more time travelling to and from the race course, than I passed at the track.

It’s normally pretty easy to get to Caulfield by train, several lines servicing the station, so I set off in the early afternoon and arrived at Flinders Street around 1.30pm.

From there it got tricky, as I discovered after making enquiries at Flinders Street on how to get to Caulfield, being told that I needed to take a train to Burnley Station from where I could connect with a train replacement bus.

As I wasn’t in a great rush and had plenty of time in hand I took the train to Burnley Station and found the replacement bus stop after quite a long walk, and eventually was on an express bus to Caulfield.

So it was getting close to 3.00 pm by the time I reached Caulfield Racecourse.

I was on time and at the fence to watch and photograph Race 6, the Group 3, Blue Sapphire Stakes, a race for three year olds over 1400 metres.

Run Harry Run proved the winner, fighting out the finish with Brave Mead. Arkansaw Kid filled third place.

Run Harry Run (blue & red) & Brave Mead neck and neck down the straight

Arkansaw Kid running third

Having taken so long to get to the track, the first of the Group 1 races was up next, this being the Thousand Guineas.

Coeur Volante started as favourite, but Joliestar was dominant at the finish, winning by over a length from Kimochi with Skybird running third.

Joliestar returns to scale

The Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes was the next to run and a field of 16 runners were contesting the 1400 metre race.

It resulted in Magic Time winning the prize from I Am Me and Straight Acer, running wide to overtake the leaders, finishing a good length in front of I Am Me.

 
Magic Time overtakes I Am Me to win the 2023 Rupert Clarke Stakes

I did not stay for the final two races and thus missed Damien Oliver’s farewell after the last race, opting to catch the tram – a longish scenic journey through the Eastern suburbs that eventually delivered me to Flinders Street Station from where I took a train home.

Champions Stakes Day at Flemington

As the sign above the gate to the Mounting Yard proclaimed, it was Champion’s Stakes Day at Flemington, the last day of the Flemington Melbourne Cup mini carnival, so forth I went last Saturday to catch the action.

There were three Group 1 races on the card, a sprint – the Champions Sprint, a race over 1600 metres dubbed the Champions Mile and the Champions Stakes, run over 2000 metres.

Quality fields had accepted on the day, making it worth attending.

I was particularly interested in seeing Imperatriz, the super New Zealand mare, running in the sprint.

It was a coolish kind of day, a chill wind spoiling the afternoon somewhat despite the bright sunshine.

As the Group 1 races were scheduled for mid to late afternoon, I took my time getting to Flemington, arriving around 2.00 pm, just before the running of the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

I watched the race from a distance and noted that Muramasa was the winner with Ladies Man running second ahead of Duke de Sessa.

From there I made my way up to the stalls area to see who had arrived and came across several of the Group 1  runners, such as Imperatriz.

Imperatriz

Zaaki

Alligator Blood

Pride of Jenni

Espiona

It was a well patronised race meeting, but not that hard to get through the crowd of scantily dressed girls to my preferred spot on the fence, from where I managed some photo practice in Race 5, the Group 2 Matriarch Stakes, where a field of mares were set to run the 2000 metres.

Deny Knowledge led from the start to the finish and won narrowly from Osmose and Amokura.

Deny Knowledge prevails over Osmose and Amokura

The next race was the first of the Group 1  events, this being the Champions Sprint where Imperatriz won her fifth Group 1 in succession, defeating a classy field. Buenes Noches ran second ahead of In Secret and Espiona finished fourth.

As the field raced down the centre of the track fairly close to the outer rail it is always difficult to get clear photos of the finish. Fortunately I clicked at the right time and snapped Imperatriz in shot.

Imperatriz wins the Champions Sprint

Imperatriz returns to scale

The next two races resulted in unexpected long shot winners, the Champions Mile being won by Pride of Jenni who led from the start and was never challenged. Mr Brightside finished second ahead of Alligator Blood.

Pride of Jenni zooms up the straight to win the Champions Mile

The placegetters – Mr Brightside, Alligator Blood & Fangirl

The Chris Waller trained Atishu triumphed in the Champions Stakes, easily beating Duais by almost two lengths with Young Werther running third.

Atishu wins the Champions Stakes

Atishu on her way to the barriers

Duais on her way to the barriers

Young Werther on his way to the barriers

I didn’t stay for the final race, heading home directly after the Champions Stakes.

Next week Caulfield host the final Melbourne Group 1 races of the Spring Racing season, the Thousand Guineas and the Rupert Clarke Stakes.

Without A Fight- Caulfield Cup Review

Caulfield Cup  – Without A Fight & West Wind Blows battle to the finish

Despite the support card for Caulfield Cup meeting not being that interesting, the feature event offered an intriguing conundrum with the large field composed of  several International runners and seasoned familiar stayers.

So forth I went last Saturday to take in some racing action at the track, arriving around 2.00 pm.

The Caulfield Cup was scheduled for 5.15pm so it wasn’t a terribly long sojourn.

A big crowd was in  attendance, so it was hard to get a position on the fence to practice photography, but after finally tracking down my friend Rebecca we settled in a spot not too far from the finishing post.

We even managed to get to the stalls area, though didn’t come across the runners we were interested in other than Gold Trip who was the Caulfield Cup favourite.

 
Gold Trip in his stall

Returning trackside, we were back on the fence for the running of Race 5, the  Group 2 Thousand Guineas Prelude, a race for three year old fillies over 1400 metres.

Coeur Volante was the winner, beating Vivi Air by a bit over a length, with Zourion snagging third place from Moesha.

Coeur Volante on her way to winning the Thousand Guineas Prelude

Vivi Air on her way to barriers

Race 6 was the Group 2 McCafe Sprint, a 1000 metre dash down the straight that resulted in a win for Doull, who defeated Spacewalk and Generation.

Doull (red silks) outguns Spacewalk to win the McCafe Sprint

Skew Whiff started as favourite for Race 7, the Group 2 Tristarc Stakes, but Wrote to Arataki who led from the start, held on to win from Shuffle Dancer and Call Di.

 
Wrote to Arataki wins the Tristarc Stakes

After the running of the Tristarc Stakes, there was only one more race to run before the Caulfield Cup.

This was the Group 3 Moonga Stakes and Buffalo River, race favourite, led field from the start and won easily from Climbing Star.

Buffalo River on his way to winning the Moonga Stakes

A big field of eighteen runners faced the starter in the Caulfield Cup, so I suppose it was really no surprise that International runners West Wind Blows (the favourite) and Without A Fight ended up running the quinella with top weight Gold Trip finishing third.

Without A Fight (no 2) about to overtake West Wind Blows in the Caulfield Cup

With the Caulfield Cup run and won, I headed for the station and home.

Next Saturday is Cox Plate Day, so hopefully it will be a more interesting afternoon at the races than Caulfield Cup Day.