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.

Angelic Light or Earthquake– Autumn Racing this Weekend

Earthquake at Flemington Australian Cup day 2015

There are three Group 1 races this coming weekend, one at Moonee Valley on Friday night and two at Rosehill on Saturday afternoon. I won’t be attending any of the them, but will of course be watching them with interest.

The William Reid Stakes on Friday night is the final Group 1 race in Melbourne until the spring season begins with the Memsie Stakes in late August. It is a sprint over 1200 metres and has been won in the past by some great names of the turf – Black Caviar in 2011 and 2013, Apache Cat consecutively in 2008 and 2009, Miss Andretti, Vo Rogue among others.

This year’s edition does not have the likes of Lankan Rupee, Chautauqua, Terravista or Brazen Beau in the field, but is quite interesting nonetheless.  For a start it has Earthquake who narrowly missed winning her last start at Flemington lumping a 60kg impost. This time she carries only 54kg, so she is in with a excellent chance.

The current favourite is Angelic Light who defeated Lankan Rupee in the McEwan Stakes in September last year. She is returning from a spell but may need a run to reach full fitness.

Angelic Light overtaking Lankan Rupee in the 2014 McEwan Stakes

Top weight in the race is Rebel Dane, a splendid looking beast, who promises much, but rarely delivers, though he may prove me wrong on Friday night. Others with a chance are Vain Queen, Famous Seamus, It Is Written and Fontelina who ran second in this race last year.

At Rosehill two very classy fields have been assembled for the Group 1 races. The first of these is the Vinery Stud Stakes a race for three year old fillies over 2000 metres. Top pick is First Seal, even if she did not win at her only start over 2000 metres against the colts.  Her main rivals are Victorian Oaks winner Set Square who has been competitive at her two starts this season, Amicus who won the Thousand Guineas in Spring, Winx and Thunder Lady.

The BMW is always a really interesting race for stayers over 2400 metres and this years edition has attracted a top field that includes the usual suspects, Protectionist, Who Shot Thebarman, Lucia Valentina and Silent Achiever. However, all eyes will be on the Japanese superstar To The World  and the talented English import Hartnell who won his last start by 2 lengths. 

The bonny grey mare Catkins is entered in the Group 2 Emancipation Stakes and has a very good chance of winning it. She finished a game second to Cosmic Endeavour in the open class Group 1 Canterbury Stakes, but is back to racing against her own sex. Her main threat comes from Madam Gangster who I witnessed winning the Frances Tressady Stakes at Flemington a few weeks ago and could well continue on her winning ways.

Update Sunday night:

Alas neither Earthquake nor Angelic Light featured in the finish of the William Reid Stakes. Outsider Lucky Hussler won the bikkies from Vain Queen and Griante.

In Sydney, First Seal just missed winning the Vinery Stud Stakes, being outstayed by outsider Fenway.  Thunder Lady ran third.

The BMW was a ripper and featured an exciting head to head down the straight between To The World and Hartnell, with the English import prevailing over the Japanese star. 100/1 shot Beaten Up hung on for third.

And punter’s pal, the ever consistent Catkins won the Emancipation Stakes.

The sad news from the weekend in the racing scene was the sudden death of He’s Your Man after track work. Reportedly he suffered a heart attack and died peacefully with his trainer (Chris Waller) consoling him as he passed away.

He’s Your Man at Flemington on Derby Day last year

Super Saturday at Rosehill

Signage at Rosehill Racecourse

Last year at this time I went to Sydney for Mystic Medusa’s Astrological New Year dinner, and whilst there attended the Ranvet Stakes meeting at Rosehill on the Saturday afternoon.

This year I’ll be home in Melbourne, but will be watching with keen interest the tremendous race card at Rosehill Racecourse.

The meeting last year was relatively low key, with only two Group 1 races, but NSW racing has rearranged their autumn program, so that this year several Group 1 races which used to be run later in the season, have been rescheduled and added more glitz to the third Saturday in March.

The feature race this year is the Golden Slipper Stakes, the richest race for two year olds in the world. Last year it was run on a bog track and fillies filled the first seven places with Mossfun defeating Earthquake and Bring Me The Maid.

Mossfun at Rosehill 22 March 2014

It appears this year’s version of the Slipper will be dominated by the colts, the Gai Waterhouse trained Vancouver in particular. His 3½ length win in the Todman Stakes recently was spectacular. However he has drawn the extreme outside barrier, which gives his rivals a slight chance of beating him. Furnaces and Headwater ran second and third in the Todman Stakes, so have to have a chance, but Exosphere who won his last start by 4 lengths is probably Vancouver’s main rival. I rather fancy Haptic who is yet to be beaten, but wonder if he has the same class as the favourite.

Fillies have won the last two Golden Slippers  (Mossfun 2014 & Overreach 2013) and the girls with a chance this year are Fireworks, Ottoman, English, Reemah and Lake Geneva (the latter two ran second and third in the Blue Diamond).

The Golden Slipper is scheduled as Race 7, but the first of the Group 1 races will  be the Ranvet Stakes, run over 2000 metres as Race 4.   Silent Achiever won it last year pipping the Queen’s horse Carlton House at the post. It would be great if she could win it a second time and she has good chance if she can beat the in form Contributor who has won his two starts this autumn and is the hot favourite. The Ranvet has a really intriguing field with stayers from Hong Kong (Dominant), Japan (Tosen Stardom) and New Zealand (Fast Dragon) here especially for the Sydney Championships, plus familiar  locals like He’s Your Man and Lucia Valentina.

Race 5 is the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas also run over 2000 metres, but for three year olds. 

Randwick Guineas winner Hallowed Crown is the one to beat. Trying to do so will be the unbeaten New Zealand Derby winner Mongolian Khan, Victorian Derby winner Preferment and runners up in the aforementioned races  - Volkstok’n’barrell (NZ Derby) and Sweynesse (Randwick Guineas).

As opposed to the small field for the Rosehill Guineas (7 runners), the Group 1 Galaxy has attracted a full field of 14 starters.  It is a sprint over 1100 metres and I’m delighted to see Miracles of Life and Rubick in the field.  Deep Field who had his colours lowered in the Lightning Stakes, and was further humiliated at his last start where he was beaten by the lowly Target In Sight, is also one of the contenders, as are the smart Sweet Idea, Avoid Lightning and Melbourne mare Chloe in Paris who has won her last three starts. I’m hoping little Miracles of Life can add some more Group 1  glory to her CV.

The final Group 1 race on the program is the George Ryder Stakes (1500 metres) which has attracted a full field of middle distance runners, many of them winners at Group 1 level. Super mare Cosmic Endeavour who won the Canterbury Stakes at her last start, will no doubt start as favourite. Other familiar names in the mix are Sacred Falls, Criterion, Moriarty, Weary and Royal Descent. Caulfield Guineas winner Shooting To Win and Kermadec, the unsuccessful favourite in the Australian Guineas, have bypassed the Rosehill Guineas to run in this and could easily be in the finish.  There are also two Japanese horses, World Ace and Real Impact who it is unwise to ignore completely.

The weather in Sydney is supposed to be cloudy with little rain, and the track is reported today as being good surface wise.

Update Sunday:

My speculations on the likely outcomes of the five Group 1 races were fairly accurate, even if I do not specify tips.

The Ranvet Stakes was won by Contributer – no surprise – with the Japanese horse Tosen Stardom running second and Lucia Valentina  taking out third.

Volkstok’n’barrell stormed home to win the Rosehill Guineas from Preferment and Hallowed Crown.

Sweet Idea won her first Group 1 in the Galaxy at long odds with Kuro running second and Miracles of Life doing well, after a pretty torrid run, to run third.

The favourite Vancouver confirmed the wraps around him with a stunning win in the Golden Slipper with the filly English giving Gai Waterhouse the Golden Slipper quinella. Lake Geneva ran third.

Finally, Japanese horse Real Impact held on narrowly  to win the George Ryder Stakes from Criterion. Three year old Kermadec ran third.

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.

Super Saturday Comes Around Again

Red Cadeaux – returning to scale after the 2014 Melbourne Cup

The Melbourne autumn racing carnival has been a tad underwhelming thus far, but all that will change this coming Saturday when Flemington hosts a stellar meeting, featuring the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap and the Australian Cup.

Red Cadeaux is a great favourite of the Australian racing public after running second in the 2011, 2013 and 2014 Melbourne Cups, so it will be a rare and wonderful treat to see him back at Flemington in the 2015 Australian Cup.  He’s now 9 years old and has raced in Europe, Asia and Australia over his long career.  Whether he can win the Australian Cup is another matter, as he’s not won over the distance.

His rivals in the Australian Cup include 2014 Melbourne Cup winner, Protectionist who was disappointing in his first run this season over a shorter distance, but may appreciate the rise to 2000 metres . Also in the field is the popular Tasmanian frontrunner The Cleaner, who will no doubt perform that function again on Saturday and be hard to catch.  Happy Trails, Foreteller and Mourinho are the top chances, based on form at the track.

The Newmarket Handicap looks to be a race made in heaven with the world’s top sprinters Lankan Rupee, Terravista, Chautuaqua and Brazen Beau set to clash.  The first three have faced each other previously in the Darley Classic on Emirates Stakes day last spring, where Terravista was the winner from Chautauqua and Lankan Rupee with less than a length separating them in the finish. Lankan Rupee is top weight, carrying 58.5kg, giving his main rivals a few kilos advantage. Brazen Beau, being only three years old is lightly weighted on 52kg and could well upstage his older rivals as a consequence,  especially with champion jockey Joao Moreira on board.  Can the new strategy of running Lankan Rupee off the speed work again?  I certainly hope so.

I intend to arrive early at Flemington on Saturday, specifically to witness Race  2, the Listed MSS Security Stakes, a race for three year olds  run over 1100 metres. Two of my favourite fillies – Earthquake and Sistonic – are part of the large field of 15 runners.  It will be a mad dash down the Flemington straight and I do hope one of the above fillies wins. Also in the picture are Royal Snitzel, Cornrow and Nostradamus as next best dressed.

The rest of the race card at Flemington is fairly interesting – enough to entertain me as I await the running of the Group 1 races. There are three Group 2 races on the program which will be worth watching.

The Living Legends representatives will be Better Loosen Up, who won the Australian Cup in 1991 (one of eight Group 1 wins) and Zipping who won it in 2010.

The weather is expected to be fine and sunny again in Melbourne on Saturday.

Not so Sydney, which has copped a big storm over the past few days which no doubt will affect the track at Rosehill.  The feature race there is the Group 1 Coolmore Classic, a race over 1500 metres for fillies and mares. Hot favourite is First Seal who won the Group 1 Flight Stakes back in spring. She has been penalised with a weight impost, but is obviously the one to beat on form, having won her last start by 2.8 lengths. Her main opposition comes from Tinto, Adrift, Plucky Belle, Arabian Gold and good old Dear Demi.

My Thoughts for Two Guineas

Shamus Award – winner of the 2014 Australian Guineas

The title of this post is a reflection on the unusual situation where two Group 1 Guineas races for three year olds are being run on the same day, these being the Randwick Guineas in Sydney and the Australian Guineas at Flemington tomorrow.  One rather wonders who was responsible for the programming, but it all smacks of the tedious rivalry between Sydney’s racing authorities and Melbourne’s.

Both races are over the same distance of 1600 metres, but the Randwick Guineas offers better prize money ($60,000 more).  A very small, but classy field of six contestants will start in the Randwick Guineas. Top chances are Hallowed Crown, Sweynesse and Shooting To Win, who will probably run the trifecta.

The Australian Guineas, by contrast, despite attracting a capacity field, has not the same depth of class. Alpine Eagle who impressed with his Autumn Classic win at Caulfield last Saturday has to be a top chance. Then there’s  Wandjina who recently won the CS Hayes Stakes at Flemington at his last start and can’t be overlooked. The interesting runner is Admiral, a Tasmanian galloper who beat The Cleaner at his last start. He’s had twelve starts for nine wins in his home state, and could well steal the prize from the mainlanders.  Kermadec was originally entered into the Randwick Guineas, but was scratched from that to run in this. He ran a close third to Hallowed Crown and Sweynesse in the Hobartville Stakes at his last start so is also likely to be in the finish.

There are the two fillies – Fontein Ruby and Sweet And Speedy – who may cause a boilover. Several fillies have won this race in the past – Miss Finland, Shamrocker and Mosheen, for example.

The Flemington support card is not half as interesting as that at Randwick, where the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes is also on the program and has a really interesting field that includes the bonny grey mare Catkins trying again for her first Group 1 victory.  Whether she’ll succeed is another matter, as she faces a pretty classy field that includes Sacred Falls, Royal Descent, Criterion, Hooked and Cosmic Endeavour.  Whatever, I’ll be barracking for Catkins.

Another of my favourite mares, Miracles of Life resumes at Randwick in the Group 2 Challenge Stakes. At her second last start in Spring she dead heated with Bel Sprinter in the Caulfield Sprint. Also part of the field is Rubick, resuming after a break and Mossfun, the 2014 Golden Slipper winner.

Sort of Golden Slipper Preludes, the Group 2 Riesling Stakes and Todman Stakes kick off the Randwick program. Last year these two races were at Rosehill – I was there to watch them with Earthquake and Ghibellines being the respective winners.

The Riesling Stakes has smart fillies Fireworks, Ottoman and Stay With Me as the main contenders, whereas the Todman Stakes’ top chances are Headwater and Vancouver, both with big wraps on them, in what will be an interesting race to watch.

I’ll be heading out to Flemington for another afternoon at the races. Living Legends Apache Cat, who won the Australian Guineas in 2006 and Bullish Luck, a former Hong Kong champion racehorse will be there to add interest to the day.

The weather here in Melbourne is cool and overcast at present and is expected to be the same tomorrow; pleasant weather for the races and taking photographs.

Pride of Dubai– The Prince of Diamonds

Pride of Dubai parades after winning the Blue Diamond Stakes

You might as well throw away the form guide, as favourites in the Group 1 events at Saturday’s meeting at Caulfield were all rolled.

Despite the disappointing results it was an enjoyable day at the races with the weather being kinder than the week before, a pleasantly warm day with alternate cloud and sunshine.

I arrived at the track around 2.00pm, in plenty of time for Race 3, the Angus Armanasco Stakes, where last start winner Sabatini was the warm favourite and was successful again, beating Fontein Ruby by a length with Samartested running third.

Sabatini on her way to the barriers

Fontein Ruby being difficult on her way to the gates – a clerk of course eventually took her in hand

Race 3 down the straight – Fontein Ruby leads with Sabatini on the outside about to pass Samartested.

In my preview in my last post I completely overlooked Alpine Eagle in my assessment of Race 4, the Caulfield Autumn Classic. He is a South Australian colt with excellent form -  three wins from four starts – and very well bred by High Chaparral from a Zabeel mare Zephira .  He started as favourite, and running from the back of the field with an amazing burst of speed, narrowly won from Minnesinger and Firehouse Rock.

Race 4 down the straight – Firehouse Rock leads with Alpine Eagle still three lengths behind on the outside.

The first of the Group 1 races was next on the program, it being the Futurity Stakes. Dissident was the hot favourite, but he only managed to run third, rather stymieing his chances early in the race keeping up with race leader Driefontein and was flat at the finish. Smart mare Suavito swooped down the outside late and  went on to win by a length and a bit from Smokin’ Joey.

Dissident on his way to the barriers

Smokin’ Joey on his way to the barriers

Race 5 down the straight – Dissident leads with Smokin’ Joey and Suavito about to overtake him on the outside.

Suavito returns to scale after winning the Futurity Stakes

There was a great deal of interest in the next race, the Peter Young Stakes, due to the presence of 2014 Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist in the field. He’s a real good looker…

Protectionist in the mounting yard.

…however, despite starting favourite he failed to run a place, the race most probably being too short for him.

Mourinho who is in excellent form this autumn took out the race from the stalwart Happy Trails with Akzar running third.

Mourinho on his way to the barriers

Happy Trails on his way to the barriers

Akzar on his way to the barriers

Race 6 down the straight – Mourinho hits the front.

The Oakleigh Plate also ended in an upset with the speedy Shamal Wind winning her first Group 1, with the unfancied Under The Louvre running second and Fast N Rocking taking out third spot. I was hoping Earthquake, who started as favourite, would win, but she was very disappointing and finished 10th. She was wearing blinkers this time, the first time I’ve seen her do so.

Earthquake in the mounting yard

Race 7 down the straight – Shamal Wind is five lengths from the lead on the outside in  the
red silks with white hearts.

Shamal Wind’s owner, dressed in a red suit with white hearts (to match the silks), was over the moon with her win as she paraded in the mounting yard.

Shamal Wind returns to scale after winning the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate

The afternoon sped by and before too long it was time for the feature, the Blue Diamond Stakes.

Either it was the late afternoon sun or my camera inadvertently changed its setting, but my photos of the Blue Diamond contestants are somewhat dark.  I did however, manage to get a few good photos of the eventual winner Pride of Dubai. It was not all that surprising that he won. He had the services of top jockey Damian Browne who rode Earthquake to victory in last year’s Blue Diamond Stakes and impressed with his run in the colts Blue Diamond Prelude only narrowly losing to Of The Brave.

Fontiton, the warm favourite, was disappointing, failing to fire in the finish. Subsequently it was revealed that she was slightly lame after the race with bone chips in her off front fetlock, and will be spelled until Spring.

100/1 outsider Reemah almost stole the race, but just missed catching Pride of Dubai losing out by a neck. Lake Geneva ran third.

Pride of Dubai in the mounting yard

Blue Diamond finish – Pride of Dubai leads down the straight, Reemah in hot pursuit

I headed for home after the Blue Diamond Stakes – it had been a long afternoon. I was disappointed with the results as far as my favourites were concerned, but at least public transport was trouble free this time.

In Sydney, Contributor won the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes with Hartnell running second and He’s Your Man took third spot.

And on Friday night at Moonee Valley, Sistonic had her colours lowered, failing to run a place in the Typhoon Tracy Stakes. She engaged in a speed battle with Eloping in the early stages of the race and ran out of steam in the straight. 100/1 shot Written Dash won the bikkies.

Next Saturday it’s back to Flemington for the Group 1 Australian Guineas. Through some bizarre programming, the Group 1 Randwick Guineas will be run on the same day, splitting the fields and no doubt weakening them as well.