Autumn Racing – Australian Derby Day

All Too Hard – facing his toughest test to date in the Sires Produce Stakes this Saturday

What a splendid day of racing last Saturday turned out to be, with five exciting Group One races contested. The results in the main were not all that surprising – Mosheen defeated Streama as expected in the Vinery Stud Stakes, More Joyous was victorious in the Queen of the Turf, Manighar defeated Americain in the BMW, Pierro won the Slipper and good old Metal Bender snatched victory in the George Ryder Stakes. Metal Bender’s win was the only unexpected result – who would have thought that a horse could return from a long injury forced break and win a Group One on his second run back. Chris Waller must be a genius!

The excitement continues this coming Saturday at Randwick, with three Group One races on the cards – the T J Smith, Sires Produce Stakes and the Australian Derby being the feature races.

The T J Smith Stakes, a sprint over 1200 metres has been won in the past by the great sprinters of the time – Apache Cat, Takeover Target and of course Black Caviar last year. There’s no Black Caviar in the field this year, nor Hay List who has been sidelined by yet another injury and may not race again. Only six acceptors were received so it’s a small field. Rain Affair seems to have the race at his mercy, but William Reid Stakes winner Foxwedge may give him a run for the money, as might classy filly Hallowell Belle, formerly in Peter Moody’s stable, but now with Gai Waterhouse.

The Sires Produce Stakes is a 1400 metres race for two year olds and has unbeaten colts Pierro and All Too Hard racing against each other for the first time. Pierro of course won the Golden Slipper Stakes last week  and is backing up in this. All Too Hard, who has big sister Black Caviar to live up to, is facing his toughest race to date.  As he has won all three of his starts with consummate ease, one would like to imagine that he’ll account for Pierro just as easily.  Raceway, who finished fifth in the Golden Slipper looks the next best dressed. Yesterday’s buyer of Black Caviar’s half sister, who outlaid 2.6 million dollars for her, will no doubt be watching this race with bated breath.

The feature Group One is the Australian Derby, a race over 2400 metres for three year olds and has 12 colts (and geldings) against lone filly Silent Achiever. She beat the boys in the New Zealand Derby, so could well do a Shamrocker (who won the Derby last year) in the Australian version.  Silent Achiever ran a close third in the Rosehill Guineas behind Laser Hawk and Ocean Park, and will have to compete against them again. Also in the picture are Strike The Stars, Polish Knight, Rekindled Alliance, Ethiopia and Victoria Derby winner Sangster who has been less than inspiring so far this autumn.

Also of interest on Saturday is the Group Two Sapphire Stakes (1200 metres) for fillies and mares, mostly due to the return of top filly Atlantic Jewel from an injury forced break. She remains unbeaten, her last race being the Wakeful Stakes back in September last year. An indication of her talent can be demonstrated against the recent exploits of Mosheen. Atlantic Jewel beat Mosheen by 3 lengths in the 2011 Thousand Guineas. It will therefore be very interesting to see how she performs in the Sapphire Stakes. She’s up against smart mares like Mid Summer Music, Parables, Graceful Anna, Celts and Dystopia.

As the races are on Free to Air TV again this week, my Saturday afternoon is sorted nicely.

UPDATE: Sunday

What a surprising day of racing it was yesterday with several longshots taking out the feature races. Master Of Design took out the T J Smith. You certainly wouldn’t have picked him on form. Rain Affair ran second with Hallowell Belle a close third. Foxwedge ended up at the tail of the field, apparently suffering from a respiratory problem which was not identified pre race.

The match race between All Too Hard and Pierro ended with a victory for the latter, All Too Hard bungling the start and having to play catch up, thus ruining his chance of a win.  Pierro has now won five from five.

The Derby was won by Ethiopia who scored his first career win from four starts.  Will the Derby curse stymie his chances for further wins in the future? Polish Prince and Laser Hawk took  out the minor placings.

The run of the day was Atlantic Jewel emphatically declaring she was back with a stunning win in the Sapphire Stakes and remaining unbeaten from six starts. Who knows how good she really is. We’ll find out in spring I suppose, as she’s only scheduled to have one more start this autumn.

Autumn Racing Carnival continues…

Foxwedge after winning the William Reid Stakes – it was night time so photo is a bit murky

I haven’t had much time to write about racing, but I have certainly not lost my interest in it. I didn’t have time to post about last week’s feature races, but did attend the last night meeting for the season at Moonee Valley last Friday to witness the running of the William Reid Stakes. Hay List was the short priced favourite, but he was overtaken just before the post by three year old colt Foxwedge. Hay List had been suffering from a bruised heel most of the week, but had been passed as fit to run, so it is possible that he was still affected by that injury as he didn’t show his characteristic blistering sprint. 

In Sydney last Saturday, More Joyous made a welcome return to the track with a win in the Group 2 Canterbury Stakes, and it was also pleasing to see Metal Bender resume after a long injury induced break, running a solid third place behind More Joyous.

The feature Group One races were exciting nail biters, both with very close finishes, with Manighar & Rangirangdoo fighting out the finish of the Ranvet Stakes. Manighar won by a nose, and Shoot Out ran a close third.  And long shot, Ofcourseican narrowly won the Coolmore Classic from Secret Admirer and King’s Rose.

Blue Diamond Stakes winner Samaready remains unbeaten, winning her debut race, the Group Two Reisling Stakes, in Sydney last weekend. She’s hot favourite for the Golden Slipper and is the most likely of all the aspirants, to take out that race. If she does, it will be the second year in a row for the Blue Diamond and Golden Slipper double to be won by the same horse. This was accomplished by Sepoy last year.

Well, that was last week.

This coming Saturday, Rosehill hosts the feature Group One Rosehill Guineas. It’s a race for three year old stayers over 2000 metres and has an intriguing field. Super filly Mosheen has beaten the boys in the other recent Guineas (Australian & Randwick), but her place this time as the sole female contestant, is taken by top New Zealand filly Silent Achiever, who has won five out of seven races, the last three in succession, and has never been unplaced. She is the logical favourite, however she has drawn a wide barrier, and is racing for the first time in Australia. Locals who may threaten her are Doctor Doom, who is a Group One winner over the distance, albeit at Randwick, Laser Hawk who ran third in the Randwick Guineas, Said Com who ran second on that occasion and Strike The Stars who ran second to Mosheen in the Australian Guineas. The Peter Moody trained Highly Recommended is also a good chance, having recently won the Alister Clark Stakes and fellow Melbourne runner Proliferate who has a slight claims. Possibly the best competition for Silent Achiever will come from fellow New Zealanders Ocean Park and Rock ‘N’ Pop, and if he returns to form, 2011 Victoria Derby winner Sangster.

Black Caviar’s little half brother All Too Hard is having his third race on Saturday in the Group Two Pago Pago Stakes (1200 metres). Can he remain unbeaten? He certainly looks as if he will keep his record intact, judging by the way he’s won his previous races. It’s too early to call him a star of the turf, but he is worth following.

The Group Two Challenge Stakes (1100 metres) sees Rain Affair back on his home turf. He didn’t handle the straight at Flemington, when contesting the Newmarket Handicap, but  he should be back in the winners stall in this race. That is if he can beat the highly regarded Bel Sprinter who was waylaid by a minor injury to his leg and was out of action for a month. Also in the picture is the speedy filly Satin Shoes, who narrowly missed winning the Euclase Stakes in Adelaide on Labour Day and Elite Falls, the other class filly in the race, who ran second to Woorim in the Oakleigh Plate.

On Saturday evening, the eyes & ears of Aussie racing fans will be focussing on the Dubai World Cup meeting at Meydan. Several Australian horses are competing in various races;  Sepoy in the Golden Shaheen (1200 metres) against the likes of Rocket Man, Singapore’s top sprinter, Helmet in the UAE Derby (1900 metres) and dual Cox Plate winner So You Think  in the Dubai World Cup (2000 metres).  Here’s wishing them all the best of luck.