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.

Shining Jewel & other highlights at Flemington, not to mention a Royal Birth…

Dissident returns to scale after winning the Makybe Diva Stakes

It promised to be a great day of racing action at Flemington last Saturday and it didn’t disappoint. The sterling race card delivered in spades a series of sensational races. Commanding Jewel took out the the Let’s Elope Stakes for the second year in succession, and Dissident signalled that he was a serious Spring contender winning the Makybe Diva Stakes.

I was obliged to arrive at the track earlier than I would have liked due to the Flemington train schedule, where the final train heading to the track left Flinders Street at 12.50 pm. I caught the one before as the train from my home station didn’t really sync with the later train going to Flemington.

So I arrived at Flemington just after the first race on the program, and as is my wont I headed directly to the stalls area to see which horsey stars had already arrived.

The Living Legends were there, so I dropped by to say hello to Apache Cat and Paris Lane.

Apache Cat in his stall munching on straw

Paris Lane in his stall

In case you don’t remember, Paris Lane won the 1994 Caulfield Cup and MacKinnon Stakes and ran second in the Melbourne Cup the same year, so he’s getting on in years these days – 24 years old in fact. There is a precinct at Flemington Racecourse named after him.

Also out and about was the promising colt Divan, and a very attractive young fellow he is. Alas, his run in the Living Legends Stakes was very disappointing where he finished at the tail of the field.

Divan in the walking ring

Commanding Jewel was being walked in the ring at the same time and I managed to get some lovely head shots of her with her strapper.

Commanding Jewel in the walking ring early in the afternoon

Race 2 the Sofitel Girls’ Day Out 2000 was in progress as I made way back to the public lawn. A race over 2000 metres it had a good field of stayers trying their luck at the big track.

Who Shot Thebarman was the winner, beating Jacquinot Bay by 2½ lengths with Prizum taking third spot. Who Shot Thebarman is part of Chris Waller’s stable and won the Group 1 Auckland Cup earlier this year.

Who Shot Thebarman returns to scale after winning the Sofitel Girls’ Day Out 2000

More stayers were engaged in the next race, the Spring Is The Season Handicap which is run over 1700 metres. Top weight Brambles was the victor, his first win since he won the Queensland Derby in June 2012. He fought off a determined effort by Big Memory to win by a narrow margin, with Signoff a further 2½ lengths away in third place.

Brambles returns to scale after winning the Spring Is The Season Handicap

The next four races were the ones that in which I was most interested.

The first of these was the Listed Living Legends Stakes, so I found a possie next to the mounting yard to get photos of the contestants as they paraded or went to the track.

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Chivalry

Divan

Silent Whisper

The race was won by Merion who managed to overtake Chivalry at the post with Zebulon running third.

Merion returns to scale after winning the Living Legends Stakes

The first of the Group races and a real gem of a competition, the Group Two Let’s Elope Stakes  was next up.  Commanding Jewel, who was forced to race three wide for most of the race, took the lead in the straight and managed to hold off a fast finishing Dear Demi to win by a short margin. Nautical finished third.

Dear Demi returns to scale

Commanding Jewel returns to scale after winning the Let’s Elope Stakes for a second time

Back in the stalls area more horses had arrived, including old favourite Super Cool.  I always try and get a photo of him whenever he is racing, and am pleased with this one with Jade his strapper who as ever obliges me by posing with him.

Super Cool & Jade

Meanwhile back in the mounting yard the Living Legends were parading…

Paris Lane & Apache Cat parading in the mounting yard

…and the Danehill Stakes contenders joined them shortly afterwards.

Rich Enuff – the winner

Looks Like The Cat – ran second

Brazen Beau – started favourite but was unplaced – a stunning looking colt

Ghibellines – ran third

Sole filly Go Indy Go – unplaced

Being a 1200 metre race it was a dash down the long straight with Rich Enuff prevailing over Looks Like The Cat with Ghibellines three lengths or so behind them scoring third place. Rich Enuff was  having only the third start in his career, but it was his second win in succession. Looks Like The Cat so named owing to the big white blaze on his face similar to Apache Cat, narrowly missed winning and is one to watch in the future.

Rich Enuff returns to scale after winning the Group 2 Danehill Stakes

Despite arriving at Flemington early, the afternoon passed in a flash. It was a brilliant sunny day, so a pleasure to be outside. I was not feeling particularly lucky, so hardly had a bet at all, not wishing to put the kiss of death on my fancies.

In between the Flemington races I  did manage to watch a few of the Sydney races and was pleased to see Catkins romp in by several lengths in the Sheraco Stakes, though La Amistad was disappointing. I watched a replay of the Golden Rose when I got home as I left Flemington before it was it run. Hallowed Crown gave the fairly new partnership of Bart Cummings and his grandson James their first Group 1.

Soon enough it was time for the feature race the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes. I was tossing up between putting my money on Dissident or Boban and settled for the latter as his odds were slightly better.

I watched the parade in the mounting yard and snapped pictures of the main contenders as they filed out to the track.

Boban – unlucky 5th

Fawkner – an eye catching second

Puissance de Lune – third again

Super Cool – a much improved 8th

Dissident raced up on the speed this time and took the lead in the straight, holding on to win his second consecutive Group 1 from a fast finishing Fawkner. Puissance de Lune did well to come third.

Dissident rugged after winning the Makybe Diva Stakes

I didn’t stay long after the main event as I had to get home to feed the cats before heading out again to dine at a friend’s place.

It was an very enjoyable day at the races even if my only two wagers were unsuccessful. I’m not there to gamble anyway. I just love looking at the horses and following the racing action. It’s endlessly fascinating to this dedicated racing fan.

And of course the big racing news over the weekend was the birth of Black Caviar’s foal, a lovely little filly. There are pictures all over the web of the proud mother and babe, and of course her website has a good selection.

Next weekend Caulfield Racecourse is hosting a free entry race meeting which features the Group 1 Underwood Stakes.  And in Sydney at Randwick the Group 1 George Main Stakes is the feature event of another interesting race meet.

Spring Fever– Makybe Diva Stakes & Golden Rose

Foreteller returns to scale after winning the 2013 Makybe Diva Stakes

The Spring racing season is rather like a fever that infects keen followers of the turf every year about this time.  Like the season itself, the racing carnival quickens and warms up as the quality of the racing builds towards the grand finale at Flemington in November.

Flemington in fact hosts their first race meeting for the season this coming Saturday with a fabulous line up of races,  the feature being the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes.

Run over 1600 metres, the Makybe Diva Stakes, now being scheduled a week later than it was previously, with a fortnight separating it from the Memsie Stakes, it’s not surprising that several of the Memsie Stakes contenders are part of the field. The surprise winner of the Memsie Stakes, Dissident, will start as favourite – no more good odds on him this time. However, there could be challenges from other contestants. Spillway finished second in the Memsie and could turn the tables on Dissident this time. I’d love it if Puissance de Lune could finally win a Group 1. He narrowly missed out in this race last year with Foreteller pipping him at the post. Boban also will be out to redeem his reputation and has a good record at Flemington having won here last spring over the same distance. The 2012 Melbourne Cup winner Green Moon, and 2013 Caulfield Cup winner Fawkner both start their spring campaigns in this race, but as they are aiming for the bigger races down the track it would be surprising if they won first up. And lastly I can’t not mention my old favourite Super Cool, who I hope acquits himself better than he did in the Memsie Stakes.

Before the feature is run, there are several really interesting races, the first of these being the Listed Living Legends Stakes, a race for three year olds over 1400 metres.  McNeil Stakes winner Chivalry is one of the contestants, so I’m looking forward to seeing him in action again. Also I’m pleased to see the regally bred  Divan is in the field. He is a son of wonderful New Zealand mare Seachange by Zabeel. He’s only had two starts, his last a lowly race at Sandown, where he impressed with a swooping run from the tail of the field to win the race.  Others with a chance are Merion who won at Flemington on Anzac Day this year, Silent Whisper and Zebulon.

Commanding Jewel returns to scene of her last win in the Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes, a race for mares over 1400 metres.  Commanding Jewel won it last year from Catkins, before suffering an injury that ruled her out of autumn. It has attracted an excellent field of smart mares that include Cockram Stakes winner Gregers, Dear Demi, New Zealand Group 1 winner Viadana, Solicit and Bonaria. 

The Danehill Stakes, a Group 2 sprint over 1200 metres for three year olds also has a great field that includes Guelph’s little brother Ghibellines who I witnessed winning the Todman Stakes at Rosehill in March.  His only run after that was in the Golden Slipper Stakes where he ran eighth.  He’s one of a number of Sydney colts avoiding the heavy tracks that seem to curse the Sydney racing scene. These include the Group placed Brazen Beau and Nostradamus (if he doesn’t run in the Golden Rose in Sydney). The highly regarded sole filly in the race, Go Indy Go looks the top pick however and will most probably start as favourite and I suppose I should mention the so far unbeaten though lightly raced Get The Nod and last start winner Rich Enuff.

In Sydney the aforementioned Golden Rose is the feature race at Rosehill this Saturday. A Group 1 race for three year olds over 1400 metres, it has always been an intriguing contest and it has generally been won by the classiest runner in the field.  Zoustar won it last year and previous winners include Manawanui, Denman, Forensics and Epaulette.

So who is the classiest runner this year?

Peter Moody filly Bring Me The Maid is currently the favourite for the race. She’s in great form having won first up a fortnight ago on heavy going. Her greatest rival appears to be Hallowed Crown who romped home in the Group 3 Run To The Rose on a bog track at his last start. Better Land son of Amelia’s Dream by Sharmardal is another who has claims, as has Scissor Kick who has won his last three starts, and Almalad the only Group 1 winner in the field, would be unwise to overlook.

I’m also very interested in other races on the Rosehill card, particularly the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes (2000 metres) where Makybe Diva’s little sister La Amistad will be kicking off her spring campaign. Whether she can win the race first up is questionable, but I’ll be watching to see how she fares.

One of my favourite race mares Catkins also resumes at Rosehill this weekend in the Group 3 Sheraco Stakes a race for fillies & mares over 1200 metres. Heavy tracks don’t worry Catkins and she goes well first up, so she is likely to win this.

Naturally I’ll be heading to the big track tomorrow to try my fortune in the forecast sunshine and experience what will no doubt be a great day of racing, with the added bonus of two Living Legends – Apache Cat & Paris Lane – being part of the attraction.