The Sparkle of Diamonds–Group 1 Racing at Caulfield

Blue Diamond favourite Fontiton in the mounting yard at Caulfield 14 February 2015

Caulfield Racecourse hosts the Blue Diamond Stakes meeting this Saturday with three Group 1 races on the program, the feature being the Blue Diamond Stakes.

I’ve attended Blue Diamond Stakes Day for the last three years and have no intention of missing this one. It’s always a great day of racing, even though the feature race is the second last on the card.

As it will be a long day, and forecast to be hot, I don’t want to get to Caulfield too early, despite the first two races being quite interesting and at Group 3 level, so aim to arrive in time for Race 3 – the Angus Armanesco Stakes – which is scheduled for 2.40pm.

It’s a Group 2 race for three year old fillies run over 1400 metres.  An attractive field has been assembled that includes the classy local fillies Fontein Ruby, Sabatini and Marple Miss, a visitor from Sydney with excellent form. I’m hoping Fontein Ruby, second up, can win this.  She ran a close third to Sabatini in the Kevin Hayes Stakes a fortnight ago, so could easily turn the tables on her in this race.

Race 4, the Caulfield Autumn Classic is also a Group 2 event run over 1800 metres and is for three year olds of either sex.  The field does not look all that inspiring, but youngsters like Moonovermanhattan, Magicool, Firehouse Rock  and Hong Kong Captain have a good chance to add a black type race win to their records.

The first of the Group 1 races is the Futurity Stakes and programmed as race 5. Run over 1400 metres it is a standard weight for age competition. Dissident is the obvious class horse in the field, so I doubt if any other horse in the field can beat him.  In fact it’s a pretty second rate field, excluding Dissident, with old troupers Smokin’ Joey and Mister Milton making up the number. Entirely Platinum who ran second to Dissident in the Orr Stakes, along with mares Driefontein and Suavito  seem the only other chances.

2014 Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist is the attraction in the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes, though the distance (1800 metres) may be too short for him. Even so,  Fiorente the 2013 Melbourne Cup winner won it last year, so it’s not beyond the bounds of possibility that Protectionist can take the prize this year. The other main contenders are the consistent Happy Trails, in form Jacquinot Bay, and fellow import, Au Revoir, who stayed on after the Cup and won the Zipping Classic.  Real Love the WA mare was disappointing in the Orr Stakes, but on her day is pretty smart in distance races, so I’ll be interested to see how she runs on Saturday.

In contrast to the small field of the Futurity Stakes, the second Group 1 race, the Oakleigh Plate, has a full field of 18 runners.  Last year’s  Blue Diamond Stakes winner Earthquake is one of them and with her light weight advantage could win her first race in open company. The race is run over 1100 metres, so it’s designed for speed. Other contenders with claims are Bel Sprinter who goes really well first up, Flamberge who ran a close second to Chautauqua at his last start in the Rubiton Stakes, Atmospherical who ran third on that occasion, speedy mares Shamal Wind and Vain Queen, and Lord of the Sky who recently won a barrier trial by 8 lengths, but in whom I’ve completely lost faith. He may prove me wrong on Saturday, but I’ll be barracking for Earthquake.

Anything can happen in the Blue Diamond Stakes, but over the last four years it has been won by the favourite – Earthquake (2014),  Miracles of Life (2013) Samaready (2012) & Sepoy (2011).

The hot favourite this year, and top pick on form, is Fontiton who has won the fillies Blue Diamond Preview and Prelude and can’t be faulted. She has drawn Barrier 1, either a blessing or a curse. Last year Earthquake won from Barrier 15, but Miracles of Light won from Barrier 1 the year before, thanks to clever rides by their respective jockeys. 

Fontiton’s main opposition comes from stable mate Thurlow and the colts Of The Brave, Pride of Dubai and Stoker.

On Friday night at Moonee Valley exciting filly Sistonic is racing in the Group 3 Typhoon Tracy Stakes against a field of fellow three year old fillies.  I’d love to to be there to watch her, but as the race is run at 9.15 pm it’s out of the question with the big race day at Caulfield being the more attractive proposition. However, I’ll certainly watch it online on Friday night.

Warwick Farm in Sydney hosts the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600 metres) and its field leaves the Futurity Stakes field for dead with the likes of Boban, Silent Achiever, Lucia Valentina, Contributor, Hawkspur, He’s Your Man and nine others, including Fiveandahalfstar having his second start after a long break.

Contributor who won the Apollo Stakes a fortnight ago is the hot favourite to take this race out. Chris Waller trained horses have won the  Chipping Norton for the last four years. He has 8 runners this year of whom Boban (won last year), He’s Your Man and Weary are his nominated  top chances.  Lucia Valentina has a history of being flat second up and firing third up, and as this is her second start for the autumn. Silent Achiever was a star of the Sydney autumn last year winning both the Ranvet Stakes and The BMW. She ran fifth in the Apollo Stakes, which was a bit short for her, so she could very well win or run a place.

Counting this weekend, there are only three major race meetings   remaining for the Autumn Carnival in Melbourne, so I’m making the most of it while I can.

However, the annual concert season is almost upon us, and so far have tickets for three shows, the first being renowned British singer songwriter Richard Thompson next Wednesday at the Melbourne Recital Centre.

Omen Bets off: A Day for Favourites Instead

Dissident returns to scale after winning the CF Orr Stakes

It certainly was a long day at the races on Saturday, and fortunately after a wild wet and stormy night, the weather cleared to a bright and sunny afternoon and dried the track to a good racing surface.

I got to Caulfield in plenty of time to watch the second race , the Kevin Hayes Stakes and was pleased that my assessment in my last post that Afleet Esprit, Sabatini, Fontein Ruby and Royal Snitzel would be in the finish, proved spot on, with Sabatini taking the prize from Royal Snitzel with Fontein Ruby running third and Afleet Esprit fourth.

Sabatini hits the front , bursting between Fontein Ruby (outside) and Royal Snitzel (obscured)

The interval between races was 35 minutes early in the afternoon so there wasn’t long to wait for the first of the Blue Diamond Preludes to run. Fontiton was the short priced favourite for the fillies event and didn’t disappoint winning by a comfortable margin of 1¾ lengths from outsider Miss Gidget with Flamboyant Lass filling third position.

Fontiton in the mounting yard

Miss Gidget on her way to the barriers

Flamboyant Lass in the mounting yard

Blue Diamond Prelude (fillies) finish – Fontiton (blue checks) is about to pass Miss Gidget in the straight – Flamboyant Lass is a length behind.

Fontiton looks the most likely Blue Diamond winner at this stage. She’s one smart filly and her multitude of owners must consider themselves very lucky to have a share in her.

On St Valentine’s Day it was appropriate that Lankan Rupee, the horse with the heart, would be present for the occasion. He was not contesting any of the races, but there for an exhibition gallop. This was rumoured to occur between the third and fourth races.  However, the presentation for the fillies Blue Diamond Prelude went on so long that it was impossible at that time and took place after race 4.

I caught up with the love horse in his stall…

Lankan Rupee in his stall

And later watched his exhibition gallop between races four and five.

Lankan Rupee charges down the straight in an exhibition gallop.

In the colts and geldings Blue Diamond Prelude  Of The Brave started as favourite and he delivered, though only narrowly. In the straight he looked an easy winner, leading by several lengths, but Pride of Dubai, finishing fast on the outside almost stole the race. It ended up being a photo finish with Of The Brave getting the nod by a nose.

Of the Brave easily leads at this stage with Pride of Dubai back in the main pack (yellow silks & blue cap)

Pride of Dubai narrows the gap a moment later - Of The Brave still leads

Of The Brave parades after winning the colts Blue Diamond Prelude

Race 5 was the Group 3 Carlyon Cup run over 1600 metres. I was looking forward to seeing the Sydney horse Red Excitement but he had been scratched Saturday morning.  Jacquinot Bay was the logical favourite, but was pipped at the post by Smokin’ Joey.

Jacquinot Bay on his way to the barriers

Smokin’ Joey on his way to the starting gates

Race 5 finish – Smokin’ Joey storms down the outside to win on the line

All eyes were on classy sprinter Chautauqua in the next race, the time honoured Rubiton Stakes. Chautauqua hasn’t raced since finishing second to Terravista in the Darley Classic on Emirate Stakes Day last spring, but had won his previous two starts in sizzling fashion.

Chautauqua saddled up and ready to go in his stall before the race

Chautauqua ran at the back end of the field for most of the race and was blocked for a run in the straight. However, once clear,  he stormed down the outside to overtake Flamberge to win by a neck. Atmospherical ran third.

Chautauqua poses for the press corps after winning the Rubiton Stakes

I only had one bet all afternoon, as most of my fancies were the favourites and not worth betting on. I decided I’d have a bet on Hong Kong Captain in the next race, which happened to be the Autumn Stakes.  Profit Share was the favourite, but both he and Hong Kong Captain finished unplaced. Overlooked longshot San Nicasio was the winner with Zebulon and Firehouse Rock filling the minor places.

San Nicasio on his way to the barriers

Race 7 finish – San Nicasio leads comfortably down the straight

San Nicasio was the first of a double for Peter Moody who has been out of the winners circle recently and Dissident delivered the second.

It was late afternoon by the time the feature race of the day, the Group 1 Orr Stakes was due to start. I must admit I was somewhat wearied by then after being trackside for four hours, so it was a relief to get it over with, though worth the wait.

Dissident on his way to barriers

Dissident raced up with the speed in third or fourth spot and came down the outside in the straight to overtake the leaders Java and Entirely Platinum to go on for a solid 1½ length win. Entirely Platinum held on for second and Mourinho ran third.

Orr Stakes finish - Dissident hits the front with Mourinho on his outside and Entirely Platinum (orange silks) on the inside.

As I didn’t bet on the race I didn’t have to hang around for correct weight so headed for the station and home, weary but pleased to have  a Saturday afternoon at the races again.

My next four Saturday afternoons are covered, as the Melbourne autumn racing carnival heats up. Next weekend Flemington hosts the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes, where Lankan Rupee will be contending with a classy field of pretenders to the title of top Australian sprinter. The so far unbeaten Deep Field is one of them and Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Brazen Beau is another. It promises to be a great race.

I sporadically watched the Sydney races at Caulfield when I remembered to do so, and the results were less reliable than those in Melbourne. Contributor won the Apollo Stakes and 50/1 shot Adrift stole the Light Fingers Stakes from second favourite First Seal.

I was however pleased with the result of Sydney race 3, as I’d had a bet on Haptic on my online Sportsbet account and he payed very well, boosting my ailing account to a respectable amount, plus giving me a bonus $10.00 free bet to use at my leisure.

None of the Valentine’s Day omen bets came anywhere – all finished unplaced. I didn’t hazard a wager on any of them I should add.

In The Mood For Romance…

Chautauqua begins his autumn campaign this weekend

The romance of the turf, I mean, seeing as the autumn racing season kicks off on Saturday, St Valentine’s Day.  I’m too old for the other sort of romance (perish the thought) so the romance of racing is it for me.

Caulfield reopens its gates for the first time since the Caulfield Cup, to host the first Group 1 race of the season and the meeting also includes several choice Group 2 and 3 events as well to be run on the newly resurfaced track.

To digress, it has been a technologically trying week with my new computer developing a serious hard drive problem over the weekend, where, after a series of BSOD (blue screen of death) incidents the operating system refused to load. Fortunately, the hard drive in question, a SSD (solid state drive), was the one on which all programs were loaded, and had hardly any data saved on it. I store my data files on a second internal hard drive.

I did have an inkling that all was not well after the BSODs, so hastened to save essential stuff on my C: drive, such as email addresses, messages etc. to the secondary E: drive, so I didn’t lose anything important.

Back to the computer shop we went early on Monday and they had a new SSD installed with a fresh install of Windows 7 ready by Tuesday afternoon. It only took me a day to set it all up this time, after the tedium of the initial set up back in April last year which had me trying to install the printer driver for a week. Now the computer is back in business and performing better than before.

So it will be a pleasant break from computer woes attending the races tomorrow.

As was the case last summer, Caulfield is calling its program of summer racing “Relaxed Racing”, and in their wisdom have scheduled the feature race for 5.50pm, so it will a long day trackside as I want to get to the course by the second race.

Race 2 is the Group 3 Kevin Hayes Stakes for three year old fillies run over 1200 metres. Most of the fillies engaged in the race are resuming from a spell, and there are several familiar names among the contenders – Fontein Ruby, Afleet Esprit, Sabatini and Royal Snitzel. The winner will most probably be one of the above.

The third and fourth races on the program are of great interest in terms of assessing the current two year old crop for the upcoming Blue Diamond Stakes.  The Group 2 Blue Diamond Prelude  (1100 metres) for fillies is run first and the raging favourite is Fontiton who has won her only two starts, the last being the fillies Blue Diamond Preview on Australia Day. Her main rivals are Flamboyant Lass, Heatherly and Secret Agenda who all won their last races.

The colts and geldings Prelude is harder to assess, but I fancy Of The Brave who I witnessed winning his first race back in October at Caulfield. He is a half brother to the speedy Eloping and looks to share  her talent.  Others with a chance are Darley colts Bantam and Sampeah.

The Carlyon Cup is a Group 3 race run over 1600 metres, and the field has a mix of stayers and middle distance runners. The most interesting of them is Sydney horse Red Excitement who has a remarkable CV with a picket fence of wins against his name.  He’ll have to beat the very fit and in form  Jacquinot Bay who has won his last three starts. 

Top sprinter Chautauqua, resuming after spell, is the hot favourite to take out the Group 2 Rubiton Stakes (1100 metres). Top challengers are three year old fillies Eloping and Oakleigh Girl and four year old mares Atmospherical and Missy Longstocking.

Race 7, the Group 2 Autumn Stakes for three year olds looks like a match race between Hong Kong Captain and Profit Share, both having recent wins under their belts.

The feature race is the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes run over 1400 metres.  Past winners of this race include Black Caviar, Typhoon Tracy (twice), All Too Hard, Lonhro and Saintly among many illustrious champions of the turf. Last year it was won by Moment of Change.

This year’s edition looks rather uninspiring with the class horses in the field being Happy Trails resuming and  Dissident, whobegan his autumn campaign at Moonee Valley in January to run third in the Australia Stakes behind Mourinho who is also in the field and has to be respected. There are two three year olds in the field – Petrology and Java – who with the weight advantage could steal the show. Java has the distinction of beating Hong Kong Captain two starts back and Petrology at his last start. And Chris Waller also has two runners who wouldn’t surprise with a win considering Waller’s reputation, these being Bagman and Beaten Up.

The omen bet for St Valentines Day is WA mare Real Love who has great form over longer distances, but has won over 1400 metres in the past.  West Australian horses either thrive in the eastern states – Northerly and Marasco are two that come mind – or disappoint like recent visitors Luckygray and Mr Moet. Will Real Love emulate the former or the latter West Australian champs in her sojourn in the east?

There are more Valentine’s Day omen bets running in Sydney, most notably Lucia Valentina and He’s Your Man in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes, which has a much classier field than the Orr Stakes with  Boban, Foreteller, Hawkspur, Weary, Diamond Drille and Silent Achiever being contenders as well.

In fact the race card at Randwick on Saturday is much more interesting than Caulfield’s with classy gallopers like Golden Slipper winner Mossfun resuming from an injury induced spell in the Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes along with Flight Stakes winner First Seal and Thousand Guineas winner Amicus who are also in the race.

After a two year absence due to a tendon injury, it’s good to welcome back the lately lamented Super Cool’s great rival Fiveandahalfstar in the Group 3  Southern Cross Stakes. It being a 1200 metre race he is not expected to win it, but it sure will be interesting watching him in action again.

So the racing scene will be hot this weekend and no doubt the weather will be too. It is forecast to be a humid and warm day tomorrow with the threat of a thunderstorm in the afternoon. Let’s hope that the storm that overtook Flemington on Australia Cup day in 2010 will not be repeated at Caulfield tomorrow.

It’s raining in Melbourne as I write this so who knows how the newly laid  track at Caulfield Racecourse will play.

Anticipating the Autumn Racing Carnival

Australia Stakes finish – Mourinho holds off It Is Written to win the feature race

For a change, Moonee Valley hosted the Group 2 Australia Stakes meeting on a Saturday afternoon instead of Friday night, so I thought I would sally along and take in some racing action and further test the Canon G16 at a low key race meeting.

Though by no means first class racing, it was nevertheless reasonably interesting though not profitable as far as wagering goes

I arrived just as Race 2 , a 1600 metre race for fillies and mares, was in progress and made it to the fence for the finish. It was won by Marli Magic from Arena Rock with Hot Ruby running third.

Race 2 finish – Marli Magic (inside) wins from Arena Rock

Interestingly, Marli Magic’s full brother Hong Kong Captain won Race 6 later in the afternoon. They are both from Host by Limited Passage.

Race 3 was the Chandler Macleod Handicap, for three year olds run over 2040 metres. As I’d hardly heard of any of the runners, I opted to place a few dollars each way on Blue Jangles whose name appealed to me. He finished last. Despite the fact that Moonee Valley has added a rail just beyond the fence, which inhibits taking clear  photos, I managed to get a few good shots of some of the runners on their way to the barriers.

Baja Moon – finished 5th

Zahspeed – finished 2nd

Von Classic Hero – finished 6th

Also I was quite pleased with the Canon G16’s ability to take action shots such as the Race 3 finish. If you look at the enlarged image, the photo is sharp and clear.

Race 3 finish – Norman Rules about to overtake tiring leader Zahspeed (not in the picture) to win on the line.

And so the afternoon progressed.

The most eye catching win of the afternoon was that of Hong Kong Captain in Race 6 the Antler Luggage Vobis Gold Star, run over 1500 metres. Hong Kong Captain was having only the third start of his career, and after travelling at the back of the field, showed impressive speed to overtake favourite, Profit Taker and win comfortably by half a length.

The Australia Stakes was the feature race of the meeting, and was of interest due to the return to racing of triple Group 1 winner Dissident who was disqualified for three months after bleeding in the Caulfield  Stakes last spring. He started as short priced favourite, despite the 1200 metre distance not being suitable for him.  He looked very well and I caught up with him in his stall to take a photo and later in the Parade Ring.

Dissident in his stall

Dissident in the Parade Ring prior to the race

The race distance was also unsuitable for the surprise winner Mourinho who is better known as a stayer. Dissident managed to run third.

Mourinho on his way to the barriers before winning the Australia Stakes

There are only three weeks to go before the running of the first Group 1 race of the 2015 Autumn Season.  The C F Orr Stakes will be run at Caulfield on Valentine’s Day, but before that there will be a few interesting race meetings, tomorrow for instance. Unfortunately tomorrow’s meeting is at Sandown Park, not a racecourse I patronise and it’s miles away from where I live.

It is normally run at Caulfield, but as that racetrack has just been resurfaced there have been no races at the course since Caulfield Cup Day last year.

Two Blue Diamond Previews are to be run, always of interest in light of the actual Blue Diamond Stakes to be run in March. Also of interest is the Manfred Stakes for Guineas bound three year olds, which has generally attracted a classy field. I’ll watch them on my computer.