Home Boy Victory – Underwood Stakes Day at Caulfield

Underwood Stakes finish – Homesman wins from Tosen Basil & Humidor

Due to the AFL Grand Final being contested on Saturday, the Melbourne race meeting at Caulfield was held on Sunday, and the fine sunny day was perfect for a trackside outing.

Admittedly I had over dressed (for warmth) so I spent the afternoon feeling uncomfortably hot, which I suppose is a change from being uncomfortably cold.

The feature race on Sunday was the Group 1 Underwood Stakes, a race over 1800 metres for horses hopeful of gaining a ballot free entry into the Caulfield Cup. Last year New Zealand mare Bonneval was the winner, and she was among the field of contestants.

I arrived at Caulfield around 1.20pm in time to watch Race 3 , the Inglis Cup run over 2000 metres. Sydney visitor Prized Icon started as favourite, but he finished unplaced, the winner being the Darren Weir trained Bondeiger, the second winner of five who saluted for the canny trainer on Sunday.  Legale finished second and Octabello third.

Inglis Cup result – Bondeiger (orange & black checks) is the winner

Prized Icon & Bondeiger on their way to the barriers

I didn’t take half as many photos as I normally would, not bothering to get images of the horses returning to scale. I was distracted as well by the possibility of getting Chris Waller’s signature on a couple of Winx racebooks I had taken along on the chance that he would be at Caulfield on Sunday.

There was a couple from Ballarat who were waiting for Chris Waller as well, to get his signature on the wonderful painting the husband had done of the star mare.

Ian Drever with his painting of Winx

Anyway, they had a long wait as Chris Waller’s plane from Sydney had been delayed (no surprise there) and he was expected later in the afternoon, turning up just before the feature event.

We all (the Drevers, friend Rebecca & I ) got our stuff signed. I was delighted to see that Chris had added a small note under his signature in my copy of the Golden Slipper Day racebook.

Chris Waller signature in Golden Slipper racebook

The races were being run 30 minutes apart so the afternoon flashed by quite fast.

Race 4 resulted in another Darren Weir trained winner in Gray Shadow who defeated Fragonard by a length with Miss Leonidis running third and Race 5, another sprint over 1200 metres, resulted in the Godolphin owned Trekking winning comfortably from former Japanese sprinter Kemono with long shot Heart of a Lion running third.

Trekking winning the Testa Rossa Stakes (race 5)

Races 6 and 7 were the Guineas Preludes, Group 3 races over 1400 metres, one for the colts and the other for the fillies.

The colts Prelude was the first to jump, and the race favourite was Long Leaf who was outclassed again by the Darren Weir trained Native Soldier who relished being back at Caulfield after failing to place at his last start at Flemington. Tavisan ran second, relegating Long Leaf to third.

Native Soldier

Tavisan

Long Leaf

Hot favourite for the fillies Guineas Prelude was the so far unbeaten Smart Melody. She added another picket to the fence against her name in the form guide, now having won five in succession. She beat Thrillster with a length to spare and El Dorado Dreaming was another length behind in third place.

Smart Melody in full flight

El Dorado Dreaming

Half an hour later the Underwood Stakes field was ready to start. As previously mentioned the Lloyd Williams owned Homesman won the bickies and earned himself a place in the Caulfield Cup. Bonneval finished last and has been reportedly retired, having failed to fire in her two starts this season.

Homesman on his way to the barriers

Tosen Basil on his way to the barriers

Humidor on his way to the barriers

Bonneval on her way to the barriers

I headed home after the Underwood. It had been a moderately interesting afternoon of racing, though not a patch on the Sydney races on Saturday, where three Group 1 contests were run.  Hartnell demonstrated that he was not a spent force by winning the Epsom Handicap carrying top weight, defeating the classy Chris Waller runners D’Argento and Unforgotten.

Oohood finally broke through for a well deserved win in the Group 1 Flight Stakes, with the Chris Waller trained Fiesta running a close second and long shot Nakeeta Jane third.

Chris Waller trained stayers Patrick Erin and Brimham Rocks ran the quinella in the Group 1 Metropolitan.

On Friday night Moonee Valley kicked off its Night Racing Season and featured the Group 1 Moir Stakes which was won by South Australian mare Viddora. Hot favourite Nature Strip was unplaced as was Houtzen, and the former has now been sent for spell and is out of contention for The Everest. Brave Smash and Spright filled the minor places.

Chautauqua was another attraction on Friday night where he was scheduled to undertake a barrier trial to lift the ban on his racing again. He failed to jump and has now been retired.  He was a super sprinter who provided race followers with many wow moments with his nailbiting last to first style of racing.  I’ve heard that he will be farewelled at Flemington next Saturday, where of course I’ll be present to witness Winx gunning for her 28th successive win in the Turnbull Stakes.

The Grey Flash Chautauqua at Caulfield – February 2017

Moonee Valley Magic

Magic Consul wins the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes

What a contrast between one Saturday and another with the Caulfield race meeting beset by rain, and Moonee Valley this weekend being fine and mostly sunny.

I was rather hoping for overcast weather where the lighting is less dramatic in terms of light and darkness, knowing how the Moonee Valley Grandstand overshadows the track in the late afternoon at this time of year.

So my photos of the feature race, the Group 2 Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes are dark, though I notice that even official photographers had trouble with light viz The Age Sports Page today.

However, earlier in the afternoon it was perfect for taking photos.

I reached Moonee Valley at around 2.10pm, again travelling on the 510 bus, which I will definitely be using to get to the Cox Plate on 27 October. It will be mostly unaffected by the heavy traffic, being farther north of the area that surrounds the near environs of the racecourse on that day, which slows down the other three buses I could take.

Race 4, the Harrolds Handicap, run over the same distance as the Cox Plate (2040 metres) was about to start as I reached the public lawn. Trap For Fools, last seen winning the I Print Handicap a fortnight ago started as favourite and won easily after leading from the start, despite being troubled by the unruly Gai Waterhouse trained Hush Writer, to defeat the fast finishing Yogi by a length with Bondeiger running third.

Trap For Fools has a good lead up the straight

Trap For Fools returns to scale

I headed out to stalls area after Race 4 to see which of the equine stars had arrived at the course. The first I saw was none other than Might and Power, the Living Legends guest of honour.  Might and Power won the Cox Plate 20 years ago, so it was apt that he was present for Cox Plate Qualifier Day.

Might and Power

Also out and about was Hartnell, cruising around the parade ring and instantly recognisable.

Hartnell

The Group 2 McEwen Stakes had a whiz banger of a field that included exciting new sprinter Nature Strip, triple Group 1 winner Shoals and 2017 Magic Millions Two Year Old Classic winner Houtzen, now a four year old mare.

Here they are parading before heading to the mounting yard.

 
Nature Strip

Shoals

Houtzen

The race was run at the speed of light, Nature Strip leading from the jump, unchallenged throughout, to break the course record. Houtzen came closest to beating him, losing by a nose on the line. Shoals was almost 4 lengths behind the leading pair in third place and a further 2 lengths separated her from fourth placed Viridine.

Nature Strip & Houtzen cross the finish line

Shoals crosses the finish line 3.85  lengths behind Nature Strip & Houtzen

As I had not seen Nature Strip in action before, the McEwen Stakes was the highlight of the day for me. He’s a handsome dark chestnut horse. Also, as I’ve been following Houtzen since her juvenile days, I was delighted that she performed so well. Another few strides and she would have beaten Nature Strip.

Nature Strip returns to scale

Houtzen returns to scale

Shoals returns to scale

Fortunately the rail was in the true position last Saturday, so there was no obvious bias, horses winning from the inner rail to wider on the track, swoopers and on pacers all having a fair go.

As the feature was scheduled as Race 8, there were two races to watch before it was run, the first of these being the Listed Atantic Jewel Stakes for three year old fillies run over 1200 metres. Shoals won the race last year and this year’s winner was Thrillster who defeated Humma Humma and Krone to win the bickies.

Thrillster wins the Atlantic Jewel Stakes

Thrillster returns to scale

Humma Humma returns to scale

Krone & Assertive Play (4th) return to scale

As you can see the light was getting problematical as the afternoon advanced, and there was still one race to run before the Dato Tan.

This was the Bendigo Bank Stakes, another race over 1200 metres.

The Darren Weir trained Land of Plenty and Peaceful State ran the quinella with race leader Al Passem holding on for third.

Land of Plenty is about to overtake stablemate Peaceful State to win the Bendigo Bank Stakes

Land of Plenty returns to scale

The Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes resulted in 19/1 shot Magic Consul stealing the prize from his classier opponents. Hartnell looked as if he was a winner as they approached the finishing post, but he weakened, allowing  Magic Consul, Homesman and Night’s Watch to overtake him, relegating him to fourth. The disappointing runner was New Zealand mare Bonneval who was never a winning chance. Ditto Mighty Boss.

Magic Consul returns to scale

Homesman returns to scale

Night’s Watch returning to the stalls area post race

Bonneval – head shot in the parade ring

And so ended another stimulating day at the races.  I won’t be returning to Moonee Valley until Cox Plate Day,  Flemington and Caulfield being the major Group 1 venues over the next month or so.

Next week features the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington, and Winx will be contesting the Group 1 George Main Stakes at Randwick and aiming to win her 27th race in succession and 20th at Group 1 level.

A last photo before I  publish this post of an aeroplane that flew over the Moonee Valley Racecourse late in the afternoon. As I had my camera handy (ha!) I snapped a picture as it passed overhead. It turned out quite well I think.

Plane over Moonee Valley

Derby Day 2017

Ace High – current Derby favourite – at Flemington 11/3/17

A super line up of races is programmed at Flemington this coming Saturday and features four Group 1 events and several other black type races.

The main race is the Victoria Derby and  the top chances are  Ace High who won the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes at his last start,  Tangled and Sully  who ran second and third in that race, and the James Cummings trained Astoria, along with Main Stage and the New Zealander Weather With Me.

It will be interesting to see how favourites fare on Saturday with plenty of long shot winners saluting in the recent Group 1 events, which makes it hard to trust the form.

Possibly the pick of the day in terms of class is the first of the Group 1 races, the Coolmore Stud Stakes, a race for three year olds over 1200 metres. A sensationally good field of twenty youngsters will be competing. They include Golden Rose winner Trapeze Artist and Blue Diamond Stakes winner Catchy, along with the talented Houtzen, Invincible Star, Viridine, Formality, Jukebox and Eptimum to name a few.

What used to be the Mackinnon Stakes run over 2000 metres, is now the Kennedy Mile (called Cantala Stakes last year) and is the fourth Group 1 race of the day.  Almost half the field is made up of Chris Waller trained horses, with a few others from the Darren Weir and David Hayes stables. Former Japanese horse Tosen Stardom who finally won his first race in Australia  - a Group 1 at that -  at his last start on Caulfield Guineas Day, will probably start as favourite. Others with a chance are Lucky Hussler who won the Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley last week, Sovereign Nation and Tom Melbourne, though I’ll be barracking for Egg Tart who was quite brilliant in the Autumn, winning both the South Australian and Queensland Oaks, and has won at Flemington over the distance in the past, albeit on a heavy track.

The Myer Classic is the second of the Group 1 events of the day and is a race for fillies and mares over 1600 metres. Last year the then three year old I Am A Star beat the mares, but this year the quality of the field is much stronger and sole filly Shoals will have to beat the likes of Global Glamour, the natural top pick, after her solid win in the Tristarc Stakes recently. I Am A Star is also in the field along with Group 1 winning mares Foxplay, Silent Sedition and Heavens Above.

Tomorrow the weather is forecast to be overcast – again! – and on the cool side. The track however is rated Good 4 as I write, and the rail will be true, praise the Lord.

Just about all the races on the card are worth watching, but I’ll give the first few a miss and aim to arrive at Flemington around 1.00pm in time for the Lexus Stakes, Race 4. 

The four Group 1 races are scheduled consecutively after that is run.

I doubt Derby Day will have the same powderkeg atmosphere as Cox Plate Day, but it is roomier at Flemington and less trouble to claim a good position for photos. Another positive is that it will hopefully be easier to get Chris Waller’s signature on my Cox Plate race book, which I didn’t even try to acquire last week.

Caulfield Guineas Day – Spring Heats Up

Royal Symphony at Caulfield 1/10/17

I haven’t previewed a race meeting for awhile, the recent house move intruding on the time I had to scan the form and write about it.

However, the super race meeting at Caulfield this coming Saturday is worth writing about, with the stars of the turf out in force.

It’s only two weeks to the first of the big Cups, the Caulfield Cup, and the Caulfield Guineas meeting is always held the weekend prior, and offers a considerably better race card than on the big Cup day with four Group 1 races,  and several Group 2 and Group 3 races.

The first of the Group 1 races is the fillies Thousand Guineas. It is run over 1600 metres and has been won by some classy girls in the past such as Alinghi,  Miss Finland, Atlantic Jewel, Commanding Jewel ( AJ’s sister) and Guelph (who actually is the dam of one of the debutants – Encryption -  in Race 1 on the program).  Sydney filly Global Glamour won it last year.

Only eight acceptors will contest this year’s edition and another Sydney filly Alizee appears the top pick. She won the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes and Group 1 Flight Stakes at her last two starts, which is a similar profile to previous Thousand Guineas winners.

Of the local girls, Booker and Shoals are in with a chance, both having recent wins to their credit. 

The Group 1 races are scheduled in consecutive order and the Caulfield Stakes (2000 metres) is run 40 minutes after the Thousand Guineas. Last year the Caulfield Stakes was a three horse race between Winx, Black Heart Bart and He Or She who finished in that order. This year, without Winx in the field, there are 11 acceptors. They include the regulars Hartnell, Gailo Chop, Single Gaze, Inference, Jon Snow and Abbey Marie, and the wonderful New Zealand mare Bonneval who beat them all in the Underwood Stakes. Also in the field are several International runners here for the Cups, the Aiden O’Brien trained The Taj Mahal and Johannes Vermeer, and the Willy Mullins trained Riven Light, which makes the race unusually interesting. I’ll be barracking for Bonneval and hope she prevails again.

Catchy, rather than running in the Thousand Guineas against her own sex, will be taking on the boys in the Caulfield Guineas. She’s a big strapping girl who has won against the boys twice in the past and has a 2kg weight advantage to assist her. History is against her however, as the last filly to achieve this was Surround in 1976, who also won the Cox Plate the same year.

Of the boys, the top picks are Royal Symphony, Summer Passage, Perast, Kementari, Showtime and New Zealand bred colt Salsamor.

Royal Symphony had his colours lowered in his last start where he finished fourth in the Guineas Prelude. I hope that was just a hiccup in his career and that he can resurrect his reputation with a good win in the Caulfield Guineas.

The Toorak Handicap is the final Group 1 race of the day and has a huge field of 18 acceptors. It is run over 1600 metres and the most interesting runner is the Chris Waller trained mare Egg Tart who is making a second  start to her spring racing campaign, having recently suffered from an eye infection that interfered with her preparation. She’s a classy mare who won the Group 1 South Australian Oaks and Queensland Oaks in the autumn. Interestingly her granddam is Born To Be Queen, a talented staying filly of the 1980s that I followed at the time.  Egg Tart will probably start as favourite and her main threat comes from the likes of I Am A Star, Mr Sneaky and Tom Melbourne.

Trying, and probably succeeding, to steal some of Melbourne’s Spring Racing Glory, Sydney  is running the richest race in the world at Randwick on Saturday.  A sprint over 1200 metres the winner takes home a massive $5.800,000 out of the $10 miilion in prize money.  It is called The Everest and has to its credit attracted a very classy field of 12 sprinters that include Chautauqua, Redzel, Vega Magic, Redkirk Warrior, She Will Reign and Houtzen. I kind of hope that the grey flash wins it, but I’d be equally pleased if She Will Reign was the victor. Whatever the result, it is a must watch race.

As the Group 1 races at Caulfield are later in the day, the first to run at 3.15pm, I’m going to take my time getting to the course and won’t be so fretful at all public transport complications still besetting the Hurstbridge train line.

Of course if I was still living in Northcote, none of that would have mattered with other transport options being available.

Girl Power – A Bumper Weekend of Racing

Bonneval on her way to the barriers prior to winning the Underwood Stakes

Last Saturday, with all the hoopla regarding the AFL Grand Final, unless you were a keen follower of the turf, you wouldn’t have known about the super weekend of racing that was happening at various racecourses.

It started on Friday night at Moonee Valley, with the feature race being the Group 1 Moir Stakes. I didn’t attend this meeting, much as I would have liked to, the problem of getting home to Ivanhoe discouraging me from going.

There were several interesting races before the main event, where the outcome was gratifying in terms of horses I am following this spring.

Houtzen won the Group 3 Scarborough Stakes, proving she is still a force to be reckoned with,  Jon Snow showed he is on track for the Caulfield Cup  comfortably winning the Group 3 JRA Cup over2040 metres, and I Am A Star scored her first win for the season in the Group 2 Stock Stakes.

The star of the show however was Golden Slipper winner She Will Reign adding the Group 1 Moir Stakes to her CV, beating a pretty good field of older sprinters and up and comers.

On Saturday, while the AFL Grand Final was happening in Melbourne, Randwick Racecourse hosted a fabulous day of racing featuring three Group 1 events – the Flight Stakes, Epsom Handicap and The Metropolitan. Not that I got to watch them as I was at a Grand Final Barbecue with old friends at their place.

Sunday, however, I did manage to get to Caulfield for the Underwood Stakes meeting, which was also memorable due to Bonneval becoming the first mare to win the Underwood Stakes since Tristarc in 1985. It will be interesting to see if Bonneval can go on and emulate Tristarc’s exploits of 1985, where she won the AJC Derby, Underwood Stakes, Caulfield Stakes and the Caulfield Cup.

But I’m jumping ahead of myself…

I reached Caulfield Racecourse at around 2.00 pm just in time for the first of the Guineas Preludes.

It wasn’t a day for favourites, with the Thousand Guineas Prelude favourite Catchy being relegated to third by Booker and Shoals, giving them too much of a lead to catch in time.

Just past the post in the Thousand Guineas Prelude

Booker returns to scale

Catchy & Shoals return to scale

The hot favourite for the Caulfield Guineas Prelude was understandably Royal Symphony, an eye catching colt, who had yet to be beaten and wowed everyone with his gritty win at his last start. He failed to run a place, unable to overtake the three leaders Perast, Summer Passage and Kementari and finished fourth.

Caulfield Guineas Prelude just past the post

Perast on his way to the barriers

Summer Passage returns to scale

Kementari on his way to the mounting yard pre race

Royal Symphony returning to the stalls post race

The races were being run at 30 minute intervals so it wasn’t long before the feature Underwood Stakes was ready to run. As previously mentioned New Zealand mare Bonneval, who recently won the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes, was the remarkable winner.

Hartnell ran second, a length behind with Gailo Chop filling third place.

Underwood Stakes just past the post

Bonneval returns to scale

Bonneval returning to the stalls after the race

Hartnell returns to the stalls after the race

Gailo Chop returns to the stalls after the race.

Bonneval is now favourite for the Caulfield Cup and could well win it if she can beat fellow Kiwi gallopers Jon Snow and Gingernuts who are also aimed at the race.  Last year Jameka finished runner up to Hartnell in the Turnbull Stakes then went on to win the Caulfield Cup, so that bodes well for Bonneval.

I stayed at Caulfield for the other Group 1 race, the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, which ended up being won by 30/1 shot Santa Ana Lane from Mr Sneaky and So Si Bon.

Just past the post in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes

Santa Ana Lane returns to scale

Mr Sneaky on his way to the barriers

So Si Bon on his way to the barriers

Next Saturday the racing is at Flemington where Winx will be starring in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes. I’m thrilled that we get to see her race in Melbourne for a change and at Flemington for the first time.  No doubt race attendances will be up, due to her appearance and the lack of football, but I hope to capture it all on camera from my favourite spot at the access gate just past the finishing post.

Winx will face six other rivals in the Turnbull Stakes, run over 2000 metres, but except for Humidor who has won twice at Flemington, most recently the Makybe Diva Stakes, the others will be not much threat to her chances of winning her 21st consecutive race.

It will be complicated getting to Flemington on Saturday with buses replacing trains between Ivanhoe and Clifton Hill, but I intend to set out early and it hopefully will take less than hour to travel to the course.