Doncaster–Derby Day 2017 Edition

I Am A Star – can she emulate Sunline and win the Doncaster Handicap at her tender age?

Doncaster – Derby Day at Randwick is one of the great days on the Australian racing calendar.  A few years back the two main events were run on different Saturdays, but these days they are featured along with the T J Smith Stakes and the Inglis Sires.

There’s something for everyone – a first class sprint (T J Smith), a race for two year olds (Sires), a middle distance nail biter (Doncaster Mile) won by many champions in the past, most recently by wonder mare Winx, and the ATC Derby for three year old stayers.

The first to run is the Inglis Sires, which is run over 1400 metres, where a full field of 16 runners have accepted. Quite a few of the contestants ran in the Golden Slipper with varying results. Slipper winner She Will Reign is not in the field, but the runner up Frolic and third placed Tulip are top chances. 

Melbourne based horses have been very successful in Sydney this autumn season, so they could dominate again, for instance Sircconi who won the Group 2 VRC Sires Produce Stakes at his last start.

New Zealanders are often successful during the Sydney autumn racing season, so it would be unwise to ignore Summer Passage, who won a Group 1 race in New Zealand at his last start.

Two New Zealand stayers are entered in the ATC Derby, Gingernuts and Jon Snow, both recent winners in Sydney, the former winning the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas, the latter victorious in the Group 2 Tulloch Stakes. Both have competed against each other across the Tasman with Gingernuts getting the better of Jon Snow in the New Zealand Derby.

Of the locals Prized Icon, Inference, Anaheim and So Si Bon have the best chance of defeating the Kiwis.

The grey flash Chautauqua has a chance to redeem his reputation and make history by winning the T J Smith Stakes for the third time in succession, a feat never before accomplished in its twenty years of running.

He’s sort of back to his old self, and back to his favourite distance of 1200 metres after finishing a distant third in the George Ryder Stakes which of course was won by Winx.

The usual suspects are his rivals; Malaguerra, Fell Swoop, Japonisme, Terravista, Spieth and Rebel Dane, with three year old colts Astern and Russian Revolution, representing the greatest threat with a weight advantage.

As previously mentioned the Doncaster Handicap is a race for champions. You aren’t anyone in the annals of middle distance racing until you’ve won it. You only have to look at the list of previous winners to see what a prestigious race it is. Sunline won it twice as did Super Impose and Sacred Falls. Other top class milers who’ve won it are More Joyous, Haradasun, Private Steer and of course Winx.

This year’s edition has a super field with a good mix of quality milers and three year old aspirants. Of the older contestants, the top chances are Le Romain, Redkirk Warrior, Tosen Stardom, Happy Clapper and Palentino, whilst talented youngsters like I Am A Star and Hey Doc might well challenge their elders, having a weight advantage in the handicap conditions and with a bit of luck in the running.

For a change the Randwick track may not be as heavy as the recent Rosehill race meetings, with little rain falling this week in Sydney. It might even make it the better side of slow, though the aftermath of Cyclone Debbie that devastated North Queensland looks to be headed south and may rain on Sydney’s parade.

Update Saturday Evening

The undoubted star of the day was the grey flash Chautauqua, winning the T J Smith Stakes with a stunning finishing sprint from a no win position. We’ve see it all before, so it was great to witness the big grey back to his best and make history into the bargain, becoming the first horse to win the T J Smith three years in succession. He won by a neck to English, with Fell Swoop running third not far behind.

Favourites failed to feature in all the Group 1 events of the afternoon, even Chautauqua paying $6.00, unheard of odds a year ago.

The Inglis Sires trifecta was taken out by the boys and the highly fancied fillies were missing in action. Invader won, upstaging New Zealand colt Summer Passage and Trapeze Artist ran third.

New Zealand colt Jon Snow won the Australian Derby from outsiders Harper’s Choice and Hardham. Favourite, Gingernuts, left his run too late and finished fifth.

And the Doncaster Mile was taken out by 40/1 shot It’s Somewhat who beat Happy Clapper with 50/1 longshot, Sense of Occasion running third.

Next week is the Group 1 Sydney Cup, Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Australian Oaks and Queen of the Turf Stakes, which, god willing, I will be present to witness in person.

A Couple of Guineas–Weekend Group 1 Racing

Divine Prophet  -  can he win the Caulfield Guineas/Australian Guineas double?

Flemington Racecourse hosts the sole Group 1 race in Melbourne  this week, so I’m looking forward to returning to its wide open spaces again for an afternoon of racing thrills.

Hey Doc, last seen winning the C S Hayes Stakes on Black Caviar Lightning day, is the current favourite for the Group 1 Australian Guineas. Whether he is up to the class of this race is questionable. Whatever his credentials, he faces a very smart field with the likes of Victorian Derby winner Prized Icon, and Caulfield Guineas winner Divine Prophet being his main rivals. 

Others with claims are Seaburge, Attention, Oak Door and fillies Fuhryk, Legless Veuve and Harlow Gold.

The support card at Flemington is moderately interesting, but most of the focus of the weekend racing will be at Randwick where a second Group 1 Guineas (Randwick Guineas) is scheduled, along with the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes.

The weather in Melbourne is expected to be fine and the track fast, whereas in Sydney, a week of rain with more on the way will mean another heavy track. What’s new!

There is talk of the Saturday meeting being put off to early next week if the track is too heavy.

The grey flash Chautuaqua is entered in the Canterbury Stakes, a race over 1300 metres.  If he starts, it will be fascinating to see how he goes over the distance. He has won over 1400 metres in the past so the extra 100 metres distance from the standard 1200 metres should pose no problems for him. In fact the added distance will give him time to gather his considerable forces for a strong sprint to the line.

He will however have to beat some very classy rivals in Le Romain, Hauraki, Music Magnate and Japonisme.  And then there’s the New Zealand colt Ugo Foscolo thrown in at the deep by new trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.

Prized Icon is entered in both the Australian Guineas and the Randwick Guineas and it all depends on the weather where he starts.  Top picks in the Randwick Guineas are Man From Uncle, Echo Effect, Malaise, Comin’ Through and sole filly Invincible Gem.

With the upcoming Golden Slipper Stakes in mind, the first two races at Randwick , the Group 2 Reisling Stakes (for fillies) and Todman Stakes (for colts & geldings), are of interest.

Had Houtzen, the Magic Millions Two Year Classic winner, not been scratched from the Reisling Stakes it would have been exciting to see her race against the unbeaten current Golden Slipper favourite She Will Reign.

We’ll have to wait to see that contest another time.

She Will Reign is favoured to keep her winning streak intact in the Reisling Stakes having winning form on heavy going in her favour as well. Her closest rivals appear to be Frolic and From Within.

The Todman Stakes stars the highly regarded Chauffeur, along with Jukebox and Menari.

RIP Boban & The Championships Week 2

Boban parades after winning the Memsie Stakes – 29 August 2015

Five time Group 1 winner Boban died in a freak paddock accident on Sunday night, and thus passed a sterling middle distance runner. He was recently retired from racing after bleeding in the 2016 Futurity Stakes, so unfortunately he didn’t get much time to enjoy it.

His last win was at the end of August last year, when he took out the Group 1 Memsie Stakes at Caulfield. Previous to that he won the 2015 Group 1 Doomben 10,000,  2014 Chipping Norton Stakes and the 2013 Emirates Stakes and Epsom Stakes.

My condolences to his connections.

The so called Championships continue this Saturday at Randwick with four Group 1 races on the card.

Winx originally was set to target the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes, but commendably her connections have decided to give her a spell after her gruelling run in the Doncaster Mile. We can therefore look forward to seeing her again in the Spring as she’ll be aimed at winning the Cox Plate for a second time. It would be nice if she came to Melbourne early and contested one or two races before the Cox Plate.

With Winx out, the Queen Elizabeth Stakes is fairly wide open with a number of horses capable of winning the 2000 metre race.

For Criterion, it his last race before retiring to stud, so no doubt his owners will be hoping he goes out on a high note. He’s got the credentials having won the race on a bog track last year.

Preferment has won his last two starts, the Group 1 Australian Cup and The BMW by narrow margins, so is sure to be in the finish here and could well win. He has the Chris Waller/ Hugh Bowman factor in his favour as well.

The imported Irish stayer The United States has finally settled and won his first Group 1 when taking out the Ranvet Stakes at his last start. He is the current favourite, so if he handles soft tracks (of which he has little experience) he is a top chance.

Of the others, Happy Clapper who ran second to Winx in the Doncaster Mile and would have won if she had not competed, has to be a goer if he can manage the short back up. And then there’s Hauraki who has run second to The United States and Winx at his last two starts.

If the track is heavy Lucia Valentina has to be a good chance at good odds.

The first of the Group 1 races scheduled is the Australasian Oaks  run over 2400 metres, in which Jameka is backing up after running second in the ATC Derby last week. Back against her own sex she is the top pick if she has recovered.  Her main rivals are Vinery Stud Stakes winner Single Gaze, runnerup Valley Girl and third placed Happy Hannah.

The Sydney Cup is run over the same distance as the Melbourne Cup (3200 metres) but has not the same status, despite the prize money being quite generous. It looks as if it could result in another Chris Waller Group 1 trifecta, with top chances Who Shot Thebarman, Grand Marshall and Libran belonging to his stable. 

Formerly called The Queen of Turf Stakes, the Coolmore Legacy Stakes is a Group 1 race for mares and fillies over 1600 metres. Suavito, who has drawn the carpark is the class mare in the race.  Fellow Melbourne mares Badawiya and Azkadellia and Sydney mares Zanbagh, Heavens Above, Vergara and Lady Le Fay are her main rivals.

Also of interest due to the presence of Petits Filous is the Group 2 Arrowfield 3yo Sprint. She has certainly been thrown in the deep end as her rivals are quite classy, with runners like Japonisme, Kinglike, Stellar Collision, Hellbent and Ghisoni in the field. 

As I write, the track condition at Randwick is reported to be a soft 6, which is defined as: moist but not a badly affected track, though after a few races that may change for the better or worse. 

Update Saturday Night – The Italian Girls Star

It was another great day of racing at Randwick this afternoon, with some sensational results, with very few favourites saluting.

The only favourite to win a Group 1 was Azkadellia in the Queen of the Turf Stakes, beating long odds Heavens Above by a couple of lengths with Noble Protector running third.

The Oaks was won by the fiesty New Zealand filly Sofia Rosa with outsiders Ambience and Believe running second and third. Jameka who was too far back early in the race, was left flat footed in the straight and finished fourth.

The Lloyd Williams owned import Gallante won the Sydney Cup from Libran and Grand Marshall.

I was delighted to see Lucia Valentina take out the feature event, the Queen Elizabeth Stakes; not that I took my own advice and had any money on her.  The United States finished second and Happy Clapper ran third. Lucia Valentina raced at the tail end of the field and when making her move in the straight, almost fell, then was blocked for a run. When she had a clear run, she whooshed down the outside to score by over two lengths. A remarkable performance.

The two Italian girls are of course Sofia Rosa and Lucia Valentina who are both owned by the business man Lib Petagna, who certainly had a good day at Randwick.

Welcome Back Little Rascals–Easter Racing

Petits Filous at Flemington 15/9/15

Even though it’s Easter, there is plenty of racing action this weekend, at Moonee Valley Thursday night, and at Caulfield and Rosehill on Saturday.

The feature race at Moonee Valley is the Group 1 William Reid Stakes, where a good field of 12 sprinters will be vieing for the prize. Top chances are Lucky Hussler who won the race last year, Holler who took out the Australia Stakes earlier this year at Moonee Valley over the same distance, and Japonisme who ran third in the Lightning Stakes and won the Coolmore Classic last spring.  And you really can’t overlook recent Group 1 sprint winners Flamberge and The Quarterback, though they have no form at Moonee Valley.

I don’t intend to go to the Moonee Valley meeting, but I’m looking forward to heading out to Caulfield on Saturday for their Easter Cup meeting, ostensibly to see Petits Filous in race 4.

She has not graced a racetrack since running unsuccessfully in the Moir Stakes last spring, after previously winning her first four starts by impressive margins.

As race 4 , the Jack Elliott Handicap (1100 metres), is as the race title says, a handicap, she has been weighted according to her rating, at an  imposte of 60kg giving her rivals a big weight advantage. Her opposition however is fairly weak, so she will possibly win.

I’m also keen to get a look at the sole offspring of the late Typhoon Tracy, who is entered in the last race at Caulfield on Saturday. A colt by Street Cry named Last Typhoon, he has raced seven times for two wins on rural tracks. This is his first race in the big smoke, so who knows how he will fare.  His mum was a great favourite of mine, so I hope he can do her proud.

The Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes and The BMW are the feature races at Rosehill on Saturday, so I’ll hopefully get to watch them at Caulfield.

Jameka is the top pick in the Vinery Stud Stakes, a race for three year old staying fillies over 2000 metres. She appears to be a class above her rivals, though Risque and Stay With Me may give her a run for the money. Others with a chance are NZ fillies Capella and Valley Girl.

The BMW is run over 2400 metres, so a field of 10 tried and true stayers will be contesting it. Preferment looks to be the one to beat, but trying hard will be Mongolian Khan, at his favourite distance, Arab Dawn an attractive British import, Who Shot Thebarman, Rising Romance and three year old Montaigne.

The Last Roses of Summer - The End of the Carnival

Resplendent roses hedge the straight in front of the finish line

In the four years since I have been attending the races at Flemington in autumn, I don’t think I’ve ever seen the famous roses in such profuse bloom. They looked magnificent, but unfortunately obscured the view of the mounting yard, and as mentioned previously, the horses in their stalls.

For this last day of Flemington’s mini racing carnival, I arrived early in the afternoon, obliged in fact by the train service from the city which cut out at 1.00pm.

As I stepped off the train and made my way to the public lawn, Race 1, the Group 3 Thoroughbred Breeders Plate, had just been run and won. I was pleased to hear that the winner was Augusta Proud’s daughter Thyme for Roses, who made her mother proud with an easy win after two unsuccessful starts this season.

Thyme for Roses poses for photos in the mounting yard

She came in at good odds of 10/1 beating Emphatically and Soviet Secret.

It was therefore a long afternoon, but the weather was reasonably kind, overcast though muggy and the crowds weren’t large.

There was some sort of food and wine festival going on in the upper lawn area. Curiously, the Kids’ Zone was in the same spot, no doubt so mums and dads could sample the wares and keep an eye on their off spring at the same time.

Anyway, it made that part of the lawn almost impassable, so when traversing from the winning post to the stalls, it was easier (and faster) to go around the back way via the Bookie’s Ring.

Thence I went after taking the above photo of Thyme for Roses to see who had arrived.

Apache Cat was the Living Legends special guest, but though I caught  glimpses of him, I somehow failed all afternoon to get a photo of him.  Not to worry, I have plenty of photos of him I’ve taken at other times.

I didn’t take all that many photos of the horsey stars in their stalls, the overabundant roses being somewhat off putting after a while, though my photographer friend George as usual was far more dedicated than me at getting shots of all the runners in the two feature races.

Here’s the few I managed to get good photos of…

Black Heart Bart

Chautauqua

Japonisme

Preferment

Suavito

Returning trackside to the rose hedge free gate just past the winning post, where you can get a diagonal view of the winning post, race 2, the Group 2 Sire’s Produce Stakes, was about to start. It’s a race for two year olds over 1400 metres.

It was won by Seaburge from Detective and Revolving Door.

Seaburge (inside) wins the Sires Produce Stakes

Seaburge returns to scale

Detective returns to scale

Revolving Door returns to scale

Somehow or other I killed time between the races either hanging out in the stalls area or mooching around on the public lawn, so there’s not much to report activity wise.

Race 3 was a sprint, the Listed Goodwood Racecourse Trophy over 1100 metres for three year olds.

The favourite was Brockhoff, but he finished out of the placings. A filly, Super Cash won the prize, beating longshots Sooboog and Stellar Collision by half a length.

As is often the case with sprints down the spacious Flemington straight, the field split into two sections, a group racing on the inside of the track, the rest racing down the grandstand side, which rather stymies one’s shots when shooting the finish.

Super Cash returns to scale after winning the Goodwood Racecourse Trophy

Sooboog returns to scale

Stellar Collision returns to scale

The next race was the Group 2 Blamey Stakes, a race over 1600 metres.

Stratum Star started as favourite, and managed to run third behind He Or She and The United States.

He or She (yellow blinkers) wins the Blamey Stakes from The United States (inside) and Stratum Star (red blinkers)

He or She returns to scale after winning the Blamey Stakes

The United States on his way to the barriers

Stratum Star on his way to the barriers

After the Blamey Stakes, there was only one more race before the first of the two features, the Newmarket Handicap, was scheduled to run.

Race 5 was another Group 2 race, the Kewney Stakes for three year old fillies run over 1400 metres.

As had been the pattern all afternoon, the favourite, in this case Catch A Fire, failed to win or even run a place. 

Badawiya, fresh from a spell, romped in two lengths ahead of the fast finishing Don’t Doubt Mama, with Egypt running into third place.

Badawiya wins the Kewney Stakes

Badawiya returns to scale

Don’t Doubt Mama returns to scale

Egypt on her way to the barriers

As the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap was the next race to jump, I ambled up to the mounting yard fence to see the parade. The haze at the bottom of some of the following photos is caused by rose petals and leaves casting a shadow on the lens.

Black Heart Bart

Charmed Harmony

Chautauqua

Japonisme

Churchill Dancer

Counterattack

Delectation

Keen Array

Secret Agent

The Quarterback

Before the race even started, while the horses were making their way to the starting gates at the top of the straight, Counterattack threw his jockey Glen Boss and tore up the straight riderless, eventually being caught. Though horse and jockey were both unhurt, Counterattack was scratched on the spot.

The race itself was run at lightning speed and the field split into two sections, or rather eight of the runners headed to the grandstand side, and Charmed Harmony ran all by himself on the inside.

It resulted in a boilover, when 20/1 shot The Quarterback won narrowly from Black Heart Bart and Chautauqua. Chautauqua tried hard, but carrying the top weight proved his downfall. First and second had a 4 to 6 kg advantage. He was beaten less than a length and hardly disgraced.

Newmarket Handicap finish on the outer rail

Surprisingly, Craig Newitt pulled The Quarterback up shortly after passing the finish line and turned him round to bring him back to scale.

Normally the winning horse returns last, being delayed by the traditional jockey interview post race with Sam Hyland up around the bend. It was amusing to see Sam galloping his pony in hot pursuit of The Quarterback.

The Quarterback returning to the mounting yard

Chautauqua returns to scale

The Australian Cup was a messily run race, with no horse wanting to set the pace. Last year The Cleaner kept up an honest pace, but this year, with the scratching of Mourinho, there was no natural leader.  Awesome Rock eventually took the lead with Preferment and Rising Romance close behind him on the pace.

Basically the first three on the pace finished in that order, Awesome Rock defeating Preferment by a nostril with Rising Romance a length back in third place.

Awesome Rock came in at big odds (26/1), but was denied first place by an upheld protest of second against first, alleging interference in the last 300 metres of the race. So Preferment ended up the winner in the end.

The race favourite was Bow Creek, but he missed the start and failed to make up enough ground, finishing eighth.

Preferment on his way to the barriers

Awesome Rock returns to scale

Rising Romance returns to scale

Having been at Flemington all afternoon, I headed for the station after the Australian Cup and thence home.

The Coolmore Classic in Sydney ended with a boilover win by the unfancied Peeping. Azkadellia ran second and Solicit third. It certainly wasn’t a day for favourites anywhere.

So ended the main part of Melbourne’s Autumn Racing Carnival.

Overall it was interesting all the way through and the highlights for me were Chautauqua in the Lightning Stakes, Extreme Choice in the Blue Diamond Stakes,  Turn Me Loose in the Futurity Stakes and Suavito in the Orr Stakes. 

Sydney’s autumn racing carnival kicks off in earnest next Saturday with Golden Slipper Day at Rosehill. Five Group 1 races are on the card, and stars such as Winx, Turn Me Loose, Fell Swoop, Extreme Choice, First Seal, Mongolian Khan, Criterion, Press Statement and Terravista are nominated to compete in one or another of the Group 1 races programmed.

The are no races in Melbourne next Saturday, just the Alister Clarke Stakes meeting at Moonee Valley on Friday night.

Super Saturday at Flemington

Chautauqua returns to scale after winning the 2016 Black Caviar Lightning

The grey flash, Chautauqua returns to the scene of his latest victory, to attempt the Lightning/Newmarket double at Flemington this coming Saturday. He is the top weight on 58kg and has drawn the outside barrier, but he is the one to beat, and will probably start as favourite. 

Ten other horses will be trying to one up him, the most threatening being the Chris Waller contingent Delectation and Japonisme. Terravista is missing from the field, so that’s one less to worry about. Last year the Newmarket Handicap was won by the lightweighted three year old Brazen Beau who relegated Chautuaqua to second, so that gives Japonisme, sole filly Secret Agenda, Counter Attack and Keen Array all a chance.  A new name in the eastern states racing scene is Black Heart Bart (great name!), another West Australian galloper now trained by Darren Weir,who will be having his first start in the east in the Newmarket. 

As well as the Newmarket Handicap, Flemington hosts the Group 1 Australian Cup a race over 2000 metres for middle distance runners and stayers.

Old campaigner, Happy Trails is pitted against the younger brigade, the top picks being Bow Creek and Preferment along with mares, Rising Romance, Suavito and Fenway. It has been a long time since a mare has won the Australian Cup, Makybe Diva being the last in 2005, but the above girls have been holding their own against the boys, so one of them could steal the show.

Mourinho was an acceptor for the Australian  Cup, but he was scratched today having succumbed to an old tendon injury, which signifies the end of his racing career.

There is a fine support card at Flemington that includes the Group 2 Sires Produce Stakes, Blamey Stakes and Kewney Stakes, but I’m not going to preview them here.

And at Rosehill the feature race is the Group 1 Coolmore Classic, a race for fillies and mares over 1500 metres. Unbeaten filly Ghisoni is the current favourite, but she’ll have to beat classy mares like Lucia Valentina, Politeness, Solicit, Amicus, Zanbagh and Azkadellia.

We have been experiencing a late summer heat wave here in Melbourne over the past two weeks, though yesterday it rained practically all day – welcome after the long dry spell – but today, Friday it’s back to being sunny and humid, so the Flemington track shouldn’t be affected all that much.

Tomorrow is forecast to be mild and overcast with a chance of rain in the afternoon.  Those conditions suit me fine, as I intend to soak up the racing action with the last Group 1 race meet for Melbourne’s autumn racing season. Australian Cup Day is always enjoyable, not overcrowded like the spring carnival and generally pretty laid back.

Iron Horse–Chautauqua Strikes in the Lightning

Chautauqua parades in the mounting yard after winning the Black Caviar Lightning

Personally, I prefer Melbourne’s summer/autumn racing season to the overhyped spring carnival. For a start the race meetings are not overcrowded and secondly the silliness of the spring carnival is not as glaringly obvious. 

The Melbourne autumn racing carnival may be the poor cousin to the spring carnival as far as the media is concerned, but the racing action is just as thrilling as was observed on Saturday afternoon at Flemington.

Having attended the excellent Dave Rawlings Machine concert the night before, I was feeling a tad bleary as I set out for Flemington, but once arrived that wore off and I was keen to see the two year olds strut their stuff in the Talindert Stakes.

In 2012 I witnessed All Too Hard win the Talindert at his first start, and we know how good he turned out to be.

So you wonder, as you watch the young things parading, which of them could be future stars of the turf. 

I was interested in seeing two of the fillies in the race, the first, Conscious, being one of the first crop of So You Think’s progeny to hit the track. The other, Clockwork Orange, is the daughter of multiple Group 1 winning mare Private Steer. They were both having their first start. As you can see in the photos below they are lovely looking fillies.

Conscious

Clockwork Orange

Clockwork Orange started as favourite but only managed to run sixth.

Conscious did better, running 1.5 lengths second to Weatherly, over three lengths in front of third placed Jackson.

Weatherly & Conscious on the grandstand side of the track run first and second.

Weatherly returns to scale after winning the Talindert Stakes

Race 3 was the Auckland Racing Club Trophy, a sprint over 1000 metres.

It was won by the favourite Estaminet, with Scratchy Lass and Afleet Esprit running second and third.

Estaminet wins the Auckland Racing Club Trophy

You certainly get plenty of exercise at Flemington, as the walk to and from the prime photo spot just past the winning post to the stalls extends almost the length of the straight.

In the stalls several of the main contenders for the Group events had already arrived, as had the Living Legends representatives, Bullish Luck and Silent Witness.

Bullish Luck in the pre-parade ring

Silent Witness in his stall

Speaking of legends, there was a special ceremony on Saturday afternoon for the late Red Cadeaux whose ashes are buried in the stalls area near where he was stabled.

Unfortunately he died from complications after suffering an injury on Melbourne Cup  Day last year. If he had survived he would have joined the old boys at Living Legends.

A plaque has been installed on a bench near where he is buried.

Red Cadeaux Plaque in Stalls Area

Back trackside, Race 4, the Japan Racing Association Trophy (2000 metres) was about to start.

This was also won by race favourite, Pemberley, from Word of Mouth and Falago.

Pemberley on his way to the starting gates

Word of Mouth (no 7) and Renew on their way to the starting gates

Falago on his way to the barriers

Race 4 finish – Pemberley wins easily by 2.8 lengths to Word of Mouth

Tramping back once again to the stalls area, I was keen to get photos of the feature contenders…

 
Chautauqua – BC Lightning

Bon Aurum – CS Hayes Stakes

Delectation – BC Lightning

Japonisme – BC Lightning

Exosphere – BC Lightning

Perfect Reflection – Vanity Stakes

Sacred Star – Vanity Stakes

Terravista – BC Lightning

Race 5, was the first of the feature races, the Group 3 Vanity Stakes for three year old fillies over 1400 metres.

Unbeaten Western Australian filly Perfect Reflection started as favourite but both she and Jameka were upstaged by Don’t Doubt  Mama.

Don’t Doubt Mama wins the Vanity Stakes from Egypt and Perfect Reflection

Don’t Doubt Mama returns to scale

Egypt returns to scale

Perfect Reflection returns to scale

Jameka who ran fourth returns to scale

The C.S. Hayes Stakes was next up. Also graded as Group 3, it is one for the colts and is run over 1400 metres as well.

The Darren Weir trained Palentino was the warm favourite and he did indeed win, before losing out to an upheld protest by the rider of second placed Tivaci for interference. Tivaci’s stablemate Tulsa ran third.

Palentino (wide white blaze) technically wins the CS Hayes

Palentino on his way to the barriers

Tivaci on his way to the barriers

Last year on Lightning Stakes day, a storm passed through just before the feature race. Appropriately lightning flashed and a smattering of rain fell on Flemington.

Not so this year, as the afternoon was sunny with a cool southerly wind keeping the temperature at a comfortable level.

I was fortunate enough to personally witness Black Caviar win two of her three Lightning Stakes, so it was almost a blast from the past to see her colours decorating the finishing post.

Finishing post detail with Black Caviar sign

Her walk of fame was back on the public lawn with two extra posters, showing her with her first two foals.

This year’s edition of the Black Caviar Lightning was just as exciting as you’d expect. Chautauqua’s connections must have nerves of steel to be able to watch their champion sprinter compete, as he races at the back of the field then nail bitingly launches his brilliant finishing burst at the last minute. He looked in a no win situation with only 50 metres to go, but somehow overtook Terravista and Japonisme, who were fighting out the finish, to win by a nostril.

Only six started in the race, Kinglike being scratched early in the morning. After leaving the barriers Terravista, Delectation, Japonisme and Chautauqua headed for the outside grandstand side of the track, leaving Va Pensiero and Exosphere running a separate race on the inside.  Exosphere didn’t look at all comfortable and was all over the place. His trainer blames the track bias for his failure to place, but his jockey admitted that he made the wrong call as far as the horse was concerned and stated that he would have performed better with the bunch on the grandstand side; ie having horses to race against.

I doubt if we’ll see Exosphere in Melbourne again, especially not at Flemington.

Lightning Stakes finish – POV distorts the actual finishing order which was Chautauqua, Terravista (orange silks) Japonisme (pink silks) & Exosphere (blue silks)

Chautauqua returns to scale

Terravista returns to scale

Japonisme returns to scale

Exosphere returns to scale

As the trains departing Flemington for the city did not start to run until 4.45 pm I decided to stay and watch Race 8, the Ascot Racecourse Trophy, mostly because Divan was in it. 

He ran a great race, doing it tough racing wide throughout to run second to the favoured Dan Zephyr over the unsuitable distance of 1400 metres.

Divan in the mounting yard

Dan Zephyr in the mounting yard

The trip home by train was without incident and avoided the crowds streaming into the city for White Night. I was home in 40 minutes, the trains coinciding neatly at Southern Cross Station.

I managed to either hear or watch the feature Sydney races.  The Silver Slipper Stakes was won by Astern from Defcon with Mount Panorama running third. First Seal signalled that she had returned fighting fit, when she won the Millie Fox Stakes. Catkins lacked her usual zip and finished last. It looks like she may be retired. Telepathic ran second with I’ve Got The Looks taking third place. And Press Statement easily won the Hobartville Stakes from Le Romain and Montaigne.

Next Saturday I’ll be heading back to Caulfield for the Blue Diamond Stakes meeting, which has three Group 1 races on the program, the aforementioned Blue Diamond Stakes, plus the Oakleigh Plate and Futurity Stakes.