Doncaster–Derby Day at Randwick

Tarzino at Flemington – Australian Guineas Day 5/3/2016

Black type racing is over in Melbourne until spring, so it is cheering that the Sydney Championships can keep the interest alive for a few weeks yet.

And what a beauty of a race meeting it is this coming Saturday at Randwick with four Group 1 races on the cards,  involving several exciting stars of the turf.

The first of these is super star Winx, who will be endeavouring to add the prestigious Doncaster Mile to her list of Group 1 wins.

Winx reminds a lot people of the great New Zealand mare Sunline who won the Doncaster twice, and ran second in a third attempt, as well as winning two Cox Plates among many other Group 1 races, but Winx still has a long way to go before she equals Sunline’s record.

As she is only four, she has plenty of time if she stays sound. She is indubitably the most exciting racehorse in Australia at present, having won her last eight races, five of them at Group 1 kevel.

Naturally she will start as hot favourite for the Doncaster, and though it is hard to see her get beaten, other runners with a chance are Kermadec, runner up to Winx in the George Ryder Stakes and Doncaster Handicap winner last year, old rival First Seal, wearing blinkers for the first time, Turn Me Loose, who blew his chances last start overracing, and  Azkadellia who always runs an honest race.

As previously mentioned the race card boasts three other Group 1 races, the first being the Inglis Sires for two year olds over 1400 metres. There are no super stars in the field so it’s pretty wide open. Prime chances are Seaburge, Yankee Rose, Teleperion, Detective, Attention  and Zamzam.

The TJ Smith Stakes is a time honoured sprint and has attracted a classy field of contestants that include Chautauqua (last year’s winner) Exosphere, Terravista, Delectation, Flamberge and Fell Swoop.

Tarzino, the most promising young stayer in the country, is the top pick for the Australian Derby.  His main opposition comes from the classy Jameka, taking on the boys again, and Tally who is on a four run winning streak.

Despite Sydney having heavy rain earlier the week, the track at Randwick shouldn’t be too soggy, unlike last year, where the meeting was cancelled until the the next day due to the inclemency of the weather.

Update Sunday – The Wow Factor Again!

As anticipated, it was a fantastic day of racing at Randwick yesterday.

All the winners of the Group 1 events produced dominant performances.

Yankee Rose won the Inglis Sires by 2.5 lengths from Telperion with longshot Faraway Town running third.

Tarzino was on his wrong leg in the Australian Derby and failed to run a place. The race was won by an outsider, the New Zealand trained Tavago romping in by over three lengths. Jameka ran her usual honest race and finished second ahead of Tally in third place.

The grey speedster Chautauqua, as is his style, produced a heartstopping last to first finish in the TJ Smith Stakes, winning the race for the second time in succession.  Fell Swoop ran the race of his life and finished second ahead of the filly English.

And, wonder horse Winx, who looked in non winning position in the straight with 300 metres to go,  having raced at the tail of field for most of the race, broke through a wall of horses to score a two length victory over Happy Clapper and Azkadellia in the Doncaster Mile.

Farewell Catkins & Australian Guineas Day

Catkins on Caulfield Cup Day 2015

It was announced earlier this week that Catkins has been retired. She was a much loved mare with a huge following during her sterling race career and I admit one of my favourites.

Known as the punters pal, she always ran an honest race and it’s a pity she never won a Group 1, though she finished second or third in quite a few of them. Her record stands at 16 wins from 38 starts, most of her wins being at Group 2 and Group 3 level.  I’ve followed her for several years and always looked forward to seeing her race. Enjoy your retirement sweet Catkins. I hope your babies are as pretty as you.

Meanwhile, the excitement of Group 1 racing continues this weekend at Flemington and Randwick and includes the ridiculous scheduling of two Guineas in two States – the Randwick Guineas in Sydney and the Australian Guineas in Melbourne.

Surprisingly both Guineas have attracted reasonable fields, the Melbourne Guineas being overall more classy in content.

The Randwick Guineas looks as if it will be a walkover by top colt Press Statement, who won the Caulfield Guineas in spring last year, and kicked off his autumn campaign in the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes on 20 February with an easy win.

On that occasion he out ran Le Romain and Montaigne and most of the rest of the field contesting the Randwick Guineas, so you really can’t see him being beaten, unless Melbourne invader Tulsa or sole filly Stay With Me can mount a challenge.

Sixteen three year olds will contest the Australian Guineas at Flemington, and most of them are good enough to win the race.

You’ve got star New Zealand colt Xtravagant having his first start in Australia and recent results indicate that it is unwise to ignore the kiwi runners, Turn Me Loose and Risque for instance. Xtravagant makes a habit of winning his races by 8 lengths on good tracks. He’ll get a good track on Saturday as it hasn’t rained in Melbourne for ages, and none is forecast in the near future.

Risque is in the field along with talented former Western Australian filly Perfect Reflection, and Crown Oaks winner Jameka, challenging the boys. Several fillies have won the Australian Guineas, the most recent being Mosheen (2012) and Shamrocker (2011).

They have to beat some really talented boys; Mahuta, Tarzino, Vanbrugh, Palentino and Tivaci along with Xtravagant.

All in all it looks a fascinating race.

The Flemington support card is moderately interesting, but the Randwick card is much more classy with another Group 1 race on the program along with several choice Group 2 events.

The Group 1 Canterbury Stakes run over 1300 metres has a small but select field that includes top runners Criterion, Kermadec, First Seal, Our Boy Malachi and Holler.  Last year the Canterbury Stakes was won by Cosmic Endeavour from Catkins and Criterion, so that bodes well for First Seal, who returned from a long break with a stylish win in the Millie Fox Stakes .

Worthy of interest is Race 2 on the Randwick card,  the Todman Stakes, a Group 2 race for two year old colts and geldings over 1200 metres. It has a super lineup of six in form colts headed by Magic Millions Two Year Old Classic winner Capitalist, who is yet to lose a race from three starts. Trying hard to lower his colours will be Silver Slipper winner Astern and Talindert Stakes winner Weatherly, not to mention Tessera who has won two from two starts and Defcon who has run second to both Astern and Tessera and could well be in the finish again.

I’m looking forward to going back to Flemington on Saturday for the second last Saturday of the Melbourne autumn racing carnival. A bonus will be seeing the Living Legends representative, 2000 Melbourne Cup winner Brew.  He won me heaps of money that day when he romped in at big odds. He is regally bred, being one of super sire Sir Tristram’s sons, from champion New Zealand mare Horlicks who won the 1989 Japan Cup in world record time. I hope to give Brew a pat, and try to get a good photo.

Tough Call - The 2015 Cox Plate

Top of the straight in the 2014 Cox Plate

It seems that the Cox Plate is going the way of the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, with classy International racehorses making up a fair portion of the field.

Last year’s Cox Plate was won by the Aiden O”Brien trained Adelaide. It was a sensational win where Adelaide sustained a long wide swooping run to win on the line from the locally bred Fawkner and Silent Achiever.

Silent Achiever has retired to the breeding barn, but Fawkner is back for another go, along with the usual stalwart middle distance locals Criterion, Happy Trials and The Cleaner who all ran in the 2014 Cox Plate.  Mourinho missed out on a start last year, but has made the field this time round.

New faces include the Chris Waller contingent Kermadec, Preferment, and Winx the sole mare in the field, and Godolphin pair Complacent and Hartnell.

And then there are the Internationals, Arod, Highland Reel and Gailo Chop.

It’s a really tough race to assess as any one of the 14 entrants could win. In fact I haven’t a clue as to who the likely winner will be, though I have favourites whom I hope will win.

The Cleaner drew barrier 14 in last year’s Cox Plate, and didn’t gain his preferred leading position until the winning post (first time through), but this year he has barrier 2, where he’ll be able to take the lead without burning up too much energy. It would be great if he could sustain his run unopposed, but I doubt he’ll be given the chance. Whatever, he’ll keep the race honest.

Criterion is my top pick of the locals. He has drawn a good gate and will probably race mid field as he did last year, and inspires confidence after he won the Caulfield Stakes at his last start.

Mourinho is always underrated, but he has won at Moonee Valley in the past and he won his first Group 1 race when taking out the Underwood Stakes recently.

Fawkner who already has a Group 1 win (Makybe Diva Stakes) this season, ran a close second to Mourinho in the Underwood Stakes, which had him as early favourite for the Cox Plate, was uncomfortable on the hard track at his last start in the Caulfield Stakes, which lowered his colours somewhat. The track tomorrow will be softer for him. He was only just beaten by Adelaide last year, so it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see him in the finish.

The last mare to win the Cox Plate was Pinker Pinker in 2011. Chris Waller regards Winx as a potential super star and is his top pick of his three Cox Plate runners.  She won the Group 1 Epsom by two and half lengths, and also won the Group 1 Queensland Oaks. This will be the first time she has raced in Melbourne and at Moonee Valley no less. Who knows she may love the Valley, and be well and truly in the finish with her extraordinary turn of foot.

I fear however that the International entrants will steal the prize again. Arod and Highland Reel are the two most likely to take the Plate. Highland Reel is the current favourite in fact.

After writing the above I am no wiser as to who will win. You might as well stick a pin the form guide, it’s as good a method as any.

The Manikato Stakes on Friday night looks easier to suss, with Chautauqua being the standout runner.  He faces an excellent field that includes old warrior Buffering, arch rival Terravista, the revamped Rebel Dane, and smart sprinting mares Srikandi and Alpha Miss.

Everyone is saying that the 2015 Cox Plate is the classiest we’ve seen for years, so I’m glad I’ll be at the track to witness it.

The weather is expected to be mild and sunny, so no doubt the meeting will be as crowded as usual. Hopefully I can find a good spot to see the action and take photos.

Spring Loaded–Caulfield Guineas Day

Bon Aurum  after winning the Guineas Prelude – can he win the Caulfield Guineas?

You can certainly tell that the Spring Racing Carnival is heading towards the peak of the season with what is on offer this weekend at Caulfield Racecourse.

There are four Group 1 races on the program and an equally exciting support card of black type races. There are ten races to be run and it looks like it will be a long day with the feature race, the Caulfield Guineas, scheduled at 5.40pm as the second last race on the program.

The weather is forecast to be warm and humid, with the possibility of thunderstorms later in the afternoon. Let’s hope that these do not occur until after the Guineas has been run, as I’m sure  all hell would break loose if a thunderstorm hit during a race.

As I’m keen to arrive at Caulfield to see Lankan Rupee in the Group 2 Schillaci Stakes, which is the second race of the day, it will certainly be a drawn out afternoon. However, the interval between races is only 35 minutes, so no doubt the time will flash by in a trice.

Lankan Rupee will face only five rivals in the Schillaci Stakes, run over 1100 metres, and will most likely prevail. The best of the competition is Sydney sprinter Shiraz who has 10 wins from 16 starts and won the Aurie’s Star at Flemington in August. Alpha Miss will quite likely be in the finish somewhere having good form against the likes of Winx and First Seal. She has not raced for over a year though, but has performed well first up.

The first of the Group 1 races is the Caulfield Stakes, run over 2000 metres. It has only 8 acceptances,  six of whom are multiple Group 1 winners – Fawkner, Happy Trails, Contributer, Mongolian Khan , Kermadec and Criterion.

It will be the first time this Spring that we have seen Kermadec and Criterion in Melbourne. Kermadec won the Group 1 George Main Stakes at his last start and also won the Doncaster Mile in the autumn.  He’s current favourite for the Cox Plate, and also favoured to win the Caulfield Stakes. He’ll have to beat the aforementioned regulars, Fawkner and Happy Trails in particular.

Criterion has just returned from an overseas jaunt where he raced competitively in Hong Kong and the UK without winning.  He won the Queen Elizabeth Stakes in the autumn before he left for England. A class horse, if he has recovered from his trip back to Australia, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he featured in the finish.

The Toorak Handicap is the second of the Group 1 races and is run over 1600 metres. A full field of eighteen horses will contest it. Disposition, Stratum Star, Lucky Hussler and Noble Protector are the main chances.

Fillies feature first in the 1000 Guineas (1600 metres) and the top picks are Pasadena Girl, Miss Gunpowder , Stay with Me, Jameka, Payroll and Badawiya.

The second top Sydney colt, Press Statement, is the hot favourite for the Caulfield Guineas.  He’s never raced in Melbourne before but he is with top trainer Chris Waller whose two Sydney runners ran first and second in the Turnbull Stakes last week.

However, favourites have a shocking record in the Caulfield Guineas, so others with a chance are Ready For Victory,wearing blinkers for the first time, which may sharpen him up, New Zealand colt Dal Cielo, last start winners Sovereign Nation and Bon Aurum, and the well regarded Tulsa who was runner up to Bon Aurum in the Guineas Prelude.

At Randwick in Sydney the last Group 1 race of their spring carnival is the Spring Champion Stakes for three year olds, run over 2000 metres.  The top chances are Vanbrugh, Devil Hawk (Hawkspur’s brother), Tatoosh and Queensland colt Too Good To Refuse.