A Change of Luck for Hartnell–Orr Stakes Day Review

Orr Stakes finish – a wall of horses crosses the finish line together

In true Group 1 fashion, the Orr Stakes ended in a thriller with the first seven across the finish line being less than a length apart.

Hartnell demonstrated that he was back in contention with the narrowest of wins, denying the doughty Single Gaze her moment of glory on the line. Brave Smash finished third.

It was an overcast day on Saturday and I arrived at Caulfield Racecourse, with the odd raindrop threatening a downpour that failed to eventuate, just after the running of the first race, but in plenty of time for the fillies Blue Diamond Prelude.

Oohood started as favourite, and was impressive racing from the back of the field to miss by half a length, unable to overtake winner Enbihaar who raced on the speed. Seabrook finished third.

Enbihaar (blue & white striped cap) wins the Blue Diamond Prelude

Enbihaar returns to scale

Oohood returns to scale with 4th placed Lake District Girl

Seabrook returns to scale

As races in the early part of the program were only 35 minutes apart, it wasn’t long until the colts Blue Diamond Prelude.

Again the favourite, in this case Plague Stone,  was relegated to second place by an unfancied runner. He lost out by half a length to Written By. Native Soldier was a further 1½ lengths away running third.

Written By (red cap) wins the Colts Blue Diamond Prelude

Written By returns to scale

Plague Stone on his way to the mounting yard pre race

Native Soldier in the pre parade ring

As I’ve now witnessed the Blue Diamond Previews and Preludes, as well as the Inglis Premier and Chairman’s Stakes, the actual Blue Diamond Stakes likely winner is far from clear.  So far I’ve been the most impressed by Kinky Boom’s run in the Inglis Premier and the tote agrees, marking her pre-race favourite.

The Blue Diamond Stakes will be run on 24 February, so it’s not long to wait for the result.

In between races I  cruised through the stalls area, but my photos of horses in stalls are not much good, the overcast sky being as problematical as bright sunlight for photography.

The head turner of the day was the flashy Mighty Boss, a chestnut colt with a blonde mane and tail. His friendly strapper was only too pleased to pose Mighty Boss for snaps.

Mighty Boss being walked in the pre-parade ring

I can see Mighty Boss becoming a crowd favourite with his unusual looks. I know I noticed him the first time I saw him at Caulfield in the 2017 Blue Diamond Prelude, where he finished third last. He did go on to win the Caulfield Guineas at 100/1 last Spring.

The Carlyon Cup, the sole race on the day for stayers, run over 1800 metres, was race 4 on the schedule.  Only seven horses were in the field and Gailo Chop was the favourite.  He didn’t disappoint winning by 1¼ lengths from Harlem with Lord Fandango finishing third.

Carlyon Cup finish

Gailo Chop returns to scale

Harlem returns to scale

Lord Fandango on his way to barriers

In the Kevin Hayes Stakes Booker led from the start to the finish, and hot favourite Shoals failed to fire, finishing second last. Leather n Lace finished second and long shot See Me Exceed finished third.

Booker returns to scale

Leather n Lace on her way to the mounting yard

See Me Exceed returns to scale

So on to Race 6, the Group 2 Rubiton Stakes, where Super Cash won the race for the second year in succession, pipping old Flamberge at the post.  Merchant Navy finished third.

Just past the post in the Rubiton Stakes

Super Cash returns to scale

Most of the afternoon had been warm and humid, despite the overcast sky, but a blustery change came through around 3.00pm which added a strong wind factor – hell for a contact lens wearer.

I wasn’t much interested in Race 7, the Group 2 Autumn Stakes, but as it was the penultimate race before the feature, I watched it and noted that Holy Snow, running wide from the back of the field won by over a length from Mr So And So and Astoria.

Autumn Stakes just past the post

Holy Snow returns to scale

It had been a long afternooon , though the time seemed to pass relatively quickly, until finally at around 4.45pm,  the Orr Stakes was due to run and it was worth waiting for.

Tosen Stardom was the favourite but after being aggressively ridden early in the race, he faded to end up at the tail of the field. It was a messy sort of race as evidenced by the mass of horses crossing the finish line in a bunch, with quite a few hard luck stories among the unplaced. Young Mighty Boss was keen as mustard, but was blocked and hampered and failed to get a clear run, which stymied his chances. There were similar complaints from several of the other runners.

However, all honours to Hartnell – it’s good to see him back as winner.  His next race will possibly be against Winx in the Chipping Norton Stakes on 3 March, though it is unlikely he will turn the tables on her as she’s beaten him fair and square seven times previously.

Anyway here are photos of the first seven home.

Hartnell returning to scale

Single Gaze on her way to the mounting yard

Brave Smash on his way to the mounting yard

Thronum (4th) returning to scale

Lord of the Sky (5th) returning to scale

Abbey Marie (6th) returning to scale

Mighty Boss (7th) on his way to the starting gates

Speaking of unusually coloured horses, the sad news yesterday was that Miss Vista has been euthanised due to painful foot issues. She was a great crowd favourite like her look alike Apache Cat.

I’m glad her sufferings are now over and that she rests in peace.

Miss Vista at Caulfield 15 April 2017

Next week the Group 1 action is at Flemington for the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes, dubbed The Great Horse Day. Living Legends will be out in force, so I’m looking forward to seeing the old champs again.

Easter Cup at Caulfield & Farewell Greg Miles

Miss Vista returns to racing at Caulfield  & wins

Ostensibly I went along to the Easter Cup race meeting at Caulfield on Saturday for acclaimed race caller, Greg Miles, farewell and final call, and also to touch base with Rebecca, my photographer friend, to give her the booty I managed to score at Randwick, i.e. Winx flags and race books.

It turned out to be surprisingly interesting afternoon at the races, where several runners whom I vaguely follow were running in one or other of the races scheduled on the big 10 race program.

I intended to arrive in time to catch Race 3, and managed to do so despite just missing a train that would have got me there earlier.

The unusually marked and distinctive Miss Vista, a crowd favourite, and one of the horses I had come to see, was the star attraction in Race 3, the Bert Bryant Handicap, a race over 1000 metres.

Miss Vista, now a four year old mare, romped home to score a narrow win over the fast finishing Grey Street and Chase The Horizon. That was her fourth win in five starts.

 
Miss Vista turns the corner after the finishing post after winning the Bert Bryant Handicap.

Miss Vista returns to scale

Grey Street returns to scale

Chase The Horizon returns to scale

The above photos were taken from my preferred spot on the hill above the stalls area, but I thought I’d give the public lawn another go for Race 4, the Spicer Thoroughbreds Handicap, a 1400 metres race for three year olds.

Despite the hedge being clipped, I still was unable to get a clear shot over the fence, so my photos from that position were a dismal failure.

The race resulted in a dead heat for first between Plenty To Like and Waterloo Sunset, with So Poysed running third.

So it was back to the hill for the rest of the afternoon.

In the Geoff Murphy Handicap, race 5 on the program, I was interested to see how Merriest would go. I’d seen her defeat the highly regarded WA filly Whispering Brook in the Atlantic Jewel Stakes at Moonee Valley last September and thought she looked promising then.

Merriest – a lovely, almost black filly – head shot

She justified the promise with a good win in the Geoff Murphy Handicap overtaking raceleader Snitty Kitty to win by half a length.  Selenia ran third.

Merriest (pink silks)  &  Snitty Kitty just past the post

Merriest returns to scale

Snitty Kitty returns to scale

Selenia returns to scale

Run over 2425 metres, race 6, the Robert Taranto Handicap was dominated by Boom Time who led from the start to the finish and was never headed. He won by 2¼ lengths from De Little Engine and Hans Holbein.

Boom Time is certainly a good stayer, and is entered to run in the rescheduled Sydney Cup next Saturday.

Just after the start – Boom Time leads

Just past the post at the finish – Boom Time still leads

Boom Time

Both Rebecca and I were interested to see Miss Gunpowder in the next race, the M&D Dillon Constructions Handicap, a sprint over 1200 metres. She has recently changed trainers, formerly with Adelaide trainer Phillip Stokes, and now with David Hayes and Tom Dabernig. 

The change has obviously done her good, though in the past she has acquitted herself well against some classy fillies, including Jameka.

This race was an open handicap and Miss Gunpowder started as second favourite. She won the race comfortably by ¾ length from race leader Boomwaa, with Heza Ripper running third.

Miss Gunpowder returns to scale

The feature race of the day was the Group 3 Easter Cup, scheduled as race 9, so there was one more race to be run before it was due.

This was the Group 3 My Punter Com Victoria Handicap, a race over 1400 metres.

It had a good field that included former European stallion Arod, Charmed Harmony and Hooked, for whom I have a soft spot after winning some money on him on Cox Plate Day 2014.

Hooked hadn’t won a race since September 2015, so it was pleasing to see him take out the Victoria Handicap, fighting out a close finish with Charmed Harmony, with Turbo Miss third 2.7 lengths behind them.

Hooked & Charmed Harmony just past the post

Hooked returns to scale

Charmed Harmony & Turbo Miss return to scale

Throughout the afternoon, the familiar voice of Greg Miles calling half the meeting, alternating with new race caller Matt Hill, reminded us that Greg was quitting on that day. He was a great race caller, easy to hear and distinct in anunciation. Races were described accurately and in detail, and you knew where each horse was running. I was however impressed with his replacement, Matt Hill,  who’ll obviously fill Greg Miles shoes without any worries on the part of the listener.

At last it was time for the Easter Cup.

By which time, the afternoon was drawing in, the light becoming unsuitable for photographs, not to mention getting chilly at the end of a pleasantly mild, slightly overcast day.

Run over 2000 metres, the Easter Cup was won by Observational from Second Bullet and Double Bluff.

Observational returns to scale

I didn’t stay for the last race, named in honour of Greg Miles, Bravo Greg Miles, and thus missed the official farewell, which would probably have dragged on for ages.

At Randwick last Saturday, the Sydney Autumn Carnival wound up with two Group 1 races, the Champagne Stakes and All Aged Stakes, which I watched at Caulfield in between races. The Mission won the Champagne Stakes at big odds, and Tivaci took out the All Aged Stakes at pretty good odds as well.

Next weekend the Sydney Cup will be rerun at Randwick. Let’s hope it runs without mishap this time.

As for my Saturday afternoons at the races, it is now the off season and I won’t be attending many between now and springtime.

The Grey Flash Kicks Off a Super Weekend of Racing

Chautauqua – Australian Cup Day 2016

An exciting feast of first class racing is on the cards this coming weekend with five Group 1 races being run over three days at three different race tracks.

The first of these is the Group 1 Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley on Friday night which sees the return of top sprinters Chautauqua and Buffering taking on a field of younger pretenders that include Blue Diamond Stakes winner Extreme Choice.

Both Chautauqua and Buffering last raced in Hong Kong where Chautauqua was the astonishing winner of the Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint and Buffering finished last.

Now 9 year’s old, Buffering has won the Moir Stakes three times in all, though not consecutively, winning in 2012, 2014 and 2015 and running second in 2013.

Challenging the top pair will be the aforementioned Extreme Choice a lightweight chance having his first start in open company and speedy mares Heatherly and Wild Rain.

It looks to be a fantastic race and I’m mightily tempted to attend even though I dislike night racing. I’ll take along the Canon G16 which handles low light situations better than the Nikon.

The AFL Grand Final is being played on Saturday, but Caulfield has a low key race meeting where Miss Vista will be gunning for her third win from as many starts in Race 4, an open handicap race over 1000 metres. I wont be there in person, it but I’ll certainly watch the race from hom, as I will be be doing with the races in Sydney, where three Group 1 races feature at Randwick as well as the Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes.

The Flight Stakes is the first of the Group 1 events and is a race for fillies over 1600 metres.  The scratching of hot favourite Omei Sword leaves the race wide open and favours Yankee Rose, already a Group 1 winner and Golden Slipper runner up.  She races against 5 other fillies with Skylight Glow and Awoke being the most likely to be in the finish.

Winx won the Group 1 Epsom Stakes last year, but she is not part of the field this year. Run over 1600 metres a field of 13 will be vying for the prize.  Melbourne star Palentino fresh from winning the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes will be having his first start in Sydney and is up against Hauraki who ran second to Winx in the George Main Stakes.

These two are the top chances, but the lightweight Fabrizio, who won his last race by four lengths has to be a serious challenger to the top weights. Randwick Guineas winner Le Romain also is worthy of consideration along with some of Chris Waller’s runners – Mackintosh and McCreery in particular.

The Metropolitan is a race for stayers over 2400 metres and also has a field of 13 runners of which six are from the Chris Waller stable,  including Who Shot Thebarman, Grand Marshall, Storm The Stars and Antonio Guiseppe a former New Zealand trained horse who has won his last four races, albeit against weaker company.

Golden Rose winner Astern takes on the Golden Slipper winner Capitalist in the Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes, a race for three year olds over 1200 metres. Also in the mix is unbeaten colt Russian Revolution who I witnessed winning the Group 3 Vain Stakes back in August.

On Sunday the Group 1 action is at Flemington, which features the Turnbull Stakes and several other interesting Group 2 and Group 3 races at various distances.

I’m looking forward to seeing a number of runners in the flesh for the first time, such as Ele0nora a New Zealand filly trained by Murray Baker who is the granddaughter of 2001 Caulfield and Melbourne Cups winner Ethereal. She is entered in the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes , a race for fillies over 1600 metres. Eleonora won her first start in Australia at Geelong a few weeks ago.

Another of the talented Murray Baker team is the unbeaten (in two starts) colt Highlad having his first start in Australia in the UCI Stakes, a race for three year olds over 1800 metres.

Which brings us to the feature race…

The Chris Waller trained Preferment won the Turnbull Stakes (2000 metres) last year and he’s back again to attempt to win it a second time. He’s top weight, but he loves Flemington having won three Group 1 races on the course.

He will have to beat the formidable Sydney champ Hartnell  who has won his last two starts by big margins. He has however never won in Melbourne; not that he has raced here since last year. He will start as the favourite and will be hard to beat if he handles Flemington and the anti clockwise way of going.

Others with a chance are The United States, Tarzino, Set Square, Jameka and Raw Impulse from the Darren Weir stable.

The weather in Melbourne as I write is iffy. The deluge that knocked out South Australia didn’t affect Melbourne at all, and even though rain is forecast for tonight and Sunday, it will hopefully hold off.

Two White Faces – Caulfield Races Review

Miss Vista & Apache Cat – Stalls – Caulfield Racecourse

It was sheer coincidence that the two white faced horses were both at Caulfield on Saturday. Apache Cat was there as the Living Legends representative, and the promising and striking looking mare Miss
Vista was present for a between races gallop, due to her regular track at Bendigo being washed out.

I missed Miss Vista’s gallop, but got to see her after it was over and was able to get some snaps of her in the pre-parade ring.

Miss Vista in the pre-parade ring after her gallop

Whether the get together with Apache Cat was prearranged or not, I was fortunate to be in the stalls area when it occurred, noticing the regular press photographers gathering near to where both horses were stabled.

The kind folk of Living Legends brought Apache Cat out of his stall later so I could get a photo of him by himself.

Apache Cat outside his stall

Saturday was a warm and sunny day, which was quite a change from the last few weeks where it has been overcast and chilly.

I wasn’t sure how the Nikon would go in sunny conditions. Apart from a few photos where the contrast is over the top, creating dark shadows, it mostly behaved itself.

Upon arriving at Caulfield at around 1.00 pm, I headed for the public lawn to watch Race 3, which was a race for fillies over 1400 metres.

Down the straight in race 3 – the winner Exocet is on the far left of the picture about to overtake the leaders

It was won by Exocet by two and half lengths from Outback Rain and Whyouask.

The early races were not particularly interesting, but in each there was a runner I was keen to see.

Such was the case in Race 4, the MRC Foundation Handicap, a race for mares over 1400 metres, where Miss Gunpowder was the original favourite, until French Emotion became the fancied one.

I watched the field parade in the pre-parade ring then went to the hill above the stalls to see the action and take snaps.

Miss Gunpowder in the pre-parade ring.

Alaskan Rose ended up the narrow winner from French Emotion with Miss Gunpowder a close third.

Just past the post – a line of mares swings around the corner.

Alaskan Rose on her way to the barriers

French Emotion returns to scale

I mostly spent the afternoon hanging around the stalls area, though ventured closer to the big screen to watch the Sydney races, especially the Hill Stakes and George Main Stakes, where both Hartnell and Winx respectively won their races with ease.

Also victorious at Randwick was the Chris Waller trained filly Foxplay in the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes.  A steel grey filly, she’s one to follow and I hope she comes to Melbourne later in the Spring, perhaps to contest the Thousand Guineas.

The next race planned for Winx is the Group 1 Caulfield Stakes – whoopie – run on Caulfield Guineas Day in early October. Hartnell is expected to run in the Caulfield Cup, so we’ll get to see him in action in Melbourne as well. He raced here last Spring with no success, but appears to have improved considerably since then.

Races 5, 6 and 7 filled in the time until the Naturalism Stakes and afforded some nice photo opportunities.

Harlow Gold the winner of race 5

Rocketeer who ran second to Harlow Gold in race 5

Kaching - third in race 5

Race 6 past the post – the winner Secret Agenda has the no 4 saddlecloth.

Race 7 – Testa Rossa Stakes down the straight – won by Keen Array

Finally it was time for the feature race and I’d found a possie on the fence on the public lawn where there was gate and no hedge, so you could get clear unimpeded shots of horses running down the straight.

It was great to see Jameka win the Naturalism Stakes. She had drawn Barrier 1, often a curse, but a clever, patient ride by jockey Nick Hall, keeping her to the fence and on the pace in about fourth spot, had her primed to take the short cut on the turn and she galloped away to a 3¾ length win from Gallante with Berisha 5 lengths behind taking third place.

Jameka forges ahead up the straight leaving the rest of the field in her wake.

Jameka on her way to the barriers

Gallante on his way to the barriers

Berisha in the mounting yard

Jameka in the winners rug posing for the press

Jameka was already qualified for the Caulfield Cup, her Oaks win last spring guaranteeing her entry. She’s now second favourite for the Cup behind Hartnell.  It would be fabulous she could win it for the girls.

There wasn’t much of a crowd at Caulfield last Saturday, but I did notice quite a few punters dressed as wizards – Gandalf knows why.

These guys were only too pleased to pose for a photo.

It’s back to Caulfield again next Saturday for the Underwood Stakes meeting, which besides the two Group 1 events, has a classy support card where we’ll get to see some of the Sydney stars in action in the Guineas Preludes and feature races.