Doncaster– Derby Day 2018

Kementari – Doncaster Favourite photographed at Rosehill 24/3/18

The first Saturday of Sydney Racing’s  pompously named The Championships takes place this weekend at Randwick racetrack and features four Group 1 races -  the time honoured Doncaster Mile and  Australian Derby as well the Inglis Sires and T J Smith Stakes.

There’s something for everyone in the schedule with the Inglis Sires being a race for two year olds over 1400 metres, the Derby, a 2400 metres race for three year old stayers, the Doncaster a top class 1600 metres competition for middle distance runners, and the T J Smith a sprint over 1200 metres.

The first of the Group 1 events to run is the Inglis Sires and has attracted a field of 12 colts/geldings and 3 fillies. I’m interested in seeing how Encryption performs and whether he can emulate his ancestors and take home the Group 1 prize. His dam Guelph won the Sires in 2013, his granddam Camarilla in 2007 and his grand sire Octagonal won it in 1995. So it would be fitting if Encryption could do the family proud.

He’ll have to beat classy fillies Oohood and Seabrook, the former in particular who ran third in the Blue Diamond Stakes and second in the Golden Slipper at her last start and surely deserves a win.

The Australian Derby has been won over the past three years by New Zealand invaders  - Jon Snow (2017) Tavago (2016) and Mongolian Khan (2015) so it’s quite likely that Kiwis will take home the prize this year.

There are 7 New Zealanders in this year’s  Derby with the Murray Baker trained New Zealand Derby winner Vin De Dance being the pick of them. He’s one of the few runners to have won over the distance. Victoria Derby winner Ace High has been a tad disappointing so far this autumn, but he is proven over 2400 metres so has to be the best of the locals, along with Levendi, and Tangled and Furore who ran second and third in the Rosehill Guineas.

Redzel, who narrowly lost to Redkirk Warrior in the Lightning Stakes, is the top pick for the TJ Smith Stakes. Chautauqua won the race the last three years in succession, but is not part of the field, after he refused to leave the barriers in several trials recently, and has subsequently been sent for a long spell.

Despite Chautauqua’s absence it looks a classy field with mares, In Her Time, Global Glamour and English being Redzel’s main rivals. Also in with a chance is Brave Smash and Trapeze Artist, both with good recent form.

Happy Clapper, Humidor and Kementari are the three top chances in the Doncaster Mile, though one of the other runners such as Tosen Stardom, Lanciato or Prized Icon could steal the show. The last three year old to win the Doncaster was Triple Honour in 2008, so can the beautiful Kementari, with a generous weight advantage over the older horses, succeed ten years later?

It looks a great day of racing, run on a good track, which I shall watch at home with interest. 

*Update Saturday Evening*

As expected is was an interesting race meeting with one sensational result, when 100/1 shot El Dorado Dreaming took out the Inglis Sires, winning by a nose from the favourite Oohood, with 50/1 shot Outrageous finishing third.

Ace High, fighting out a thrilling finish in the Derby, was defeated by a nose by Levendi with Tangled several lengths behind running third.

Redzel was rolled in the TJ Smith by the three year old Trapeze Artist. In Her Time ran third.

And the Doncaster was won by the tough Happy Clapper from Comin’ Through and Arbeitsam.

So my analysis above was not all that out except for the Inglis Sires.

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.

Golden Slipper Day at Rosehill & Vale BLU

Extreme Choice parades in the mounting yard after the Blue Diamond Stakes

There are no race meetings in Melbourne this coming Saturday, but the keen Victorian racing fan will be more than compensated watching the action from Rosehill on TV or computer.

The feature  is of course the world’s  richest two year old race, the Group 1 Golden Slipper.

It is run over 1200 metres and has a full field of 16 acceptors, comprised of nine colts and seven fillies. The top two contenders as far as I’m concerned are the Blue Diamond winner and runner up, Extreme Choice and Flying Artie.

It’s probably a better quality field than the Blue Diamond Stakes and others with the credentials to win are colts Kiss and Make Up, Defcon, Astern, Capitalist and fillies Scarlet Rain and Calliope.

As well as the Golden Slipper, there are four other Group 1 races, the George Ryder Stakes, Ranvet Stakes, Rosehill Guineas and Galaxy, all with quaility fields.

Winx will be gunning for her fifth Group 1 win in the George Ryder Stakes (1500 metres).  She faces old rival First Seal, New Zealand wonder horse Turn Me Loose, and her stablemates Press Statement and Kermadec.

The Ranvet Stakes is run over 2000 metres and has attracted a good field of nine runners. Criterion is the class horse. He has an excellent record over the distance and at the track, so is the one to beat. Mongolian Khan may give him a run for the money, as could Hauraki, Dibayani and The United States, backing up after running second last Saturday at Flemington.

The Rosehill Guineas, for three year olds, is also run over 2000 metres. Victoria Derby winner Tarzino and Randwick Guineas winner Le Romain are the main chances, though sole filly Jameka, who beat Tarzino on Cox Plate day last spring, with her light weight could spring a surprise. She proved with her Crown Oaks win that she handles soft going, which is the likely track rating for Rosehill on Saturday.

No quality raceday would be complete without a Group 1 sprint, and the Galaxy fits the bill.  A full field of fourteen runners have accepted.

I’ll be barracking for Fell Swoop who narrowly missed out on winning his first Group 1, beaten by Flamberge, in the Oakleigh Plate.  He has won over the distance (1100 metres) and at Rosehill on soft going previously, albeit against lesser opposition.

Flamberge shares top weight with Terravista, who is the one to beat, though his record on soft tracks is iffy. Gai Waterhouse trained filly, English, who ran second in the Golden Slipper last year, and won her only start so far this autumn, is also worth consideration.

Rest In Peace Better Loosen Up

Better Loosen Up at Flemington – Australian Cup Day 2015

Living Legends announced this morning that Better Loosen Up had passed away the previous night after suffering a sudden heart problem. He was eased away in his paddock surrounded by his friends.

He was 30 years old, a good age for a horse, and had spent his retirement lovingly attended at Living Legends, being a particular favourite of CEO and Chief Vet, Dr Andrew Clarke.  Better Loosen Up was affectionately known as Blu and was a legend of the turf in the early 1990s winning the 1990 Cox Plate, Mackinnon Stakes and Japan Cup, and the 1991 Australian Cup.

I’m pleased I had the chance to see him couple of times; at Flemington on Australian Cup day in 2015 and at Moonee Valley on Cox Plate Day, where he led the field out.

Update Sunday – The Results

I watched the racing action at Rosehill on TV this week, though it felt unfamiliar after spending the last few months of Saturdays at the track.

At least, watching the races on television you get to see them in more detail.

Anyway, there were a few surprises and the cream rose to the top in other cases.

The United States, backing up from running in the Blamey Stakes the week before won his first Group 1 race in the Ranvet Stakes. Hauraki ran second and Criterion finished third.

Winx proved that she is a star and the best horse in Australia by comfortably winning the George Ryder Stakes from her stablemates Kermadec and Press Statement. Turn Me Loose took off like a rocket and led for most of the race, but was a spent force at the finish, overracing proving his downfall.

The Rosehill Guineas was Tarzino’s for the taking, which he did with style. Montaigne ran second and the brave Jameka hung on for third.

Magic Millions Two Year Old Classic winner, Capitalist proved he wasn’t a one hit wonder, winning the Golden Slipper from Yankee Rose and Flying Artie. Extreme Choice missed the start and had a torrid time trying to catch up, and was unlucky all round.

And the Galaxy was taken out by the long shot Griante with outsiders Shiraz and Dothraki filling the minor places. The trifecta must have paid a fortune.

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.

The Thrill Continues–Blue Diamond Stakes Day

Pride of Dubai on his way to winning the 2015 Blue Diamond Stakes

There are only three more Saturdays of Group 1 racing in Melbourne, before the focus shifts to the “Championships” in Sydney (as they call their autumn racing carnival).

This coming Saturday, Caulfield Racecourse hosts the 2016 Blue Diamond Stakes, which is supported by two other classy Group 1 races for older gallopers – the 1400 metres Futurity Stakes and the Oakleigh Plate, a sprint over 1100 metres. There are also a number of Group 2 races on the program.

As usual, it’s hard to predict the Blue Diamond winner, as it tends to be a messy race with 16 two year old contenders in the field.  This year there are nine colts/geldings and seven fillies contesting the race. Mick Price trained colts Extreme Choice and Flying Artie are the top picks. Unfortunately they’ve both drawn wide gates which gives other hopefuls a chance, such as Hell Of An Effort, Star Turn and fillies Samara Dancer and Concealer, to name a few of the better performed runners.

The Blue Diamond Stakes is scheduled as Race 7 at the latter end of the afternoon, so I’m going to take my time getting to the course, most probably just before Race 3 the Angus Armanesco Stakes, a Group 2 race for three year old fillies over 1400 metres.

Pasadena Girl is top weight. She hasn’t been seen since spring, where she was slightly disappointing. But then again, she had the misfortune to encounter superior fillies Stay With Me and/or Jameka in most of the races she contested.  She has a good chance of winning the Armanesco Stakes if she can hold out against the likes of Egypt, who ran second to Don’t Doubt Mama last week in the Vanity Stakes, or Mossin’ Around and Cana who ran second and third to smart New Zealand Filly Risque in the Kevin Hayes Stakes.

Race 4, the Caulfield Autumn Classic  is another Group 2 race for three year olds, this time run over 1800 metres.

Mahuta who has won his last 7 races and has been racing since October 2015 with very little break in between, is still the top chance in the Autumn Classic if he can run the distance.  Others who might threaten are Flying Light, Ayers Rock (who has won over 1800 metres) Hardern and Tally.

The Group 2 Peter Young Stakes is also run over 1800 metres and is a standard weight for age race for older runners.  Last year it was won by Mourinho who is again in the field, along with old stalwarts Fawkner and Happy Trails. Geelong Cup winner Almoonqith is also in the field along with Group 1 winning mares Rising Romance and Fenway.

The first scheduled of the Group 1 races is the Futurity Stakes, run over 1400 metres. Orr Stakes heroine Suavito won this race last year, and has a good chance of winning it a second time, facing the same horses she beat in the Orr Stakes – Turn Me Loose, Hucklebuck, Rebel Dane, Boban, Stratum Star, Trust In A Gust, Entirely Platinum - with the added talents of Politeness and Scissor Kick, thrown in for good measure.

It looks a ripper race as Suavito will most certainly be challenged by several of the above runners.

The Oakleigh Plate is the final Group 1 race of the day, scheduled after the Blue Diamond Stakes. This year’s edition has attracted a huge field of 18 runners. I’m delighted to see Canberra sprinter Fell Swoop is part of the field, having his toughest test to date.  He’s up against some smart ones in Bounding, Gregers, Heatherly, Headwater and Keen Array.  Heatherly will most likely start as favourite after her stunning five & a half length win in the Rubiton Stakes at her last start caught everyone’s eye.

Sydney racing is at Randwick and the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600 metres)  is the feature race.  Star mare Winx is part of the field and will most likely win it, the bulk of the field being stayers resuming.  It’s good to see that Caulfield Cup winner Mongolian Khan is part of the field. He was very sick with a colic attack which prevented him contesting the Melbourne Cup, but has recovered well by all accounts.

An Annual Poser – The Melbourne Cup

The Melbourne Cup – 1930-1980 – believed to be Pharlap’s Cup

As usual I haven’t a clue as to who will win the Melbourne Cup, and I haven’t had much time to study the form, but here are my thoughts on the so called race that stops a nation.

First, a bit of pictorial history.

I recently attended the National Gallery of Victoria’s Winter exhibition “Masterpieces from The Hermitage:The Legacy of Catherine the Great” and whilst there took time out to view the concurrent exhibition “The Horse”, which naturally appealed to me.

As you were permitted to take photos, I took a few that were related to Australian horse racing, the Melbourne Cup in particular.

The Betting Ring at Flemington 1887 by Carl Khaler

Winners of the first 12 Melbourne Cups 1889 by Frederick Woodhouse Snr

Handwritten note attached to the above painting

I was vastly amused by the following photograph by E G Adamson of a race crowd from the 1920s to 1930s, in sharp contrast to the current spring attendees with their outrageous costumes and champagne habits.

Race crowd 1920s to 1930s

So, this year’s Cup…

Now that Bart Cummings has passed away, I have been trying to devise a new strategy to find the winner of the Melbourne Cup, not that Bart had any viable runners in the last year or so.

I’m sticking with the Zabeel factor and the only one of his sons in the race is the Chris Waller trained Preferment. He has won two races this spring, the Group 2 Hill Stakes and the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes. He also won the 2014 Victoria Derby and if he wins the Melbourne Cup, will become one of the few who have won the Derby/Cup double. Efficient was the last horse to do so in 2007, and was also sired by Zabeel.

As usual the bulk of the field is made of International challengers, from the UK, Japan, France and Ireland.

You can’t overlook the Japanese and current favourite is the Japanese bred Fame Game who finished 6th in the Caulfield Cup.

This spring, as far as the big three races is concerned, locally bred horses won both the Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate, whereas last year the winners came respectively from Japan and Ireland. That leads me to hope that an Australasian bred horse can win the 2015 Melbourne Cup and make it 3/3.

As well as Preferment, there are four other local contestants - the classy Criterion if he can run the distance, Who Shot Thebarman who ran third in the 2014 Melbourne Cup and long shots Prince of Penzance and Gust of Wind, the sole mare in the race.

I’m really disappointed that Mongolian Khan is not part of the field. He was scratched early last week after a colic attack. I trust he will make a full recovery and that we’ll see him again next year.

The best of the Internationals, barring the Japanese, is Trip To Paris who ran second in the Caulfield Cup.

And finally, because I like his name, I’m going to have a small bet on Max Dynamite, who certainly can run 3200 metres.

Even though my Flemington Season ticket admits me to the Melbourne Cup, I am not planning on attending the event. I had enough of crowds on Derby Day, and it will be much worse on Cup Day as I experienced first hand last year.

I’m going to a Fleetwood Mac concert on Wednesday night, and will probably attend Crown Oaks Day and Emirate Stakes Day. So it’s big week for events, then it will all die down to not much at all.

Good Luck with picking the winner of the Melbourne Cup. Take my vague tips with a grain of salt.

Khan Triumphant! Caulfield Cup Review

Mongolian Khan holds to the lead to win the Caulfield Cup

It was a much less tiring outing to the races on Saturday, though the crowds of once a year racegoers were larger than at the Caulfield Guineas meeting. There was much drunken revelry and people were getting somewhat tired and emotional by the time the Caulfield Cup was run at the end of the afternoon.

As for me, I got to the track around 2.00pm, when Race 3, the Group 2 Caulfield Sprint had just been contested. Remarkably, it ended in a dead heat for first between Lumosty and Eclair Choice, a carbon copy result of last year, which saw Bel Sprinter and Miracles of Life dead heat in the same race.

With plenty of time on my hands I headed to the stalls area to check out on who had already arrived at the course.

Catkins was standing placidly in her stall…

Catkins

…along with the rest of Chris Waller stable contingent, Amicus and Royal Descent for instance.

Amicus

Royal Descent

Further along, Rising Romance was rubbing herself affectionately against her strapper…

Rising Romance

Race 4 was the Group 3 Ethereal Stakes, a race for Oaks bound three year old fillies, run over 2000 metres, so was of interest in light of the Victorian Oaks.

It was won by Dawnie Perfect at big odds. She’s a lovely looking filly out of Big Brown and Zabeel mare Zagalia and is owned by John Singleton, who also bred her.

Dawnie Perfect (inside) & Alittle Loose on their way to the barriers

The highly fancied Honesta and favourite Ambience finished second and third.

Ethereal Stakes finish – Dawnie Perfect takes charge to win.

Returning to the stalls area after the race, the International runners were in their stalls, the Japanese horses next to the British and Irish Caulfield Cup hopefuls.

Fame Game – from Japan

Hokko Brave – also from Japan wearing ear muffs

Snow Sky – from the UK

Trip to Paris – from Ireland

For Race 5, the Caulfield Classic, I stayed in the relatively quiet area close to the pre parade ring, where you get a good view of the track and the horses going to the barriers.

Lizard Island

Ayers Rock

Etymology

Sacred Eye

The race was also over 2000 metres and had a field of 12 colts and geldings and one filly, Sacred Eye, who beat them all by a length.

Past the post in the Caulfield Classic – Sacred Eye still leads.

Lizard Island, who started favourite, ran second and Etymology finished third.

Sacred Eye is by High Chaparral from Rock of Gibraltar mare Musidora and is being aimed at the Oaks and could well win it.

I returned to the public lawn for Race 6, the Group 3 David Jones Cup, another 2000 metre race. Stratum Star was the class horse in the race, and his form held true when he won the race comfortably by a length from Awesome Rock with Leebaz a further 2.25 lengths running third.

Stratum Star on his way to the barriers

Awesome Rock on his way to the barriers

David Jones Cup finish – Stratum Star leads

I hardly took any notice of Race 7, the Group 3 Moonga Stakes which is an open competition over 1400 metres.

It was won by Vashka from Under The Louvre and Coronation Shallan.

Vashka on his way to the barriers

Under The Louvre on his way to the barriers

Coronation Shallan

Past the post in the Moonga Stakes – Vashka leads

The afternoon flitted by remarkably fast and there was only one more race before the Caulfield Cup.

This was the Group 2 Tristarc Stakes for mares, and Catkins was the warm favourite.  Alas she didn’t fire in straight, dropping back and finishing 9th. She will  be spelled, and may well have come to end of her racing career, so I’m glad I had the chance to see her in flesh at least once this spring.

Longshot La Passe narrowly won from Solicit and Jessy Belle.

La Passe returns to scale after winning the Tristarc Stakes

Jessy Belle on her way to the barriers

Solicit

Catkins on her way to the barriers

Past the post in the Tristarc Stakes

The afternoon was advanced by the time the Caulfield Cup was due to start.

I decided to go back to the public lawn and grab a spot on the fence for the feature race, so accompanied by my acquaintance and fellow photographer,  Rebecca, we squeezed in to a vacant spot on the fence much to the ire of some persons who claimed they had prior claim to it as they’d had their picnic rug up against the fence all day.

They certainly hadn’t bothered watching the previous races, so we held our ground and they backed off. 

On afterthought, we probably would  have been better off back on the hill, as my photographs from the fence turned out dark, the light of late afternoon not being conducive to clear shots.

Mongolian Khan & Trip To Paris on their way to the starting gates

The race itself was worth waiting for. Greg Miles was calling it for the 35th time, but unfortunately ill health got in the way of his delivery. I really feel for him – he must have cringed when he realised his gaffes.

I didn’t really notice it at the time, I was concentrating on the race itself.

Anyway, the call will probably go down in history as one of the most bizarre and unusual race calls of all time.

It was the superbly timed riding of Opie Bosson , and Mongolian Khan’s  staying ability, that won the race.  Opie started his home run early, and the Khan overtook the leaders in the straight and surged on to win by half a length from Trip To Paris who snuck along the rail, with Our Ivanhowe 1.75 lengths back, running third.

It was a popular win by Mongolian Khan as he started favourite and a victory for locally bred horses. Mongolian Khan was born in Tasmania, is trained in New Zealand and is owned by an eccentric millionaire from Manchuria, who keeps wolves as pets. It’s actually Mongolian Khan’s 4th birthday today (19/10/15)

I was personally delighted with his win as my languishing Sportsbet account was augmented by a $25.00 bonus bet being translated into $87.00 winning profit.

Next Saturday is my favourite race, the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley.  Can’t wait!