Imperatriz–Queen of the Valley

Imperatriz on her way to winning the Group 1 William Reid Stakes

The better races were scheduled later in the afternoon last Saturday, so I took my time getting to Moonee Valley, arriving in time to witness the running of the 5th race.

This was the Group 2 Sunline Stakes, a race over 1600 meters for fillies and mares.

Eternal Flame won narrowly from Rumbled Again and Campionessa.

Eternal Flame winning the Sunline Stakes

Eternal Flame on her way to the barriers

Campionessa (orange) and Rumbled Again on their way to the barriers

The Alexandra Stakes was next, a race for three year old runners over 1600 metres, and was won by Vibrant Sun from Grinzinger Belle. Vivy Air ran third in front of Socks Nation.

Vibrant Sun

Grinzinger Belle

Socks Nation

Moonee Valley  was in party mode, with a band playing on the public lawn…

Portion of band

…and a peculiar music machine pumping out doof doof type rhythms throughout the afternoon.

Music Machine – the Kombi Cart

The big screen was split in two, one side showing the horse racing, the other playing footage from the Melbourne Grand Prix car racing – a peculiar combination to say the least, echoed by the signs around the track, advertising the Pit Stop Party scheduled after the horse racing.

Pit Stop Party sign

Back trackside, the Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes was next to run.

This was won by 50/1 shot Antrim Coast from New Zealand mare Quintessa with Zipaway running third.

Antrim Coast (blue cap) about to overtake Quintessa in the Alister Clark Stakes

Antrim Coast poses for the photographers after winning the Alister Clark Stakes

Of  course the feature Group 1 William Reid Stakes was the race we were all there for, to see super sprinter Imperatriz in action.

The Merchandise Store was selling an Imperatriz stubby holder, which naturally I purchased to add to my racing memorabilia.

Stubby Holder Design

Imperatriz was the hot favourite to win, and win she did, withstanding  a challenge from 71/1 shot Johnny Rocker to claim victory by a narrow margin. I Am Me ran third.

She has now won 10 Group 1 races most of them at Moonee Valley. This was her second victory in the William Reid Stakes as she won the race last year as well.

Another photo of Imperatriz winning the William Reid Stakes

Opie Bosson all smiles returning to scale on Imperatriz

Imperatriz in the winners rug with her devoted strapper Jason Levin

I didn’t hang around for the Pit Stop party (perish the thought), heading home after the William Reid Stakes, glad to have witnessed Imperatriz win once again.

The Romance of Racing – Cox Plate Day Review

James MacDonald celebrates Romantic Warrior’s Cox Plate victory

It was a long afternoon at Moonee Valley Racecourse last Saturday as I arrived at the track much earlier than I normally would in order to grab a position on the fence.

The weather on the day was overcast with strong winds, which is hell for contact lens wearers of which I am one. However I did remember to wear sunglasses which provide protection from motes of dust that have a tendency to get under the lens and disrupt one’s view, not to mention being somewhat painful to suffer until they are wept out.

Catching my usual mode of transport, the 510 (Ivanhoe to Essendon) bus I arrived at Moonee Valley around 12.30pm and was able, after finding my friend Rebecca, to get some photo practice in Race 2, the Inglis Banner, a Listed race over 1000 metres for two year olds.

It was won by Bold Bastille who led from the start, beating Hayasugi by three lengths with Chosen Legend a further length behind running third.

Bold Bastille bounds up the straight to win the Inglis Banner

Race 3 was the Group 3 Tesio Stakes, run over 1600 metres. Hot favourite Wishlor Lass also led from go to woah and won easily by over a length from Thalassophile and Osmose.

Wishlor Lass on her way to the barriers

The rather more interesting Crockett Stakes was next up and Sheva started as favourite and finished third behind the winner Gumdrops and second placed Saltaire.

Gumdrops tackles Sheva as they gallop  to the finishing post

A Group 2 race over 1600 metres, the Crystal Mile was next to run and resulted in a win for Prowess, who just beat Antino with race leader Tuvalu holding on for a close third.

Crystal Mile finish – Prowess (yellow silks) prevails over Antino and Tuvalu

Prowess on her way to the barriers

Antino – a handsome beast - on his way to the barriers

Tuvalu on his way to the barriers

Race 6, the Group 2 Fillies Classic, also run over 1600 metres, resulted in another close finish with Skybird sustaining a long run from the back of the field to pip Grizinger Belle at the post.

Skybird about to overtake Grizinger Belle as they thunder up the straight

Skybird on her way to the barriers

As the first of the Group 1 races was the Manikato Stakes, scheduled as Race 8, there was only one more race before it was run.

This was the Group 2 Drummond Golf Vase, won by Apulia by two lengths from Verdad, with Air Assault running third.

Apulia holds off  Verdad to win the Drummond Golf Vase

In the dim distant past the Manikato Stakes used to be the first Group 1 race of the Spring Racing Season run in mid September, and the only race meeting I attended back in the early 2000s. I saw Miss Andretti win it in 2006 and Gold Edition win it in 2007 and do recall Spark of Life victorious on two occasions in 2004 and 2005.

The 2023 edition of the race is newly added to the Cox Plate daytime meeting, it previously being run on Friday night since 2012.

Star New Zealand mare Imperatriz was the major attraction on Cox Plate day, set to run in the Manikato Stakes, and she didn’t disappoint, winning easily by over three lengths from fellow mare I Am Me with Uncommon James running third.

Imperatriz wins the Manikato Stakes with ease

By winning the 2023 Manikato Stakes, she accomplished a rare feat, being  the first horse to win the three Group 1 Moonee Valley sprints – William Reid Stakes, Moir Stakes and Manikato Stakes – in a calendar year.

Imperatriz parades up the straight after winning the Manikato Stakes

I Am Me

Uncommon James

After the gratifying result of the Manikato Stakes, the Cox Plate could have been underwhelming, but of course it never is being, as the sign said, it is Australia’s Best Race.

And my favourite race.

The twelve runners represented a classy field that included the tried and true such as Mr Brightside, Zaaki , Alligator Blood, Gold Trip and Duais against Internationals Romantic Warrior and Victoria Road, and three year old light weighted contenders Militarise and King Colorado – in a word an intriguing mix of runners.

There was a bit of pomp and ceremony as usual with a bandstand being set up and the National Anthem was sung before singer James Johnson launched into Horses, the large crowd singing along to words that they knew.

Hong Kong star Romantic Warrior was the hot  favourite, though there was plenty of support for Alligator Blood.

As the race panned out, King Colorado and Zaaki were the front runners with Mr Brightside, Alligator Blood and Romantic Warrior all handy in third or fourth position. It was a frantic finish with Mr Brightside stealing the lead close to the post, but Romantic Warrior, running wide won the race by the narrowest of margins (a photo finish)  to claim the prize for Hong Kong. Mr Brightside hung on for second and Alligator Blood ran third.

Cox Plate finish – Romantic Warrior (no 1) overtaking the leaders

Romantic Warrior in the winners rug with elated connections

The afternoon remained fine throughout, the stiff wind a tad chill at times, but warm when the sun broke free of the clouds.

And so ended another Cox Plate, after which I headed home- catching a tram at Moonee Valley Junction to the 510 Bus Stop, where there was a bit of a wait for it to arrive.

Next Saturday is Derby Day at Flemington, which I’ll probably attend.

Feehan Stakes Day at Moonee Valley

Pinstriped on his way to winning the 2023 Feehan Stakes

The weather was awful – a brisk cold wind and the occasional shower marring the afternoon, but the racing made it worth while attending Feehan Stakes Day at Moonee Valley.

Particularly impressive was the sensational win by New Zealand mare Imperatriz of the Group 2 McEwen Stakes.

As the best races were scheduled towards the latter part of the afternoon, I took my time getting to track, arriving just before Race 5, the Listed McKenzie Stakes, run over 1200 metres.

A contest for three year old colts and geldings, Steparty started as the warm favourite and didn’t disappoint, winning by a length from Scentify, with Brave Mead taking third spot.

Steparty wins the McKenzie Stakes

With a bit of time to kill before the next race, I headed off to the stalls interested in getting photos of New Zealand mare Imperatriz and Giga Kick.

This I succeeded in doing, both horses being stabled close to each other in Stalls 135 and 137.

Imperatriz

Giga Kick

Race 6 was the Atlantic Jewel Stakes, also run over 1200 metres, but for three year old fillies.

Charm Stone came out the winner in this case, beating Inhibitions by over a length.

Charm Stone wins the Atlantic Jewel Stakes

Run over the Cox Plate distance of 2040 metres, Race 7 was the Strathmore Community Bendigo Bank Handicap, where a large field of stayers were kicking off their spring campaigns.

English bred Future History started as favourite, but he was upstaged by Young Werther with Born A King running third.

Young Werther holds off a challenge from Future History to win Race 7

Up next was the Group 2 McEwen Stakes, the pick of the afternoon, a sprint over 1000 metres and seen as a match race between Imperatriz and Giga Kick, the latter being the hot favourite.

It was an exciting competition with Giga Kick being slow to begin tailing the field for most of the race, until his jockey, Craig Williams, urged him forward  as they entered the straight. Imperatriz swept past all the contenders to register a sensational  2½ lengths win from Rothfire. Giga Kick ended up finishing third.

Imperatriz wins the McEwen Stakes

Giga Kick and Rothfire vie for second place

The feature Feehan Stakes was certainly  upstaged by the McEwen Stakes, but worth lingering at the track for.

The highly touted, so far unbeaten, Globe was the favourite, but he faded to finish last after racing on the pace from the beginning. It was discovered that he suffered Cardiac Arrhythmia during the race and was eased out of the running.

Pinstriped won the Golden Ticket into the Cox Plate beating Attrition by one length with Tuvalu filling third place.

Throughout the afternoon a band on the public lawn had been entertaining the crowd with tasteful covers of popular songs, including Moonee Valley favourite Horses where I found it amusing to note the drunks dancing and singing along.

 
A portion of the band

And so ended another afternoon at the races.

I was pleased to have attended the event and glad to have witnessed a potential new sprinting Queen of the Turf in Imperatiz.

She will do all her Spring racing in Melbourne, so I’ll get to see her again later in the season.

Next Saturday I hope to attend the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes meeting at Flemington, where the grand old lady and triple Melbourne Cup winner, Makybe Diva herself, will be a special guest.

Also on the program is star Western Australian mare Amelia’s Jewel contesting either the feature Group 1 race or the Let’s Elope Stakes.

All Things Bright and Beautiful

Mr Brightside wins the 2023 All Star Mile

When heading off to the races you never really know how the afternoon will play out, the weather, along with the racing action, making the experience unexpected.

Last Saturday the weather was pretty awful, overcast for the main with gusty winds, making it unpleasant for this contact lens wearer.

Anyway, it was All Star Mile Day at Moonee Valley and I had a ticket, so forth I went on the trusty 510 Bus, arriving around 2.00 pm.

Surprisingly it wasn’t all that crowded, so it was easy to get a good position on the fence from which to take photos of the action.

I tested the camera in Race 4 and noticed that the light was not ideal.

Race 4 charge up the straight – winner Bel Air is furthest left

I gave Race 5 a miss, and hung around in the stalls area for awhile before deciding I needed more photo practice before the main event.

Race 6 was the Listed Abell Stakes run over 1200 metres, so I returned to the fence and managed to get better photos of the action. I saw the fall of Florescent Star from a distance, and was dismayed to see the green screen go up, as she was euthanised.

She’s All Class won from In The Boat and Mileva.

Race 6 – She’s All Class is furthest left in olive green silks

As the All Star Mile was up next, I stayed where I was on the fence. The fall in the previous race delayed the start by over half an hour. The sun briefly emerged from the cloud cover, but didn’t hang around for the feature event.

A bit of pomp and circumstance  in the form of girls marching out on to the track with flags signalled that the race was not far off.

Here are photos of some of the contenders as they made their way to the barriers.

Alligator Blood

Alenquer

Keats

Mr Brightside

My Oberon

Pounding

The Inevitable

Sheeza Belter

So Si Bon

As All Star Mile fields go, it wasn’t the most interesting by any means, but the race itself was worth waiting for.

No doubt the Hayes brothers were delighted with Mr Brightside’s victory.  Cascadian finished second and Tassie champ The Inevitable ran third, just ahead of Alligator Blood.

Another photo of Mr Brightside winning the All Star Mile

And so ended another All Star Mile, after which I headed home.

With the delay in proceedings at Moonee Valley, I did manage to see the Sydney races on the Big Screen, where Anamoe won the George Ryder Stakes and Shinzo was victorious in the Golden Slipper,  giving trainer Chris Waller his first Golden Slipper trophy.

Next Saturday is the last Group 1 meeting of the Melbourne Autumn Carnival and is at Flemington, where the Australian Cup is the feature event.