Coolangatta Lightning

Coolangatta winning the 2023 Black Caviar Lightning

Her name may be the same as the Gold Coast town, but three year old filly, Coolangatta, was the heroine of Melbourne after her determined win in the feature race at Flemington on Saturday afternoon.

This was my first outing to the racetrack since the Spring Racing Carnival, and I chose well, as the afternoon was sunny but not overly hot after a cool change on Friday brought a welcome end  to the three day heat wave.

Obliged by the Flemington Racecourse train timetable, I arrived at the track in time to witness Race 3, the Talindert Stakes for two year old contenders, run over over 1100 metres. In the past this race has been won by classy youngsters, such as All Too Hard in 2012.

Flemington wasn’t crowded by any means, so it was easy to get around, so I headed directly to my favourite spot on the Western Front Lawn to get some photo practice before the main event later in the day.

Maharba started as the favourite and won the race by a length from Hell Queen with Tacito running third.

Maharba wins the Talindert Stakes

I decided  that I didn’t mind missing Race 4, the Asian Racing Federation Trophy, so made my way to the stalls area to get photos of the main contenders in the feature Black Caviar Lightning.

Nature Strip – favourite for the Lightning

Coolangatta

I Wish I Win

Race 5 was the more interesting Tony Bourke Memorial, usually run as the Group 3 Frances Tressady Stakes over 1400 metres and for fillies and mares.

Annavisto who won the race last year, started as the warm favourite was victorious again , leading from the start to win by over three lengths from Wrote to Arataki with Excelida running third.

Annavisto crosses the finish line unopposed

Annavisto returns to scale

Wrote to Arataki on her way to the barriers

As the Black Caviar Lightning was scheduled as as Race 7, there was still one more race to run before the feature. This was the  Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes for three year old colts and geldings and also run over 1400 metres

A large field of 14 starters were contesting the event with the favourite being Bank Maur. He ended up unplaced with victory going to Elliptical who narrowly won from Holymanz and Maximillius.

A wall of horses crosses the finish line in the CS Hayes – Elliptical is the widest in red silks

Elliptical on his way to the barriers

Holymanz on his way to the barriers

A pretty good field had accepted for the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning and included Nature Strip, acknowledged as the world’s top sprinter.  He naturally was the hot favourite, but was disappointing, failing to run a place. The sole three year old filly Coolangatta, taking advantage of her weight advantage, and skilfully steered by top Jockey Jamie Kah, won the prize from the fast finishing I Wish I Win with Bella Nipotina filling third place, just ahead of September Run.

It  was a surprise result, but Coolangatta is no slouch as a race horse having won the 2022 Magic Millions 2yo Classic and also the Group 1 Moir Stakes last year. It will be interesting to see how she performs in the future.

Bella Nipotina and Coolangatta return to scale side by side

Coolangatta returns to scale

I Wish I Win returns to scale

Nature Strip returns to scale

The run of the race was no doubt I Wish I Win, who ran from last at the speed of lightning to narrowly miss out on winning.

He’s also one to watch for in the future.

I called it  quits after that and headed home, glad to have witnessed yet another exciting running of the Black Caviar Lightning and seeing Nature Strip once more. He’s now 8 years old and in the twilight of his illustrious career, so there won’t be many more chances to see him in action in the future.

The Stars of the Turf– Champion Stakes Day Review

Sign above Mounting Yard Gate at Flemington 5/10/22

Melbourne racing’s answer to Sydney, Champion Stakes Day, used to be called Emirates Stakes Day, and featured two Group 1 races – the Mackinnon Stakes and Darley Sprint Classic. It was also known as family day and was, and still is, the final race day of Flemington’s Melbourne Cup mini carnival. Generally it was a pleasant afternoon at the races and less crowded than Derby Day.

This year, however Racing Victoria launched a new concept race meeting that actually was better than Derby Day last weekend. It featured three Group 1 events, a sprint over 1200 metres, a mile race over 1600 metres and a middle distance competition over 2000 metres and had attracted quality fields in each.  What’s not to love in keen contests between class horses such as Nature Strip versus Giga Kick in the Champions Sprint, Anamoe versus Zaaki in the Champions Stakes and Alligator Blood versus Private Eye in the Champions Mile

The day dawned dry with a promise of sunshine, so it was a pleasure to set out for the big track and soak up the Group 1 action along with Vitamin D.

As trains to Flemington were running all afternoon at regular intervals, I took my time getting to the track and arrived as Race 3, the Amanda Elliot was in the process of running.

I had no trouble using my mobile ticket this time, having saved it to my phone for easy access.

The horses were returning to scale as I made it out onto the public lawn, so was was able to snap the winner, Magic Time heading for the mounting yard after the race.

Magic Time returns to scale after winning the Amanda Elliott

As there was plenty of time in hand until the next race, I decided to head to the stalls and see who had arrived. Most of the horses I was interested in were present, so for a change I got some stalls shots.

Anamoe

Zaaki

Nature Strip

Giga Kick

Whilst I was cruising around the stalls I missed Race 4, the Queens Cup, so failed to get a photo of the highly regarded Irish import Soulcombe who won it by over two lengths from Luncies and Captain Envious.

The next race was the Group 2 Matriarch Stakes, run over 2000 metres for mares, so I headed for my favourite spot just past the winning post and there I stayed for the rest of the afternoon.

The Chris Waller trained Atishu was the winner by two lengths from Steinem with Tokorangi running third.

Atishu wins the Matriarch Stakes

Atishu on her way to the barriers

Steinem on her way to the barriers

The next three races were the Group 1 Champions events, starting off with the Champions Sprint.

Nature Strip naturally started as the hot favourite, but this time he was outgunned by 20/1 shot Roch ‘N’ Horse who won by a narrow margin. Baller finished third.

Jockey Jamie Mott celebrates Roch ‘N’ Horse’s victory in the Champion’s Sprint

Roch ‘N’ Horse obviously has an affinity with the Flemington straight as she won the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap there in Autumn.

Nature Strip returns to scale

Baller returns to scale

Favourites were rolled in the next two races as well.

In the Champions Mile, Alligator Blood, racing on the pace held on to win by half a length from Tuvalu and Mr Brightside. Favourite Private Eye finished seventh.

Alligator Blood wins the Champions Mile from Tuvalu

Alligator Blood on his way to the barriers

Tuvalu on his way to the barriers

Mr Brightside returns to scale

It was good to see Alligator Blood back in winning circles after undergoing treatment for a back problem, and  after all the controversy of his ownership, which at one time banned him from racing in Melbourne.

Last year Zaaki took out the Mackinnon Stakes as the Champions Stakes used to be known, and he repeated the feat  this year, leading from the start to the finish to win narrowly from stablemate Mo’unga with outsider Hezashocka relegated to third after a successful protest from Nash Rawiller, Mo’unga’s jockey. Anamoe started as firm favourite, but finished fourth.

When heading out for the barriers, Zaaki unseated his jockey Jamie Kah, but she quickly remounted and all was well.

Zaaki unseats Jamie Kah on his way to the barriers

Zaaki resumes heading for the barriers

Zaaki wins the Champions Stakes

Mo’unga (white cap) and Hezashocka vie for second place

Mo’unga on his way to the barriers

Hezashocka on his way to the barriers

Zaaki returns to scale

There was one more race on the card but I did not stay for it, heading to the station and home after the Champions Stakes.

It had been a fine afternoon of first class racing action, and despite the crowds, which were larger than Derby Day, I was pleased to be in attendance after missing it for two years due to Covid restrictions.

So from now on my Saturday afternoons will be free, though I may attend the Zipping Classic meeting at Caulfield a few weeks hence.

Lightning Review–Home Affairs To the Fore

Black Caviar Lightning –Home Affairs leads with Nature Strip & Eduardo in hot pursuit

My arrival at Flemington on Saturday afternoon was earlier than I anticipated. This was due to the train timetable, where I erred on the side of caution rather than cutting fine my connection to the Flemington train at Southern Cross Station.

Not to worry, I at least got to see Race 3, the Vale Jack Styring Trophy, a race over 1600 metres, and could practice  photography before the real action began.

The unbeaten mare Yonce having only her fourth start was the warm favourite and she won easily from Groovy Kinda Love and Divine Diosa , running from the back of the field to overtake the leaders.

Yonce (blue silks) challenges Divine Diosa (pink)

The Talindert Stakes was up next but before that was set to run I sauntered up to the stalls area to see who had arrived.

Several of the sprinters engaged in the Lightning Stakes were already in their stalls…

Eduardo

Gytrash

The Inferno

The three above were in proximity to each other in the first section of the stalls area, so I didn’t bother heading to the back stalls area, returning to my spot on the fence to see the two year olds run in the Talindert Stakes.

In all the Blue Diamond build up races there has been a different winner each time, not any of the two year olds contesting those races repeating the feat in another race. This makes assessing the actual Blue Diamond Stakes quite tricky with no stand out performers evident.

Such was the case in the Talindert with filly I’mlovin’ya winning the prize from Waltz On By and Lamda at her second start.

I’mlovin’ya  (pink)  about to overtake Waltz On By to win the Talindert Stakes

It was a pleasant sunny day at Flemington, hot in the sun, but I found a cool spot to have sit between races in the Elms area.

The Group 3 Vanity Stakes was next to run.  A race for three year old  fillies it is run over 1400 metres.

Barb Raider was the favourite and she didn’t disappoint her backers winning from a fast finishing Cardigan Queen with race leader Ancient Girl hanging on for third.

Barb Raider (lime)) Ancient Girl (pink) & Cardigan Queen (red cap)

Barb Raider on her way to the barriers

Cardigan Queen returns to scale

Then there was only one more race to run before the highly anticipated Black Caviar Lightning and this was the Group 3 C S Hayes Stakes, also run over 1400 metres for Guineas bound colts and geldings.

Pretty boy Lightsaber started as favourite but he played up in the barriers and was subsequently scratched.  Pascero lead the field for most of the race and put a good gap on the chasers, but a swooping runs from Pinstriped overtook him on the line. Captivant finished third.

Pinstriped (no 7) wins the C S Hayes Stakes from Pascero

Pinstriped returns to scale

Pascero  on his way to the barriers

Lightsaber on his way to the barriers- an exceptionally photogenic horse

The Black Caviar Lightning lived up to its hype, though not in a way that anyone envisaged.

From the start it was dramatic with Nature Strip’s lunge from the gate stymied by Profiteer who veered left into his trajectory, causing him to lose ground. Profiteer continued to  race erratically throughout most of the race, causing interference to several other runners . Nature Strip denied his usual style of taking the lead had to catch up to the leader, Home Affairs, who was unimpeded in his run.

As the winning post drew closer, Nature Strip was seen to be gaining ground and caught up to Home Affairs at the post, to lose by a whisker.  Eduardo, who was also hampered by Profiteer at the start, finished third.

Home Affairs returns to scale

Nature Strip returns to scale

Eduardo returns to scale

I did not tarry after the Lightning, heading for the station directly to catch the train.

Next Saturday I’m looking forward to returning to Caulfield for Blue Diamond Stakes Day.