Winx in Melbourne Again

Winx at Flemington – October 2017

It goes without saying that I am keenly anticipating Winx’s return to the big dance floor – AKA Flemington – on Saturday, where she will be attempting, and probably succeeding, to win the Turnbull Stakes for the second year in succession. In doing so she will also notch up her 28th consecutive win and 21st at Group 1 level.

Last year she thrashed six rivals and the only one of those six to face her again this year is runner up Ventura Storm.  Eight others have accepted and include the handsome Mick Price boys Grunt and Mighty Boss, Winx’s stablemate Youngstar, Caulfield Cup favourite Kings Will Dream and New Zealander Jon Snow who ran third in the Makybe Diva Stakes.

Having watched Winx easily win six races since her last appearance at Flemington, it’s hard to see any of the aforementioned beating her. Go Winx!

The rest of the racing card is moderately interesting with several Group 2 & 3 races, most particularly the Group 3 The Bart Cummings, which awards the winner ballot free entry into the Melbourne Cup. Avilius is the current favourite having won his last three starts, but I’ll be barracking for Vengeur Masque who rewarded me handsomely when he won the Geelong Cup at big odds last year.  He has narrowly missed out on gaining entry to the Melbourne Cup the past two years, but if he does gain a place he would be a good chance being sired by Monsun whose sons Fiorente, Protectionist and Almandin were all successful in the race recently.

I plan to get to Flemington fairly early, around 1.00 pm. No doubt the crowd will be larger than last year, Winx fame increasing attendances where ever she races.

The weather is predicted to be warm and sunny, pleasant for an afternoon at the races, hopefully celebrating another win by the great mare.

Petits Filous Gunning for Group One Glory

Petits Filous at Moonee Valley 1/8/15

Tonight Moonee Valley Racecourse hosts their first Group 1 race meeting of the season.

The feature race is the Moir Stakes a Group 1 sprint over 1000 metres. It has attracted a quality field of sprinters and includes Buffering who won the race last year beating Lankan Rupee and Rebel Dane. He also won the race in 2012.  He’s been off the scene for almost a year recovering from an injury and this is his first start for the 2015 Spring.

Also in the field is unbeaten filly Petits Filous facing the hardest test so far in her brief career.  Can she win?  Considering her tactical speed it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that she will add another picket to her fence of wins.  If she does so, we’ll know that she really is something special.

Her main competition possibly comes from fellow filly Fontiton who won her first three races in fine fashion including the Blue Diamond Preview and Prelude, before failing in the Blue Diamond Stakes. She has been out of action with an injury since then, so it will be interesting to see how she performs first up, thrown in at the deep end in a Group 1 race. 

Angelic Light, who has the distinction of defeating Lankan Rupee in Spring last year, is also worth consideration, as is old Buffering who will most likely lead and may take some catching.

The support races at Moonee Valley are top notch with the Group 2 Stocks Stakes for mares over 1600 metres being a race worth watching, so too the Group 2 Stutt Stakes, also over 1600 metres for three year olds, and the Group 3  JRA Cup run at the Cox Plate distance of 2040 metres that was won by The Cleaner last year.

In Sydney, race fans who have no interest in the AFL Grand Final, can spend Saturday watching three Group 1 events and a quality support card at Randwick Racecourse.

The first of the Group 1 races is the Epsom Handicap run over 1600 metres. Top picks are Lucia Valentina, Sadler’s Lake, Winx, Entirely Platinum, Ecuador and Silver Ball.

The Group 1 Flight Stakes, also a 1600 metres competition, is for three year old fillies. Speak Fondly, who ran second to Exosphere in the Golden Rose has to be the top pick along with Pearls who won the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes. Others with a chance are Flamboyant Lass and Kimberley Star, whose recent form has been good.

The Metropolitan is third of the Group 1 races at Randwick and is for stayers, run over 2400 metres. It appears to have an open field with no real standouts, the best form horses being Magic Hurricane, Beyond Thankful, Orbec, Chance To Dance and Maurus.

The Turnbull Stakes (2000 metres) at Flemington on Sunday is the final of the Group 1 races of the weekend.  Amazingly four Oaks winners are part of the field – Rising Romance, Gust of Wind, Set Square and Royal Descent.  Of these the one with the best chance of winning is Rising Romance who finished second to Fawkner in the Makybe Diva Stakes and you can never dismiss the ever reliable Royal Descent who rarely misses a place.

Also in the field are the usual suspects, Happy Trails, Alpine Eagle, Volkstok’n’barrell and Weary, plus Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist and Who Shot thebarman who won a couple of races at Flemington last Spring and ran third in the Melbourne Cup. However,  BMW winner, Hartnell, is probably the one to beat, though Alpine Eagle is currently the favourite.

Moonee Valley beckons tonight, even though I’m not that keen on night racing, but my interest in Petits Filous insists that I put up with the hassle of getting home and attend.

With fine weather across Australia over the weekend, the tracks will be good, even in Sydney.

I’m also looking forward to returning to Flemington on Sunday. As an added bonus 2007 Melbourne Cup winner, and one of my old favourites, Efficient ,will be the Living Legends representative for the day. He won the Turnbull Stakes in 2009.

Sydney Cup Day–The Championships Week 2

Contributer – Emirates Stakes Day 2014

Another big day of racing is coming up this Saturday with the second race meeting of the The Championships at Randwick. That is of course if they’re not cancelled by the atrocious Sydney weather.

There are another four Group 1 races on the program, and exceptionally good fields contesting them.

First to kick off is the Australian Oaks, for staying fillies, run over 2400 metres. Top pick is Fenway, who won the Vinery Stud Stakes at her last start, beating First Seal and Thunder Lady. First Seal will be contesting the Queen of the Turf Stakes, but Thunder Lady is a contestant in the Oaks and a viable chance.  New Zealand Oaks winner Savaria  is also worth consideration as she won that race on soft going at the distance. along with Candelara who won the Group 3 Adrian Knox Stakes (2000 metres) on Monday.

The splendid Catkins will be having another bash at winning her first Group 1 – which she surely deserves - in the Group 1 Queen of the Turf Stakes (1600 metres). Heavy tracks don’t worry this girl, so it might be her best chance yet for Group 1 glory.  Her competition is formidable with Group 1 winning mares Cosmic Endeavour, Diamond Drille, Bonaria, Amicus, Diademe (NZ Group 1) and filly First Seal in the field. But my heart will be with the game little grey mare.

Run over the same distance (3200 metres) as the Melbourne Cup, the Sydney Cup offers $1 million to the winner, so is worthwhile for International racehorses to contest. Can Protectionist win the Melbourne/Sydney Cups double? His build up form has been indifferent, but his form over the distance is unquestionable and could well be his forte. English import Hartnell is the top pick. His current form is excellent with two consecutive wins, the last being the Group 1 BMW and he also has won a race over 3200 metres. He has a 6kg weight advantage over Protectionist. 

Who Shot Thebarman ran third in last year’s Melbourne Cup and is the great white hope for locally(Australia/NZ)  bred horses in this race – there are only two - the other one being NZ bred Don Doremo.  Others with a chance are Renew who won the Sandown Cup over the distance, and Hong Kong stayer Dominant who has Joao Moreira in the saddle.

As racing fields go, the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000 metres) is quality with a capital Q.

Sydney’s answer to the Cox Plate, it is the richest 2000 metre race in Australia – the Cox Plate winner gets $1,800,000, but the QE Stakes winner earns a handsome purse of $2,400.000.

It will be a fascinating race to watch, and the most exciting horse in the field is last year’s Cox Plate winner Adelaide. Who could forget his stunning long run down the outside in the Plate to grab the prize on the line. He hasn’t raced since then, so he faces a field of fitness hardened veterans, most notably Contributer who has won his last three starts, including the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes and Ranvet Stakes.

Also in the field are Japanese stars To The World and Tosen Stardom who are surely not to be dismissed out of hand, and popular old stayer Red Cadeaux who could easily run a place.

Of the locally bred runners, Criterion has a good chance as he was only beaten by a nose in the George Ryder Stakes by Japanese horse Real Impact who was beaten by Kermadec last Monday in the Doncaster.  

I’d like to think that the only two mares in the race – Royal Descent and Lucia Valentina – could feature in the finish, but would be surprised if either won. Like wise with other locals Happy Trails and Fiveandhalfstar – they’re probably outclassed by the Internationals and the Imports, though NZ stallion It’s A Dundeel won this race last year, beating Sacred Falls and the Queen’s horse Carlton House, so anything could happen.

In Melbourne, Flemington has a low key meeting that I am not tempted to attend, so I’ll be staying home watching the Sydney action on my computer or the TV.

Update: Sunday afternoon

The track at Randwick was heavy and the results of the Group 1 races threw up long shots in most cases.

Who could have picked Gust of Wind winning the Australian Oaks? she paid over $20.00 for the win. Winx finished second and Candelara ran third. Early favourite  Fenway was scratched from the race early on Saturday morning.

Another 20/1 shot Amanpour won the Queen of the Turf Stakes, and denied Catkins, who ran her usual honest race, group 1 glory. Noble Protector finished third.

The Sydney Cup result was also taken out by 40/1 shot Grand Marshall pipping Who Shot Thebarman on the line. Hartnell led for most of the race, but was unable to keep up with the swoopers and finished fourth, and Protectionist failed to feature at all. Like A Carousel finished third.

Locally bred Criterion beat a crack field in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, winning by 2½ lengths from old trooper Red Cadeaux with the ever reliable Royal Descent taking third place. Contributor was scratched early Saturday, so who knows what would have resulted had he run.  The Japanese horses failed to handle the heavy track, as did Adelaide who finished in eighth place.

Angelic Light or Earthquake– Autumn Racing this Weekend

Earthquake at Flemington Australian Cup day 2015

There are three Group 1 races this coming weekend, one at Moonee Valley on Friday night and two at Rosehill on Saturday afternoon. I won’t be attending any of the them, but will of course be watching them with interest.

The William Reid Stakes on Friday night is the final Group 1 race in Melbourne until the spring season begins with the Memsie Stakes in late August. It is a sprint over 1200 metres and has been won in the past by some great names of the turf – Black Caviar in 2011 and 2013, Apache Cat consecutively in 2008 and 2009, Miss Andretti, Vo Rogue among others.

This year’s edition does not have the likes of Lankan Rupee, Chautauqua, Terravista or Brazen Beau in the field, but is quite interesting nonetheless.  For a start it has Earthquake who narrowly missed winning her last start at Flemington lumping a 60kg impost. This time she carries only 54kg, so she is in with a excellent chance.

The current favourite is Angelic Light who defeated Lankan Rupee in the McEwan Stakes in September last year. She is returning from a spell but may need a run to reach full fitness.

Angelic Light overtaking Lankan Rupee in the 2014 McEwan Stakes

Top weight in the race is Rebel Dane, a splendid looking beast, who promises much, but rarely delivers, though he may prove me wrong on Friday night. Others with a chance are Vain Queen, Famous Seamus, It Is Written and Fontelina who ran second in this race last year.

At Rosehill two very classy fields have been assembled for the Group 1 races. The first of these is the Vinery Stud Stakes a race for three year old fillies over 2000 metres. Top pick is First Seal, even if she did not win at her only start over 2000 metres against the colts.  Her main rivals are Victorian Oaks winner Set Square who has been competitive at her two starts this season, Amicus who won the Thousand Guineas in Spring, Winx and Thunder Lady.

The BMW is always a really interesting race for stayers over 2400 metres and this years edition has attracted a top field that includes the usual suspects, Protectionist, Who Shot Thebarman, Lucia Valentina and Silent Achiever. However, all eyes will be on the Japanese superstar To The World  and the talented English import Hartnell who won his last start by 2 lengths. 

The bonny grey mare Catkins is entered in the Group 2 Emancipation Stakes and has a very good chance of winning it. She finished a game second to Cosmic Endeavour in the open class Group 1 Canterbury Stakes, but is back to racing against her own sex. Her main threat comes from Madam Gangster who I witnessed winning the Frances Tressady Stakes at Flemington a few weeks ago and could well continue on her winning ways.

Update Sunday night:

Alas neither Earthquake nor Angelic Light featured in the finish of the William Reid Stakes. Outsider Lucky Hussler won the bikkies from Vain Queen and Griante.

In Sydney, First Seal just missed winning the Vinery Stud Stakes, being outstayed by outsider Fenway.  Thunder Lady ran third.

The BMW was a ripper and featured an exciting head to head down the straight between To The World and Hartnell, with the English import prevailing over the Japanese star. 100/1 shot Beaten Up hung on for third.

And punter’s pal, the ever consistent Catkins won the Emancipation Stakes.

The sad news from the weekend in the racing scene was the sudden death of He’s Your Man after track work. Reportedly he suffered a heart attack and died peacefully with his trainer (Chris Waller) consoling him as he passed away.

He’s Your Man at Flemington on Derby Day last year

Gun (Jockeys) and Roses–Flemington Super Saturday Review

Brazen Beau returns to scale after winning the Newmarket Handicap

Saturday in Melbourne was set aside for the qualifying laps of the Melbourne Grand Prix, not something I am interested in.

So eschewing the rev of hotted up motors echoing through the metropolis, I headed out to Flemington for the thunder of hooves, and to smell roses rather than fuel.

I got to the track early on a surprisingly crowded train, arriving  around 12.40pm and stayed until the Australian Cup, which was run at 4.30pm. So it was a long day, but the time passed quickly as there was plenty of exciting racing action and pretty horses to view over the afternoon.

The title of this post refers to the winning doubles of jockeys Michael Walker and Joao Moreira who each rode one winner of the Group 1 races plus one other on the program.

And of course the roses were resplendent as you’d expect.

My arrival at the track was in plenty of time to watch race 2, the
MSS Security Stakes, wherein Brazilian born, Hong Kong hoop Joao Moreira booted home the first winner of his double. This happened to be  12/1 shot Pittsburgh Flyer, who I thought had no chance. My interests were centred on Earthquake and Sistonic. Earthquake ran a close second, but Sistonic finished second last and didn’t feature at all.

Earthquake in the mounting yard

Sistonic on her way to the track

Pittsburgh Flyer returns to scale after winning the MSS Security Stakes

After watching the race I sauntered up to the stalls area to see if the Living Legends had arrived.

Both Zipping and Better Loosen Up were present, and lovingly attended to by the Living Legends staff.

Zipping in his stall – all dressed up and ready to parade

Better Loosen Up with a rose tucked into his bridle

Better Loosen Up will turn 30 on 29th August this year and was a champion of the turf in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He is the only Australian bred horse to have won the prestigious Japan Cup which he did in 1990.  He also won the 1990 Cox Plate, MacKinnon Stakes, and the 1991 Australian Cup as well as several other Group races. He was named Australian Horse of the Year for the 1990-1991 season.

The Living Legends were taken off for a walk in the mounting yard, so I cruised through the stable area to see which of the present stars of the turf had arrived.

Lankan Rupee was being hosed down by his strapper, and I got a lovely photo of him in the watering section of the stalls.

Lankan Rupee in the stalls area after being hosed down

Alas, much as I hoped to see Lankan Rupee win the Newmarket Handicap, it wasn’t to be. Everyone was puzzled by his failure to run a place, but on Monday it was revealed that he had  torn a muscle in his chest and was also displaying signs of inflammation in his stifles.  This obviously happened during the race as he was over-racing in the early stages and pulling hard, then failed to produce his devastating sprint in the finish.

Returning track side, Race 3 was about to get underway. This was the Group 2 Sires Produce Stakes for two year olds run over 1400 metres.

Jameka was the favourite and she delivered a comfortable win for her backers, winning by a length from Lazumba with Sampeah,running third, three and a half lengths behind.

Jameka returns to scale after winning the Sires Produce Stakes

Lazumba on her way to the track

Sampeah on his way to the track

Back in the stalls more horses had arrived, among them Red Cadeaux.

Red Cadeaux in his stall – he has such a kind face.

Terravista was waiting patiently in his stall as well.

Terravista

Brazen Beau, the eventual winner of the Newmarket Handicap was being walked in the parade ring. I got this great head shot of him.

Brazen Beau – a head turner

Meanwhile, in the mounting yard, the Living Legends were grazing on the turf, whilst the CEO of Living Legends, Andrew Clarke, was interviewed on TVN about the organisation and the profiles of the equine special guests.

Race 4, the Group 2 Blamey Stakes run over 1600 metres was next on the agenda. Suavito, who spectacularly won the Group 1 Futurity Stakes two weeks ago was the hot favourite and she didn’t disappoint.  After missing the start, she quickly moved up to take the lead and was never headed, winning by a length from Sertorius, with Kourkam running third.

Suavito returns to scale after winning the Blamey Stakes

Only one more race remained before the big two feature races were to run, this being the Group 2 Kewney Stakes, for three year old fillies over 1400 metres. As I had not had a bet all afternoon I was toying with the idea of putting a few dollars on Wawail, but thought better of it after noticing Michael Walker was riding her. He’d recently put in a few poor rides so didn’t inspire confidence.

How wrong I was.  Wawail upstaged hot favourite Sabatini who was aiming for her third win in succession. Sabatini raced at the tail of the field and though she flew home, she was unable to reel in Wawail.

Wawail returns to scale after winning the Kewney Stakes

Sabatini leaves the mounting yard for the track

Though my heart was with Lankan Rupee in the Newmarket, my head or some strong intuition told me to put money on Brazen Beau, which I did. So I was delighted that he won, and like everyone else bemused by the performance of Lankan Rupee. He looked fine in the mounting yard as did all the others.

Chautauqua finished second and Terravista ran third, but they were blitzed by Brazen Beau who won by almost three lengths.

My photos of the Newmarket parade are really dark for some reason I can’t fathom, so I won’t be showing them in this post

Brazen Beau in the winners rug

The Australian Cup ended in a boilover with the unfancied Spillway winning the bikkies by a nose from the also unfancied Extra Zero, with the ever honest Happy Trails running third. Michael Walker proved me wrong again with his winning ride.

Spillway returns to scale after winning the Australian Cup

As expected The Cleaner led the field at a good pace and he managed to hang for fourth. Protectionist was never in it, but Red Cadeaux ran well and finished fifth.

The light was better for the Australian Cup parade, so here are photos of the main contenders.

Red Cadeaux

Happy Trails

Extra Zero

Protectionist

The Cleaner

Foreteller

The Australian Cup meeting is basically the last of the Group 1 racing for Melbourne in autumn, though the finale is the William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley on the 27th March.

The focus of racing  now shifts to Sydney for the so called Championships. Next weekend Rosehill will feature five Group 1 races including the Golden Slipper Stakes.

Speaking of the Sydney races, the Coolmore Classic resulted in an upset win by long shot Plucky Belle, who pipped favourite First Seal at the post. Diamond Drille ran third.

I’ll miss my Saturday afternoon outings to the races as I’m really only interested in attending the Group meetings. So I will be watching the action from Sydney at home from now on.

Super Saturday Comes Around Again

Red Cadeaux – returning to scale after the 2014 Melbourne Cup

The Melbourne autumn racing carnival has been a tad underwhelming thus far, but all that will change this coming Saturday when Flemington hosts a stellar meeting, featuring the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap and the Australian Cup.

Red Cadeaux is a great favourite of the Australian racing public after running second in the 2011, 2013 and 2014 Melbourne Cups, so it will be a rare and wonderful treat to see him back at Flemington in the 2015 Australian Cup.  He’s now 9 years old and has raced in Europe, Asia and Australia over his long career.  Whether he can win the Australian Cup is another matter, as he’s not won over the distance.

His rivals in the Australian Cup include 2014 Melbourne Cup winner, Protectionist who was disappointing in his first run this season over a shorter distance, but may appreciate the rise to 2000 metres . Also in the field is the popular Tasmanian frontrunner The Cleaner, who will no doubt perform that function again on Saturday and be hard to catch.  Happy Trails, Foreteller and Mourinho are the top chances, based on form at the track.

The Newmarket Handicap looks to be a race made in heaven with the world’s top sprinters Lankan Rupee, Terravista, Chautuaqua and Brazen Beau set to clash.  The first three have faced each other previously in the Darley Classic on Emirates Stakes day last spring, where Terravista was the winner from Chautauqua and Lankan Rupee with less than a length separating them in the finish. Lankan Rupee is top weight, carrying 58.5kg, giving his main rivals a few kilos advantage. Brazen Beau, being only three years old is lightly weighted on 52kg and could well upstage his older rivals as a consequence,  especially with champion jockey Joao Moreira on board.  Can the new strategy of running Lankan Rupee off the speed work again?  I certainly hope so.

I intend to arrive early at Flemington on Saturday, specifically to witness Race  2, the Listed MSS Security Stakes, a race for three year olds  run over 1100 metres. Two of my favourite fillies – Earthquake and Sistonic – are part of the large field of 15 runners.  It will be a mad dash down the Flemington straight and I do hope one of the above fillies wins. Also in the picture are Royal Snitzel, Cornrow and Nostradamus as next best dressed.

The rest of the race card at Flemington is fairly interesting – enough to entertain me as I await the running of the Group 1 races. There are three Group 2 races on the program which will be worth watching.

The Living Legends representatives will be Better Loosen Up, who won the Australian Cup in 1991 (one of eight Group 1 wins) and Zipping who won it in 2010.

The weather is expected to be fine and sunny again in Melbourne on Saturday.

Not so Sydney, which has copped a big storm over the past few days which no doubt will affect the track at Rosehill.  The feature race there is the Group 1 Coolmore Classic, a race over 1500 metres for fillies and mares. Hot favourite is First Seal who won the Group 1 Flight Stakes back in spring. She has been penalised with a weight impost, but is obviously the one to beat on form, having won her last start by 2.8 lengths. Her main opposition comes from Tinto, Adrift, Plucky Belle, Arabian Gold and good old Dear Demi.

Pride of Dubai– The Prince of Diamonds

Pride of Dubai parades after winning the Blue Diamond Stakes

You might as well throw away the form guide, as favourites in the Group 1 events at Saturday’s meeting at Caulfield were all rolled.

Despite the disappointing results it was an enjoyable day at the races with the weather being kinder than the week before, a pleasantly warm day with alternate cloud and sunshine.

I arrived at the track around 2.00pm, in plenty of time for Race 3, the Angus Armanasco Stakes, where last start winner Sabatini was the warm favourite and was successful again, beating Fontein Ruby by a length with Samartested running third.

Sabatini on her way to the barriers

Fontein Ruby being difficult on her way to the gates – a clerk of course eventually took her in hand

Race 3 down the straight – Fontein Ruby leads with Sabatini on the outside about to pass Samartested.

In my preview in my last post I completely overlooked Alpine Eagle in my assessment of Race 4, the Caulfield Autumn Classic. He is a South Australian colt with excellent form -  three wins from four starts – and very well bred by High Chaparral from a Zabeel mare Zephira .  He started as favourite, and running from the back of the field with an amazing burst of speed, narrowly won from Minnesinger and Firehouse Rock.

Race 4 down the straight – Firehouse Rock leads with Alpine Eagle still three lengths behind on the outside.

The first of the Group 1 races was next on the program, it being the Futurity Stakes. Dissident was the hot favourite, but he only managed to run third, rather stymieing his chances early in the race keeping up with race leader Driefontein and was flat at the finish. Smart mare Suavito swooped down the outside late and  went on to win by a length and a bit from Smokin’ Joey.

Dissident on his way to the barriers

Smokin’ Joey on his way to the barriers

Race 5 down the straight – Dissident leads with Smokin’ Joey and Suavito about to overtake him on the outside.

Suavito returns to scale after winning the Futurity Stakes

There was a great deal of interest in the next race, the Peter Young Stakes, due to the presence of 2014 Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist in the field. He’s a real good looker…

Protectionist in the mounting yard.

…however, despite starting favourite he failed to run a place, the race most probably being too short for him.

Mourinho who is in excellent form this autumn took out the race from the stalwart Happy Trails with Akzar running third.

Mourinho on his way to the barriers

Happy Trails on his way to the barriers

Akzar on his way to the barriers

Race 6 down the straight – Mourinho hits the front.

The Oakleigh Plate also ended in an upset with the speedy Shamal Wind winning her first Group 1, with the unfancied Under The Louvre running second and Fast N Rocking taking out third spot. I was hoping Earthquake, who started as favourite, would win, but she was very disappointing and finished 10th. She was wearing blinkers this time, the first time I’ve seen her do so.

Earthquake in the mounting yard

Race 7 down the straight – Shamal Wind is five lengths from the lead on the outside in  the
red silks with white hearts.

Shamal Wind’s owner, dressed in a red suit with white hearts (to match the silks), was over the moon with her win as she paraded in the mounting yard.

Shamal Wind returns to scale after winning the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate

The afternoon sped by and before too long it was time for the feature, the Blue Diamond Stakes.

Either it was the late afternoon sun or my camera inadvertently changed its setting, but my photos of the Blue Diamond contestants are somewhat dark.  I did however, manage to get a few good photos of the eventual winner Pride of Dubai. It was not all that surprising that he won. He had the services of top jockey Damian Browne who rode Earthquake to victory in last year’s Blue Diamond Stakes and impressed with his run in the colts Blue Diamond Prelude only narrowly losing to Of The Brave.

Fontiton, the warm favourite, was disappointing, failing to fire in the finish. Subsequently it was revealed that she was slightly lame after the race with bone chips in her off front fetlock, and will be spelled until Spring.

100/1 outsider Reemah almost stole the race, but just missed catching Pride of Dubai losing out by a neck. Lake Geneva ran third.

Pride of Dubai in the mounting yard

Blue Diamond finish – Pride of Dubai leads down the straight, Reemah in hot pursuit

I headed for home after the Blue Diamond Stakes – it had been a long afternoon. I was disappointed with the results as far as my favourites were concerned, but at least public transport was trouble free this time.

In Sydney, Contributor won the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes with Hartnell running second and He’s Your Man took third spot.

And on Friday night at Moonee Valley, Sistonic had her colours lowered, failing to run a place in the Typhoon Tracy Stakes. She engaged in a speed battle with Eloping in the early stages of the race and ran out of steam in the straight. 100/1 shot Written Dash won the bikkies.

Next Saturday it’s back to Flemington for the Group 1 Australian Guineas. Through some bizarre programming, the Group 1 Randwick Guineas will be run on the same day, splitting the fields and no doubt weakening them as well.