A Hot Day of Racing at Caulfield – the first Group 1 of the season

Derby winner Polanski returns this Saturday in the Group 2 Autumn Stakes

As the title of this post suggests, a hot day, in both temperature and racing action, is on the cards this Saturday.  Featuring the Group 1
CF Orr Stakes, the 9 race program also includes two Group 2 races and four Group 3 events.

Taking into account the forecast of 40°C , the Melbourne Racing Club has decided to start the race meeting two hours  early, so that all the races be will run and won by mid afternoon. The temperature in Melbourne mounts throughout the day and normally peaks at around 4.30-5.00pm.

It is going to be sizzler of day, but I intend to go nevertheless, slathered in sunscreen, as I really want to witness in particular the two Blue Diamond Preludes and the Orr Stakes.

My intention is to arrive in time to see the running of the Group 2 Autumn Stakes, Race 3 on the program, which is scheduled for 12.00pm. It’s a race for three year olds over 1400 metres, and has Victorian Derby winner Polanski as top weight.  The 1400 metres may be a bit short for him, but he is the class act in the field.  Thunder Fantasy who ran third in the Derby appears to be the next best dressed, along with Sydney colt Rock Hero and Countersnip.

The Group 3 Kevin Hayes Stakes, a 1200 metre race for three year old fillies, has some class with Bound For Earth and Shamalia as part of the field. Bound for Earth defeated the practically invincible Guelph in the Furious Stakes last spring, though Guelph went on to defeat her in the Tea Rose Stakes, Flight Stakes and Thousand Guineas thereafter. Shamalia has won her only two starts, and is a bright star in the Bart & James Cummings stable.  Other classy fillies in the mix are Spirits Dance, Marianne, Whistle Baby and Miracle To Me. An interesting race.

The first of the Blue Diamond Preludes (1100 metres) is to be run at 1.05pm, and is for the fillies. All eyes will be on Earthquake whose only run back in November 2013, had her posted as early Blue Diamond favourite.  She gets her chance to prove she is super special in this race. However, there are a few other well credentialed fillies competing against her, such as Eloping who has raced twice for two wins, Lumosty who ran second to Eloping at her last start, Top Dolly who ran a close second to the smart Oakleigh Girl who was runner up in the Magic Millions Two Year Old Classic behind Unencumbered, and Golconda, who looks a promising type.

In the colts and geldings Blue Diamond Prelude, there are a total of six young lads with a win against their names.  One of them of course is Rubick who is the current Blue Diamond favourite. I must admit his win was quite impressive, but then again so were the wins of Nostradamus, Mohave and Chivalry, so the hype on Rubick is I think a little premature. He very likely will win the Prelude with Nostradamus being disadvantaged by a bad barrier draw (Gate 18). The race will most certainly be riveting, whoever wins.

The CF Orr Stakes is scheduled to run at 2.45pm, and has a small field of 8 (now 7 since Playing God was scratched) runners, five of them being Group One winners. It’s good to see the stars of the spring resuming, and several of them are in this race. Surprise three year old  Cox Plate winner Shamus Award has a chance to emulate All Too Hard and beat the older horses and score the second win of his career.  Fellow three year old Eurozone trained by Bart & James Cummings and with the in form Damien Oliver on his back may be a better chance. Other familiar runners resuming are Foreteller, Hawkspur and Moment of Change.  The latter is currently the favourite, but I reckon Foreteller might pull off one of his rare wins in the Orr Stakes. Whatever, he can’t be overlooked. The only contestant with recent  runs under his belt is Finishing Card who won the Group 3 Barton Stakes at Caulfield in late January and is worthy of consideration.

In Sydney, one of the 2013 spring superstars,  Boban, starts his autumn campaign in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200 metres). Can he add another picket to the fence against his name?  He has to beat the smart Rain Affair who always goes well fresh. Also in the field is the Queen’s horse Carlton House who is yet to win a race in Australia, though to be fair, he’s only run in one so far. Honest mare Appearance also resumes in the Expressway, as do Speediness,  Sizzling and Pinwheel. No doubt all eyes will be on Boban in what looks to be a very interesting race.

The Promise of Spring

 
Luckygray

Though the current weather in Melbourne is anything but springlike, I am feeling a faint buzz of excitement as the build up to the spring racing carnival gathers pace.

Not much of any note has happened as yet, but the highly anticipated return of some of the autumn racing stars is mooted, so my thoughts turn to the thrill of the turf.

I am well prepared having purchased general admission seasons passes to both Moonee Valley and Flemington, so I expect I shall be attending the races more frequently than ever before. Perhaps this year I’ll go to the Derby and Melbourne Cup, as my Flemington seasons ticket covers those meetings.

Flemington this coming Saturday features the Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap (1400 metres), so I might rock along and avail myself of the seasons ticket. I also want to see how the new lens for my Panasonic micro four thirds camera performs at the races, before the serious racing begins.

The race card is not all that interesting, the Aurie’s Star Handicap being the pick of the litter with a few interesting contestants, such as former Perth star, Luckygray who is now based in Melbourne with a different trainer. He is weighted accordingly at the top and is the class horse in the race, though is yet to post a win in Melbourne. Temple of Boom won this race two years ago, but hasn’t come anywhere near winning for over a year.  Australian Guineas winner Ferlax starts his spring campaign in this and may surprise as he did when winning the aforementioned race. I rather like Keep Cool as a rough chance, but in form and fit Riziz who will probably start as favourite, could take the prize as could last start winner Falcent.

At Randwick on Saturday the classiest race of the day is the Group 3 Missile Stakes, a sprint over 1200 metres. It has attracted a small, but choice field. Hay List, after a long layoff with injury, returns to the track in this.  It’s more a case of watch and see, to gauge if he is back in business for real, rather than speculate on the likelihood of him winning the race.  Rain Affair has not won for some time, but gets an opportunity to score with a heavy track enhancing his chances. Of the rest of the field Mic Mac, who recently won his first race in a long while, and Mrs Onassis who stole the Oakleigh Plate back in February represent the next best dressed and could run a place.