Sydney Racing Carnival – Rosehill Guineas

It’s A Dundeel at Moonee Valley -  Cox Plate day October 2012

Chaos still reigns supreme on the home front with the renovations yet to be completed, so I endeavour to put a little order in my life by following the races in Sydney, which appear to be just as interesting as the Melbourne summer/autumn carnival was. They’ll even have a chance to see Black Caviar in a couple of weeks contesting the T J Smith Stakes. It is highly unlikely that we’ll see her in action again in her home state as plans to return to Royal Ascot are on the horizon, after which a mating with UK champion Frankel is being mooted, though nothing is definite other than the T J Smith.

This weekend, however, Rosehill will be hosting two fascinating Group One races – the Rosehill Guineas and the Galaxy.

The Rosehill Guineas is a race for three year olds over 2000 metres. The small, but select field includes top colt It’s A Dundeel who won the Randwick Guineas a fortnight ago. Ridden differently in the Randwick Guineas, closer to the speed than normal, and wearing blinkers for the first time, it worked like a charm. No doubt the same strategy will be applied this time. He made the mistake previously of several times leaving his run too late or letting the leader get too far ahead.  Other runners in with a chance are Hvasstan and Twisted Emotions who are both promising young stayers.

The Galaxy (1100 metres) has attracted a full field of quality sprinters. Hay List headed the weights, but he has been scratched. He returned from a long injury forced break a couple of weeks ago, but was outrun by light weighted filly Snitzerland and finished out of the placings. I’m astounded his connections still want to continue his racing career after all the injury alarms, some of them near fatal, that he has given them.

So, Snitzerland will start as favourite for the Galaxy, but it won’t be as easy this time. Super talented sprinting mare Sea Siren resumes in this race and she runs well when fresh. She’s my pick as the potential winner. I’m also interested in the wonderfully named Isabella Snowflake, a classy Melbourne filly, who has four wins from five starts. Of the male contenders, Bel Sprinter and Golden Archer look the top chances along with Unpretentious.

Also of interest is Race 8, the Ajax Stakes where the Queen’s horse Carlton House will be having his first start in Australia for Gai Waterhouse. How he’ll go against the likes of Lamasery, Havana Rey and Monton is yet to be seen. It’ll be worth watching the race just to see Carlton House’s jockey, Hugh Bowman, decked out in the Queen’s colours - Purple, Gold Braid, Scarlet Sleeves, Black Velvet Cap, Gold Fringe.

The final race on the card at Rosehill the Birthday Card Stakes   for fillies and mares over 1200 metres, is of interest to me mainly because a couple of the runners are in my black book. Grey filly Catkins, won me a goodly sum when she last raced, and I follow Emotional Circus because her name appeals to me. She’s also quite talented and has won her share of races and could start favourite in this race.

In other racing news, Cox Plate winner Ocean Park will be taking on the world at Meydan Dubai in the Dubai Duty Free. Wishing him luck, and hope he wins.

Good Friday has to be the most boring day on the calendar, so at least contemplating the form for Saturday’s races fills the time nicely.

I celebrated Good Friday with a cold Hot Cross Bun. We’re still without a kitchen, so no chance of toasting it. Still, it wasn’t too bad and quite delicious.

Happy Easter everyone and hope the Easter whoever indulges your sweet tooth. 

Update Saturday night

It’s A Dundeel was spectacular, winning the Rosehill Guineas by 6¾ lengths from Sacred Falls and Tatra. He raced at the back of the field, but, nearing the corner for home he came belting down the outside and sustained that run to the post.  It reminded me of Makybe Diva, and how she could round a field and storm home on the outside from a long way out. Have we got a new superstar? We’ll see when he competes in the Australian Derby in a few weeks.

Bel Sprinter won the Galaxy in a similar sensational fashion, storming home late at great speed and whizzing past Snitzerland who looked the winner, to score by a couple of lengths. Sea Siren was most disappointing failing to even run a place.

A Day At The Races – Cox Plate 2012

Cox Plate finish – All Too Hard leads with Ocean Park coming hard on his outside.

Yesterday dawned into a bright morning that became overcast with heavy grey clouds in the west threatening rain. But the rain held off, and even though the afternoon was cool and cloudy it stayed fine throughout.

I arrived at Moonee Valley racecourse just before the fourth race, the Telstra Phonewords Stakes, a sprint over 1200 metres. Wending my way through the bookies area, I placed a bet on Hidden Warrior and found my way to the public lawn at the top of the straight to a vacant spot on the fence to watch the race. To my delight, Hidden Warrior won from Haussmann and Chosen Moment.

 
Race 4 finish from the top of the straight. Hidden Warrior leads by several lengths.

After collecting my winnings – Hidden Warrior paid very well -  I decided to go and watch the Race 5 contenders parade, being particularly interested in It’s A Dundeel. He’s a stunning looking colt by High Chaparral and has a certain presence about him.

 
It’s A Dundeel (No 1) with Viking Star (No 2) and Super Cool (No 4) on their way to the barriers.

Unfortunately It’s A Dundeel didn’t win - his first defeat in his short career. He raced at the tail of the field for most of the race, and the winner Super Cool was too flash for him in the finish. Viking Star ran third.

 
Race 5 finish from the top of the straight – Super Cool leads, with If I Could on his outside, It’s A Dundeel is in the middle and Viking Star in fourth spot.

The next race on the cards was the Drake International Moonee Valley Cup run over 2500 metres.  Killing time before the race I checked out the contestants.

Ironstein who ran third


Vatuvei the eventual winner

The Peter Moody/Luke Nolen combination resulted in a win for Vatuvei with Reuben Percival running second and Ironstein third.

Whilst in the parade area I  checked out the stalls and came across Shoot Out and Rangirandoo in adjacent stalls.

Shoot Out


Rangirangdoo

Rangirangdoo was being kitted out for the next race on the card, the Crystal Mile. I put a small wager each way on him and Solzhenitsyn and they ran second and third respectively behind Silent Achiever.


Solzhenitsyn on his way to the barriers


Silent Achiever on her way to the barriers

By this time it was about 4.35pm and the excitement was building towards the feature race. Having been on my feet all afternoon, I thought I deserved a quiet sit down, so I went to the parade ground for a rest and waited for the Cox Plate horses to parade.

Pierro was out first long before any of the other runners made it the ring. He appears to be a very well behaved and calm young fellow, as if he’d done it all many times before.


Pierro

Proisir, another of Gai Waterhouse’s runners, was all fired up and toey.

Proisir

More Joyous, who was very unlucky in the Cox Plate, having to race wide the whole trip, was the third of Gai Waterhouse’s entrants in the Plate.


More Joyous

The winner Ocean Park…

 
Ocean Park

All Too Hard was only beaten by a neck in the Cox Plate – so near yet so far, but an excellent run on his part.


All Too Hard

I had my money on Green Moon, but he was very disappointing in his run, finishing 7th.

Green Moon

Shoot Out had to be reshod before he took his place in the parade ring, and was the last horse to emerge. He ran 5th in the Cox Plate.


Shoot Out

Southern Speed ran 6th and I finally managed to get a reasonable photo of her.


Southern Speed

Unlike last year the weather stayed fine and the sun even emerged for the running of the Cox Plate.

Where I was positioned, on the fence near the top of the straight, the Cox Plate barrier is placed for the start of the race. Thus I was able to snap a photo of the start, and the first rush down the straight.

 
Horses jostle for position in the first run down the straight – More Joyous leads in this shot, Ocean Park (red cap, purple silks) is just behind with the main bunch and Linton (grey horse) after blowing the start, is being well held. Southern Speed is on his inside and Shoot Out (red and gold stripes) is on the inside of Southern Speed.

In the end Ocean Park overtook All Too Hard to win on the line with Pierro running third several lengths behind.  And another Cox Plate had been run and won.

I had an enjoyable day at the races, and managed to avoid most of the crowds, having last year figured out that the top of the straight is the place to be. I had no trouble placing bets in the Bookies Ring or finding a spot on the fence to watch the races. I didn’t win heaps, but I didn’t lose much either, keeping my bets modest. I ended up with one win, two seconds and two thirds.

Many young females were huddling under blankets and coats, their flimsy racing costumes unsuitable for the cool weather. I didn’t notice any really outrageous costumes where I was, most people in the area being sensibly garbed.

Actually the crowd didn’t appear to be as large as last year, when Black Caviar was the added attraction. However, the running of the Manikato Stakes on the Friday night before the Cox Plate may have made a difference to the numbers. Speaking of the Manikato Stakes it was great to see the very classy Sea Siren win it in style – about the only Group One victory for the girls this spring racing season.

Crowd Scene

I didn’t stay for the final race and managed to catch the second last bus home.

It’s a great day, Cox Plate day and I hope to repeat the experience for many years to come.  Francesca Cumani explains it in detail here.