A Gloomy Day with a Sparkle of Diamonds

Written By returns to scale after winning the Blue Diamond

When I set out for Caulfield on Saturday the weather was warm and humid, but with a cool change sweeping in during the journey, a brisk chill greeted me as I stepped into the course. It was also raining slightly, and did so on and off throughout the afternoon, though fortunately didn’t bucket down.

So I was underdressed, but resigned myself to enduring the chill for the remainder of the afternoon.

It was challenging light for taking photos the heavy cloud cover barely lifting at any time, so I’m grateful that the nifty plugin filter Perfect Exposure did its job of enhancing the light in the photos that came out too dark.

I spent most of the afternoon out the back in the stalls area, which I had pretty much to myself and was pleased to discover that the Young Members were not accommodated on the hill as I had feared.

Loitering through the stalls area, I didn’t bother watching Race 3, but caught Race 4, the Group 2 Angus Armanasco Stakes, for three year old fillies run over 1400 metres.

I can’t say I’ve ever heard of the winner Summer Sham but she romped in to win by half a length from Palazzo Vecchio  with Miss Wahoo running third.

Summer Sham wins the Angus Amanasco Stakes

Summer Sham on her way to the barriers

Race 5 was the Group 3 Mannerism Stakes for mares also run over 1400 metres. Silent Sedition, who won the Mannerism last year, started as second favourite and didn’t disappoint, leading from start to finish to win by over two lengths.  Samovare finished second and Montoya’s Secret ran third.

Silent Sedition is still well ahead after the turn

Silent Sedition returns to scale

The first of the Group 1 races was up next, the Futurity Stakes.  It resulted in a Darren Weir trained Japanese bred quinella with  Brave Smash beating stablemate Tosen Stardom, with three year old  Showtime running third.

Just past the post in the Futurity Stakes

Brave Smash returns to scale

Tosen Stardom returns to scale

Showtime returns to scale

Having witnessed most of the build up races, I still had no idea of who the winner of the Blue Diamond Stakes would be, but I’m pleased that four of the nine horses I mentioned in my preview post finished in the first four, with Written By proving the star of the show, winning the Blue Diamond Stakes by a good two and half lengths from Enhibaar and Oohood. Prairie Fire finished fourth.

I watched the pre-parade before the field headed to the mounting yard. 

Here are the main contenders…

Written By

Enhibaar

Oohood

Prairie Fire

Ennis Hill

Kinky Boom

Lady Horseowner

Plague Stone

Long Leaf

Written By was the starting favourite and gave his rider, the young Jordan Childs, his first Group 1 win. Jordan is the son of Greg Childs, famous for his association with Champion New Zealand mare Sunline.

Blue Diamond Stakes just past the post – Written By still leads

In the final Group 1 of the day I was interested in getting some photographs of Golden Slipper winner She Will Reign, having not seen her in the flesh before. A fair crowd of interested racegoers were gathered around her stall most of the latter part of the afternoon, but my best photos were of her parading in the ring before the Oakleigh Plate. Despite the fact that it had started to rain, my photos actually turned out alright, though are slightly noisy and misty due to the fine rain falling at the time.

She Will Reign

She Will Reign head shot

The other runner I was keen to see was Russian Revolution who is rarely spotted on a racecourse. He paraded last and spent some time in the pre-parade ring when the others had all departed for the mounting yard.

Russian Revolution in the pre-parade ring

The Oakleigh Plate was the final Group 1 race of the day. A field of 18 runners dashed down the straight with Russian Revolution winning by a neck from race leader Snitty Kitty with Hellbent a close up third.

Oakleigh Plate finish – Russian Revolution & Snitty Kitty side by side on the fence

Russian Revolution returns to scale

Snitty Kitty in the pre-parade ring

Hellbent returns to scale

She Will Reign was never in the picture, racing at the tail of the field with no hope of catching the leaders.

She Will Reign returns to scale with Sword of Light

After the Oakleigh Plate I headed home and welcomed the chance to get warm on the train, after enduring  overly cool air for three hours.

There are only two Saturday Group 1 race meetings in Melbourne to go, before we bid farewell to another Autumn carnival. Both meetings are at Flemington.

Next Saturday features the Australian Guineas in Melbourne, and in Sydney at Randwick Winx will be starting her autumn season in the Chipping Norton Stakes and gunning for her 23rd consecutive win. 

A Multifaceted Blue Diamond

Long Leaf – current favourite for the Blue Diamond Stakes

The Blue Diamond Stakes is the feature race next Saturday at Caufield and it has to be one of the most open competitions for years, with no real standout colts or fillies. Even Long Leaf, the current favourite is $7.00 on the tote and several others share second favouritism, priced between $8.00 and $10.00.

As usual a full field of sixteen will be competing for the prize and most of the them have (on form) the ability to win the 1200 metre dash. 

Of the colts, Long Leaf, Written By, Prairie Fire and Plague Stone have all been prominent in the build up races, as have fillies Enbihaar, Kinky Boom, Lady Horseowner, Ennis Hill and Oohood.

As Saturday afternoon is forecast to be showery,  this could favour those runners who appreciate a bit of give in the ground.

Whatever the outcome, it looks a doozy of a race.

There are two other Group 1 events at Caulfield on Saturday – Futurity Stakes and Oakleigh Plate, which have both attracted excellent fields, the Oakleigh Plate in particular.

The Futurity Stakes  run over 1400 metres is the first of the Group 1 events to run and the field of  11 contestants is similar to the Orr Stakes; in fact eight of the runners contested the Orr Stakes. Black Heart Bart won the Futurity Stakes last year, but he is out of action for autumn.  2018 Orr Stakes winner, Hartnell  is not in the field, though will be running later in the afternoon in the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes. Fresh starters include Humidor and Sovereign Nation.  Top chances are Tosen Stardom, Brave Smash and the three year olds Mighty Boss and Showtime.

A huge field of 18 runners has accepted for the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate, a sprint run over 1100 metres.  The sensational field includes 2017 Golden Slipper/Moir Stakes winner She Will Reign, 2017 Blue Diamond winner Catchy, Sheidel, last year’s Oakleigh Plate winner,  and  Group 1 winner Russian Revolution who is three wins from three first up.

As the Group 1 races are scheduled as races 6,7 and 8, I can take my time getting to Caulfield and shan’t mind the delays in public transport caused by railway track updates.

Rosehill in Sydney has three interesting Group 2 races  - the Silver Slipper Stakes  for Golden Slipper bound two year olds, which stars Magic Millions winner Sunlight, the Millie Fox Stakes for mares with Chris Waller stars Egg Tart and Foxplay kicking off their autumn campaigns, and the Hobartville Stakes for Guineas and Derby bound three year olds run over 1400 metres, which has a terrific field that includes Trapeze Artist, Ace High, Pierata  and Kementari.

Anyway I’m looking forward to seeing the action at Caulfield even though I suspect that my favourite spot on the hill above the stalls will be reserved for Young Members.

What Might Have Been–Caulfield Guineas Day Review

Caulfield Guineas finish – 100/1 shot Mighty Boss wins the bikkies

The weather couldn’t have been better for Saturday’s bumper day of racing at Caulfield, but it wasn’t a day for favourites or my particular fancies.

All the feature Group 1 events resulted in long shot winners, but none more astounding than the win of Mighty Boss in the Caulfield Guineas. Being the emergency runner, he only made it into the field after Summer Passage was scratched. 

I took my time getting to Caulfield, public transport ensuring that my journey thence was unhurried and I arrived in time for Race 4, the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes, a race for stayers over 2400 metres. Imported stayer, Lord Fandango, who since arriving in Australia has only raced on country tracks, winning the Benalla Cup at his last start, demonstrated that he could play on the big stage by impressively winning the Herbert Power by a length from Wall Of Fire and Gallic Chieftan. His winning odds were 12/1.

Lord Fandango returns to scale

Before and after the Herbert Power Stakes I cruised through the stalls to see who had arrived. 

Bonneval

Jon Snow

Catchy smiling for the cameras

Egg Tart

Omei Sword

Race 5 was the Listed Weekend Hussler Stakes, a race over 1400 metres. Fast ‘N’ Rocking, who seems to have been around forever, and had not won a race for 2 years, came in at big odds (10/1), narrowly defeating Religify with Dibayani running third.

Just past the post in the Weekend Hussler Stakes

Fast ‘N’ Rocking on his way to the starting gates

Religify on his way to the barriers

Dibayani on his way to the barriers

The first of the Group 1 events, the Thousand Guineas was next to run, and you guessed it, first and second favourites Alizee and Shoals were upstaged by the unfancied Aloisia who beat Shoals by a 1¼ lengths with Alizee running third another length behind.

Luke Nolen celebrates Aloisia’s victory in the Thousand Guineas

Aloisia on her way to the barriers

Shoals returns to scale

Alizee returns to scale

The inside rail was thankfully in its true position, which made it much easier to get good rail free photos, and the light was excellent where I was standing as usual on the hill above the stalls. In between the Thousand Guineas and the Caulfield Stakes I managed to get New Zealand trainer, Murray Baker’s signature against Bonneval’s name in three racebooks (ATC Oaks, Dato Tan & Underwood Stakes), though didn’t want to jinx her on the Guineas Day’s racebook.

Bonneval started as favourite for the Caulfield Stakes, but was obliged to start from the widest barrier which rather limited her chances of racing up with the leaders and her jockey Damian Lane appeared to make little effort to get her closer. She raced at the back of the field for most of the race, then was blocked for run by a wall of horses when it counted, so did well to run sixth. Her stablemate Jon Snow fared better racing on the speed, finishing third. Gailo Chop who led for most of the race held off a fast finishing Johannes Vermeer to win by a neck.

Hartnell who was second favourite seems to have been cursed with P B Lawrence Stakes winner’s hoodoo as he has been beaten ever since he won that race back in August. He finished 9th.

Just past the post in the Caulfield Stakes – Gailo Chop leads

Gailo Chop returns to scale

Johannes Vermeer returns to scale

Jon Snow on his way to the barriers

Bonneval on her way to the barriers

Hartnell returns to scale

As previously mentioned the Caulfield Guineas result was a boilover, with Mighty Boss, who had only a lowly win at Sale to his credit, winning $1,200,000 at his sixth start.

An unusual looking chestnut colt with blonde mane and tail he paid over $100 for the win.  Kementari finished second with sole filly Catchy running third. Royal Symphony had a torrid run and ended up running forth. His next race is the Cox Plate against Winx (!!)

Mighty Boss on his way to the barriers

Kementari on his way to the barriers

Catchy returns to scale

Royal Symphony on his way to the barriers

It was getting on to late afternoon by the time the final Group 1, the Toorak Handicap was set to run.

Egg Tart was the starting favourite, but as was the rule for the day, she finished out of the placings. Tosen Stardom the Japanese import, who since his arrival in Australia last year has not won a race, finally had his moment of glory in his new home, and a Group 1 at that, winning the Toorak Handicap by a length from Sovereign Nation with Petrology a further length behind running third.

Toorak Handicap finish – another jockey (Damien Lane) shouting for joy

Tosen Stardom on his way to the barriers

Sovereign Nation returns to scale

Petrology on his way to the barriers

Egg Tart on her way to the barriers

I watched The Everest, which was run before the Caulfield Guineas, on the big screen and duly noted that Redzel won, and that Chautauqua, due to a confused ride by his jockey finished out of a place in fourth. Vega Magic ran second with Brave Smash scoring third place.  She Will Reign finished second last, outclassed by the more seasoned sprinters.

Even though there was one more race to go, the Group 2 Schillaci Stakes with *Lankan Rupee back on the track after a longish layoff, I headed off after the Toorak Handicap, catching an express train at Caulfield and a nicely coinciding connecting train at Parliament, then the bus, and managed to get home in 1¼ hours. 

Next Saturday is the Caulfield Cup meeting which looks to have a decent support card as well, so I’ll be back at Caulfield again and hope the stars smile this time on my fancied runners.

* Lankan Rupee failed to run a place in the Scillaci Stakes and has been retired. A beautiful bay gelding with a distinctive heart on his forehead, he was the top sprinter and Australian Horse Of The Year for 2013/2014 and will be missed, though I’m glad his connections have finally ended his racing career.

Lankan Rupee – Flemington 8 March 2014