The Stars Align for The Cleaner –Moonee Valley Racing Review

The Cleaner with trainer Mick Burles poses for photos after winning the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes

If you follow astrology, it really wasn’t all that much of a surprise when Tassie cult hero The Cleaner took out the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes for a second time. We are currently under the sign of Virgo, whose attributes include a compulsion to clean up and set things in order.

The Cleaner won in fine fashion just as he did at this time last year, leading from the start to the finish and putting enough of a break on the horses in pursuit that they couldn’t catch him. He won by 1¾ lengths from Bagman with Dibayani two lengths behind running third.

All that happened later in the afternoon, but there were three interesting races before it was scheduled to run.

I arrived at Moonee Valley in time to see Race 4, the Craig Opie Cup, a race over 1600 metres and observed the runners in the parade ring before they went out to the track. The Lloyd Williams stable had two imported Irish stayers in the race and they ran the quinella, the unfancied Chance To  Dance winning narrowly over his stable mate The United States, who started as favourite.

Chance To Dance on his way to the starting gates

The United States in the parade ring

Race 4  towards the finish line – Chance to Dance leads narrowly over The United States with third place getter Abbasso (lime green silks) just behind.

In the stalls area, some of the horses I had come to see were either walking around or in their stalls…

The Cleaner

Miss Finland’s daughter Stay With Me

Sistonic

Back on the lawn, old Subzero was hanging around having a day out at the racetrack…

Dear old Subzero on the lawn

Race 5 was the Atlantic Jewel Stakes for three year old Guineas bound fillies. Of most interest among the contenders were Pasadena Girl, Stay With Me and Jameka.

 
Pasadena Girl on her way to the gates

Stay With Me on her way to the gates

Jameka on her way to the gates

Stay With Me was the popular favourite, but I fancied Pasadena Girl who was at unusually attractive odds. Stay With Me won by 1½ lengths from Pasadena Girl who stormed from the rear of the field in an eye catching run to just miss out. Jameka ran third. These three fillies were the best of the field and a natural trifecta.

Race 5 down the straight – Stay With Me leads & Pasadena Girl is just in the picture on the outside two lengths behind on the outside.

Stay With Me returns to scale after winning the Atlantic Jewel Stakes

Fell Swoop, the winner of Race 6 was also nominated for a race in Sydney, but his connections opted to run him at Moonee Valley. They made the right choice, for he was a dominant winner of the Listed Cup Club Stakes. He seems to have come from nowhere to be a force to be reckoned with, having 7 wins for 9 starts on his CV.

Fell Swoop on his way to the barriers

He defeated Beach Front by 1½ lengths with Griante running third.

Fell Swoop leads comfortably down the straight

And so we come to the feature race…

Here are some of the main contestants in the parade ring and on their way to the barriers

Bagman

Mourinho

Foreteller

Contributer

The Cleaner

Contributer was the hot favourite, but failed to make any headway in the straight, given every chance. Perhaps he doesn’t take to Moonee Valley. Mourinho seems to have attracted the PB Lawrence Stakes curse, which indicates that the winner of the aforementioned race will not win again in the season.

The Cleaner is several lengths ahead of the rest of the field  heading to the finishing post.

The Cleaner poses for photos with his owners after the race

The next race was as keenly anticipated as the Dato Tan, owing to the resumption of star sprinter Chautauqua contesting it. Another Group 2 competition, the Mitty’s McEwen Stakes is run over 1000 metres and is a speed test, generally run at rattling pace.

Sistonic and I’m All The Talk fought out the lead through most of the race and both finished at the tail of the field. Chautauqua was well back and came wide just past the turn into the straight, sailing past Furnaces who had snatched the lead with Flamberge going with him. It was a sensational win by Chautauqua and a natural trifecta between the first three home. Flamberge finished second and Furnaces hung on for third.

Chautauqua charges for home down the straight

Chautauqua in the winners rug posing for the photographers

The weather was an improvement on last week, and considerably warmer, so it was a pleasure to be outdoors in the muted sunshine, and the racing had that spring fever edge which only comes with talented horses pitted against other talented horses.

Next week the racing action is at Flemington featuring the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes. Looking at the nominations it appears to be a fascinating race with several more classy horses starting their spring campaign - Fawkner, Alpine Eagle, Mongolian Khan along with Boban and the usual suspects.

Also Petits Filous is nominated for the Listed Cap D’Antibes Stakes and we’ll all be hoping that she can win it.

Spring Racing - Moonee Valley

Contributer – Emirates Stakes Day - 2014

Tempus fugit! It seems hardly any time since last year’s Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes Stakes race meeting, yet the racing hiatus over winter seemed to drag on and on.

The vagaries of time notwithstanding, I’m looking forward to returning to Moonee Valley next Saturday for an afternoon of quality racing action.

The feature race is the aforementioned Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes Stakes a Group 2 event over 1600 metres. It has a much classier field than was presented at last year’s event and includes such quality gallopers as Contributer who won the Group 2 Apollo Stakes, the Group 1 Chipping Norton and Ranvet Stakes in successive starts in the autumn, and was raging favourite for the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, before being a late scratching. He is the hot favourite for the Dato Tan and will be hard to beat.

The Cleaner won the Dato Tan last year, beating Mourinho and Foreteller, and these three are again in the field. Also worthy of consideration is Dibayani who looked good finishing third behind Mourinho and The Cleaner in the P B Lawrence Stakes recently, and Bagman who won at Moonee Valley at his last start.

A number of notable racehorses are resuming this week and the most keenly anticipated is that of Chautauqua in the McEwen Stakes, a Group 2 sprint over 1000 metres. Also in the field is Black Caviar’s three quarter sister Sistonic who started off her racing career in a promising fashion winning her first two starts, before failing in her consequent two.  She appears to have been thrown in at the deep end for her first start after a long break, but it will be interesting to see how she fares on Saturday.

Last year, the McEwen Stakes was won by Angelic Light from Lankan Rupee, who was the firm favourite. The Hawkes team reckon Chautauqua is vulnerable over 1000 metres and has also drawn a wide barrier.  He is the class horse in the field, but others with claims are the three year old Furnaces, Goodwood Stakes winner Flamberge and the Group 1 placed Kuro.

I intend arriving at Moonee Valley in plenty of time to watch race 5, the Listed  Atlantic Jewel Stakes for three year old fillies over 1200 metres. Some of the classy fillies resuming in this race are Group 1 winner Pasadena Girl, Jameka, Don’t Doubt Marley and Stay With Me, a daughter of former star filly Miss Finland. 

The weather tomorrow is expected to be dry and overcast, but hopefully the sun will peep through every so often. Some rain fell on Melbourne earlier in the week, but there’s been none since, so the track should be good for racing.

There are several interesting Group 2 races at Randwick tomorrow which I’ll try to watch at Moonee Valley, but I’m can’t be bothered analysing them here.

Back in September 2014 a royally bred colt, Divan, had his first few starts then disappeared from the scene after failing in his third through some sort of injury. I had been wondering when he would  return to racing and was pleased to notice that he has been entered in a lowly race in Ballarat on Sunday. He is a lovely looking horse, the son of champion New Zealand mare Seachange by Zabeel.

Divan at Flemington – Makybe Diva Stakes Day 2014

Anyway I’m keen to see how he performs first up after a year’s absence.

A Harbinger of Spring–Racing at Moonee Valley

Tawteen kicks off her Spring at Moonee Valley tomorrow.

Though you wouldn’t know by the weather, Spring is just round the corner and it means that a new season of first class horse racing is impending.

Tomorrow is the birthday of southern hemisphere racehorses, and a quite interesting race meeting is scheduled at Moonee Valley to mark the occasion.

Having renewed my Moonee Valley Season pass, I have a hankering to return trackside to take in some racing action. The weather will most likely be awful, but I don’t intend to spend all afternoon there.

The most fascinating race on the card in fact is Race 1, the United Refrigeration Handicap for three year old fillies over 1000 metres.

I’m keen to get a glimpse of Petits Filous who won her first race at the Valley a fortnight ago on a heavy track by 6 lengths.  Shades of Black Caviar you’d think, but it’s really too soon to tell how good she really is. Tomorrow will give us some insight no doubt. She’s up against some other class fillies in The Big Dance and Haybah, the former winning her first race at Bendigo by a good margin, and the latter already with a Group 3 win under her belt. Stream Ahead also looks a chance having, like The Big Dance, won her debut race at Bendigo by 2 lengths.

Tawteen, who I have been following kicks off her spring campaign in Race 6, the Ranvet Handicap (1200 metres). She goes well fresh and has won at Moonee Valley several times so should be in the finish.

Speaking of classy fillies I’m looking to the return of Fontiton and Sistonic, who looked very promising early in the  autumn, but sustained injuries which ruled them out for the rest of the season. They’re not running tomorrow, but should appear in the near future.

Many of last spring and autumn stars are now retired to stud, so one is left scratching around for class acts to follow. Lankan Rupee will be back on the scene later in the spring, and his great rivals Chautauqua and Terravista  are also expected to return.  Also I’m really keen to see how Western Australian filly (now mare) Delicacy goes this spring. She has the rare distinction of winning two Derbies (WA & SA) and two Oaks (WA & SA) in the same season. Unfortunately she won’t be racing in Melbourne, but will be kept to her home state.

Other horses  I plan on following for the Spring are Alpine Eagle, Rich Enuff, Vancouver, Pride of Dubai, First Seal, Cosmic Endeavour, Mongolian Khan and Volkstok’n’barrell, along with old faves like The Cleaner, Catkins, Fawkner and Lucia Valentina. No doubt others will catch my fancy as the season progresses.

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.

The Sparkle of Diamonds–Group 1 Racing at Caulfield

Blue Diamond favourite Fontiton in the mounting yard at Caulfield 14 February 2015

Caulfield Racecourse hosts the Blue Diamond Stakes meeting this Saturday with three Group 1 races on the program, the feature being the Blue Diamond Stakes.

I’ve attended Blue Diamond Stakes Day for the last three years and have no intention of missing this one. It’s always a great day of racing, even though the feature race is the second last on the card.

As it will be a long day, and forecast to be hot, I don’t want to get to Caulfield too early, despite the first two races being quite interesting and at Group 3 level, so aim to arrive in time for Race 3 – the Angus Armanesco Stakes – which is scheduled for 2.40pm.

It’s a Group 2 race for three year old fillies run over 1400 metres.  An attractive field has been assembled that includes the classy local fillies Fontein Ruby, Sabatini and Marple Miss, a visitor from Sydney with excellent form. I’m hoping Fontein Ruby, second up, can win this.  She ran a close third to Sabatini in the Kevin Hayes Stakes a fortnight ago, so could easily turn the tables on her in this race.

Race 4, the Caulfield Autumn Classic is also a Group 2 event run over 1800 metres and is for three year olds of either sex.  The field does not look all that inspiring, but youngsters like Moonovermanhattan, Magicool, Firehouse Rock  and Hong Kong Captain have a good chance to add a black type race win to their records.

The first of the Group 1 races is the Futurity Stakes and programmed as race 5. Run over 1400 metres it is a standard weight for age competition. Dissident is the obvious class horse in the field, so I doubt if any other horse in the field can beat him.  In fact it’s a pretty second rate field, excluding Dissident, with old troupers Smokin’ Joey and Mister Milton making up the number. Entirely Platinum who ran second to Dissident in the Orr Stakes, along with mares Driefontein and Suavito  seem the only other chances.

2014 Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist is the attraction in the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes, though the distance (1800 metres) may be too short for him. Even so,  Fiorente the 2013 Melbourne Cup winner won it last year, so it’s not beyond the bounds of possibility that Protectionist can take the prize this year. The other main contenders are the consistent Happy Trails, in form Jacquinot Bay, and fellow import, Au Revoir, who stayed on after the Cup and won the Zipping Classic.  Real Love the WA mare was disappointing in the Orr Stakes, but on her day is pretty smart in distance races, so I’ll be interested to see how she runs on Saturday.

In contrast to the small field of the Futurity Stakes, the second Group 1 race, the Oakleigh Plate, has a full field of 18 runners.  Last year’s  Blue Diamond Stakes winner Earthquake is one of them and with her light weight advantage could win her first race in open company. The race is run over 1100 metres, so it’s designed for speed. Other contenders with claims are Bel Sprinter who goes really well first up, Flamberge who ran a close second to Chautauqua at his last start in the Rubiton Stakes, Atmospherical who ran third on that occasion, speedy mares Shamal Wind and Vain Queen, and Lord of the Sky who recently won a barrier trial by 8 lengths, but in whom I’ve completely lost faith. He may prove me wrong on Saturday, but I’ll be barracking for Earthquake.

Anything can happen in the Blue Diamond Stakes, but over the last four years it has been won by the favourite – Earthquake (2014),  Miracles of Life (2013) Samaready (2012) & Sepoy (2011).

The hot favourite this year, and top pick on form, is Fontiton who has won the fillies Blue Diamond Preview and Prelude and can’t be faulted. She has drawn Barrier 1, either a blessing or a curse. Last year Earthquake won from Barrier 15, but Miracles of Light won from Barrier 1 the year before, thanks to clever rides by their respective jockeys. 

Fontiton’s main opposition comes from stable mate Thurlow and the colts Of The Brave, Pride of Dubai and Stoker.

On Friday night at Moonee Valley exciting filly Sistonic is racing in the Group 3 Typhoon Tracy Stakes against a field of fellow three year old fillies.  I’d love to to be there to watch her, but as the race is run at 9.15 pm it’s out of the question with the big race day at Caulfield being the more attractive proposition. However, I’ll certainly watch it online on Friday night.

Warwick Farm in Sydney hosts the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600 metres) and its field leaves the Futurity Stakes field for dead with the likes of Boban, Silent Achiever, Lucia Valentina, Contributor, Hawkspur, He’s Your Man and nine others, including Fiveandahalfstar having his second start after a long break.

Contributor who won the Apollo Stakes a fortnight ago is the hot favourite to take this race out. Chris Waller trained horses have won the  Chipping Norton for the last four years. He has 8 runners this year of whom Boban (won last year), He’s Your Man and Weary are his nominated  top chances.  Lucia Valentina has a history of being flat second up and firing third up, and as this is her second start for the autumn. Silent Achiever was a star of the Sydney autumn last year winning both the Ranvet Stakes and The BMW. She ran fifth in the Apollo Stakes, which was a bit short for her, so she could very well win or run a place.

Counting this weekend, there are only three major race meetings   remaining for the Autumn Carnival in Melbourne, so I’m making the most of it while I can.

However, the annual concert season is almost upon us, and so far have tickets for three shows, the first being renowned British singer songwriter Richard Thompson next Wednesday at the Melbourne Recital Centre.

A Family Affair at Moonee Valley

Sistonic in her stall at Moonee Valley on 30 January 2015

On the 15th January this year, a three quarter sister to Black Caviar had her first start in a lowly race at Sale. Her name is Sistonic and she is by Bel Esprit from Danavia who is the sister of Helsinge, Black Caviar’s dam.

Sistonic won that race by 4½ lengths from Blocker Dee with apparent ease. Blocker Dee franked that form by winning his next start by the same margin.

So there was quite a flurry of interest in Sistonic  having her second start in a city race. Naturally I was curious, as I’d watched the footage of her Sale race and thought her win impressive, so I went along to the Moonee Valley race meeting on Friday evening ostensibly to see her in action.

I arrived early so I could get to see her close up in her stall. As an added bonus in the stall adjacent to Sistonic was Tawteen who I was also interested in watching in the 955 metre 55 second challenge.  She’s a lovely dark brown, almost black, filly with a white diamond on her forehead.

Tawteen in her stall

A couple of stalls up from the two fillies was Hay One, the full brother to Black Caviar’s great rival Hay List. He’s a very big young horse, like his brother, but is yet to win or even place in a race from five starts.

Hay One saddled up for the McMahon’s Dairy Plate, the second race on the program.

I watched race 2 from the fence. It was won by the favourite Miniver from Avalon Downs and Any Glory. Hay One finished second last.

Miniver on her way to the barriers before winning the McMahon’s Dairy Plate.

The next race, the Reg Delaney Memorial Handicap was the one I had come to see with Sistonic starting short priced favourite.  Run over 1200 metres Sistonic was up against seven fellow three year old fillies. She breezed to a win after leading the charge from start to finish. She won by ¾ length from Distraught with Zambezi Diamond running third.  It doesn’t sound like much of a margin, but she was eased approaching line and still made it look effortless. Her jockey was admonished after the race for pulling her up too soon, because if let run at her high cruising speed she would have won by a couple of lengths.

Race 3 finish down the straight – Sistonic leads comfortably

It was all very reminiscent of Black Caviar’s early races, so it will be exciting watching her from now on.

Sistonic returns to scale after winning the Reg Delaney Memorial Handicap

She is a big strapping filly like her big sister and has a calm temperament by all accounts. She certainly looked calm and collected in the parade ring before the race as if she’d been going to the races for years.

As you can see it was still daylight during the first three or four races, but the shadow cast by grandstand over the track made it difficult to get clear photos.

Race 4 was the Jeep 55 Second Challenge run over 955 metres. The 55 second challenge is a series of 16 pure speed races run at the Moonee Valley night meetings over summer, the object being to break the 55 second mark over the distance.  The trainer of the horse that runs closest to the 55 second mark over the season wins a jeep. Last Friday night Moonee Valley were offering half priced schooners if the winner completed the race under 56 seconds. The current fastest time is 55.08 held by Beach Front who was one of the field last Friday.

Tawteen started as warm favourite, kicking off her autumn season in the race.

It certainly was a speedy race and Tawteen, flashing from the barriers, led from start to finish, winning by a length from Settler’s Road with Beach Front running third. Tawteen’s time was 55.76, so the patrons could at least enjoy cheap schooners, though Tawteen’s trainer David Hayes was out of luck as far as the jeep was concerned.

Tawteen flashes down the straight with Beach Front in hot pursuit.

Tawteen returns to scale after winning the Jeep 55 Second Challenge.

I called it quits after that race and made my way to the bus stop to await the last bus home, pleased to have been present to witness a possible future star of the turf in action. Whatever,  I’m hanging on to the race book in case Sistonic matches the achievements of her big sister,  in which case it will be worth a lot of money in the future. Black Caviar’s early race books sell for a goodly amount on Ebay.