Super Saturday – Melbourne Racing Autumn Carnival Finale

Fiorente contests the Group 1 Australian Cup this weekend

It’s not really the finale of Group 1 racing in Melbourne, as the Group 1 William Reid Stakes will be run on 21 March, but Flemington’s autumn carnival of racing culminates on Saturday.

Three Group 1 races are on the cards this weekend, two at Flemington and one at Warwick Farm in Sydney.  The Australian Cup and the Newmarket Handicap feature in Melbourne, and both have attracted really top notch fields and mouth watering competitions between the top runners.

In the Newmarket Handicap, a sprint over 1200 metres, we have class sprinters like Moment of Change, Samaready,  Shamexpress Lankan Rupee and Knoydart, so how do you choose between them? I’d really like Samaready to win and she does have a good chance to do so at her favoured distance of 1200 metres. Can Moment of Change keep his Group 1 winning streak intact? And who can beat Lankan Rupee, currently in top form and the winner of his last four starts. Shamexpress won the Newmarket last year as a three year old, but carries considerably more weight this year. He ran a close second to Snitzerland in the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes at his last outing and she is not running on this occasion.

The Australian Cup has the very classy Fiorente, who won the Peter Young Stakes first up a fortnight ago, up against new gun Shamus Award, who proved his class last week in the Australian Guineas.  Shamus Award has a weight advantage (54.5kg vs 59kg) and if he can assume and maintain the lead will be very hard to catch. He defeated Fiorente in the Cox Plate last year, doing just that. I doubt that he will be able to get away with it on Saturday, the other jockeys now being aware of his winning tactics.  However, fellow three year old Thunder Fantasy also backing up in this, could be a good chance also, not being all that far away in his last few races. Last year, three year olds Fiveandahalfstar and Super Cool fought out the finish with Super Cool  proving the victor on that occasion

One runner that interests me is Voleuse de Coeurs, the Irish mare who came over here for the Melbourne Cup and was bought by Australian interests to continue racing here. She won the Irish St Leger by 6 lengths, a month or so before she arrived on these shores. She’s obviously an excellent staying mare, so I’m really keen to see how she goes in the Australian Cup. As it’s run over 2000 metres, it might be a bit short for her as her wins have all been over 2600 metres.

The support card at Flemington boasts three Group 2, and two Group 3 races as well as the features, so it’s quality racing all round, though I’m not going to preview any of them here. And as mentioned previously, Living Legends Efficient and Zipping will be parading throughout the afternoon.

In Sydney at Warwick Farm, It’s A Dundeel will be kicking off his autumn campaign in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes, a race over 1600 metres.  A small field of  8 runners will be competing for the prize, and include Boban who has been a tad disappointing so far this season, his stable mates Hawkspur and Moriarty and Gai Waterhouse trained three year old Order of the Sun. I’ll be cheering for the super little stallion It’s A Dundeel.

The support card at Warwick Farm is just as good, if not better than that in Melbourne, though it seems the races will be run on a slow to heavy track, after a big storm passed through Sydney the other day and showers are expected to continue into the weekend. 

The Group 3 Wiggle Stakes is one race I will endeavour to watch from Flemington.  It has my favourite mare Catkins up against Dear Demi who is resuming after a break. Catkins can handle heavy tracks and already has one win under her belt since resuming. Dear Demi  has won on heavy going, but she has never won first up.  Others in with a chance are Miss Stellabelle, Fire Up Fifi and She’s Clean

Melbourne weather continues fine, so the track at Flemington will be good.

As this is the last race meeting I will be attending for a while, I’ll try and vary my blog posts a little from now on. It’s Music Festival season, and even if I am not attending either the Port Fairy or Brunswick Music Festivals, I do have some live musical treats coming my way.

Next Wednesday I’m really looking forward to seeing Americana artist Pokey LaFarge who plays my kind of music – country blues, western swing – in his own unique style. He’s on at The Corner Hotel.

And at the end of March I have a ticket to the Rolling Stones at Rod Laver Arena. I last saw the Stones back in 1995 at the MCG on their Voodoo Lounge tour. The Rolling Stones have always been my favourite rock ‘n roll band, and even if they are somewhat elderly these days, I’m sure they’ll still pack a punch. I have a pretty good seat in the lower tier and hope to get photos of Mick & Keef et al in action.

In April I’m off to see Tift Merritt and Jason Isbell at the Northcote Social Club. Should be a great show. I’ve seen Jason Isbell twice before, but this is Tift Merritt’s first Australian tour.

Snitzerland the Brave – Black Caviar Lightning Review

Snitzerland returns to scale after winning the Black Caviar Lightning

What a contrast it was weatherwise between Caulfield last week and Flemington yesterday.  As you can see by the photo above it got pretty soggy when the feature race was running. A heavy shower of rain passed through as the runners were parading in the mounting yard and it continued to drizzle during the race.

Earlier in the afternoon when I arrived at the track it was overcast and quite humid and sticky, but it cooled off as the afternoon progressed.

I reached Flemington just as Race 3 the Indian Summer Handicap was about to jump.  The Peter Moody trained mare Sino Eagle was the victor.

 
Sino Eagle returns to scale after winning the Indian Summer Handicap

The races I was most interested in were later in the afternoon, so I plodded up the lawn to the Stalls area.  There I spotted Samaready in her stall.

  
Samaready in her stall

Also cruising around was the Living Legends representative for the day, Silent Witness. Apache Cat didn’t make it as he was suffering from a sore hock. However, Silent Witness was a worthy replacement. He was to Hong Kong racing what Black Caviar was to Australian racing – he won his first seventeen races and was named the world’s fastest sprinter from 2003 to 2005.

He paraded around most of the afternoon and led out the Black Caviar Lightning field. I got to see him close up and even gave him a pat.

 
Silent Witness mingling with the public.

Back on the lawn, marching down the Black Caviar Walk of Fame (which had been resurrected for the afternoon) was a three piece band, the musicians wearing Black Caviar ties and caps.

 
Band on the lawn – Makybe Diva statue in the background.

Race 4 was the Lawn Handicap, a sprint over 1200 metres. It was won by the Mick Price trained Mandla from Tackleberry and Tigerland.

Mandla returns to scale after winning the Lawn Handicap

The first of the Group races was the Group 3 Mitty’s Vanity for three year old fillies.  Solicit started as favourite and she won by over 2 lengths from Critical Angel. I had my money on Girl In Flight who ran third.

I watched the girls parade in the mounting yard before the race.

Scratchy Bottom


Critical Angel


Spirit of Heaven

Solicit

 
Girl In Flight

Solicit returns to scale after winning the Mitty’s Vanity

As you can see from the photos, the light, up to this time, was wonderful for taking good shots. A light shower passed through shortly before the the sixth race on cards.

The Group 2 CS Hayes Stakes was one of the feature races and had attracted a good field of colts and geldings. Unfortunately Polankski was scratched again, no doubt still suffering from a skin infection.  The favourite was Hucklebuck and he didn’t disappoint his supporters, winning comfortably from Prince Harada, who thankfully ran a much better race this time. The Quarterback ran third.

Hucklebuck is a most attractive young horse, the stand out in the mounting yard.

 
Hucklebuck in the mounting yard

Prince Harada on his way to the track

The Quarterback looking fierce

San Diego in the mounting yard

Hucklebuck returns to scale after winning the CS Hayes Stakes

My wagering for the afternoon was very modest. I only had three bets, one of which was for Catkins in the Breeders Classic in Sydney. I watched the race on a small screen in the Bookies area, and cheered her home for a gritty win over Steps In Time. White Sage managed to finish third.

Bookies ring at Flemington Racecourse

Placing a bet on Samaready in the feature race, I eventually made it back to the lawn and mounting yard. The rain had set in so the crowds were thin on the ground around the yard. I got somewhat damp, but as I’d made the mistake of sitting on the grass earlier in the afternoon, and got a wet behind, it hardly mattered. I was surprised that my photographs turned out alright despite the rain.

African Pulse


Shamexpress


Bernabeu

Samaready

 
Boomwaa

Being very much torn between backing Snitzerland and Samaready I was not in the least surprised that Snitzerland took out the 2014  Black Caviar Lightning – her first Group 1 win.  In fact the trifecta comprised the top three runners in the race – Snitzerland, Shamexpress and Samaready who finished in that order. The two and three year olds were never in the picture.

 
Snitzerland being rugged after winning the Black Caviar Lightning

There wasn’t that much of a turn out for this year’s running of the Lightning Stakes as compared to the last two or three years. Black Caviar certainly drew the crowds, as the wide open spaces of Flemington racecourse were sparsely populated yesterday.

It took hours to get home as the trains were disrupted by signal failures at various stations. At least, by the time I got home my clothes had dried out completely.

Next Saturday the racing action returns to Caulfield, where the Blue Diamond Stakes features along with Group 1 action in the Futurity Stakes and Oakleigh Plate. Fiorente is expected to contest the Futurity, so I’m looking forward to seeing him again.

Black Caviar Lightning 2014 Edition

Black Caviar saunters to the track before winning her third Lightning Stakes in February 2013

More racing excitement is on the way this weekend with Flemington Racecourse hosting the Group One Black Caviar Lightning and several other interesting events.

The Black Caviar Lightning, formerly known as the Lightning Stakes, was renamed last year to honour the great mare. She is sorely missed from the racetrack, but at least the 2014 field won’t have to contend with her and her great rival Hay List, nor current sprinting star Buffering. So it’s wide open, with a slightly crazy list of acceptances, that includes a pair of two year olds (Boomwaa & Bugatty), a trio of three year olds (Thermal Current, Bernabeu & Brilliant Bisc) and sundry older sprinters, chief among them brilliant mares Snitzerland and Samaready.  Most of the field are first up after a spell, so it’s anybody’s guess who will win, but I fancy the two mares and can’t decide which one has the better chance.

The other really interesting race on the cards is the Group Three
CS Hayes Stakes for three year old colts and geldings run over 1400 metres. Polanski, if he has recovered from the skin rash that caused his scratching last week, will finally start his autumn campaign.  His main opposition comes from Criterion who ran fourth behind Polanski in the Victorian Derby, Hucklebuck who won his first start back from a spell, Worth A Ransom, The Quarterback and Prince Harada who all have a run under their belts, finishing second, third and fourth behind Bull Point in the Manfred Stakes. I really want Prince Harada to show some of the brilliance his trainer insists he has, but he’s been most disappointing in general.  His only two wins were on heavy tracks, so perhaps a soft track is what he needs.

The other group race at Flemington on Saturday is the Group Three Mitty’s Vanity for three year old fillies, also over 1400 metres.  Top picks are the amusingly named Scratchy Bottom who won her last start, Girl In Flight who has won all three of her starts, Solicit who ran third in the Crown Oaks and Lights of Heaven’s little sister Spirit of Heaven.

In Sydney at Rosehill there is an interesting race card as well where the Group Two Breeder’s Classic is the feature race, It has a super field of smart mares that include Streama, Catkins, White Sage, Steps In Times, Sharnee Rose and Driefontein.  I’m most interested in Catkins and also another grey mare White Sage who is unbeaten in five starts. Should be a ripper of a race.

On the subject of Sydney racing, New Zealand star It’s A Dundeel will kick off  his autumn campaign in the Chipping Norton Stakes at Warwick Farm in early March.  Alas he won’t be seen in Melbourne, but I’ll be keenly following his progress nonetheless. He now has a great web site, just launched.  Check it out and particularly the video of his strapper Emily Murphy talking about her ideal boyfriend.

I’m looking forward to returning to Flemington this Saturday. At least I won’t have to pay entry as my Flemington season’s ticket covers entry to the course up to the end of July.  Also my old favourite Apache Cat may be there, so I’ll be delighted to see him again. He won the Lightning Stakes 2008.

Hoping for Miracles Again – The Spring Racing Carnival Continues

Miracles of Life with trainer Daniel Clarken – Caulfield 31 August 2013

Due to the AFL Grand Final there is no city race meeting this Saturday. Instead, Moonee Valley kicks off its season of night racing tonight, featuring the Group One A J Moir Stakes. And on Sunday, Caulfield hosts the running of the Group One Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes.

Originally I was not going to attend the races this weekend, but as Miracles of Life will be contesting the Group Three Champagne Stakes at Moonee Valley, I have changed my mind. After her failure in the HDF McNeil Stakes in August, this race will be her chance to make amends.  It is a much easier race for her compared to the McNeil Stakes and she’s back against her own sex, who she should account for easily. Mildly threatening are Metastasio, Thump and Ruude Awakening.

The feature race is scheduled for 10.00pm, so I’m not sticking around for it, but will watch it when I get home. The A J Moir Stakes, recently known as the Schweppes Stakes, used to be run on Cox Plate day as a Group Two race, but it has been moved to the opening night of the Moonee Valley night racing season, and elevated to Group One status. It has been won by champions; Black Caviar won it twice (2010/2011), Apache Cat, Miss Andretti to name a few.

Buffering won it last year, and is a top chance to win it again this year. For such a consistent sprinter, he has yet to win a Group One.  He will be challenged by top class sprinters Bel Sprinter and Epaulette, and classy mares Snitzerland and Samaready.

By Sunday the AFL Grand Final will hopefully be done and dusted, so Sunday’s racing card at Caulfield will be of interest to those who cannot live without the thrill of competition.

The feature race is the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, for middle distance runners over 1400 metres.  Moment of Change won it last year, but it is harder to pick the winner for this year’s edition. I’m kind of hoping Linton, who won the Queensland Stradbroke Handicap at long odds back in June and won me a very handsome sum, will prove his class and snatch another win at good odds, but he is less favourably weighted this time, so may be at a disadvantage because of it. Solzhenitsyn has been in good form of late and is one of the main chances, along with Ferlax who recently ran second to Atlantic Jewel in the Memsie Stakes. Others in the picture are Rebel Dane, Speediness who is in fantastically good form having won his last two starts, and Lidari who won his last start at Caulfield before running third to Fiorente in the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes.

I won’t be going to the meeting at Caulfield, but will watch it at home for a change.

Other news this week was the announcement that my long time favourite Sydney racehorse Shoot Out has been retired. He was a grand old trooper who won 10 races and placed in 11, out of 37 starts. Five of his wins were at Group One level. He was the last of the High Chap boys of 2010 still racing and always acquitted himself competitively in quality races. He will spend his twilight years on his owners property in Queensland, and no doubt will be cherished into old age.

UPPDATE- Saturday

Unfortunately Miracles of Life was “thumped” in the Champagne Stakes, that is she was beaten by Thump, who led throughout. Miracles raced much more quietly last night, but left her run too late and was unable to catch the winner. I Love It ran third.

Samaready won the Group One Moir Stakes by four lengths from the eternal bridesmaid Buffering. I did not witness it in person, having left Moonee Valley after the running of race 6, but watched it at home. Lucky I left when I did, as a rain storm hit 15 minutes later, by which time I was snug on a bus on my way home.

I must admit I’m not a big fan of night racing, though there were plenty of people who were at the track who would beg to differ.

Sydney Autumn Carnival Grand Final

It’s A Dundeel – can he win the Queen Elizabeth Stakes?

The heart pounding excitement of first class racing continues this coming weekend with a total of six Group One races in two states.

The Sydney autumn carnival culminates with the Sydney Cup meeting at Randwick, and Adelaide kicks off its small autumn racing carnival at Morphettville with two Group One races for fillies and mares.

Black Caviar may be gone from the racing scene, but other champion gallopers will be strutting their stuff on Saturday.

For instance, It’s A Dundeel, surely a bright new racing star, will be taking on the older horses for the first time in the Group One Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000 metres). He’s up against a field of tried and true stayers/middle distance runners like Manighar , who though disappointing so far this season, could return to form, Silent Achiever, who ran an excellent second to Fiveandahalfstar in the BMW recently, and the Chris Waller trained import Reliable Man. However, I think It’s A Dundeel with his lightweight advantage should win, or at least I hope so, if he repeats his performance in the Derby.

The second of the Group One races at Randwick is the Champagne Stakes, a race for two year olds over 1600 metres.  It has some very classy youngsters, including Guelph who won the Sire Produce Stakes a fortnight ago, and Scandiva who ran second on that occasion. Also in the picture is Criterion who will appreciate the extra distance, after running sixth in the Golden Slipper last start where he was not really suited. The same goes for Fast N Rocking who ran fifth in the Golden Slipper and second to Miracles of Life in the Blue Diamond. I have been following the colt Star Wars, mostly because I like his name but also because of his breeding – Starcraft by Rose O’ War, who were star performers back in their day. Rose O’ War actually beat Sunline once. Anyway, Star Wars hasn’t done anything to write home about so far, but he has been running on heavy or slow tracks most of the time, so the addition of blinkers and a good track may make a difference. Another worthy of consideration is the Gai Waterhouse trained Equator who has won his last two starts in lesser grades.

The Sydney Cup, like the Melbourne Cup is hard to assess, run as it is over 3200 metres. It is hard to go past Kelinni who won the Listed JRA Plate last week and also ran fourth in the Melbourne Cup last year.  There are two sons of Zabeel in the field – Maluckyday who ran second to Americain in the 2010 Melbourne Cup and has been racing well of late, and Tremec who recently won, at long odds, the Group Two Chairman Stakes.  Niwot won the Sydney Cup last year, so we know he can run the distance, though he is getting on in years, but may be able to repeat the feat. The sole mare in the race is Aliyana Tilde who ran third to Tremec and New Zealander Blood Brotha in the Chairman Stakes.

All Too Hard resumes his interrupted autumn campaign in the Group One All Aged Stakes (1400 metres). He was scratched from the Australian Guineas back in March, due to a virus infection but has now recovered after a longish spell. This may be his last race in Australia or anywhere; it depends how he goes in this race. We have the mouth watering prospect of him up against super Sydney mare More Joyous, who has been extremely unlucky so far this season. Also sure to be competitive is Epaulette who ran second to Black Caviar in the T J Smith Stakes and Rain Affair who ran third in the race. It will be interesting to see if All Too Hard can go out a winner like his big sister. He beat Pierro last year in the Caulfield Guineas and Pierro beat More Joyous in the Canterbury Stakes, so he has a really good chance if he handles the Sydney way of going.

The final race on the card at Randwick is the Listed Hall Mark Stakes (1200 metres) which is of interest to me due to the return of Manawanui to the race track. He has been out of action since September last year, when he was banned for three months due to a bleeding attack.  So he’s had a long break. He is running against a full field, many of whom are resuming after spells too. I’d be delighted if he won, but he may need the run. He might be worth a small wager at long odds. Whatever, I’ll be sure to watch the race.

At Morphettville , the first of the Group One events is the Sporting Bet Classic (aka Robert Sangster Stakes), which is sprint over 1200 metres for fillies and mares. Super filly Snitzerland is the top pick and will no doubt start as hot favourite. She has yet to win a Group One race, so this is her best chance to achieve it. The Peter Moody trained Kulgrinda appears to be her main danger. She won her first race for a while on this track two weeks ago, beating Platelet and Avoid Lightning who are also part of the field. Local mare Just Discreet also is worth considering.

The other Morphettville Group One is the Australasian Oaks (2000 metres) and has attracted a full field of hopeful fillies.  They appear pretty well matched, so it’s hard to pick the likely winner. Three New Zealand fillies have been sent across the Tasman for this race – Blanket Bay, Her To Eternity and Aurora Lights -  but they may be outclassed by Australian fillies Molto Bene and Global Balance.

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.

Flemington Super Saturday – Victoria Derby

Ocean Park wins the Cox Plate

We’re infected with spring carnival fever here at Cat Politics, and are keenly looking forward to more great racing action at Flemington this weekend, though only in front of the TV as opposed to being present at the track.

The feature race is the Victoria Derby a race for three year olds over 2500 metres. The result of this race is often surprising and favourites rarely win. It’s A Dundeel will start as the favourite despite being beaten last week. His breeding indicates that he will run the distance, but he’ll have to be at his best to win. His main opposition comes from Hvasstan, Super Cool, Honorius and Fiveandhalfstar.

Before the Derby however there are several other races of interest. The first of these is the Group Two Wakeful Stakes, for fillies run over 2000 metres. Dear Demi has been most consistent, running a place in her last two starts against smarter fillies Norzita (Flight Stakes) and Commanding Jewel (1000 Guineas) so is due for a win.  Her main danger is Zydeco who ran third in the 1000 Guineas and will appreciate the extra distance having the  Zabeel factor in her favour. Others in with a chance are Transonic,  Tyanna and New Zealand filly Kate.

The first of the four Group One events is the Coolmore Stud Stakes, another race for three year olds over 1200 metres. It has attracted a quality field. My top pick is super filly Snitzerland, though the hyped Nechita will start as favourite. Fire Thunderbolt who fought Snitzerland to the post in the Blue Sapphire has be a top chance, as does Hidden Warrior who I witnessed winning at Moonee Valley last week. Lankan Rupee, Sizzling and Jolie Bay could also feature in the finish.

The Group One Mackinnon Stakes (2000 metres) is the last ditch chance for Melbourne Cup hopefuls to win a place in the field. Ocean Park is backing up in this after his sensational win in the Cox Plate, though he is not Melbourne Cup bound. No doubt he will start as favourite and rightly so.  Pitted against him are six other stayers, principally Alcopop who ran second to him (Ocean Park) in the Caulfield Stakes and also took out second place in the Caulfield Cup behind Dunaden. And don’t forget December Draw whose chances are enhanced when he runs at Flemington, his favourite track.  Zabeelionaire is also in with a chance and could run a place.

The final Group One race for the day is the Myer Classic (1600 metres) for mares. Now that Mosheen has been retired, having sustained an injury in the Tristarc Stakes, Streama can stake her claim to being the best mare racing at present.  She took out the Tristarc Stakes comfortably from Pear Tart and Red Tracer who are both contesting the Myer Classic as well, and will no doubt represent a serious challenge along with Secret Admirer and Oasis Bloom.

As well as the abovementioned races there is also the Lexus Stakes, like the Mackinnon Stakes a chance for unqualified horses like Geelong Cup winner Gatewood to get automatic entry into the Melbourne Cup.  As the last two Melbourne Cup winners Dunaden and Americain also won the Geelong Cup before winning the big one, Gatewood would become a serious Cup contender should he make it to the field, so he has to win the Lexus to be part of it.

Saturday’s Flemington races are the start of a week of racing action, with the Melbourne Cup run on Tuesday, the Oaks on Thursday and the Emirates Stakes on Saturday week.

Update – Saturday night

What a shocking day it was for favourites! The major Group One races all resulted in upset wins by outsiders, one at least being a 50/1 shot.

The Coolmore Stud Stakes was won by Nechita (5/1), with Jolie Bay (8/1) running second and  50/1 long shot, Shamexpress, running third.

Good old Alcopop scored his first Group One win in the Mackinnon Stakes beating Glass Harmonium who ran second. Ocean Park managed to  run third.

The Derby was won by Fiveandahalfstar (21/1) followed by Super Cool (5.9/1) and Rawnaq a 90/1 shot.

And the Myer Classic was taken out by Appearance (50/1) with Soft Sand and Secret Admirer running second and third respectively.

The Melbourne Cup is the next Group One race on the agenda. I’ll post my thoughts on that in the next day or so.

A Day At The Races – Caulfield Guineas Day

 
More Joyous being exercised in the walking ring an hour before her race, the Toorak Handicap.

The weather in Melbourne recently has been pretty awful, so it was pleasant to wake up yesterday morning to sunshine. And sunny in the main it was,  clouds, and a bit of drizzle, moving in later in the afternoon, thus perfect for a day at the races.

I reached Caulfield Racecourse just before the second race, the Blue Sapphire Stakes, where top filly Snitzerland was taking on the boys. She prevailed, beating Fire Thunderbolt by a ½ neck, with Lankan Rupee a ½ head third. Sizzling ran fourth, which made me wonder in retrospect why I didn’t take my own advice (in my preview) and box the first four and win a goodly sum.  However I didn’t even have a bet on this race.

 
Race two finish – Snitzerland in the centre overtaking Lankan Rupee on her inside with Fire Thunderbolt  running down the outside.

Race Three was the Thoroughbred Club Stakes for three year old fillies. I decided to back Hoss Amor, who started favourite but failed to run a place. Cavalry Rose won, beating Saturn Rock by a head, with Mareeza running into third place 1½ lengths away.


Race three finish – Cavalry Rose leads

A big crowd attended the meeting yesterday, but despite that I found it easy to find a spot on the fence to watch the action. It was a friendly and cheerful crowd – good vibes all round. I failed to take photos of outrageous costumes – and there were a few – but the ones that took the prize were two young men dressed as a cowboy and indian. The indian was tied to a tree, and I noticed the cowboy being interviewed and videotaped as I wandered past.

Race four, the Schillaci Stakes was the first of the Group races of the afternoon. Buffering was hot favourite and he won comfortably from Golden Archer with Stirling Grove running third.


Buffering heading to the barriers prior to the race

The excitement was building for the first of the Group One races the Caulfield Stakes, so after putting my money Ocean Park, I found a good spot on the fence to watch the race.  Ocean Park was one of the few favourites to win on the day, narrowly beating Alcopop by ¼ length with Sincero a nose away third.


Ocean Park returning to scale after winning the Caulfield Stakes

More Joyous started favourite and top weight in the Group One Toorak Handicap. She tried hard, but the weight she carried got the better of her, as lightweight chances Solzhenitsyn and Spirit Song surged past her and left her in their wake. Solzhenitsyn, a $10,000 bargain buy from Queensland, won narrowly from Spirit Song with Yosei running into third place. More Joyous finished fourth.


Solzhenitsyn in the mounting yard prior to the race

It is now old news that star colt Pierro was beaten by the underrated All Too Hard in the Caulfield Guineas.  After showing no signs of his earlier brilliance in his last three starts, and getting a reputation for missing the start of his races, All Too Hard who is Black Caviar’s younger half brother, surprised everyone yesterday with his gutsy win. The jury is still out on Pierro’s performance and Nash Rawiller’s ride, but it is disappointing that his reputation is now tarnished. We all love a star and he was the great white hope of  Australian racing. Still champs get beaten, and many of the greats of the turf have been beaten in the Caulfield Guineas – So You Think, Denman to name a few.

Back to the race…

I found a good spot next to the mounting yard to watch the parade and snap a few photos.

Pierro

All Too Hard


Epaulette

I did not see the finish of the race as I decided to stay near the mounting yard and my view was blocked by owners and strappers of the participants, so at first I thought Pierro had prevailed, but the news that Pierro had been beaten was soon clear.


All Too Hard sashed after winning the Caulfield Guineas

I stayed for the next race the Herbert Power Stakes which was won by French horse Shahwardi from Excluded and Exceptionally, then called it quits and caught the train home.

It was long day, enjoyable but not profitable. I only had four bets which resulted in one win and one place. The weather was lovely most of the afternoon and I even got slightly sunburnt, but we watched the Herbert Power Stakes in a light shower of rain.

The Caulfield Cup will be run next weekend, but I will not be attending that meeting. Yesterday the crowd was bearable, but I imagine it will be much more squashy next week. I intend to go to the Cox Plate the week later – it has a much more interesting race card.

PS: Click photos for larger view.