Welcome Back Little Rascals–Easter Racing

Petits Filous at Flemington 15/9/15

Even though it’s Easter, there is plenty of racing action this weekend, at Moonee Valley Thursday night, and at Caulfield and Rosehill on Saturday.

The feature race at Moonee Valley is the Group 1 William Reid Stakes, where a good field of 12 sprinters will be vieing for the prize. Top chances are Lucky Hussler who won the race last year, Holler who took out the Australia Stakes earlier this year at Moonee Valley over the same distance, and Japonisme who ran third in the Lightning Stakes and won the Coolmore Classic last spring.  And you really can’t overlook recent Group 1 sprint winners Flamberge and The Quarterback, though they have no form at Moonee Valley.

I don’t intend to go to the Moonee Valley meeting, but I’m looking forward to heading out to Caulfield on Saturday for their Easter Cup meeting, ostensibly to see Petits Filous in race 4.

She has not graced a racetrack since running unsuccessfully in the Moir Stakes last spring, after previously winning her first four starts by impressive margins.

As race 4 , the Jack Elliott Handicap (1100 metres), is as the race title says, a handicap, she has been weighted according to her rating, at an  imposte of 60kg giving her rivals a big weight advantage. Her opposition however is fairly weak, so she will possibly win.

I’m also keen to get a look at the sole offspring of the late Typhoon Tracy, who is entered in the last race at Caulfield on Saturday. A colt by Street Cry named Last Typhoon, he has raced seven times for two wins on rural tracks. This is his first race in the big smoke, so who knows how he will fare.  His mum was a great favourite of mine, so I hope he can do her proud.

The Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes and The BMW are the feature races at Rosehill on Saturday, so I’ll hopefully get to watch them at Caulfield.

Jameka is the top pick in the Vinery Stud Stakes, a race for three year old staying fillies over 2000 metres. She appears to be a class above her rivals, though Risque and Stay With Me may give her a run for the money. Others with a chance are NZ fillies Capella and Valley Girl.

The BMW is run over 2400 metres, so a field of 10 tried and true stayers will be contesting it. Preferment looks to be the one to beat, but trying hard will be Mongolian Khan, at his favourite distance, Arab Dawn an attractive British import, Who Shot Thebarman, Rising Romance and three year old Montaigne.

Derby Day Review

Derby finish – Craig Newitt jubilant aboard Tarzino just past the post

While killing time waiting for the running of the 2015 Melbourne Cup, here’s a review of my day at the races last Saturday.

The weather on Derby Day started out grim and dismal with heavy clouds and occasional showers of rain, so I didn’t bother with sun screen, thinking the afternoon would be as forecast – humid and overcast with rain and a thunderstorm.

How wrong I was. I ended up sunburnt as the afternoon progressed into bright sunshine, typical of Melbourne weather – two or three seasons in one day.

I arrived at Flemington just before 12.00 pm to be greeted by hordes of partying patrons, the girls in their backless frocks and ridiculous fascinators and the guys in a variety of costumes. A group dressed as Minions clustered in a group near the Clock Tower.

Actually it wasn’t all that crowded, you could at least move around freely without stumbling over picnic blankets, though getting a drink was a lengthy affair.

Not many of the horsey stars had arrived when I headed to the stalls area, but I found Exosphere in his stall, looking handsome and relaxed.

Exosphere

Next to him was his stable mate Mogador, also a handsome devil.

Mogador

The fillies who were to compete in Race 2, the Wakeful Stakes eventually emerged to parade in the walking ring.

Ambience

Dawnie Perfect

My Poppette

Returning to the front lawn to watch the race, it was easy to get my favourite position by the walkway from the mounting yard to the track.

Mounting yard gate

The Wakeful Stakes was won easily by Ambience from Beluga Blue and Muzyka.

Ambience returns to scale after winning the Wakeful Stakes

Beluga Blue

Muzyka

Both Ambience and Muzyka will meet again with 10 other fillies on Thursday to contest the Group 1 Crown Oaks.

Race 3 was the Group 3 Guvera Stakes and Disposition was the warm favourite. He won narrowly from San Diego with Hosting three lengths back running third.

Disposition returns to scale after winning the Guvera Stakes

San Diego

Hosting

The Coolmore Stud Stakes was the first of the Group 1 races on the program as Race 4. Exosphere was short odds favourite to win, but he disappointed and ended up finishing fourth.

I got some lovely photos of him in the parade ring when he paused just in front of me to await his turn in the parade line (they parade in numerical order)

Exosphere in the parade ring

The Chris Waller trained Japonisme won at long odds, being totally overlooked in the betting.

Japonisme in the parade ring

For this race I found a really good spot tucked in front of an enclosure with a good view of the straight and winning post, where I hoped to get photos of horses returning to scale without the rail impeding the shot.

Coolmore Stud Stakes – just past the winning post

Japonisme won by 1½ lengths from Keen Array and Counter Attack.

Exosphere (inside) and Keen Array return to scale

Counter Attack returns to scale

Japonisme returns to scale

Newsflash! Just watched the Melbourne Cup and what an amazing result! Prince of Penzance did the locals proud and Michelle Payne became the first female jockey to ride a Melbourne Cup winner. Max Dynamite ran second and Criterion ran third. Prince of Penzance paid $74 (UTB) for the win. A pity I didn’t have any money on him.

Anyway back to Saturday…

We, that is my fellow photographer Rebecca and I, stayed in the same spot for the next few races in between returning to the stalls area, until we were turfed out by a security guy, who said we weren’t allowed to stand there.  God knows why, as we weren’t impeding anyone’s view, but I suppose they regarded the spot as private property – on a public lawn?

Back in the stalls several more of the main contenders had arrived, so I got some nice photos of a few of them

Contributer

West Australian Derby contender Kia Ora Koutou

Ready For Victory

A rose for Rising Romance

The Group 2 Lexus Stakes was up next so we returned trackside to observe the runners leaving the mounting yard, then went to the prime spot on the far eastern side of the course.

The handsome Excess Knowledge on his way to the barriers stalls

Excess Knowledge earned himself a spot in the Melbourne Cup with his win in the Lexus Stakes with Zanteca running second and Havana Cooler third.

Excess Knowledge returns to scale after winning the Lexus Stakes

Zanteca

Havana Cooler

The second of the four Group 1 races was up next, the Mackinnon Stakes and the French horse, Gailo Chop paid his fare to Australia by winning narrowly from Rising Romance and Contributer.

Mackinnon Stakes – just past the post

Gailo Chop returning to scale after winning the Mackinnon Stakes

Rising Romance on her way to the starting gates

Contributer on his way to the starting gates

Just after the finish of the Mackinnon Stakes we were forced to move from our prime position. Not to worry, we waited for the nearby racecourse crossing access gate to be closed, and amusedly observed various preening racegoers posing for photographs in the middle of the racecourse.

Tarzino  defied the favourites hoodoo in the Derby winning easily by two lengths from Etymology with Kia Ora Koutou six lengths behind running third.

Tarzino returns to scale after winning the Victoria Derby

Etymology

Kia Ora Katou

As I intended to go home after the running of the Myer Classic, the final Group 1 race on the program, we moved back to the stalls area to view the mares parading before the race and leaving the mounting yard for the track.

Politeness, the Myer Classic winner in the parade ring

Fenway leaving the mounting yard for the track

Azkadellia – third place runner on her way to the barriers

Royal Descent in the parade ring

Stay With Me returns to scale

Royal Descent started as favourite, and the race was expected to be a match between the classy older mare and upstart filly Stay With Me.

Neither featured in the finish.

Politeness won her first Group 1 race, and Fenway was runner up
¾ length behind her. Azkadellia grabbed third place ahead of May’s Dream.

The light by this time was getting bad for photos and I’d been at the racecourse for almost five hours, so I called it quits and headed for the station. Thankfully it only took 40 minutes to get home this time.

I’ve been writing this post all afternoon and evening, with various distractions like the Melbourne Cup making it seem like a marathon.

I’m looking forward to the Oaks meeting on Thursday as the final field has been decided and it looks a really interesting race with classy fillies like Jameka, Sacred Eye and Ambience going head to head.

Derby Day– All Hallows Eve at Flemington

Tarzino – current favourite for the Victoria Derby

The Melbourne Racing Carnival has only a week left to run, but culminates in suitably spectacular fashion with a concentration of race meetings at Flemington – Derby Day and Emirate Stakes Day book ending the Melbourne Cup and the Crown Oaks over four days.

No doubt the roses will now be in full bloom for Derby Day which kicks off the Flemington Racing Carnival on Saturday.

There’s a wonderful program of racing on the cards, with every race being at Group level, and four at Group 1 level.

The feature race of course is the Victoria Derby, and the other three Group 1 races are the Coolmore Stud Stakes, Mackinnon Stakes and the Myer Classic.

The first of these to run is the Coolmore Stud Stakes for three year olds over 1200 metres. I’m really looking forward to seeing top Sydney colt Exosphere in the flesh for the first time. He has done all his racing in Sydney and won his last three starts, including the Group 1 Golden Rose, so he is the short priced favourite to take out the Coolmore Stud Stakes.

Trying to beat him is a fairly classy field, the most likely contenders being Singapore colt Super One and the local boys Keen Array and Ready for Victory. The omen bet of the day, considering it is All Hallows Eve tomorrow, is Hellbent who could run a place if not win.

Thankfully, the VRC start their race meetings early - the first race is run before midday – and finish at a reasonable time, the feature race being run at 3.50pm and the last race at 5.20pm.

That’s a refreshing change from Caulfield and Moonee Valley whose meetings go on into twilight. It encourages me to get to the track early to watch Race 2, the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes for Oaks bound fillies, run over 2000 metres.

1000 Guineas winner Stay With Me will be taking on the older mares in the Myer Classic, so that leaves a chance for fillies such as Dawnie Perfect and My Poppette  to win some prize money for their connections. Others with a chance are Beluga Blue and Ambience.

Race 5 on the program is the Group 2 Lexus Stakes, the last chance for a free ballot into the Melbourne Cup.  The best chances are Excess Knowledge who has run second in his last two starts, Ruling Dynasty and Junoob.

The Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000 metres) has attracted a quality field of tried and true stayers and middle distance runners that include Happy Trails who is due for his annual win, Pornichet who ran fourth in the Cox Plate, the ever consistent Stratum Star who already has a Group 1 victory ( Rupert Clark Stakes) to his credit, Metropolitan winner Magic Hurricane and mares Rising Romance and Set Square.

And so to the Victoria Derby.

Tarzino is the race favourite, though he hasn’t won a race since September and was beaten last start by the filly Jameka and also failed to run a place in the Caulfield Guineas. Favourites rarely win the Victoria Derby so there are plenty of other smart colts to consider.

I rather like the Western Australian colt Kia Ora Koutou, who has had four starts for four wins in his home state, the last against older horses. His sire Blackfriars won the Victoria Derby in 1999, so he certainly can run the 2500 metres distance.

Others with a chance are Lizard Island, Shards, Get The Picture and Ayers Rock.

The final Group 1 is the Myer Classic for fillies and mares, run over 1600 metres. Some classy mares have won this over the ages, Typhoon Tracy, Appearance, Forensics, Red Tracer, to name a few. Bonaria won it last year from Sweet Idea and Catkins.

Royal Descent is the class mare in the race. It has been some time since she last ran against her own sex, but she has placed many times in Group 1 races in first class open fields and deserves another Group 1 win to go with her ATC Oaks victory in 2013.  If she wasn’t gutted by her run in the Caulfield Cup, she will surely be in the finish.

Her greatest rival in the Myer Classic is 1000 Guineas winner Stay With Me who has an 8 kg weight advantage and has bypassed the Wakeful Stakes to run in this race.

However, fillies have a poor record in the Myer Classic, so other mares who have the class to win are last start winner, La Passe, along with Fenway, Miss Rose De Lago, Solicit and Politeness.

The weather in Melbourne tomorrow is forecast to be overcast and humid, with showers and a possible thunderstorm.  Hopefully the weather will discourage the once a year crowds from taking up all the space on the front lawn.

Last year the weather was similarly damp and it was not quite as crowded as the year before when it was hot and sunny.

It’s sure to be a great day of racing whatever the weather, but it will have to be exceptional to surpass the racing at Moonee Valley last weekend.

Spring Loaded–Caulfield Guineas Day

Bon Aurum  after winning the Guineas Prelude – can he win the Caulfield Guineas?

You can certainly tell that the Spring Racing Carnival is heading towards the peak of the season with what is on offer this weekend at Caulfield Racecourse.

There are four Group 1 races on the program and an equally exciting support card of black type races. There are ten races to be run and it looks like it will be a long day with the feature race, the Caulfield Guineas, scheduled at 5.40pm as the second last race on the program.

The weather is forecast to be warm and humid, with the possibility of thunderstorms later in the afternoon. Let’s hope that these do not occur until after the Guineas has been run, as I’m sure  all hell would break loose if a thunderstorm hit during a race.

As I’m keen to arrive at Caulfield to see Lankan Rupee in the Group 2 Schillaci Stakes, which is the second race of the day, it will certainly be a drawn out afternoon. However, the interval between races is only 35 minutes, so no doubt the time will flash by in a trice.

Lankan Rupee will face only five rivals in the Schillaci Stakes, run over 1100 metres, and will most likely prevail. The best of the competition is Sydney sprinter Shiraz who has 10 wins from 16 starts and won the Aurie’s Star at Flemington in August. Alpha Miss will quite likely be in the finish somewhere having good form against the likes of Winx and First Seal. She has not raced for over a year though, but has performed well first up.

The first of the Group 1 races is the Caulfield Stakes, run over 2000 metres. It has only 8 acceptances,  six of whom are multiple Group 1 winners – Fawkner, Happy Trails, Contributer, Mongolian Khan , Kermadec and Criterion.

It will be the first time this Spring that we have seen Kermadec and Criterion in Melbourne. Kermadec won the Group 1 George Main Stakes at his last start and also won the Doncaster Mile in the autumn.  He’s current favourite for the Cox Plate, and also favoured to win the Caulfield Stakes. He’ll have to beat the aforementioned regulars, Fawkner and Happy Trails in particular.

Criterion has just returned from an overseas jaunt where he raced competitively in Hong Kong and the UK without winning.  He won the Queen Elizabeth Stakes in the autumn before he left for England. A class horse, if he has recovered from his trip back to Australia, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he featured in the finish.

The Toorak Handicap is the second of the Group 1 races and is run over 1600 metres. A full field of eighteen horses will contest it. Disposition, Stratum Star, Lucky Hussler and Noble Protector are the main chances.

Fillies feature first in the 1000 Guineas (1600 metres) and the top picks are Pasadena Girl, Miss Gunpowder , Stay with Me, Jameka, Payroll and Badawiya.

The second top Sydney colt, Press Statement, is the hot favourite for the Caulfield Guineas.  He’s never raced in Melbourne before but he is with top trainer Chris Waller whose two Sydney runners ran first and second in the Turnbull Stakes last week.

However, favourites have a shocking record in the Caulfield Guineas, so others with a chance are Ready For Victory,wearing blinkers for the first time, which may sharpen him up, New Zealand colt Dal Cielo, last start winners Sovereign Nation and Bon Aurum, and the well regarded Tulsa who was runner up to Bon Aurum in the Guineas Prelude.

At Randwick in Sydney the last Group 1 race of their spring carnival is the Spring Champion Stakes for three year olds, run over 2000 metres.  The top chances are Vanbrugh, Devil Hawk (Hawkspur’s brother), Tatoosh and Queensland colt Too Good To Refuse.

Back to Caulfield Again–Underwood Stakes Day

2014 Underwood Stakes finish – Foreteller hits the front

Saturday is expected to be warm and sunny, perfect in fact for another fine afternoon of racing as the Spring Racing Carnival, literally and figuratively, heats up.

There are two Group 1 races on the program – Underwood Stakes and Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes – plus two Group 2 Guineas Preludes, one for the boys, the other for the fillies.

The fillies Thousand Guineas Prelude is scheduled as Race 5. It is run over 1400 metres and has a fabulous field of classy fillies. The main contenders are Pasadena Girl, Stay With Me, Jameka, Miss Gunpowder and Alaskan Rose. The first three above ran the trifecta at Moonee Valley in early September  in the Atlantic Jewel Stakes, with Stay With Me being the victor on that occasion,though Pasadena Girl’s run was the most eye catching.  Miss Gunpowder ran third to Petits Filous in the Quezette Stakes, then won her next race at Morphettville in her home state. Alaskan Rose is unbeaten in two starts and is highly regarded. It looks to be a doozy of a race.

Race 6 is the colts and geldings Guineas Prelude run over the same distance. It’s time for pretty boy Ready For Victory to live up to his name, after running second and third in his first two starts this season behind Gold Symphony on the first occasion and Kinglike in the second. Neither of these colts are entered for the Caulfield Guineas Prelude, so Ready For Victory has a very good chance of winning this time. However he’ll have to beat the Chris Waller trained Metallic Crown  who has two wins under his hat so far this season, and the Ciaran Maher trained Bon Aurum, also a last start winner . New Zealand colt Dal Cielo, trained by the wily Murray Baker, Snoopy who was unlucky in his start and Tulsa, could also feature in the finish.

The first of the Group 1 races on the program is the Underwood Stakes run over 1800 metres. Last year it was won by Foreteller from Happy Trails and the year before was the memorable duel between Atlantic Jewel and It’s A Dundeel with the latter being the victor.

It’s always a great race and a fab field has been assembled this year.  Fawkner is the top pick, if he can defy the Makybe Diva Stakes hoodoo and beat The Cleaner, who has drawn Barrier 1 which will enable him to take the lead without expending any energy. Who knows, the Longford Lion could leave them all in his wake, and at least assure an honestly run race. 

Contributer failed to impress at his last start running fifth behind The Cleaner in the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes. Perhaps he didn’t enjoy the tight Moonee Valley track, but could show his true colours at Caulfield. Whatever, dismiss him at your peril. The same goes for Dibayani who has run third behind The Cleaner in his last two starts.

Four year olds have a good record in this race and both Mongolian Khan and Volkstok’n’barrell are in that age bracket and have as good a chance as any in the field, though the Khan would prefer it longer. I’m interested to see how they go.

The Group 1  Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes is now incorporated in the program of Underwood Stakes day, previously being run on the Sunday after the AFL Grand Final. It makes more sense to run it with the Underwood Stakes and adds to the quality of the meeting.

It is run over 1400 metres and has a super field of middle distance runners.  As we’re now in the sign of Libra (ruled by Venus), you would think that Charmed Harmony is the perfect name for the Astrological season.  He has won his last four races leading boldly from start to finish, but faces much tougher opposition in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes with classy gallopers like Disposition, Cosmic Endeavour, Rich Enuff, Amicus, Strawberry Boy and Under The Louvre all being in the picture. The Venus influence could spread to Amicus and Amorino  with their names reflecting the Latin for love (amor).

In Sydney, everyone’s favourite race mare, Catkins, is having her second start for the season in the Golden Pendant in which she ran second to Arabian Gold last year. That mare is also in the field, as is Amanpour who relegated Catkins to second place twice in the autumn.  Cross fingers for Catkins to beat them this time round.

The Equinox on September 23, as well as heralding the warmer weather, also marks a royal birth. Black Caviar delivered her second foal on the night of the Equinox, a colt by Sebring.

There are some lovely photos of the new foal here.