Spring Racing Carnival Wrap Up

Winx winning the 2016 Cox Plate

Alas, the Spring Racing Carnival is over for another year, and I must say it was one of the more interesting in recent times, with some astonishing performances.

The star of the Spring was undoubtedly Winx, the wonder horse, who accumulated four more pickets to the fence against her name in the form guide. Three were at Group 1 level and augmented her perfect record to thirteen consecutive wins over a year, nine of them at Group 1 level. The crowning moment was her second Cox Plate victory where she blew away a top quality field, winning by a record eight lengths.

Other memorable moments were Jameka’s three length Caulfield Cup win…

Jameka wins the Caulfield Cup

…and Hartnell’s Turnbull Stakes.

Hartnell wins the Turnbull Stakes

Hartnell finished second in the Cox Plate and third in the Melbourne Cup and also won two Group 2 races in Sydney by huge margins.

Most of the main Group 1 races of the spring were won by a variety of horses, but Black Heart Bart won two – the Memsie Stakes and Underwood Stakes - and finished second in the Makybe Diva Stakes and Caulfield Stakes, one of the few horses to win more than one Group 1 race.

The final day of the carnival, which I missed, was held last Saturday and the feature races were won by longshots Awesome Rock (Emirates Stakes) and Malaguerra (Darley Classic).

The longest priced Group 1 winner was Lasqueti Spirit, who romped home in the Oaks at  120/1 odds.

As for wagering, I hardly had a bet all spring, which made attending the races a cheap outing. With my general admission season tickets to the three city racecourses covering entrance fees, my only expenses were on a race book and a drink. My travelling costs on public transport were covered by my Senior’s Myki Card which is free on the weekend.

Several old stars of the turf have been retired this spring, still sound of body thankfully. The Cleaner and Buffering now share a paddock at Living Legends, and it was announced on Saturday that Happy Trails has run his last race. He’ll spend his retirement with his devoted strapper Chelsea Moss who is interested in developing him into a show jumping, dressage and event horse.

Happy Trails with Chelsea Moss at Flemington 10/9/16

Also gone from the scene is Tarzino and Alpine Eagle, both off to stud, and the handsome Xtravagant has returned to New Zealand after a very disappointing spring campaign.

I’ll have to find something else to do with my Saturday afternoons for the next few months, while waiting for the autumn racing season to begin.

Derby Day 2016

Sacred Elixir – current favourite for the Victoria Derby

I’m looking forward to returning to the wide open spaces of Flemington this coming Saturday for a super Derby Day featuring four Group 1 races and several other choice Group 2 and Group 3 events.

The weather is forecast to be warm and sunny with a light wind, so it will be in stark contrast to the Cox Plate meeting last weekend. And no doubt the crowds will be out in force as well for this first day of Flemington’s Spring Racing Carnival, which runs over four days with the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday, the Oaks on Thursday and culminating with the Emirates Stakes on the following Saturday.

The first of the Group 1 races is the Coolmore Stud Stakes for three year olds run over 1200 metres. A very classy field will contest it, with the likes of Golden Slipper winner Capitalist, up against Blue Diamond Stakes and Moir Stakes winner Extreme Choice, Golden Rose winner Astern, and Russian Revolution who beat both Astern and Capitalist in the Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes and is so far unbeaten in four starts. Throw in Star Turn as well who beat the older sprinters recently in the Group 2 Schillachi Stakes.

First Seal, who proved she was well and truly back in contention when she won the Group 3 Tristarc Stakes on Caulfield Cup day, will be aiming to add a second Group 1 to her CV in the Myer Classic, a race for mares and fillies over 1600 metres.

Her main opposition comes from fellow mares Don’t Doubt Mama, Dixie Blossoms, Pearls and Rising Romance and fillies Whispering Brook and I Am A Star.

The Victoria Derby often throws up long shot winners, and favourites rarely win, though Tarzino was the favourite last year and won.

The current favourite for this year’s edition is Sacred Elixir who won the AAMI Vase last Saturday at Moonee Valley, which race has yielded quite a few Derby winners among its contestants. Last year it was won by Jameka who went on to win the 2015 Victorian Oaks and this year’s Caulfield Cup.

Sacred Elixir has good staying blood, his great grandam being Horlicks who famously won the Japan Cup in 1989 and was also the dam of 2000 Melbourne Cup winner Brew.

Another beautifully bred contender is So Si Bon who is a son of So You Think and Lonhro mare Black Minx. He is highly favoured by some pundits, though he has only one win from six starts. He does have the qualification of finishing third in the Vase, the same position Tarzino ran last year.

Although none of the big field of the Derby has won over 2500 metres, several have scored over 2000 metres and have the breeding to run the distance. High Chaparral  has sired quite few Derby winners and runners up, and there are four of his sons in the race – Silvera, Wine Bush, Highlad and Shine Tak Star. 

Or will perpetual bridesmaid Rocketeer, who always runs an honest race, finally have his moment of glory?

The final Group 1 is the Cantala Stakes run over 1600 metres.

Originally this race was known as the Mackinnon Stakes and run over 2000 metres. It has been renamed the Emirates Stakes and will be run on Emirates Stakes day the last meeting of the Flemington carnival of racing.

A field of fine milers will be contesting the Cantala Stakes and include Palentino, The United States, He’s Our Rokkii, Bon Aurum, Thunder Fantasy and Voodoo Lad. What a field! And hard to pick the winner.

The Caulfield Cup Puzzle

Jameka at Caulfield 18/9/16

The acceptances are in and barriers decided, so it’s time to consider the feature race coming up this Saturday, none other than the time honoured Caulfield Cup, the first of the BIG THREE races of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival

There are four International runners having their first start in Australia, these being Scottish from Ireland, Sir Isaac Newton and Exospheric from Great Britain, and Articus from France. The big question is can they beat the locals.

Current favourite is Jameka who has drawn Barrier 13, which isn’t so bad considering the field will be 18 strong. She also has Nick Hall as her jockey who steered home Fawkner from Barrier 12 in the 2013 Caulfield Cup. She will be carrying the relatively lightweight of 52.5kgs, so she has a very good chance of winning.

Fellow staying mare, Real Love also ticks the boxes. She has been in great form of late, winning the JRA Cup at her last start.

There are three mares in all racing in the Caulfield Cup, the other  being Jameka’s stablemate, Set Square .

Of the males in contention, Metropolitan winner Sir John Hawkwood has to be a good chance as does Tally who ran third to Hartnell and Jameka in the Turnbull Stakes, though well behind. 

Both Preferment and Tarzino form-wise don’t inspire confidence, but if they are on their game could easily surprise as they’re both Victoria Derby winners and certainly can run the 2400 metres of the race.

The rest of the race card is actually quite interesting, with a number of races that have piqued my interest, since horses I have been following are in the fields.

Race 4, the Group 3 Ethereal Stakes, run over 2000 metres, by chance has Ethereal’s granddaughter Eleonora in the field. Can she win it?  I’d like to think she can. Her main rivals are Moqueen, Sebring Dream and Bella Sorellastra.

First Seal, who in her younger days beat Winx on two occasions, is having her first start in Melbourne in the Group 2 Tristarc Stakes (1400 metres). I’m looking forward to seeing her in the flesh. She had a long lay off due to injury and since her return has had only moderate success.  She’s up against the super smart Tycoon Tara who is in great form having won three out of her last four starts in Sydney.  Others with a chance are French Emotion, Danish Twist and Shillelagh.

And last, but certainly not least, is the welcome return to the track of the horse with a heart, Lankan Rupee, in the second last race of the day, the Group 2 Caulfield Sprint run over 1000 metres. He is top weight for the event and will have to carry a massive 61kg burden, which rather limits his chances of winning first up. He’ll be giving up
3-8 kgs to his main rivals, Wild Rain, Hellbent and Our Boy Malachi.

However, if he is back to his former best, his class may prove too good for the rest and he could win at long odds as he did the past.

The weather on Saturday promises to be warm and sunny, with alas a strong wind.  Notwithstanding the wind, I’m looking forward to witnessing my second Caulfield Cup in person.

From One Extreme to Another–Moonee Valley & Flemington Review

Extreme Choice returns to scale after winning the Moir Stakes

On Friday night I spent as much time getting to and from Moonee Valley Race Course as I passed  at the venue.

As Friday was a public holiday for AFL Grand Final Eve, buses were running on a Saturday time table, so the regular bus I catch to Moonee Valley had stopped running by the time I departed from home. I was obliged to seek an alternative route further up in Northcote and had to wait 30 minutes for it to arrive.

An hour after I left home, I arrived at Moonee Valley, fortunately in time for the running of the Group 2 Stutt Stakes, a race for three year olds over 1600 metres.

I was keen to see how Hey Doc would fare in this race. He’d impressed me winning his last start at Moonee Valley on Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes Day, and he was facing a classier field than he ran against on that day.

He won the Stutt Stakes convincingly by 1½ lengths from Land Of Plenty, with Kaching three lengths back running third.

Hey Doc in the winner’s stall

His next assigment is the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas next Saturday where he’ll meet an even more talented field of rivals.

As you can see from the photos above, Moonee Valley at night is not conducive to good sharp images.  I’d inadvertently left my camera setting at a high noise reduction, so all the photos I took have an unpleasant over aggressive smoothness. 

The next race was the Group 2 Stock Stakes for mares. It also had a fine field that included class mares such as Rising Romance, Miss Rose De Lago and Don’t Doubt Mama.

The redoubtable Don’t Doubt Mama was the outstanding winner, narrowly beating Kaniana with Miss Rose De Lago running third.

Don’t Doubt Mama returns to scale after winning the Stock Stakes.

The races were spaced at 30 minutes intervals so there wasn’t long to wait for the feature Group 1 Moir Stakes. I’d been unable to buy a race book as they’d all sold out by the time I got to the track, so I killed some time cruising through one of the bar areas to see if anyone had dropped their race book, and found one eventually – in mint condition on an unoccupied table.

Chautauqua naturally was the hot favourite for the Moir Stakes, but the lightweighted Extreme Choice, came from the back of the field and caught everyone by surprise to win by 1½ lengths from mares, Heatherly and Wild Rain. Chautauqua was just winding up when the race was over, so 1000 metres is probably too short for him. He finished fourth, 3 lengths from the winner.

Moir Stakes finish

Leaving  Moonee Valley after the Moir Stakes, I tramped up to Moonee Ponds Junction aiming to catch the 10.05pm bus back to Northcote. It failed to arrive on time, and another lady waiting at the stop rang the bus company to ascertain its likely arrival and was told that it wasn’t running and that the next bus was due at 11.05pm.

I gave up and managed to hail a taxi, and got home 1½ hours after leaving the race course. The unreliability of the Moonee Valley buses rather puts me off going to Moonee Valley night races ever again.

Fortunately Friday night was fairly mild with little wind, but it was completely different, weather wise, on Sunday at Flemington, where it was warm and sunny with gale force winds.

Compared to the trials and tribulations of public transport on Friday night, it was a cinch getting to Flemington, the two trains coinciding nicely with little waiting time in between.

So I got to Flemington early, in time for Race 2, the Poseidon Stakes which was a Listed race for three year olds over 1400 metres.

What a relief it was to be back using the Nikon, after the Canon G16 on Friday night. I must admit, now that I’ve worked out the best settings, I prefer the Nikon over my other cameras and  prefer using the Viewfinder over the LCD screen, it not being affected by sunlight which renders screens virtually useless.

 
Poseidon Stakes finish – Inside Agent (pink cap) is overtaking Magnarock (orange silks) approaching the finish line.

The Poseidon Stakes was won by Inside Agent having only his second start. Magnarock ran a close second and Peacock was two lengths back in third place.

Inside Agent returns to scale

Checking out the stalls area, I came across first of all, the Living Legend guest Zipping. His mate Efficient was supposed to be present as well, but apparently he had a foot abscess so was obliged to stay at home.

Zipping

Zipping ran in two Turnbull Stakes finishing first in 2010 and second in 2008.  He’s now 16 years old and enjoyed the attention, and carrots, given to him by an admiring crowd.

Zipping – carrots and caresses

In the walking ring nearby to Zipping’s stall, I spotted Sydney champ Hartnell being walked. I recognised him instantly, much to my surprise and was pleased to have my suspicians confirmed by the tag attached to his bridle. He’s a handsome fellow, with large nostrils – that’s supposed to be a good sign for a stayer.

Hartnell in the walking ring

Also present in the stalls area were other Turnbull Stakes contenders…

Jameka

Preferment

Set Square

Tarzino

The colts and geldings engaged in Race 3, the UCI Stakes were soon parading in the walking ring. I was keen to get a glimpse of New Zealand colt Highlad.

Highlad in the walking ring

By the time I returned trackside it was not long before the field were making their way to the barriers.

Highlad on his way to the barriers

Rocketeer on his way to the barriers

Wine Bush on his way to the barriers

The race resulted in Sydney colt Wine Bush pipping Rocketeer at the post, relegating him yet again to second place. Highlad finished third.

UCI Stakes finish – Wine Bush (pink blinkers) is about to spoil Rocketeer’s (green silks) party. Highlad is just behind in third place

I couldn’t be bothered taking photos of the horses parading in the mounting yard, deciding to concentrate on action photos, but I did return to the stalls area to get a photo of Eleonora, the granddaughter of 2001 Caulfield and Melbourne Cups winner, Ethereal.

Eleonora is a really pretty chestnut filly, and has lots of attitude according to her strapper, who remarked that the stable hands described her as a good date, but you wouldn’t want to marry her.

Eleonora in her stall

Race 4 was the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes, a sprint down the Flemington straight over 1200 metres. Chautauqua won the race the last two years in sucession.

This year there were no real standouts, the field being evenly matched. Fatinaah, who won the Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality at his last start, was the favourite, with Under The Louvre being highly fancied as well.

However, The Quarterback , who won the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap back in autumn, having his first start of the spring, proved too good for the rest of the field with a solid win, beating longshots We’ve Got This and Durendal.

Gilgai Stakes finish – The Quarterback surges ahead

 
The Quarterback returns to scale

The wind as mentioned before was fierce, and almost knocked you over on occasion. It also made holding the camera steady into the wind a struggle. That’s not to mention the hell of wearing contact lenses in windy conditions when dust gets under them and renders you practically blind.

However I persevered and was back in the prime spot for Race 5, The Bart Cummings, run over 2500 metres.

The race start is half way down the straight and run the full circuit.

Almandin who I last witnessed winning the Harry White Stakes at Caulfield a fortnight ago, put himself well into contention for the Melbourne Cup with a comfortable win in The Bart Cummings, which gives him automatic entry in the Cup.

Almandin wins The Bart Cummings

Zanteca was the runner up and Excess Knowledge ran third.

Almandin returns to scale

Excess Knowledge returns to scale

The fillies race, the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes was the next race on the program and last start winner Exocet started as the favourite. She finished unplaced, the race being taken out by Serenely Discreet from long odds Bella Sorellastra and Waterloo Sunset. Eleanora was badly blocked for a run and finished well back in the field.

Serenely Discreet (outside) wins the Edward Manifold Stakes

Serenely Discreet on her way to the barriers

Bella Sorellastra on her way to the barriers

Waterloo Sunset on her way to the barriers

Eleonora on her way to the barriers

I was well and truly battered by the wind by the time the feature race was run. My left contact lens had become displaced when I was trying to execute the removal of a mote of dust from my eye, so when looking through the viewfinder of my camera it was a bit blurry. Luckily the camera knew what it was doing and stayed sharp and true.

Here are the leading contenders for the Turnbull Stakes making their way to the barriers.

Happy Trails

Hartnell

Jameka

Preferment

Tally

Tarzino

Set Square

For the first time this spring racing carnival, the Turnbull Stakes delivered the wow factor, when Hartnell, coming around the field on the outside into the turn into the straight, powered past the leaders to gallop away to a commanding victory, Jameka in hot pursuit finishing 3¼ lengths behind in second place, and a further 3¼ lengths separating her from third place runner Tally.

My camera’s burst mode shows Hartnell, then daylight, then Jameka, then Tally and the rest of the field.

Halfway down the straight Hartnell is drawing away from the rest of the field.

Hartnell wins the 2016 Turnbull Stakes

Jameka crosses the finish line 3¼ lengths behind Hartnell

Hartnell returns to scale

I didn’t stay for the last two races, and it was relief to get out of the wind and into shelter on a train.

Despite the wind, it had been a wonderful afternoon of racing and I felt privileged to have been there to see Hartnell frank his Sydney form in such a spectacular fashion.

Speaking of Sydney racing the feature race day on Saturday yielded interesting results.

The Roman Consul Stakes was won by Russian Revolution, who led throughout and hung on for a narrow victory over Astern. Capitalist finished third.

Gai Waterhouse trained filly Global Glamour won the Flight Stakes from Yankee Rose with Sezanne running third.

Hauraki won the Epsom Handicap in sensational fashion, coming from last to just win on the line, pipping Dibayani, with Mackintosh finishing in third place.

And Sir John Hawkwood won the Metropolitan from Antonio Guiseppe and Allergic.

Next Saturday the racing action is back at Caulfield for Caulfield Guineas Day, with four Group 1 races on the program. Winx will be racing in the Group 1 Caulfield Stakes, which I am very much looking forward to seeing in person.

Spring Racing–Underwood Stakes Day

Lucia Valentina at Flemington - October 2014 - after winning the Turnbull Stakes

I’ve quite settled in to the Spring racing carnival, and  have become more enthusiastic as the action heats up and my familiarity with the runners develops.

Caulfield hosts the Underwood Stakes meeting this coming Saturday and features two Group 1 events – Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes and Underwood Stakes.

There is also the Group 2 Thousand Guineas Prelude for fillies, and the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude for colts and geldings to warm up the crowd while waiting for the main events. They are both run over 1400 metres and the results will give a clearer idea of the likely good ones for the real Guineas.

The first to run of these is the fillies edition, and it has attracted a super field with the likes of Whispering Brook, I Am A Star and Leotie being top contenders along with New Zealand Group 1 Sires Produce Stakes winner La Luna Rossa, who beat stablemate Saracino in that race. She’s part of the Murray Baker stable so can’t be dismissed out of hand.

Sydney colts Sacred Elixir and Good Standing represent a challenge for the local boys in the Caulfield Guineas Prelude. Originally Golden Rose winner Astern was nominated for this race, but a spike in temperature discouraged his connections from risking the colt on a trip to Melbourne.

However, New Zealand colt Saracino, last seen winning the Group 2 Danehill Stakes at Flemington, could well test the Sydneysiders and steal the show.

The first of the Group 1 races on the program is the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes is run over 1400 metres. Top picks are last start winners Voodoo Lad and Bon Aurum and the Chris Waller trained Counterattack.

Xtravagant is also entered in this race, so it will be interesting to see how he goes at Caulfield where there is a corner or two to turn before the straight. Reportedly he will not parade in the mounting yard but go to the barriers early, to keep him from getting over excited.

A field of eleven runners will contest the Group 1 Underwood Stakes. It is run over 1800 metres, so suits stayers and middle distance runners.

I’m hoping that the sole mare in the race, Lucia Valentina, can win. She has a good chance as she likes to have her races widely spaced and she hasn’t raced since finishing fourth to Winx in the Warwick Stakes on 20 August, and prior to that won the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes in the autumn.  The stars are aligned favourably for her with the sun in Libra (ruled by Venus) conjunct Jupiter (good luck) on Saturday.

The usual suspects will be vying for the prize. Black Heart Bart is current favourite despite his loss to Palentino in the Makybe Diva Stakes. Palentino is not in the field, but old trooper The Cleaner is and will no doubt set the pace, even though he has drawn the widest barrier. Both Tarzino and Tavago will be aiming to restore their reputations and Awesome Rock who won the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes at his last start could be a threat again.

Sydney has no Group 1 races this weekend, but a very nice program of Group 2 and Group 3 races excites some interest.

The feature race is the Group 2 Golden Pendant, a race for fillies and mares over 1400 metres. All eyes will be on First Seal making a return to racing after a longish break. Back in her three year old days, she beat Winx on two occasions, but has never found the same form since.  Her main rivals are Tycoon Tara who is in great form having beaten the boys in two of her previous races, Zanbagh and Heavens Above. 

The feel good racing story of the week was the news of the birth of Black Caviar’s third foal, a filly by Snitzel early Sunday morning. There are some nice photos of Black Caviar and her foal here.

Her first foal (by Exceed and Excel), also a filly, is reportedly soon to hit the track. She has been named Oscietra after an expensive type of Russian caviar.

A Weir Quinella–Makybe Diva Stakes Review

Palentino beats stablemate Black Heart Bart to win the 2016 Makybe Diva Stakes

The Darren Weir machine rolls on with remarkable success,  the Ballarat based trainer scoring his second Group 1 win for the season.

No other Victorian trainer gets a look in when it comes to the major races these days, though that may change as the spring racing carnival progresses and the Sydney stars come to Melbourne to challenge for the riches on offer.

My afternoon at Flemington began early where I got to the course in time to watch race 2, the Cap D’Antibes Stakes, a Listed race for three year old fillies run over 1100 metres.

Down the straight in the Cap D’Antibes Stakes – eventual winner Kentucky Miss is on the far left of the picture

The trouble with taking photos of sprints down the Flemington straight is that the field generally splits into two sections, one moving to the grandstand side, the other staying on the inside or in the middle. It’s hit or miss, depending on which side you are focussing on, whether you will get a photo of the winner crossing the line.

Such was the case in the Cap D’Antibes Stakes where the winner, Kentucky Miss came down the grandstand rail and I was concentrating on the inside rail.  So I got a nice shot of fourth placed Super Too and missed the winner and runners up, Beyond The Dream and My Country who  ran down the middle of the track.

Kentucky Miss returns to scale

Race 3, the Starlight Express Room Stakes was a 1400 metre race for three year olds and less complicating to photograph, the runners sticking to the inside of the track.

Approaching the finish line in race 3 – Detective (dark green silks) has the edge over Tessera (blue silks & blinkers) and Throssel (blue & white silks)

Detective returns to scale

In between the races, as usual, I tramped back to the stalls, about six times in all, so I got plenty of exercise over the afternoon.

The Living Legends special guest was Paris Lane who was being polished up in his stall, preparatory to parading in the mounting yard.

Paris Lane in his stall having his hooves polished

To refresh your memory, Paris Lane won the 1994 Caulfield Cup and MacKinnon Stakes, and ran second in the Melbourne Cup. He’s now 26 years old, looking pretty spry none the less.

It was a bit early in the day at this time (1.3opm) for the Makybe Diva Stakes field to have arrived, but  I pleased to see New Zealand colt Saracino in his stall. He was entered in Race 5, the Danehill Stakes, scheduled to run at  2.50pm.

Saracino

Alpine Eagle had arrived early, and was in the stall next to Saracino.

Alpine Eagle

Back trackside, it was pleasing to see Bon Aurum take out race 4, The Sofitel (aka Tontonan Stakes), a Listed race over 1400 metres. I’ve been following Bon Aurum for awhile, and he hadn’t won a race since winning the Guineas Prelude in late September last year.

Bon Aurum wins The Sofitel from Ulmann & Hi World

Bon Aurum rugged in the mounting yard posing for photos

Ulmann on his way to the barriers

Hi World on his way to the barriers

The first of the Group races was next on the program. This was the Group 2 Danehill Stakes for three year olds over 1200 metres.

I keen to see how Saracino would go in this and he exceeded expectations leading the field from start to finish, scoring by a narrow margin from Archives and Samara Dancer.

 
Down the straight in the Danehill Stakes – Saracino (yellow & green stripes) just ahead of Archives (blue silks) with Samara Dancer (blinkers) behind him.

Saracino returns to scale

Archives returns to scale

Back in the stalls area, most of the Makybe Diva field had arrived, so I cruised through to get snaps.

The Weir mob were in neighbouring stalls…

Palentino

Black Heart Bart

Prince of Penzance

Nearby were Happy Trails and Rising Romance…

Happy Trails

Rising Romance

It was certainly a case of handsome is as handsome does in the Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality, race 6 on the program. 

New Zealand stallion Xtravagant is a stunner to look at, but he disappointed, finishing last. His jockey Damian Oliver stated that the horse raced on his wrong leg, and refused to respond to any urgings to race on the right leg. Perhaps he needs to corner as he obviously doesn’t like the long Flemington straight, or maybe his mind is on other things judging by his tumescent state when leaving the mounting yard.

I photographed the contenders in the mounting yard and leaving for the track.

Under the Louvre

Xtravagant

Durendal

Tivaci

Faatinah

We’ve Got This

The race was won by Faatinah from Tivaci and We’ve Got This. Can’t say I’ve ever heard of Faatinah before, but he’s done most of his racing in Adelaide.

Down the straight in the Bobbie Lewis Quality

Faatinah returns to scale

The excitement was building for the next race which of course was the feature Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes.

As it was a pretty even field it was hard to single out a winner, other than Black Heart Bart who started as the warm favourite, despite there being a question mark over his ability to win over a mile.

It ended up with Palentino and Black Heart Bart fighting out the finish down the straight, the stablemates winning the quinella, Palentino scoring by a length from Black Heart Bart with He Or She three lengths behind in third place.

I got some nice photos of the field in the mounting yard and going to the barriers…

Prince of Penzance

Happy Trails

Black Heart Bart

Alpine Eagle

Palentino

Rising Romance

Tarzino

Maykybe Diva Stakes finish – Mark Zahra celebrates Palentino’s win

Palentino returns to the mounting yard

Alpine Eagle was again disappointing, finishing at the tail of the field. Like Xtravagant, perhaps his mind is on other things. Rising Romance raced on the pace, but faded to finish seventh.

As I’d been at the track since 12.45pm  I decided to head home after the feature race. I didn’t have any bets on the day, and having hardly sat down all afternoon, I was somewhat tired.

The afternoon was mostly overcast with the sun rarely showing its face, but the time as usual passed really fast. And I seem to have solved the Nikon’s light problem, the exposure compensation settings doing the trick. Despite the overcast day, I didn’t get any dark photographs.

Next week the only Group 1 race is in Sydney at Randwick where the feature race is the George Main Stakes which is now strangely called the Colgate Optic White Stakes. Anyway, Winx will be making her second appearance for the spring in this race and so far only six other competitors have nominated, which makes it look like a walkover for the wonder mare of Australia.

The racing in Melbourne will be at Caulfield and the feature race is the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes, a race over 2000 metres for Caulfield Cup bound horses.

And finally…

The news today was of the death of 1991 Melbourne Cup winner Let’s Elope. She apparently passed away in her sleep during the night. She was 29 years old.

As well as the Melbourne Cup, Let’s Elope won the 1991 Caulfield Cup and MacKinnon Stakes and in 1992 won the Turnbull Stakes, Australian Cup, Orr Stakes and St George Stakes.

She was a great race mare and I was pleased to see her grand-daughter Let’s Make Adeal win The Bart Cummings last year at Flemington in early October.

Sign at Flemington – Turnbull Stakes Day 2015