Hey Doc Pockets the Guineas

Hey Doc winning the 2017 Australian Guineas at Flemington

Compared to Sydney, where the weather was miserable and wet with the races run on a heavy 10 track, Flemington last Saturday, gloried in a hot sunny day and an afternoon of  fast racing on a good 3 track.

Owing to the train timetable I was obliged to arrive at Flemington fairly early, so I made it in time to watch Race 3, the 3AW is Football Stakes, a race for two year olds over 1000 metres. The highly regarded Madeenaty was the firm favourite, but she was pipped at the post by her stablemate, Ploverset, having her first start.

Down the straight in race 3 – Madeenaty leads on the rail with Ploverset storming down the outside.

Ploverset returns to scale

Madeenaty returns to scale

The Australian Guineas was scheduled as Race 7 to run at 4.30 pm, so it was longish afternoon to fill and too hot to be out in the sun for extended periods.

I killed a bit of time in the stalls area getting photos of the Guineas field in their stalls in between watching the races.

Happily the Flemington stalls area is more photo friendly and better lit than at Caulfield.

Here are few of the Guineas field…

Hey Doc

Prized Icon

Harlow Gold

Fuhryk

Inside Agent

Back trackside, race 4, the Mitty’s Handicap was due to start. It’s an open class race over 1600 metres.

It resulted in Show A Star, leading all the way,  defeating favourite Portman with Divine Mr Artie running third.

Show A Star on the fence leads with Portman trying to overtake down the straight


Show A Star returns to scale

Portman & Divine Mr Artie return to scale

Race 5 was the Group 3 Frances Tressady Stakes, a race for fillies and mares over 1400 metres.

Turbo Miss, unfancied in the betting, won the race from Rising Romance with Jalan Jalan running third.

A wall of horses approach the finish line – Turbo Miss (gold cap) is about to overtake Jalan Jalan (red cap) & Diamond Baroness (fence) Rising Romance is just in the picture on the left.

Turbo Miss returns to scale

Rising Romance returns to scale

Jalan Jalan on her way to the barriers

He or She who was in the three horse race Caulfield Stakes last spring won by Winx, scored his first win for a year in Race 6, the Group 3 TAB Rewards  Stakes.

He was one of the few favourites to win on the day, beating home Hooked and Zebrinz in the 1400 metre race.

He or She & Hooked cross the finish line in the TAB Rewards Stakes

He or She on his way to the barriers

Hooked on his way to the barriers

Zebrinz on his way to the barriers

In between the Flemington races I managed to watch the Group 1 races in Sydney on the drenched track.

In the Canterbury Stakes, Chautauqua showed his old spirit, fighting out the finish with Le Romain, to lose by a nose.  And Inference, a son of So You Think, won his sire his first Group 1 in the Randwick Guineas.  Invincible Gem, the sole filly in the race, ran second with Comin’ Through filling third place.

Back at Flemington the feature race was next up and soon the field was filing onto the track.

Hey Doc started from Barrier 1 and his jocky Luke Currie took full advantage of it, keeping Hey Doc close to the inside rail in fourth spot for most of the race as fillies Fuhryk, Legless Veuve and colt Attention set the pace. When a gap appeared near the 400 metre mark Currie eased Hey Doc through and he sped to the lead and maintained it to the line, winning from a fast finishing Prized Icon by ¾ length with Snitzon a further length back in third.

Australian Guineas down the straight approaching the finish line

Hey Doc in winners rug in the mounting yard post race

Prized Icon on his way to the starting gates

Snitzon on his way to the starting gates

I have been following Hey Doc since last Spring, first seeing him in action on Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes day at Moonee Valley in early September, so I’m delighted he finally won a Group 1 race.

Prized Icon was the good looker of the day, a splendid black colt worth following in future.

Speaking of good lookers, pretty boy Turn Me Loose has been retired to stud, so we won’t have the pleasure of seeing him race again. He injured his knee in the Futurity Stakes which accounts for his poor performance in the race.

The Melbourne autumn racing carnival basically winds up next Saturday at Flemington where the Group 1 Australian Cup is the feature race, along with the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap.

The roses will be in full bloom for the day, though they were already looking fabulous last Saturday.

Rose hedge near where I stand to photograph the races

It will be my last Saturday of attending the races for a while, but the Sydney Championships will be in full swing from then on to keep my interest up.

Catch of the Day–Blue Diamond Stakes Day Review

Catchy returns to the stalls after winning the 2017 Blue Diamond Stakes

The races at Randwick were run on a heavy track with inclement weather putting a dampener on the meeting. However, all was not lost to the rain when Winx demonstrated to all and sundry that she could handle the soggy conditions and still win with ease.  Her Chipping Norton Stakes victory was her 15th in succession, and raised her tally of Group 1 wins to ten.  Tough filly Lasqueti Spirit ran second with Who Shot Thebarman third home. Hartnell was never in the picture and finished at the tail of the field.

At Caulfield, by contrast, it was a perfectly lovely day for racing, with sunshine and a cool breeze making it comfortable to be outside.

I got to Caulfield in time to watch Race 3, the Group 2  Autumn Classic, a 1600 metre race for three year olds.

 
Race 3 aftermath – the winner Farson leads

It was won by the Gai Waterhouse trained Farson from Cliff Hanger and Captain Rhett.

Annoyingly, as had happened last year, my favourite spot for taking photos was reserved for a Young Members event.  Not much was happening there with few young members bothering to get up from their chairs and champagne to watch the racing. What a waste of a good space!

So I had to resort to the more distant (from the finishing line) area adjacent to the parade ring. At least you can get good snaps of the horses going to the barriers and returning to scale after the race. And it was bereft of crowds, which suited me fine, with only the gate keepers to chat to.

Race 4 was the Group 2 Angus Armanasco Stakes, a race for three year old fillies over 1400 metres.

“Magic Man” Joao Moreira demonstrated his uncanny touch guiding Savanna Amour to victory over the more fancied runners. Ellicazoom (a daughter of Group 1 winning WA mare Ellicorsam) finished second and Oregon’s Day ran third.

The Angus Armasnasco field sweep round the bend from the finish line – Savanna Amour (gold silks) is slightly ahead of Ellicazoom (blinkers)

Savanna Amour returns to scale

Ellicazoom on her way to the barriers

In between the races I wandered around the stalls area, but most of my photos of horses in their stalls turned out rather dark, which even the nifty perfect exposure plugin I use to enhance photos not making much difference. The light varied over the afternoon with cloud cover occasionally obscuring the sun.

The first of the Group 1 races, the Futurity Stakes was up next and I was hoping that Turn Me Loose would be the winner, but he finished second last, being denied his preferred front running racing style by the tearaway leader Ecuador.  Or perhaps I put a jinx on him getting his trainer’s signature in my racebook before the race was run.

Black Heart Bart bagged the booty again, from stablemate Tosen Stardom with Ecuador hanging on for third.

Futurity Stakes aftermath – the first four home from the left Black Heart Bart, Tosen Stardom, Attention and Ecuador

Black Heart Bart returns to scale

Ecuador returns to scale

Turn Me Loose returning to the stalls post race – handsome fellow

There was only one more race to go before the Blue Diamond Stakes and this was the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1800 metres).

Stratum Star gave Darren Weir a second winner for day (after Black Heart Bart).  His stablemate Humidor finished second and The United States ran third. Jameka started favourite and finished fourth, less than a length from the winner.

Round the bend from the finish line – Stratum Star still in the lead.

Stratum Star returns to scale

Humidor returns to scale

The United States returns to scale

Jameka returning to the stalls post race -  a nice head shot

In my preview of the Blue Diamond Stakes in my last post I mentioned seven runners likely to be in the finish.  I’m pleased my assessment was spot on, except for Jukebox (who was scratched) and Blondie who finished last, while the other five – Catchy, Pariah, Formality, Tulip and Property all finished in that order in the first five.

Catchy appears to be an exceptional filly, judging by the way she won the Blue Diamond Stakes, coming from an apparently unwinnable position way back in the field, with an incredible burst of speed, to overtake Pariah and win by a neck . Formality ran third two lengths behind.

Just past the post in the 2017 Blue Diamond Stakes

Catchy returns to scale

Pariah returns to scale

Formality returns to scale

Tulip returns to scale

In no rush to get home, I stayed for the final Group 1 race, the Oakleigh Plate, a sprint over 1100 metres.

Joao Moreira, sorcery in a saddle, rode Sheidel boldly in a leading position to score a narrow win over Faatinah. Extreme Choice flew home from the back of the field to run third.

Oakleigh Plate finish

Sheidel returns to scale

Faatinah returns to scale

Extreme Choice returns to scale

Remarkably, three of the four Group 1 races run on Saturday were won by the female of the species.  A lot of this has to do with young entire males being retired early to stud if they have any ability. We rarely get to see them race into their fourth or fifth year.

Next weekend there are two Group 1 Guineas races, one at Randwick and one at Flemington.  And after that there is only one more weekend of Group 1 racing in Melbourne, which basically winds up on Australian Cup Day on 11 March.

The Blue Diamond Stakes Comes Around Again

Catchy  - 2017 Blue Diamond Favourite

This coming Saturday will be the sixth time I’ve been to the Blue Diamond Stakes Day at Caulfield.

Samaready won the Blue Diamond back in 2012 where I recall the temperature being 40°C . She went on to win several other Group  races, most notably the 2013 Moir Stakes.

The most memorable Blue Diamond Stakes was the 2013 edition where fairy tale filly Miracles of Life romped in and everyone got very emotional.

Last year the two Mick Price colts Extreme Choice and Flying Artie ran the quinella.

This year’s field contains ten colts/geldings and six fillies.

Having watched most of the build up races I reckon the best chances are colts Property, Jukebox and Pariah and fillies Catchy, Tulip, Formality and Blondie. It being a mad two year old race over 1200 metres, run at speed, anything could happen, but I wouldn’t be surprised if one or more of the abovementioned were in the finish.

As well as the Blue Diamond Stakes, there are two other Group 1 races, the Futurity Stakes over 1400 metres and the Oakleigh Plate, a sprint over 1100 metres.

The Futurity is the first of the Group 1 races on the program, run as Race 5 and has a small field of nine runners. Black Heart Bart is naturally the top pick and short priced favourite.  He narrowly beat Turn Me Loose in the Orr Stakes who may be able to turn the tables on him this time.  Turn Me Loose is a particular favourite of mine, a really pretty young stallion who has been specifically aimed at this race, which he won last year.

Others likely to be in or close to the finish are Lucky Hussler,  Palentino and former Japanese horse Tosen Stardom.

A huge field has accepted for the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate, 18 in all. The interesting runners are Extreme Choice, Fell Swoop, Sheidel,
I Am A Star and Wild Rain.

The support card at Caulfield is also worth the price of entry, with two Group 3, and three Group 2 races.  I’m looking forward to seeing Jameka again, who is running in the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes.

In Sydney at Randwick, the wonderful Winx will be aiming to win her 15th race in succession in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes. Most of her rivals are resuming stayers along with long time rival Hartnell who is yet to get the better of her.  Here’s hoping she keeps her winning sequence intact.

Bart Bags the Booty - Orr Stakes Day Review

Black Heart Bart returns to scale after winning the Orr Stakes

The Sydney races at Randwick were cancelled last Saturday due to the extreme heat and will be run today (Monday) instead, so we’ll get to see Winx race in the Apollo Stakes at 5.40pm this afternoon.

In Melbourne the weekend weather was very pleasant, Saturday being a partly sunny day with a light breeze – perfect for an afternoon turfside.

As planned, I arrived at Caulfield in plenty of time for the first of the Blue Diamond Preludes and had time before the race to cruise through the stalls and check out who had arrived.

El Divino (Winx little brother)

The grey flash Chautauqua

The beautiful Turn Me Loose

I’ve given up trying to take photos from the public lawn, the hedge is so high I can barely see over it to get a clear shot. So I spent most of the afternoon on the hill above the stalls area, which was remarkably uncrowded.

Soon enough the fillies were assembling for their Blue Diamond Prelude and Catchy started favourite with Limestone being the second pick.

The race ended with Catchy and Limestone fighting out the finish, Catchy winning by a nose. Arctic Angel finished third, 1.35 lengths behind the leading two.

Catchy (outside) & Limestone still head to head just after the post.

Catchy returns to scale

Limestone returns to scale

Arctic Angel returns to scale

Sydney colt Pariah was the starting favourite for the colts and geldings Blue Diamond Prelude, but he was outgunned by Property, who has now won the Blue Diamond Preview and Prelude double. Can he add the actual Blue Diamond Stakes to his wins?  The last horse to do so was Sepoy in 2011. Wait For No One finished third.

Colts Blue Diamond Prelude finish just past the post

Property returns to scale

Pariah returns to scale

Wait For No One in the parade ground – a real good looker

Race 5 was the Group 3 Kevin Hayes Stakes, run over 1200 metres,  for three year old fillies.

Fuhryk, who I admit I had never heard of, started favourite and  scored a good two length win over Oregon’s Day and Savanna Amour.

Kevin Hayes Stakes finish – Fuhryk (blinkers) has the advantage

Fuhryk returns to scale

Chautauqua was the star attraction in Race 6, the Group 2 Rubiton Stakes where he started as top weight and warm favourite.  However, he didn’t win, finishing third after leaving his run too late.  Victory went to rank outsider Super Cash with I Am A Star running second. Chautauqua’s connections were left scratching their heads and came to the conclusion that he is looking for longer races these days.  So they are going to try him over 1400 metres next.

Rubiton Stakes finish just past the post

Super Cash returns to scale

I Am A Star (inside) and Wild Rain return to scale together

Chautauqua returns to scale

Finally it was time for the feature event, the Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes and a fine field had turned up for it. Black Heart Bart held narrow favouritism over Malaguerra at race start time and didn’t disappoint his supporters with a grand win, overtaking race leader Turn Me Loose close to the post and winning by a length. I was delighted to see Turn Me Loose show that he is back to the form that won him two Group 1 races in spring 2015 (Emirates Stakes) and autumn 2016 (Futurity Stakes). His main aim this autumn is to win the Futurity Stakes for a second time. 

The Gai Waterhouse trained Ecuador ran third and Jameka and Palentino dead heated for fourth.

Orr Stakes finish – Black Heart Bart , Turn Me Loose & Ecuador are the leading three.

Brad Rawiller salutes riding Black Heart Bart back to scale

Turn Me Loose on his way to the starting gates

Ecuador returns to scale

Jameka returns to scale

Palentino and Turn Me Loose returning to scale

Calling it quits after the Orr Stakes I headed for the station and home having enjoyed another pleasant afternoon at the races.

Next week the Group 1 action is at Flemington with the feature race being the Black Caviar Lightning.

Later…

Just watched the running of the Apollo Stakes and Winx won like the champion she is, notching up her 14th win in succession. Go Winx!