Without A Fight- Caulfield Cup Review

Caulfield Cup  – Without A Fight & West Wind Blows battle to the finish

Despite the support card for Caulfield Cup meeting not being that interesting, the feature event offered an intriguing conundrum with the large field composed of  several International runners and seasoned familiar stayers.

So forth I went last Saturday to take in some racing action at the track, arriving around 2.00 pm.

The Caulfield Cup was scheduled for 5.15pm so it wasn’t a terribly long sojourn.

A big crowd was in  attendance, so it was hard to get a position on the fence to practice photography, but after finally tracking down my friend Rebecca we settled in a spot not too far from the finishing post.

We even managed to get to the stalls area, though didn’t come across the runners we were interested in other than Gold Trip who was the Caulfield Cup favourite.

 
Gold Trip in his stall

Returning trackside, we were back on the fence for the running of Race 5, the  Group 2 Thousand Guineas Prelude, a race for three year old fillies over 1400 metres.

Coeur Volante was the winner, beating Vivi Air by a bit over a length, with Zourion snagging third place from Moesha.

Coeur Volante on her way to winning the Thousand Guineas Prelude

Vivi Air on her way to barriers

Race 6 was the Group 2 McCafe Sprint, a 1000 metre dash down the straight that resulted in a win for Doull, who defeated Spacewalk and Generation.

Doull (red silks) outguns Spacewalk to win the McCafe Sprint

Skew Whiff started as favourite for Race 7, the Group 2 Tristarc Stakes, but Wrote to Arataki who led from the start, held on to win from Shuffle Dancer and Call Di.

 
Wrote to Arataki wins the Tristarc Stakes

After the running of the Tristarc Stakes, there was only one more race to run before the Caulfield Cup.

This was the Group 3 Moonga Stakes and Buffalo River, race favourite, led field from the start and won easily from Climbing Star.

Buffalo River on his way to winning the Moonga Stakes

A big field of eighteen runners faced the starter in the Caulfield Cup, so I suppose it was really no surprise that International runners West Wind Blows (the favourite) and Without A Fight ended up running the quinella with top weight Gold Trip finishing third.

Without A Fight (no 2) about to overtake West Wind Blows in the Caulfield Cup

With the Caulfield Cup run and won, I headed for the station and home.

Next Saturday is Cox Plate Day, so hopefully it will be a more interesting afternoon at the races than Caulfield Cup Day.

In the Mood for Romance – Turnbull Stakes Day Review

Gold Trip wins the 2023 Turnbull Stakes

Though it was not the most exciting race meeting, I decided to attend Turnbull Stakes Day at Flemington last Saturday, ostensibly to see the hyped Hong Kong runner Romantic Warrior.

I also wanted to remember my photographer friend George who had  passed away suddenly on 3rd October 2023.

He was an amiable soul with a mischievous sense of humour – one of the good guys - and an excellent photographer who will be greatly  missed.

You can check out his horse racing photos on this Facebook page.

I’m sure if George was still with us he would have attended the Turnbull Stakes, as he was always interested in the unusual or quirky side of the sport and would probably have attended to see Romantic Warrior.

Anyway, back to my afternoon at the races, I arrived at the track around 2.00 pm and headed to the stalls area to see if I could get a photo of Romantic Warrior. He wasn’t in his stall (no 86), but I caught sight of him walking around the parade ring, and noted that he looked a classy animal.

In the Stall 87, was the English horse West Wind Blows.

West Wind Blows

I hung around a bit and eventually Romantic Warrior was brought back to his stall.

Romantic Warrior

After visiting the stalls area I headed back trackside to practice photography on Race 5, the Danehill Stakes, a Group 2 event run over 1,000 metres.

Archo Nacho was the starting favourite, but he finished unplaced, a narrow victory going to 3 year old filly Stretan Angel who outgunned second favourite I Am Unstoppable.

Stretan Angel wins the Danehill Stakes

I Am Unstoppable

The afternoon was overcast for the main and the rail was out by 9 metres, so I’m surprised my photos turned out better than I imagined they would.

Race 6. the Group 2 Rose of Kingston Stakes was one for the mares and run over 1400 metres.  American mare Princess Grace was the favourite, but she was beaten by Life Lessons, and Wrote to Arataki ran third, the first three home all racing on the pace.

Life Lessons wins the Rose of Kingston Stakes from Princess Grace

Life Lessons on her way to the barriers

Princess Grace on her way to the barriers

Wrote to Arataki on her way to the barriers

The Bart Cummings, a race over 2520 metres, was of interest due to the winner being exempt from ballot for the Melbourne Cup.

A huge field of 16 runners were competing in the event, with First Immortal being the starting favourite, but he was relegated to second by the winner Future History. Serpentine finished third.

Future History wins the Bart Cummings from First Immortal

Future History returns to scale

The feature Group 1 race, the Turnbull Stakes (2000 metres) was the next to run. It has been won in the past by first class horses, notably by  Winx in 2017 and 2018. Verry Elleegant won in 2020. Last year Smokin’ Romans won the money.

This year’s edition had a classy field and Romantic Warrior was the warm favourite. However, last year’s Melbourne Cup winner, Gold Trip, who raced towards the back of the field zoomed up the straight and outclassed all and sundry to win by 1.75 metres from West Wind Blows and Soulcombe. Romantic Warrior managed to run fourth, his colours somewhat lowered.

Gold Trip on his way to the barriers

West Wind Blows on his way to the barriers

Soulcombe on his way to the barriers

Romantic Warrior on his way to the barriers – thankfully a reasonable photo

With the Turnbull Stakes done and dusted I headed home, not staying for the Gilgai Stakes which was won by Star Patrol.

Next Saturday is Caulfield Guineas Day which features three Group 1 races – Caulfield Guineas, Toorak Handicap (starring Amelia’s Jewel) and the Might and Power – a much more interesting race meeting than last Saturday’s offerings.