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.

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

Makybe Diva Stakes–Is a Spring Romance on the Cards?

Rising Romance on her way to the barriers in the Memsie Stakes

The wide open spaces of Flemington beckon this coming Saturday with a super race meeting making the trip out west worth the effort.

The feature race is the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes, where a field of 13 runners will be contesting it.  Black Heart Bart is the hot favourite. It’s understandable considering he won Memsie Stakes in fine fashion at his first start for the season.  However, there are a few questionmarks as to whether he can win. He has never won over 1600 metres, and his recent form shows him running first, then second, then first, second, etc, though in his younger days in Western Australia he strung together several consecutive wins.

Happy Trails, now nine years old, is resuming for another spring season, his sixth in succession. I feel that he is probably past his glory days  where from 2012 to 2014 he won a Group 1 race each year – the Emirates Stakes in 2012, the Turnbull in 2013 and the Mackinnon in 2014. He’s grand old trouper who seems to have been around forever.

When I saw Rising Romance at Caulfield on Memsie Stakes Day I thought she looked a picture of health, so it was not surprising that she ran second in the race. Can she go one better in the Makybe Diva Stakes?  She’s due for a win having run against quality fields most of her career and finished second or third in several Group 1 races.

The handsome Alpine Eagle is also entered in the Makybe Diva Stakes. It would be good to see an improvement from him after his rather disappointing sixth in the Memsie Stakes, but he is bred to be a stayer and may have found the pace too hot.

Also worth considering are Australian Guineas winner Palentino and Derby winner Tarzino. Stayers often win the Makybe Diva Stakes, for instance Fawkner last year.

Due to the train timetable, I’ll be obliged to get to Flemington fairly early in the afternoon, so it’s fortunate that the support card has several other interesting races to keep me amused.

The Group 2 Danehill Stakes is scheduled as race 5 and is for three year olds and run over 1200 metres. I’m keen to get a look at New Zealand trainer Murray Baker’s new star Saracino having his first race in Australia. He’s up against smart local colts like Defcon, who recently won the HDF MCNeil Stakes, the  runners up Highland Beat and Wazzenme, Trenchant who has won at Flemington previously, and sole filly Samara Dancer.

We last saw New Zealand bred Xtravagant race in Australia in this  year’s Australian Guineas, where he started as hot favourite and failed to run a place. He’ll be out to redeem his reputation in the Bobbie Lewis Quality a sprint over 1200 metres. His greatest rival is Stradbroke Handicap winner Under The Louvre who always runs an honest race. This race was won by Chautauqua in 2014, which was when he first came to notice, and we all know how good has become since then.

In Sydney at Rosehill the feature race is the Golden Rose Stakes. It has a great field comprised of 12 colts/geldings and 3 fillies.

Of the boys, the top picks are Astern and Divine Prophet who both won their last starts, followed by Winx younger half brother El Divino, who was rather disappointing in the Run To The Rose and Melbourne colt Derryn who ran second to Divine Prophet at his last start.

Both Omei Sword and Yankee Rose are highly regarded fillies, the former being in the almighty Chris Waller stable, winning her last start by three and half lengths, the latter winning against the boys in autumn in the Group 1 Sires Produce Stakes and also running second in the Golden Slipper Stakes. If Yankee Rose has recovered from the minor injury she sustained recently, she is a force to be reckoned with and is one of the horses I’ve been looking forward to seeing this spring if she ever makes it to Melbourne.

Though the weather in Melbourne has been warm and sunny most of this week, a change on Friday is forecast to bring some rain, though it is expected to clear briefly on Saturday in time for the races.

Rosehill, for a change, may even present as good, with not much rain falling in Sydney before the weekend.

Heady Brew–Australian Guineas Review

Palentino, hot & sweaty in the mounting yard after winning the 2016 Australian Guineas

We woke to an overcast sticky morning in Melbourne on Saturday and those conditiions prevailed for the rest of the day.

That suited me fine, as the lighting for photography was excellent -  not too bright or too dark.

I arrived at Flemington Racecourse earlier than anticipated, in time to watch  Race 2, the Listed  3AW News Talk Sport Stakes, a race over 1000 metres for two year olds.

It ended up with Selenia winning from Alter Call and Creativity.

Selenia returns to scale after winning Race 2

The Flemington roses were rampantly in bloom, particularly in the stalls area, where rose hedges surround the bird cage walking ring and the stalls. The bushes were so high that it was difficult to get clear shots of horses in their stalls and many a photographer looked as if they had been playing with feisty kittens after being in the area.

Living Legend Brew was the first horse I came across as I entered the lower stalls area and his kindly attendants brought him out for a pat. What a thrill!

Brew outside his stall

He’s a big boy, but gentle and friendly and I was delighted to meet him. I still recall vividly his Melbourne Cup victory in 2000 . That year my astrological analysis of the field led me to decide that a strong Cancerian influence was the main aspect of the day.  Brew’s name, signifying domestic duties, was spot on for Cancer.  It also helped that he had the breeding of a Melbourne Cup winner – Sir Tristram from Horlicks -  a blue blood indeed.

He started from Gate 24, and his saddle cloth number was 24 as well which made him a light weight chance. A very young Kieran McEvoy was his jockey.

Brew, sporting a yellow rose in his bridle

Whilst in the area I cruised through to see which Guineas contenders had already arrived.

The Darren Weir contingent were in Stalls 12 to 22, though not necessarily in the same stalls allocated in the race book.


Mahuta

Palentino

Perfect Reflection

Along with the three year olds, former Western Australian mare Real Love was there as well. She was favourite for Roy Higgins Quality scheduled as Race 4.

Real Love

Back track side, Race 3 was about to start, so I made my way to the prime spot just past the winning post to get action shots of the finish and the field returning to scale.

The Mrs Mac’s Bakery Sprint, for fillies and mares, is run over 1100 metres, and last start winner Estaminet started as favourite, but failed to fire, finishing well back in the field.  New Zealand filly Miss Seton Sands, having her first start in Australia, narrowly won over Exclusive Lass and Hijack Hussy.

Race 3 finish – please note camera angle looks as if Exclusive Lass is the winner.

Estaminet returns to scale

Miss Seton Sands returns to scale

Exclusive Lass returns to scale

Hijack Hussy returns to scale

The stalls area at Flemington is in two sections, the front stalls being easily accessible from just outside Carbine’s stall, but you have to walk down Crabapple Lane to access the back section.

More Guineas contenders were stabled there, including hyped New Zealand colt Xtravagant, who had quite a crowd of interested spectators outside his stall.

Xtravagant in his stall

Close by was Tarzino along with the other Mick Price runners, whom I failed to get photos of, or couldn’t identify.

Tarzino in his stall

Vanbrugh

Bon Aurum – very pretty

Jameka in her stall

Back  in the front stalls was Divan who was entered in the last race on the program, which I didn’t stay to watch.

He was being rather naughty in his stall, pawing the ground and tossing his head around, which I remarked to his strapper, who said that at home he was a lamb, but he got excited coming to the races.

Blue blood Divan – a handsome fellow

Back trackside the Roy Higgins Quality was the next race to run, and Real Love was the warm favourite.

She didn’t disappoint, finally winning her first race in the East after running a place in her last two starts.

Real Love wins the Roy Higgins Quality from Dandy Gent – Black Jag ran third three lengths behind.

Real Love returns to scale

After tramping back and forth from the stalls to the upper public lawn several times I felt like a break, so went a bought a drink and watched the Canterbury Stakes from Sydney on the big screen.  Holler, who was underestimated in the betting, won from First Seal with Kermadec running third.

The earlier Todman Stakes resulted in a boilover as well, when the Gai Watherhouse trained Kiss and Make Up rolled the highly touted short priced favourite, Capitalist.

Brew was parading around the mounting yard as I waited for the Canterbury Stakes to screen and grazing on the centre lawn whilst the Living Legends chief vet posed for photos with him.

Brew in the mounting yard

Only two more races were scheduled before the feature, and they were only of interest in helping the time pass.

There wasn’t much of a crowd, certainly not a spring racing levels, and the kids were kept well out of the way in the Kids’ Zone and entertained in various ways. I saw Peanuts characters wandering around and posing for photos.

Charlie & Lucy

Snoopy posing for photos outside the Phar Lap Club (Kids’ Zone)

Race 5 was the Group 3 TAB Rewards Stakes an open handicap over 1400 metres. It resulted in Red Bomber beating Burning Front and Puccini. It was Red Bomber’s first win in a year.

Race 5 finish – Red Bomber on the outside beats Burning Front (orange silks) and Puccini (inside)

Red Bomber on his way to the barriers

Burning Front on his way to the barriers

Puccini on his way to the barriers

In Race 6, the ATA/Bob Hoysted Handicap, race favourite Malaguerra romped in by almost two lengths from Grane and Thermal Current.

Malaguerra wins the ATA/ Bob Hoysted Handicap

Malaguerra returns to scale

Grane returns to scale

Thermal Current returns to scale

The Randwick Guineas was scheduled to run 15 minutes before the Australian Guineas, so I wandered back towards the mounting yard to get a better view of the big screen to watch it.  Le Romain caused an upset, beating  hot favourite Press Statement, who was blocked for a run and couldn’t catch him in the straight.  Rank outsider Gold Ambition ran third.

A similar scenario occured in the Australian Guineas where Xtravagant was the hot favourite, but failed to run a place. He burst from the gates at lightning speed and led for most of the race. He was overtaken in the straight by a mass of horses and Palentino pushed through at the last minute to win from Tarzino and the filly Risque.

As happened when he won, then lost, the CS Hayes Stakes, there was a protest against him from second place, Tarzino’s jockey, alleging interference, but this time the protest was dismissed. A collective groan rose up when the protest siren was sounded – not again!

Australian Guineas finish

Palentino returns to scale

Tarzino on his way to the barriers

Xtravagant on his way to the barriers

Xtravagant has returned to New Zealand, his colours lowered considerably. 

Flemington roses – a plethora of brilliant colour all along the straight

I went home after the Guineas, not staying for the Frances Tressady Stakes or the Antler Luggage Trophy, where Divan ran second again to runaway long shot Tom Melbourne.

It’s back to Flemington next Saturday for Super Saturday which features the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap and the Group 1 Australian Cup, always a fabulous day of racing with  a quality support card.

The final Group 1 of the Melbourne Autumn racing carnival is the William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley on 25 March, which I may attend, even though it’s a night meeting.