A Zipping Farewell to the Boss at Caulfield

Glen Boss parades in the mounting yard after riding his last race

For a change it was a warm and sunny day at Caulfield last Saturday and crowds were once again welcomed back trackside – if you were fully vaccinated that is.

As I hadn’t been to the races since All Star Mile Day back in March this year ,and was disappointed to miss the Spring Racing Carnival, I took the opportunity to finally use my Caulfield Casual Membership card and headed off to the Eastern suburbs.

This wasn’t without difficulty as trains from the city to Caulfield were not running due to the Victorian Government major works blitz that affected the Frankston line.

So I had to bus it from the city (or rather Burnley Station) to Caulfield and was obliged to stand the entire trip, which made it doubly tedious.

It probably didn’t take that much longer than usual, but seemed so, but I arrived at Caulfield in plenty of time for Race 2, the Sandown Cup which was my intention. My friend Rebecca was also there, so it was good to catch up with her. We last met on Blue Diamond Stakes day in autumn.

Though the race card was not that interesting there were a few horses I was looking forward to seeing, notably Spanish Mission in the feature race, the Zipping Classic where Glen Boss was set to ride in his last race. This race was later in the day, scheduled for 4.20pm, so there were six races to watch and practice photography on before that event.

It’s rare to see a race at 3200 metres, so I guess you could say it was a treat to watch the Sandown Cup which is run at the Melbourne Cup distance.

The winner, Dragon Storm who raced at the rear of the field, came into contention a short way from the winning post to score a narrow victory over True Marvel  with Sweet Thomas running third.

Dragon Storm (nose roll) about to draw level with True Marvel

Dragon Storm on his way to the barriers

Dragon Storm is New Zealand bred, a son of 2009 Melbourne Cup winner Shocking, and started at big odds, his form being nothing to write home about.

Race 3 was the Twilight Glow Stakes, a race over 1400 metres for three year old fillies. 

Lady of Honour led from the start and held on to win  by half a length from fast finishing race favourite Decent Raine. Lavish Girl ran third.

Lady of Honour burns up the straight

Enthaar, whom I  had last seen running in the Blue Diamond Stakes, started as favourite for Race 4, the Doveton Stakes, a sprint over 1000 metres, and didn’t disappoint winning comfortably over Streetcar Stranger with Yulong Command running third.

Enthaar on her way to winning the Doveton Stakes

Enthaar in full flight

It was a bright sunny day which you would think would be good for photos, but I was testing out a new camera  (D5600 Nikon) and hadn’t quite worked out the controls. If I could have found a way to turn on Active D Lighting, my photos, especially facing back towards the winning post may have been better.  But it has always been problematic at Caulfield facing into the sun.

There was a fairly big crowd in attendance, quite like a normal pre Covid race day, but Bec and I had no trouble getting to our preferred fence position for taking photos.

Even the stalls area was accessible though  it had changed quite a bit with new stalls areas making it confusing to find a particular horse. We did however manage to get a photo of Melbourne Cup third placer, Spanish Mission, in his stall.

Spanish Mission in his stall

Race 5, the Group 3 Summoned Stakes, was up next. Run over 1600 metres, it is a race for mares four years old and upwards.

Steinem  started as favourite and prevailed in the end fighting out the finish with Quantum Mechanic to win by a head. Perfect World was third a length behind.

Steinem (gold cap) fights out the finish with Quantum Mechanic

Steinem on her way to the barriers

Quantum Mechanic on her way to the barriers

By this time there was only one race to run before the feature, and this was the Group 2 Sandown Guineas, run over 1600 metres. I can’t say I’d ever heard of  most of the field, so the win by 20./ shot Blue Army meant little. He won by half a length from Blazerro , another 20./1 shot with race favourite Festival Dancer running third.

Three horse race – Blue Army, Blazerro & Festival Dancer

Blue Army  on his way to the barriers

Blazerro on his way to the barriers

The feature race was heralded by a band and singer and old Zipping, special guest from Living Legends, led the field into the mounting yard. The Zipping Classic (2400 metres) used to be named the Sandown Classic and run at Sandown until this year, the week after the Flemington Spring Carnival and was won by Zipping four years in succession from 2007 to 2010, hence the name change.

Spanish Mission was the hot favourite and Glen Boss was booked to ride him. Everyone was hoping that Glen Boss would go out a winner in this, but it was not to be. Sound, who won this race last year, made it back to back victories, narrowly winning from Dr Drill  and race leader Wentwood.

Spanish Mission failed to fire in the straight and finished fourth.

Zipping Classic finish – Sound (purple silks) about to overtake Dr Drill

Despite Spanish Mission failing to win, the crowd cheered Glen Boss back to the mounting yard., where he paraded for an enthusiastic audience.

Glen Boss delighted with the crowd’s acclaim parades in the mounting yard

Glen Boss will always be remembered as the rider of Makybe Diva in her three Melbourne Cup victories, as well as many other notable wins over the 36 years he has been involved in racing.

I left the course shortly after this so missed Glen Boss stripping off and throwing his various garments to the crowd.

Rather than face another bus ride back to the city, I caught  a tram and enjoyed a relaxed scenic trip through St Kilda to Flinders Street.

It was enjoyable being back at the races, and I must admit you do get plenty of badly needed exercise to and froing around the course. I was quite foot sore when I finally got home.

A Day In The Sun Celebrating Winx 21st

Winx wins the Turnbull Stakes

Though the rest of the racecard was pretty ordinary, it was worth getting to Flemington to witness the magic mare Winx win her 21st race in succession. And she accomplished this in spectacular fashion, winning by 6½ lengths.

A lot of other people had the same idea, as twice the number who attended the Turnbull Stakes meeting last year were present for the event. It was quite like the old Black Caviar days, though instead of salmon with black spots,  it was Winx’s blue colours that predominated.  The Merchandise stall were selling Winx caps, stubby holders, vests etc, and throughout the afternoon the promoters were handing out Winx flags for fans to wave.

It took over an hour for me to reach Flemington being obliged to travel by bus to Clifton Hill, then a train to the city, followed by another train to Flemington, but I set out early and reached the course around 1.00pm.

My first stop on arrival was the stalls area to see if Winx was there. Sure enough she was, with a big crowd gathered outside her stall. I managed to wriggle in and got some photos of the super star with her regular strapper Umut Odemislioglu.

Winx in her stall – for once without ear muffs – with her strapper Omut Odemislioglu

I must admit I did not pay much attention to the other races on the program, but they were handy for photography practice.

Unfortunately the rail was out 9 metres, which as always makes it hard to get clear shots with a high focal length,  the rail cutting off the view as in the first photo above.

My early start meant that I got to Flemington in time for Race 2,  the Poseidon Stakes, a 1400 metres race for three year olds. It was won by long shot Snitzepeg from Brave Tango and Sircconi.

Poseidon Stakes - down the straight to the finish line, Snitzepeg leads

Snitzepeg returns to scale

Back in the stalls area I paused to say hello to the Living Legends Fish and Zip…

Efficient

Zipping

At Saintly Place, one of the public precincts of Flemington, there was a display of Bart Cummings trophies, open for the first time last Saturday. There are 149 trophies in all that include his Melbourne Cup and Cox Plate wins.

 
A small part of the Bart Cummings Trophy display

Four Cox Plate Trophys – Saintly 1996, Dane Ripper 1997 & So You Think 2009/2010

Back trackside Race 3, the UCI Stakes was set to run.

Another race for three year olds, this one was over 1800 metres, it was won by the unfancied Main Stage by a neck from Cliff’s Edge with outsider Johnny Viko running third.

Down the straight in the UCI Stakes – Main Stage (red cap) is about to hit the front

Main Stage on his way to the barriers

As the Turnbull Stakes was scheduled as Race 5, my friend Rebecca and I  decided to stay put after Race 4, the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes, so we wouldn’t lose our spot at the access gate just past the finishing post.

The Gilgai Stakes favourite was Spieth who disappointed finishing second last.  Keen Array, who seems to have been around forever and hasn’t won a race for year, narrowly won from Queensland mare Sold For Song  and outsider Malibu Style. The trifecta must have paid a fortune.

Gilgai Stakes finish – Keen Array (blue & green silks) is about to overtake Sold For Song & Malibu Style

Keen Array returns to scale

Sold For Song returns to scale

Bons Away (4th) & Malibu Style return to scale

The excitement was building as the time ticked by to the Turnbull Stakes and everyone jostled for position on the fence to see the great mare in action.

I saw two ravens (for joy) fly over the track, and one settled itself atop the finishing post – an heraldic raven on the ornate structure.

Raven perched on the finishing post

A big cheer greeted Winx as she stepped onto the track.

Winx on her way to the barriers

Winx previous three runs this Spring have been nailbiting to watch,  but this time around the race result was never in doubt  from the turn into the straight. Winx took command half way up the straight to draw further and further away from her nearest rivals Humidor and Ventura Storm as sequenced in the following photos.

Up the straight – photo 1


Up the straight – photo 2

Up the straight – photo 3

Up the straight – photo 4

Up the straight – photo 5

Winx returns to scale – Hugh Bowman being interviewed by Dean Pettit

Winx in the mounting yard in the winners rug

After squeezing in on the fence around the mounting yard to get snaps of Winx parading, I decided to try and get Chris Waller’s signature in my racebook, so headed off to the stalls as the most likely place to find him.

When I got to Winx stall, there was still a big crowd outside it. She was taken off to be hosed down, and Chris Waller was obviously still at the Presentation, so I had brief sit down and then had the brain wave that I could most likely cross Chris Waller’s path as he returned to the stalls area from the Presentation which is held in the Mounting Yard. My hunch and timing were spot on, for as soon as I had reached the end of the stalls area and was heading towards the mounting yard, I spotted Mr Waller emerging and accosted him. He very obligingly signed my racebook and seemed in a happy mood, as why shouldn’t he be after Winx senstational win.

Interestingly Winx goes very well the Melbourne way (anticlockwise); according to her jockey Hugh Bowman better than on the Sydney clockwise circuit, so it’s pity they don’t race her Melbourne more often. Anyway, the Cox Plate is a little over two weeks away where hopefully we’ll get to see Winx win her third Cox Plate.

I stayed on for the next two races interested to see Almandin in The Bart Cummings, a race for stayers over 2500 metres, which Almandin won last year before going on to win the Melbourne Cup. The winner of The Bart Cummings gets exemption from the Melbourne Cup ballot, so is assured a start in the famous race.

Before that was run, we watched Race 6, the Edward Manifold Stakes, a Group 2 race over 1600 metres for three year old fillies.

Again the favourite, in this case Leather‘N’Lace,  was rolled and the race was won by outsider Bring Me Roses from the equally long odds Hiyaam with Leather‘N’Lace running third.

Edward Manifold Stakes finish – Bring Me Roses overtakes Hiyaam near the post

Bring Me Roses returns to scale

Darren Weir trained mare Amelie’s Star won herself a place in the Melbourne Cup with a two length victory over 100/1 shot Granddukeoftuscany and 50/1 shot Kellstorm in The Bart Cummings. Almandin ran fourth.

Amelie’s Star & Granddukeoftuscany fight out The Bart Cummings finish

Almandin returning to scale

The weather was perfect last Saturday for a day at the races, sunny but not too hot with very little wind, compared to last year when it blew a gale and was quite unpleasant.

It took me about 1½ hours to get home, even though the trains and bus coincided in a timely fashion.

No doubt the same will apply next Saturday where the racing action is at Caulfield for Guineas Day, featuring four Group 1 races.

Hot & Steamy – Super Saturday Review

Humidor wins the 2017 Australian Cup

God knows why this particular Saturday in March is called “Super Saturday” when only two Group 1 races are featured, with the rest of the card being a bit ho hum, something to watch while waiting for the main event.

Yes, I sound underwhelmed and have been for most of this year’s Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival.

I was discussing this with my photographer friend George, on Saturday and he reckons it is because there were no charismatic equine stars this year to add excitement to the events. No doubt if Winx had contested a few races in Melbourne (we hope she does so next year) it would have been a different story.

However, Saturday’s meeting was quite enjoyable really, and flashed by relatively quickly, considering I was obliged to arrive early owing to the train timetable.

So I arrived at Flemington in time to watch Race 3, the Listed Incognitus Stakes a race for three year olds over 1100 metres. Hugh Bowman rode the longshot winner Falcool, who beat favourite Ken’s Dream by over a length. Sheriff John Stone finished third.

Falcool winning the Incognitus Stakes

Falcool returns to scale

Ken’s Dream returns to scale

Sheriff John Stone returns to scale

The Flemington Members Stand has recently been demolished to make way for a new stand, so the members have invaded areas that once were the province of Joe Public. Luckily Flemington is so large an area that such accommodations hardly inconvenience anyone, be they members or casual racegoers.

In the stalls area, to which I walked after Race 3, I found the two Living Legends special guests, Apache Cat and Zipping.  They were appropriate equine guests, one, Apache Cat,  being a former champion sprinter, the  other, Zipping, formerly a fine stayer, who won the Australian Cup in 2010.

They were both outside their stalls being fed carroty treats by their admirers.

Apache Cat with Living Legends CEO Dr Andrew Clarke

Zipping holding still for a moment

Whilst in the area I had a quick stroll through to see who had arrived, and found a few of the main contenders for the feature Group 1 races.

Extreme Choice – look at his lovely long forelock

Terravista communing with his strapper

Sheidel headshot in the walking ring

The Quarterback – a photo of him without blinkers

Humidor in his stall

Back trackside, Race 4 was about to run.

It was the Group 2, Sires Produce Stakes, for two year olds, run over 1400 metres.

Eshtiraak started favourite, but as seemed the case for most of the day, he was never in the picture, finishing sixth.

Female jockey Linda Meech steered Sircconi to victory, leading all the way, to narrowly defeat Aspect and Feng Chu.

Sires Produce Stakes Stakes finish

Sircconi returns to scale

Aspect on his way to the barriers

Feng Chu returns to scale

I Am A Star was one of only three favourites to win on Saturday, winning by a whisker Race 5 , the Group 2 Kewney Stakes, a 1400 metres race for three year old fillies.

Ellicazoom ran second with Kenedna a length behind taking third place.

I Am A Star and Ellicazoom neck and neck at the finish of the Kewney Stakes

I Am A Star returns to scale

Ellicazoom returns to scale

In between the Flemington races, I caught glimpes on screen, or heard through the loud speakers, the races from Sydney.  Like Flemington, very few favourites saluted.  2016  Australian Derby winner Tavago was back in winning circles defeating hot favourite Antonio Guiseppe in the Sky High Stakes, and outsider Heavens Above won the Coolmore Classic from Silent Sedition and Danish Twist. The highly fancied Omei Sword, Global Glamour and La Bella Diosa all finished well back.

Race 6, the Group 3 Schweppervescence Trophy was the last race before the two features, and “magic man” Joao Moreira, guided the starting favourite Circular to his only win for the afternoon, his “magic” image being a tad muggled as a result.

Zasorceress nudged out Miss Rose De Lago for second.

A close finish in the Schweppervescence Trophy

Circular on her way to the barriers

Zasorceress returns to scale

Miss Rose De Lago returns to scale

Finally at 3.55 pm the Newmarket Handicap was set to run.

Rather than split into two sections, as is mostly the case with sprints at Flemington, the entire field stuck to the inside fence, the colt Star Turn leading for most of the race with Redkirk Warrior handy in second or third place. He took over half way up the straight and drew away from the rest of the field to score a two length win. Voodoo Lad ran second and Star Turn hung on to run third.

Extreme Choice was the favourite, but it’s obvious now that he doesn’t handle Flemington. He finished sixth.

Jockey Regan Bayliss celebrates Redkirk Warrior’s Newmarket Handicap win

Redkirk Warrior in winners rug in the mounting yard

Redkirk Warrior came in at huge odds, paying over $30 for the win.

Voodoo Lad returns to scale

Star Turn returns to scale

Extreme Choice returns to scale

Jameka started as warm favourite for the Australian Cup and she almost won, if it hadn’t been for Humidor who tackled her close to the finish line and stole her glory. Exospheric ran third.

Humidor (green silks) and Jameka neck and neck approaching the finish line.  Exospheric is inside Jameka and Stratum Star is behind the leading bunch.

Humidor returns to scale

Jameka on her way to the barriers

Exospheric returns to scale

That was it for the afternoon, as I headed home after the Australian Cup.

The weather stayed fine all day and the forecast showers failed to eventuate.

I may go back to the races at on Easter Saturday for race caller Greg Miles’ farewell at Caulfield. He’s been calling races for over 40 years, and was a clear and articulate caller who will be sadly missed. There’s no news on his replacement as yet.

The racing focus heads to Sydney from now on and next Saturday’s meeting at Rosehill features five Group 1 races that include the Golden Slipper Stakes, always a fascinating event, and the George Ryder Stakes where Winx will be aiming for her 16th consecutive win. She’s rapidly catching up to Black Caviar’s record and could well surpass that great mare’s accomplishments in time.

As for the Melbourne autumn racing carnival, as previously mentioned, it lacked a certain oomph. There were few, if any, wow moments and probably the most exciting race was the Blue Diamond Stakes and Catchy’s amazing win.  Sure, Black Heart Bart won two Group 1 races, and he is a good honest horse who is always in the picture, but lacks the glamour of the likes of Winx.  Ditto with Hey Doc who has really developed into a potential star, who I’ll follow in the future.

Anyway, Catchy will be racing in the Golden Slipper Stakes next Saturday and will face a very classy field that includes She Will Reign and the unbeaten Houtzen.

And lastly, I promised another amateur photographer acquaintance Paul Colachi that I’d put a link to his Facebook page on my blog.

It’s dedicated to giving the humble and often overlooked strapper some love and is called Thankyou Strappers.