Spring Fever– Makybe Diva Stakes & Golden Rose

Foreteller returns to scale after winning the 2013 Makybe Diva Stakes

The Spring racing season is rather like a fever that infects keen followers of the turf every year about this time.  Like the season itself, the racing carnival quickens and warms up as the quality of the racing builds towards the grand finale at Flemington in November.

Flemington in fact hosts their first race meeting for the season this coming Saturday with a fabulous line up of races,  the feature being the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes.

Run over 1600 metres, the Makybe Diva Stakes, now being scheduled a week later than it was previously, with a fortnight separating it from the Memsie Stakes, it’s not surprising that several of the Memsie Stakes contenders are part of the field. The surprise winner of the Memsie Stakes, Dissident, will start as favourite – no more good odds on him this time. However, there could be challenges from other contestants. Spillway finished second in the Memsie and could turn the tables on Dissident this time. I’d love it if Puissance de Lune could finally win a Group 1. He narrowly missed out in this race last year with Foreteller pipping him at the post. Boban also will be out to redeem his reputation and has a good record at Flemington having won here last spring over the same distance. The 2012 Melbourne Cup winner Green Moon, and 2013 Caulfield Cup winner Fawkner both start their spring campaigns in this race, but as they are aiming for the bigger races down the track it would be surprising if they won first up. And lastly I can’t not mention my old favourite Super Cool, who I hope acquits himself better than he did in the Memsie Stakes.

Before the feature is run, there are several really interesting races, the first of these being the Listed Living Legends Stakes, a race for three year olds over 1400 metres.  McNeil Stakes winner Chivalry is one of the contestants, so I’m looking forward to seeing him in action again. Also I’m pleased to see the regally bred  Divan is in the field. He is a son of wonderful New Zealand mare Seachange by Zabeel. He’s only had two starts, his last a lowly race at Sandown, where he impressed with a swooping run from the tail of the field to win the race.  Others with a chance are Merion who won at Flemington on Anzac Day this year, Silent Whisper and Zebulon.

Commanding Jewel returns to scene of her last win in the Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes, a race for mares over 1400 metres.  Commanding Jewel won it last year from Catkins, before suffering an injury that ruled her out of autumn. It has attracted an excellent field of smart mares that include Cockram Stakes winner Gregers, Dear Demi, New Zealand Group 1 winner Viadana, Solicit and Bonaria. 

The Danehill Stakes, a Group 2 sprint over 1200 metres for three year olds also has a great field that includes Guelph’s little brother Ghibellines who I witnessed winning the Todman Stakes at Rosehill in March.  His only run after that was in the Golden Slipper Stakes where he ran eighth.  He’s one of a number of Sydney colts avoiding the heavy tracks that seem to curse the Sydney racing scene. These include the Group placed Brazen Beau and Nostradamus (if he doesn’t run in the Golden Rose in Sydney). The highly regarded sole filly in the race, Go Indy Go looks the top pick however and will most probably start as favourite and I suppose I should mention the so far unbeaten though lightly raced Get The Nod and last start winner Rich Enuff.

In Sydney the aforementioned Golden Rose is the feature race at Rosehill this Saturday. A Group 1 race for three year olds over 1400 metres, it has always been an intriguing contest and it has generally been won by the classiest runner in the field.  Zoustar won it last year and previous winners include Manawanui, Denman, Forensics and Epaulette.

So who is the classiest runner this year?

Peter Moody filly Bring Me The Maid is currently the favourite for the race. She’s in great form having won first up a fortnight ago on heavy going. Her greatest rival appears to be Hallowed Crown who romped home in the Group 3 Run To The Rose on a bog track at his last start. Better Land son of Amelia’s Dream by Sharmardal is another who has claims, as has Scissor Kick who has won his last three starts, and Almalad the only Group 1 winner in the field, would be unwise to overlook.

I’m also very interested in other races on the Rosehill card, particularly the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes (2000 metres) where Makybe Diva’s little sister La Amistad will be kicking off her spring campaign. Whether she can win the race first up is questionable, but I’ll be watching to see how she fares.

One of my favourite race mares Catkins also resumes at Rosehill this weekend in the Group 3 Sheraco Stakes a race for fillies & mares over 1200 metres. Heavy tracks don’t worry Catkins and she goes well first up, so she is likely to win this.

Naturally I’ll be heading to the big track tomorrow to try my fortune in the forecast sunshine and experience what will no doubt be a great day of racing, with the added bonus of two Living Legends – Apache Cat & Paris Lane – being part of the attraction.

The Cleaner Sweeps The Pools, But No Win For Lankan Rupee

The Cleaner parades after winning the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes

It seems that Racing Victoria is scratching around trying to find a horse to replace Black Caviar in a vain effort to attract more people to attend race meetings. Lankan Rupee certainly looked the most likely to at least partly fill the great mare’s shoes with his great record in the autumn, winning three Group 1 races in succession.

At the entrance to Moonee Valley racecourse on Saturday, they were handing out Lankan Rupee stickers, and announced that if Lankan Rupee won the McEwen Stakes, schooners of Carlton Draft would be half price for an hour after the race.

If you were attracted by such an offer, you would have been disappointed, as Lankan Rupee was rolled by underrated mare Angelic Light – the shock result of the day.

I got to the track around 1.40pm where Race 3 was in progress, so I didn’t witness it, nor barely noted who won – Caveka the favourite apparently from War Point and Lotion.

As there was plenty of time before Race 4, I decided to check out the stalls. I came across Lankan Rupee in his stall, looking pretty as a picture. His strapper obligingly posed with him for a photo.

 
Lankan Rupee in his stall

I also spotted current Melbourne Cup favourite The Offer being walked by his strapper. He’s not as good looking or as impressive as Fiorente, though a handsome beast nonetheless.

 
The Offer in the walking ring

Race 4 was the Jeep Don’t Back Handicap, which is run over the Cox Plate distance of 2040 metres.  After cursorily studying the form I decided to put a few dollars on Purple Tiger, then sallied to the public lawn to watch the race.

The favourite Wrotham Heath won by a short margin from Purple Tiger, so at least I made a small profit.

Wrotham Heath after winning the Jeep Handicap

Race 5 was the race we’d all been waiting for, the McEwen Stakes, where Lankan Rupee was expected to shoe it in. As is the way with horse racing anything can happen, and other than Black Caviar, there is no such thing as a certain outcome.

Lankan Rupee was probably undone by his assumption of the lead shortly after the start of the race, where he slogged it out with speedy filly Eloping for most of the race. Angelic Light was racing just behind the speed and waiting for her chance. Lankan Rupee took the lead up the straight, but Angelic Light’s fitness served her well as she overtook Lankan Rupee and stole the race by a short head. Eloping was 2½ lengths away in third position.

Race 5  finish - Lankan Rupee (inside) and Angelic Light  fight out the finish up the straight.

Angelic Light poses for the press after winning the McEwen Stakes

I didn’t have a bet in the race as I would have chosen Lankan Rupee, but his odds were so short it wasn’t worth placing a bet. 

My pick for Race 6, the Telstra Phonewords Plate, without giving much thought to the form, was London Lolly, but she disappointed again.  Tawteen, having only her fourth start after winning her last race on a rural track, won convincingly by 3½ lengths from Fortiche with Pittsburgh Flyer a further ½ length third.

Tawteen returns to scale after winning the Phonewords Plate.

In between the Moonee Valley races I watched the action from Sydney on the big screen in the public bar. Earthquake proved that heavy tracks are not her forte as she was beaten into the third place by longshot rivals Winks and Alpha Miss in the Furious Stakes.  Hawkspur and Royal Descent fought out the finish of the Chelmsford Stakes and it looked almost like a dead heat, so close was the margin of Hawkspur’s win. And Lucia Valentina, with a remarkable run from the back of the field won the Tramway Stakes from Tiger Tees.

With the feature race being next on the card at Moonee Valley I decided to grab a beer and rest my feet next to the parade ring out the back.

For some reason my camera was playing up, so my photos of the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes contenders are effected by the shadows of the trees in the parade ring. Here are some of the better ones…

The Cleaner

The Offer

Star Rolling

The race itself was a ripper with The Cleaner emulating Vo Rogue with his  bold front running style, where he led from start to finish. Mourinho came the closest to catching him losing out by ¾ length. Foreteller ran an eye catching third.

Race 7 down the straight – The Cleaner maintains his lead to the finish line

The Cleaner is now automatically qualified for the Cox Plate, and will probably run in it and ensure that it is run honestly.  He is a bargain basement horse costing only $10,000 and by an unfashionable British sire, Savoire Vivre and hails from Tasmania.  He has a cult following so his Dato Tan win was popular with the punters and he started as $4.30 favourite. I managed to get odds at $4.80 so was delighted with his win. I was pleased also that the astrological significance of his name, and likelihood of winning, was spot on.

The Cleaner with his owners posing for the press corps.

After collecting my winnings on The Cleaner I headed home, quite pleased with another afternoon at the races.  The weather was warm and sunny in the main, though the shadow of grandstand encroaches across the Public Lawn as the afternoon progresses and brings a chill with it.

Next Saturday the racing action is at Flemington, the feature race being the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes with a strong support card. Living Legends Apache Cat and Paris Lane will be present as well, so of course I’ll be there with bells on.

The Love Horse Returns!

Lankan Rupee – Blue Diamond Stakes Day – 22 February 2014

This Saturday Moonee Valley Racing Club hosts the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes, a Group 2 race over 1600 metres. Though there is no Group 1 action this weekend, the Moonee Valley meeting has two very interesting Group 2 races, the aforementioned Dato Tan and the McEwen Stakes.

I have been attending this meeting for over ten years; in fact for many years it was the only race meeting I went to at all.

Over the years it has changed complexion, and different races were run. Up until 2009 the Manikato Stakes was the feature race, but that is now run Cox Plate eve.  

Also up to this year  there was the W H Stock Stakes a Group 2 race for mares, but that has been moved as well to the Moir Stakes night meeting later this month.

And this year the Dato Tan race meeting has been moved back a week, which has affected the acceptances for the feature race. Normally horses contesting the Memsie Stakes would run in the Dato Tan, but now the natural progression will be to go to the Makybe Diva Stakes, formerly run on this date, but now moved forward a week.

So it’s lucky that horses of the calibre of Lankan Rupee, acknowledged as the best sprinter in the world, will be competing on Saturday, otherwise I wouldn’t have bothered to attend.

Lankan Rupee will be starting his spring campaign in the Group 2 McEwen Stakes and will no doubt start hot favourite.  Dubbed the “horse with a heart”, due to the distinctive heart marking on his forehead, he is also known as the “love” horse by others. Gone are the days when you could get good odds on him, as you could in the autumn, so he’ll be at unbackable odds tomorrow.

I can’t really see him being beaten, but fighting out second place will be eight other contestants chief among them being the filly Eloping and New Zealand horse Cauthen, thrown in at the deep end for his first start in nine months. He was also nominated for the Drummond Golf Stakes, but failed to make the field.  Others with a place chance are Our Nkwazi, Angelic Light, Orujo and Unpretentious.

The Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes generally attracts an interesting field of middle distance and long distance stayers starting their spring campaigns on their way to hopefully greater glory in the big cups and the Cox Plate. As previously mentioned, I have been going to this race meeting for over 10 years and have seen the stars of the turf of the day in action. I witnessed Northerly and Sunline racing against each other for the first time in 2001 in the Feehan Stakes as the Dato Tan was known then. Northerly overcame Sunline in the straight and won by a short margin.  I also saw Makybe Diva race twice in the Dato Tan, running second each time before going on to win her second and third Melbourne Cups in 2004 and 2005.  It certainly was something to see her burning around the outside of the field from the 600 and just narrowly missing out on a win.

This year’s Dato Tan has the current Melbourne Cup favourite in the field. The Offer won the Sydney Cup by almost 4 lengths, so it’s no wonder he is favourite. He’s trained by Gai Waterhouse who also trained last year’s Dato Tan and Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente. Looking at The Offer’s form, he obviously performs best over longer distances, but as proved by Fiorente last year a genuine stayer can still win over the 1600 metres.  By all accounts he’s a really good looking horse, so I’m keen to see him in the flesh.

His main opposition comes from crowd favourite The Cleaner, a speedy front runner with fitness on his side. If you follow Astrology his name is perfect for the zodiac sign of September – Virgo. Attributes of the sign of Virgo include  a compulsive need to tidy and clean. They’re handy if you’re having a party as they’ll do most of the clearing up for you at the end of the night.

Also in the picture is Star Rolling who won the PB Lawrence Stakes at long odds a fortnight ago. However, there is a hoodoo on PB Lawrence Stakes winners, as the the last four or five winners have failed to win again through the season, e.g. Puissance de Lune last year.

Old tried and true campaigner Foreteller is part of the field, and though he has not won a race for over a year, he occasionally springs a surprise.

Others with a chance are Lidari who finished second in this race last year and Mourinho who recently won at Moonee Valley over a similar distance.

In Sydney, the Randwick race card is much more interesting than what is on offer in Melbourne, with a host of horsey stars resuming in various choice Group 2 races.

The first of these is the Furious Stakes where Blue Diamond Stakes winner Earthquake kicks off her spring.  As usual Sydney has been wet so the track will be slow,  a condition Earthquake does not handle all that well and led to her defeat in the Golden Slipper. Still, she’s a very classy filly and wasn’t beaten by all that much in her only loss. Her greatest opponent in the Furious Stakes appears to be dual Group 1 winner Peggy Jean who has good wet form.  Alpha Miss, Winx and Memorial look the best of the rest.

The Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes is the feature race on the Randwick card and has attracted an outstanding field that include Sacred Falls, Royal Descent, Hawkspur and Criterion – all Group 1 winners with wet form. It is run over 1600 metres so suits middle distance runners and stayers.  It’s hard to pick the winner as any of the above could take home the prize.  Whatever, it is the race to watch on Saturday.

And finally for the Sydney racing scene I will make a point of watching the Group 2 Tramway Stakes (1400 metres) where Oaks winning mares Kirramosa and Rising Romance are in the mix along with Storm Queen Stakes winner Lucia Valentina in a big open field.  Top weight Tiger Tees will be gunning for a hat trick of wins, if he can defeat the likes of Weary and the aforementioned mares.

To finish this entry, the latest news on two former queens of the turf.

Black Caviar is expected to drop her first foal this month, an event that will no doubt be reported in the news headlines.  Will it be a colt or a filly? Check out this recent video shot at the secret location where she is waiting to give birth.

The other star mare More Joyous had her first foal (by star British horse Frankel) in early August – a chestnut filly.  There are photos of the filly here.

Spring Has Sprung–Memsie Stakes Day Review

Dissident returns to scale after winning the Memsie Stakes, an elated Ben Melham in the saddle

It was the second last day of winter and Melbourne put on a splendid bright and sunny day for the first Group 1 race of the Spring racing season, and made it a pleasure to be outside at the track.

The racing was excellent as well with exciting competitions that resulted in most cases with longshot winners.

I arrived at Caulfield at around 1.40pm, with plenty of time up my sleeve to wander around the stalls area before the fourth race.

Quite a few of the star horses had already arrived, including Boban…

Boban in his stall

…and Commanding Jewel

Commanding Jewel

And I was pleased to catch up with my old favourite Super Cool and his strapper Jade, who kindly posed with him, mentioning that he loved having his photo taken.


Super Cool & Jade

Deciding to not to have wager on Race 4, the HockingStuart Handicap, I climbed up the hill to watch the race and take pictures of the finish from that vantage point.

Race 4 – just past the post – Late Charge (blinkers)  wins ahead of Olivier (rose silks) with Precious Gem (lime & white silks) running third

The next race on the card was the Group 3 TheShark.Com.Au Stakes, a 1100 metre sprint, so I wandered to the public lawn, pausing to place a few dollars on Flamberge, who was at pretty good odds of 8/1. Vain Queen started as the favourite, but only managed to run fourth.  I was understandably delighted when Flamberge got home the winner. He financed the rest of my afternoon at the races.

I viewed the runners in the mounting yard…

Flamberge

Vain Queen

Rifleman – runner up

Hard Stride – ran third.

Race 5 finish down the straight – Flamberge takes the lead from Hard Stride

Race 6 was the Group 3 HDF McNeil Stakes for three year olds, and  Novel Dancer, the sole filly, was the favourite, but finished last. I decided to put my money on Tan Tat Diamond as his form didn’t look too bad and his odds were good. A mistake, as he ended up running eighth.  The very handsome Chivalry came from the back of field to overtake the leaders and won on the line narrowly from Nordic Empire with Awesome Rock a short half length third.

Chivalry just coming into the picture is about to overtake the leaders up the straight.

Chivalry parading after winning the HDF McNeil Stakes – handsome isn’t  he?

I was really looking forward to the next race, the Group 3 Cockram Stakes for mares and seeing how Commanding Jewel would fare. She’s a lovely looking mare, dark brown, almost black in colouring. Her odds were amazingly good for one of her class, so I hazarded a few dollars on her each way.

Commanding Jewel in the mounting yard

Gregers started as the favourite and was one of the few favourites to win on the day. Commanding Jewel did well running a very close third just pipped out of second place by A Time For Julia. If she hadn’t been blocked for a run when it counted, Commanding Jewel would have won.

Dear Demi in the mounting yard – she ran fifth

Gregers on her way to the barriers

Race 7 finish down the straight – Gregers is about to overtake A Time For Julia – Commanding Jewel (orange cap) is on the inside.

Memsie Stakes winner Dissident certainly flew under everyone’s radar, romping in at long odds, winning by 2½ lengths from Sweet Idea. Trained by Peter Moody, he has been rarely seen in Melbourne, doing most of his racing in Sydney, where he won the Group 1 Randwick Guineas earlier this year. The favoured Moody runner was Moment of Change who I thought was a top chance. He finished last, after racing on the speed through most of the race. What happened?

Boban was the favourite, but he was forced to race three wide throughout and only managed to come fifth. Puissance de Lune showed great improvement from his run in the PB Lawrence Stakes (where he ran sixth) finishing in third spot. Sterling mare Silent Achiever ran fourth, and Super Cool, having his first race in almost a year, and not really expected to win, finished second last.

Here are some photos of the main contestants in the mounting yard

Boban

Dissident

Happy Trails

Messene

Moment of Change

Puissance de Lune

Silent Achiever

Super Cool

Sweet Idea

Memsie finish down the straight – Dissident is drawing away from Sweet Idea

I didn’t hang around after the Memsie Stakes, deciding not to stay and watch the last race. It was getting on for 5.00pm and the cats at home would be getting anxious for their dinner, as Talya insists on being fed at 4.00pm.

Next week the local racing action is at Moonee Valley and offers some star attractions such as Lankan Rupee kicking off his spring campaign in the Group 2 McEwan Stakes, and current Melbourne Cup favourite and Sydney Cup winner The Offer running in the feature race, the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes. Also likely to be at Moonee Valley on Saturday is New Zealand colt (now 4 years old) Cauthen who has the distinction of beating 2013 Caulfield Guineas winner Long John and 2013 Cox Plate winner Shamus Award on this course at this time last year. He’s been missing in action for almost a year, having suffered an injury that sidelined him during the interval. 

Super Cool–The First Group 1 of the Spring Racing Season

Super Cool at Caulfield - Memsie Stakes Day 2013

The excitement of first class racing builds this weekend with the running of the first Group 1 race of the 2014 Spring Racing season.

The Group 1 Memsie Stakes is the feature race at Caulfield on Saturday and is run over 1400 metres. Also on the card are several Group 3 races with classy fields.

You will have gathered from the photo above, that my old fave Super Cool returns to racing this Saturday. He’s had a long spell after his gruelling spring last year, so I’m curious to see how he runs in the Memsie Stakes, which has attracted an excellent field of contestants with no less than six Group 1 winners in the mix.

Atlantic Jewel won the race last year by three lengths, but it is harder to pick the winner this time round. A top chance is Boban, who is avoiding the currently heavy tracks in Sydney and has two Melbourne wins on his CV. His  fellow Sydneysider Sweet Idea started off her spring with a bang, winning the Group 2 Missile Stakes and could possibly repeat that feat. There’s also Caulfield specialist Moment of Change, running at his favourite distance and with the Peter Moody/Luke Nolen factor and Messene who was runner up in the Missile Stakes. Super New Zealand mare Silent Achiever kicks off her spring campaign and cannot be ignored – after all she has beaten the likes of Carlton House and It’s A Dundeel . Then you have others like Puissance de Lune, Happy Trails and Super Cool - all of whom have a chance to take home the prize. It looks to be a fascinating race, which I intend to witness first hand.

Atlantic Jewel winning the 2013 Memsie Stakes

Atlantic Jewel’s little sister Commanding Jewel returns to the track after a long injury induced lay off in the Group 3 Cockram Stakes (1200 metres). She faces stiff competition from the likes of Dear Demi, Gregers, Thiamandi, Bonaria and Sino Eagle, but class could well prevail.

The Group 3 HDF McNeil Stakes looks interesting as well. For three year olds it is also run over 1200 metres and has familiar contestants from a fortnight ago – Cornrow and Jabali for instance -  but also the very promising Nostradamus who won the San Domenico Stakes at his last outing. Other interesting runners are Chivalry, Tan Tat Diamond and Moonovermanhattan.

Melbourne is enjoying a warm and sunny break this week and these pleasant conditions are expected to continue into the weekend, so the track at Caulfield will be in good shape.

I’m keenly looking forward to getting to the track on Saturday to soak up the sunshine with the racing action, as well as seeing my favourite race horses competing again.

Spring has finally sprung!

Moon On The Rise Again–Caulfield Racing

Puissance de Lune in the mounting yard prior to winning the 2013 P B Lawrence Stakes

The impending spring racing carnival gathers momentum this coming Saturday with the most interesting race card for some time.

Caulfield is the venue and the feature race is the Group 2 P B Lawrence Stakes. Last year it was won by Puissance de Lune at his first start for the spring. After not being seen since Cox Plate day last year, where he was injured, he makes a welcome return to the track to defend his title.

Of course it’s not a foregone conclusion that Puissance de Lune will win this year, but if he has recovered from his injury and is back to his best, the opposition shouldn’t be too hard to beat as not many of them are running first up at a suitable distance. The field does contain his nemesis in the 2013 Makybe Diva Stakes, Foreteller, who is kicking off his spring campaign in this as well. Others resuming are Queensland Derby winner Brambles, Let’s Make Adeal, Blamey Stakes winner, Lidari, among others. I reckon in form mare Gig who ran second in the Bletchingly Stakes behind Thiamandi could be a main contender and will possibly run a place.

The Listed Regal Roller Stakes appears to have a classier field. It is run over 1200 metres as opposed to the 1400 metres of the Lawrence Stakes, so has attracted a good field of sprinters that include dual Group 1 winner Moment Of Change. He’s the top pick, but South Australian mare Thiamandi, who  sensationally won the Bletchingly Stakes at her last start, could well give him a run for the money. Others in contention are Pillar Of Creation, Electric Fusion, Hard Stride and the other mare Jemerica.

Overall the entire race card looks pretty good, and of special note are the two Group 3 races for three year olds – the Quezette Stakes for fillies and the Vain Stakes for colts and geldings – run over 1100 metres.

The fillies race looks the pick between the two with a field of smart fillies that include London Lolly and Royal Snitzel as the top contenders. They are both returning from a spell with two consecutive wins on their CVs.  Also in the picture are Sunset Rock, Empress O’Reilly and Down The Hatch who have all won city races.

Cornrow and Jabali are the top chances in the Vain Stakes. Cornrow ran third in both the Blue Diamond Stakes and the Sires Produce Stakes at Group 1 level, whilst Jabali ran second in the Blue Diamond. Both have yet to win a race, but they get their best chance here.  Other runners with a good chance are Nordic Empire and Reigning Meteor who both have won in lesser grades in the past.

The weather is expected to be fine tomorrow, so the light should be good for photos and a bit of fresh air and sunshine will do me good as I take in the sights and watch some excellent races in the process.

The Wide Open Spaces of Flemington

Beluga Caviar – a close relative to you know who

Psyching myself up for the Spring racing carnival, which will take off in earnest in two weeks, I decided to test if my Flemington season pass was working, so headed off to the big track yesterday.

By no means first class racing, it was however a moderately interesting meeting with the feature race being the Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap, run over 1200 metres.

It was scheduled as Race 7, but as I arrived in good time to place a bet on a runner in the third race, the Trevor Dray & William Nield Handicap, I was obliged to stay for several hours to witness the main event. The time flitted by pretty fast.

Race 3 was for fillies and mares and run over 2000 metres. My selection Reckless Assassin romped home the winner 1½ lengths from Zazparella with Anfitriona running third, so I was pleased to see my afternoon at the races start on a winning note, even though my luck went down from then on.

Reckless Assassin being paraded after her win.

I was interested in witnessing the next race, the Joyann Erskine & Philip Carroll Handicap (1400 metres) due to the presence of Beluga Caviar, a three year old colt who is a close relative to Black Caviar. His dam Scandinavia is Black Caviar’s grand dam. Beluga Caviar was having the second start in his career. At his debut he ran third and yesterday he scored that placing again. So. he’s no Black Caviar or All Too Hard, but it’s early days yet. He’s a big boy and quite a good looker.

Beluga Caviar in the mounting yard

The race was won by the sole filly Fontein Ruby from Coram.

Fontein Ruby returns to scale after winning the Joyann Erskine & Philip Carroll Handicap

The fifth race was an open sprint over 1200 metres. I had my money on Hot Mama who only managed to run sixth. The race was won by Play Master, who I must admit I hadn’t even considered as a chance.

Hot Mama on her way to the track

I didn’t bother having a wager on the next race, rather I was more interested in the Sydney races at Randwick where two much more interesting races were featured. The first of these was the Listed The Rosebud for three year olds over 1200 metres. It had a crack field of classy colts and fillies that included the unbeaten Inkling, Sarajevo and Nayeli who I had witnessed winning the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes in Autumn. The race was won by long shot Scissor Kick, from Better Land with Inkling running third.

The other Sydney race, the Group 2 Missile Stakes was the pick of the afternoon with a fabulous field of Autumn and last Spring stars resuming, including Boban, Hawkspur, Rebel Dane, Kirramosa, Sweet Idea and Weary. Sweet Idea led from start to finish and managed to hold off a challenge by Messene to win, with Rebel Dane (who started as favourite – again!) running third.

Back at Flemington, the Aurie’s Star was about to start and the runners were assembling in the mounting yard.

Tiger Tees the winner

Mr Chard – ran second

Sino Eagle – ran fourth

Shanghai Warrior – ran ninth

I didn’t wait for the horses to return to scale after the Aurie’s Star, but left for the station. As I’d had my money on Shanghai Warrior , I didn’t have to wait for a collect.

Despite not being an overly successful afternoon at the races , it was pleasant being back at Flemington. In case you’re wondering, the weather was overcast and the track was rated good. However a very chilly wind was blowing over the wide open spaces of the public lawn.

Next weekend a much classier race meeting is scheduled at Caulfield with the Group 2 P B Lawrence Stakes (formerly Liston Stakes) as the feature. Also on the cards is the Group 3 Vain Stakes (for colts and geldings) and the Quezette Stakes (for fillies), which always make for interesting viewing in terms of Golden Rose/Guineas prospects.