Category: Australian Horse Racing

World’s Richest Mile Handicap Highlights Day 1 Of The Championships

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Since The Championships format was established in 2014, combining some of Sydney’s biggest races into a rich and prestigious two-day carnival, there’s been a common element – rain. Sadly, 2017 isn’t shaping up any differently. The Harbour City copped another drenching on Thursday, sending the track into the heavy range. Showers are forecast for Friday and Saturday so, fingers crossed, the track doesn’t deteriorate into the dreadful state of Randwick Guineas day. It’s black type top to bottom but four G1 races stand above the rest on Day 1.

Waller Chasing Fifth Donny in a Row

The highlight of the day is The Star Doncaster Mile, worth $3 million. Australia’s unofficial mile championship was first run in 1866. The late TJ Smith and his daughter Gai Waterhouse (with Ecuador running this year) are the most successful trainers having each won seven times but they could be joined by Chris Waller, who is chasing an incredible fifth successive win in the world’s richest mile handicap (Sacred Falls 2013-14, Kermadec 2015, Winx 2016). Recent runnings of The Doncaster show that off-pace runners and horses in the fourth or fifth run of the prep perform well here. A capacity field of 20 is virtually assured and more than half of that line-up are priced at better than 20-1 to win! With so many chances, we can afford to go wide. #6 Le Romain ($6 favourite with Sportsbet) trailed only Winx in the George Ryder and carved through the wet at Randwick to win the Canterbury Stakes two back. Lightweight chances #15 Hey Doc and #16 Antonio Giuseppe also appeal ($15 apiece at William Hill).

Viva la Revolution

The latest class of Australia’s best sprinters will be on show in the $2.5 million Darley TJ Smith Stakes. The inaugural race in 1997 was known as the Endeavour Stakes before being named in the honour of champion trainer Tommy ‘TJ’ Smith, who won 33 training titles in Sydney. #1 Chautauqua returns in pursuit of a third successive win in this race but hasn’t hit the heights of previous preps this campaign. In a wide open field, the $5 favourite #14 Russian Revolution still represents decent value. He’s lost just once in six career starts and carved through a bog (10) track at Rosehill to win the G1 Galaxy last time out. With so much exposed form here, this 3yo colt for Peter and Paul Snowden is the one with potential to keep improving. And there’s no better jockey in the country than Kerrin McEvoy when it comes to group races and big fields.

Kiwi Champ Looks Vulnerable

The $2 million BMW Australian Derby dates to the same year that the Melbourne Cup was first run (1861). The Derby has been historically dominated by colts and geldings – over the past 27 years, the only filly to win the race was Shamrocker (2011). This is one of the toughest races on the Australian turf calendar to win. The past three winners have come from barrier 1 and double-figure gates feature only twice in the places in the past four years. The public is mad for the $3.50 (Unibet) favourite Gingernuts (NZ) after his stunning win in the Rosehill Guineas on a heavy track on March 18. But he’s hardly bulletproof – this is his seventh run for the prep and goes back up in distance to 2400m from a wide draw. #1 Prized Icon is the proven product having won the VRC Derby (2500m) last spring and looks overs at $11 (Ladbrokes) if the track stays in the soft range. #9 Harper’s Choice ($61) will lead this race and could pinch if Jason Collett can pinch a big lead heading for home.

Snowden’s Invader Ready for Battle

The Sires’ Produce Stakes is Royal Randwick’s 2yo championship and forms the second leg of the Sydney autumn carnival’s 2yo triple crown (along with the Golden Slipper and Champagne Stakes). The Gai Waterhouse-trained Pierro was the last horse to win the Triple Crown, becoming just the sixth juvenile in history to achieve the feat when claiming all three races in 2012. The Slipper has provided two of the past four winners and six of the 12 placegetters but there is a trend developing of horses being specifically set for this race having an edge. With Gunnison scratched, another Snowden runner Invader appeals at a juicy quote of $9.50 (Luxbet). He didn’t have any favours in the Todman, but he still found the line strongly and being scratched from the Golden Slipper may prove a blessing in disguise. Hugh Bowman returns to the saddle while he’s drawn nicely in gate 4 of 19.

Sydney Still Soggy For BMW Day At Rosehill Gardens

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Another week, another 100 millimetres of rain for Sydney, meaning Saturday’s Group 1 meeting at Rosehill Gardens again looks set to be run on a heavy track. But in stark contrast to a soggy Randwick, the Rosehill track held up remarkably for last week’s Golden Slipper meeting and we’re expecting a fair racing surface. It was also a surprisingly easy assignment for punters with most races dominated by genuine wet trackers that had race fitness on their side. But before the main course of The BMW is served on Saturday, there’s a tasty entrée in store as the Melbourne autumn winds down.

G1 Friday at the Valley

With the Mornington Cup occupying stand-alone Saturday status, city racegoers will be heading to Moonee Valley on Friday night for the running of the Group 1 $500,000 Keogh Homes William Reid Stakes at weight for age conditions over 1200m. Melbourne’s final Group 1 race of the season was first run in 1925. It was famously won by Manikato five years in a row (1979-1983), while Ascot champions Black Caviar and Miss Andretti are also past champions. There’s a very even field of 12 engaged this year, with Star Turn a narrow favourite ($4.20 with Ladbrokes), while The Quarterback is the rank outsider at just $20 (with William Hill). Last year’s winner Flamberge is a $16 chance with bet365. Gary Portelli celebrated victory with She Will Reign in the Golden Slipper last week and we like his chances here with #1 Rebel Dane ($10 with Luxbet). The 7yo entire won the G1 Manikato (this track/distance/grade) last October while jockey Ben Melham is in superb form.

Mare a Fair Chance in Tough WFA Test

Showers are forecast in Sydney for the 48 hours prior to this weekend’s showpiece race at Rosehill, meaning a track upgrade is unlikely at this stage. The feature has been known as The BMW since 2002 and was normally held on Golden Slipper Day but was shuffled to build some space between the Golden Slipper and The Championships. Only nine horses will line-up from the 2400m start for the $1.5 million weight for age race this year, with four well clear in the betting – last week’s Ranvet winner Our Ivanhowe ($4.60), 2017 Australian Cup victor Humidor ($4.20), Sky High winner Tavago ($6.00) and Jameka ($3.80), which won last year’s Caulfield Cup. The former was superb in similar conditions last week and could well go back-to-back but with a slight pull in the weights, we’re leaning to #8 Jameka. The 4yo mare is fourth-up this prep, proven at the distance and will get through the slop.

Kiwi Filly to Bounce Back

Aspiring Australian Oaks runners will come to the fore in the traditional lead-up race – the G1 $500,000 Vinery Stud Stakes over 2000m for the 3yo fillies. It’s a race with an honour roll that includes Lucia Valentina (2014), Mosheen (2012), Miss Finland (2007) and Special Harmony (2004). In the past 15 years, the winners have come through 10 different races across nine different tracks while favourites have snared five of the past 11 editions. The Chris Waller-trained Foxplay holds favouritism with Unibet ($3.30) with another four runners rated at better than $10. We’re going to give the Kiwi filly #1 La Bella Diosa ($6 with Sportsbet) one more chance. Her form had been faultless until a horror run in the G1 Coolmore here on March 11. She’s been passed fit by vets and has worked well since under Jason Collett, who rode her to victory in the G2 Surround at Randwick on February 25.

Gum Boots A Better Option For Golden Slipper Day

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Mother Nature must have taken a beating at some point in the recent history of the Sydney autumn carnival as she’s again taking out her frustrations on the already sodden tracks of the Harbour City. With rain continuing to soak the northern half of the state, track conditions are almost certain to stay in the heavy range for Saturday’s massive Golden Slipper meeting at Rosehill Gardens. As if it’s not hard enough to find a winner on a day featuring five Group 1s with more than AUD $8 million in prize money up for grabs. The Golden Slipper was first held in 1957. The inaugural winner Todman (ridden by Neville Sellwood) triumphed by eight lengths at the odds of 1-6!

Take on the Favourite

In the Slipper’s 60-year history, colts have won on 28 occasions with fillies close behind on 25 (seven geldings have taken out the race). Vancouver (2015) was the most recent of the 18 favourites who’ve emerged victorious. Last year’s winner Capitalist was the first two-year-old to sweep the Listed Breeders’ Plate, Gold Coast Magic Millions Classic, and Golden Slipper. Current favourite Houtzen also won the Magic Millions on the Gold Coast in January but the undefeated filly, which carried 63kg in her most recent victory, has drawn barrier 16 of 19. On firm going, she’d be some hope of crossing this big field and hanging on over a fiercely run 1200m. On a heavy track, we’re comfortable to take her on.

Edge with Hometown Runners

The fascinating aspect of this year’s Golden Slipper is that the bulk of the Sydney 2yos have exposed form on wet tracks in contrast to their Brisbane and Melbourne-based rivals. One such runner is #12 She Will Reign ($7 with Ladbrokes). Gary Portelli’s filly has had four career starts for three wins including victory in the Inglis Nursery at Randwick (1000m) on a heavy track (8). This daughter of Manhattan Rain found the wrong alley and trailed only Frolic on an even worse surface at Randwick in the Reisling (1200m) on March 4. We’re also staggered to find #5 Diamond Tathagata at $81 with William Hill. His only two starts have been on heavy tracks for a record of 2:1-1-0, including victory in the G2 Skyline at Randwick on February 25.

Can Hartnell Handle the Wet?

The first of the day’s G1 races is the $700,000 Ranvet Stakes. First held in 1903 as the Rawson Stakes (named in honour of former State Governor Sir Harry Holdsworth Rawson), this weight-for-age affair over 200m has attracted a field of eight runners. Punters expect an easy kill for Hartnell as he finally avoids Winx but we’re not so sure after he folded a long way out in the Chipping Norton on the bog (9) at Randwick. The bulk of the Melbourne horses haven’t sighted a wet track, so let’s take a couple of proven performers. #7 Antonio Giuseppe ($10 with Sportsbet) has a record of 6:4-1-0 on tracks worse than good, while #8 Sofia Rosa could run a cheeky race at odds ($26 on Crownbet).

Winx, and You’ll Miss it

In the remaining G1s, Winx will make it 16 in a row as a $1.24 top pick in the WFA $1,000,000 China Horse Club George Ryder over 1500m. Inference won the Randwick Guineas on a heavy (10) and makes a logical choice at $3.60 (with bet365) in the $600,000 Sky Racing Rosehill Guineas for the 3yos. The $700,000 Nathan’s Famous Hotdogs Galaxy (1100m) is arguably the toughest race of the day. #6 Redzel (an $8 pick with Luxbet) makes a convincing case based on the 3kg swing in weights after finishing runner-up to #3 English in the G2 Challenge at Randwick on a heavy (10). Carrying just 50kg, #14 Glenall ($18 with Ladbrokes) is worth a small play.

Super Saturday Marks Culmination Of Melbourne Autumn

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There are bigger race days on the Aussie calendar but when it comes to sharing the spotlight across more than one venue, Saturday’s double-bill of the Australian Cup/Newmarket Handicap and the Coolmore Classic is hard to top. Firstly, a quick word about last Saturday’s Australian Guineas meeting at Flemington. The Victoria Racing Club are always reluctant to admit to the presence of track bias, it was quickly apparent that the place to be was hard up against the running rail. For races down the Straight Six, the best going has also trended from the centre of the track to the inside. We encourage punters to watch the first two or three races carefully for any indication of bias before dipping into their bankroll. Likewise in Sydney, where the Rosehill track is unlikely to improve much beyond a heavy (8) for Saturday’s card.

Williams Camp Carry Hot Hand

For the first century that it was run, the Australian Cup was a longer race than the Melbourne Cup. But since WWII, the distance has been gradually shaved back – from 2.25 miles (3637m) to 1.75 miles and finally today’s 2000m since 1973. It has also shifted back and forth from handicap to weight-for-age conditions, with the latter in place since 1987. This year’s G1 $1.5 million TAB Australian Cup is quality top to bottom, with Humidor holding narrow favouritism with Luxbet ($4.80) ahead of 2016 Caulfield Cup winner Jameka ($5.00) in the 12-horse field. There are at least six legitimate winning hopes but we’ve settled on the runner that has the biggest upside to improve. Team Williams’ 7yo entire #3 The United States ($7.50 with William Hill) is a bulletproof weight-for-age performer. He was third first-up in the Peter Young Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield two weeks ago and has finished in the first two in his four runs second-up.

Sprint Title Up for Grabs

Since 1874, Australasia’s greatest sprinters have raced over the six furlongs (or 1200m) at Flemington to decide the nation’s unofficial sprint champion. The list of victors covers the history of the sport – from Wakeful (1901), Ajax (1938) and Bernborough (1946) to Schillaci (1992), Takeover Target (2006), Miss Andretti (2007), Scenic Blast (2009), Black Caviar (2011) and Lankan Rupee (2014). Only 13 of the 24 starting slots have been filled, but that hasn’t made it any easier for punters with Spieth ($3.90 on bet365) heading a wide-open market. We suspect that the inside will be the place to be, making it tough for #1 Terravista and #9 Star Turn. It’s tough to split the favourite and Sheidel so take the price ($8.50 with Ladbrokes) on the latter. She’s ridiculously consistent (27:15-5-1) and did it pretty easily in the G1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on February 25). #5 Voodoo Lad and #8 Tivaci (both $26 with Luxbet) are blowout chances.

Huge Field Chase Coolmore Crown

The fillies and mares take centre stage at Rosehill Gardens for this relative newcomer to the Australian racing calendar. First run in 1973 as the TAD Kennedy Stakes, this $600,000 race over 1500m has been under the Coolmore banner for more than two decades. The set weights’ conditions make it a popular race with owners and trainers and a massive field of 19 have accepted this year. And just to make it a little tougher, the track is likely to be in the heavy range while favourite #14 Omei Sword ($3.90 with Unibet) drew the outside gate! Only two of the past 13 winners have started as favourite. Through a fairly brutal process of elimination, we’ve settled on the proven wet/black type form of Kiwi raider La Bella Diosa ($10 with Sportsbet). She’s won five of seven career starts and did it easy in the G2 Surround (1400m) at Randwick two weeks ago.

Smerdon Colt To Shine Brightest On Blue Diamond Day

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The last rays of summer sun will shine on Caulfield this Saturday, but it’s all about elite autumn racing and the second of the 2yo features of the year – the AUD $1.5 million Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes over 1200m at set weights. We’ve been watching the action at Melbourne Racing Club headquarters carefully in recent weeks, and can report that the track is racing fairly. However, runners turning for home in the back half of the field will still face a tough challenge on a surface that generally favours horses on the speed and off the fence.

Colts and geldings have won 28 of the 46 editions of the Blue Diamonds including the past two (Pride Of Dubai and Extreme Choice). In the past decade, that figure closes to 6-4 in favour of the boys. The speed and class of this field make outside barriers a tough prospect. Of the past 34 winners, 24 have jumped from a single figure gate with only four winners since 2000 starting from outside barrier 10 – Extreme Choice (2016, gate 11), Earthquake (2014, 15), Star Witness (2010, 14) and Nadeem (2006, 12).

Magic Man Brings Bag of Tricks Down Under

Punters are spoiled for choice in this year’s Blue Diamond with #13 Catchy a $5 favourite and only a handful of the 17 runners without a realistic chance of victory. Jockey Craig Williams had the choice of riding most of the leading contenders so his decision to go with this Lindsay Park filly must be respected. We’re leery – two of her three were close run affairs while she’s drawn out in barrier 13. Our money will be on the #1 Property for trainer Robert Smerdon (chasing his second Blue Diamond) with superstar Hong Kong hoop Joao Moreira taking the ride from barrier 3. This will be the Magic Man’s first trip to Caulfield but he’s familiar with Aussie tracks and tactics so that’s no concern. Not in the original nominations, connections paid the $55,000 late entry fee for their Starcraft colt. Beaten by Catchy on debut, he’s since won both the Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) before settling midfield and finishing strongly to take out the Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m). A price of $7.50 is currently available on Ladbrokes, which could improve by race time.

Crème to Rise to the Top in Saturday’s Other G1s

There are two other Groups 1s at Caulfield on Saturday – in the $500,000 italktravel Futurity Stakes (1400m at WFA), #1 Black Heart Bart will start in the red as he chases successive G1 wins at this track. In contrast, the $500,000 Resimax Group Oakleigh Plate (1100m) is a wide open affair but we wouldn’t be surprised to see last year’s Blue Diamond winner #3 Extreme Choice saluting once again – Mick Price’s 3yo colt looks slightly overs at $4.60 with William Hill.

North of the border, the G1 $600,000 TAB Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) is the day’s feature at Royal Randwick. The market for this WFA event is once again stifled by the presence of the superstar mare #9 Winx. She’s at $1.12 on Sportsbet to make it 15 wins in a row. That’s right, 15! Winx crushed the bulk of this field in the G2 Apollo (1400m) here two weeks ago and again looks simply unbeatable. Our money will be with stablemate #8 Endless Drama to again fill a place after his meritorious third in the Apollo.

Group 1 WFA Race A Fitting Tribute For The King

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When the Australian Racing Hall of Fame was created in 2001, just five horses were among the inaugural inductees and only one from the past half-century – Kingston Town. The black gelding ruled Australian racetracks in the early 1980s and became the first local thoroughbred to win AUD $1 million in prizemoney. ‘The King’ was far more comfortable on Sydney tracks, where he won 22 of 25 including 21 in a row, but still managed to win the W.S. Cox Plate on an unprecedented three occasions (1980-82). Trained by Tommy Smith and ridden in most of those starts by Malcolm Johnson, Kingston Town’s last Group 1 victory came in the 1982 Western Mail Classic at Ascot in Perth.

In 2007, local officials renamed the race in honour of the superstar. Appropriately, it is run under the conditions at which Kingston Town celebrated most of his marquee victories – weight for age – over a distance of 1800 metres.

Railway form must be respected

The race itself dates back to 1976 and has been run under several different names from the Marlboro 50,000 to the Fruit ‘N’ Veg Stakes. Similarly to the G1 races that have been raced under the TABtouch Masters banner over the past fortnight at Ascot, a smattering of eastern states horses will be taking on a strong local contingent for a share of the AUD $1 million in stakes.

Of the 16 runners, 11 ran in the Railway Stakes here two weeks ago. Three of the past winners of the Kingston Town Classic have come through that opening Group 1 of the Perth carnival. Only one of the past five winners has been backing up after running the previous week.

Despite the short history of this race, its honour roll is littered with multiple winners including Playing God (2010-11), Niconero (2006, 2008), Old Comrade (2000-01), Summer Beau (1996-97) and Family Of Man (1976, 1978).

Perth mare eyes back-to-back

Last year’s Kingston Town Classic winner Perfect Reflection is aiming to join that list and punters expect her to be prominent once again as the $4 favourite with William Hill. She has drawn barrier two in her attempt to turn the tables on Scales Of Justice and Good Project in Australia’s final Group One race of the calendar year.

The mare finished third behind that duo in the Group 1 Railway Stakes where Scales Of Justice led all the way. He faces a tougher task from the outside draw of 16 but has still attracted plenty of money as the clear second pick ($5.50 with William Hill), which he shares with Kiwi gelding Kawi. The Ascot track continues to favour runners on the speed, so expect Scales Of Justice to be prominent again, but Hong Kong-based jockey Douglas Whyte will need to spend plenty of fuel to have the 4yo gelding prominent.

Kiwi contender the one to beat

It was somewhat of a surprise to find Perfect Reflection at the top of the market, as Kawi is the runner with the strongest prospects heading into this race. Having been lumbered with 58.5kg in the Railway, the 6yo gelding now meets most of his rivals up to 5kg better under weight-for-age conditions. He was only beaten by 4.3 lengths last time out after being held up in the straight, so the step up to 1800m looks nicely timed in his third start in Western Australia. And this is a class animal, with five Group 1 wins among his record of 28:13-6-2.

For some value, Darren Weir’s Stratum Star looks overs at $12 on William Hill. He’s had a couple of trials locally to freshen up after the Melbourne spring and looked near his best in his previous outing (second) in the G3 Sandown Stakes on November 12.