The 2014-15 Australian horse racing season is closer to the end than the beginning, so I thought I’d have an early look at the contenders for the gong and how each horse will fare.
Lankan Rupee
He might not have been at his best this season, but he did win two majors, including a stunning all the way win in the Manikato Stakes (1200m) on Cox Plate Eve. He also finished second in the Moir Stakes (1200m) to Buffering and third in the Darley Classic to Terravista.
His last two runs were terrible though, so that might seal his fate for back-to-back horse of the year titles.
Brazen Beau
Beau only raced five times (so far) this season, with the highlights being two outstanding Group 1 wins down the Flemington straight, the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) and Newmarket Handicap (1200m), with Lankan Rupee finishing a long way off in the Newmarket. He is set to run at Royal Ascot, and if he wins there, he’ll go very close to taking out the title.
Contributer
Created a big impression at his Australian debut on Caulfield Cup Day when bolting up, and carried that on in the Autumn with two Group 1 wins in the Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) and Ranvet Stakes (2000m) respectively.
Is that enough to win the title? I don’t think so, but he is such an exciting horse.
Criterion
This horse has just thrived since joining the Hayes/Dabernig yard, highlighted by a stunning win in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m). Add five Group 1 placings, two at international level in Hong Kong, and we have one serious contender here.
He probably needed to win another major to wrap it up, but he is a contender for sure.
Wandjina
Quite amazing to think that this time twelve months ago, this bloke would struggle to run beyond 1000 metres. Since then he placed in the Caulfield Guineas, finish three lengths off Adelaide in a high rating Cox Plate, won the Australian Guineas and then ran second in the All Aged.
He is also going to Royal Ascot, and like a Brazen Beau, if successful, he’ll go a long way towards winning the title.
Dissident
Four Group 1 wins this season logically should see him wrap up the gong, and is the clear favourite to take it out. Two of those wins came on his home track, with the other two coming at Flemington and at Randwick when beating Wandjina in the All Aged, which proved to be the highest rating race of the Sydney Autumn Carnival.
Delicacy
This filly has to be seriously considered for the title. I don’t care what she beat, the fact that she has won two Derbies and two Oaks in the space of six weeks is an amazing feat, and it’s one that we might not see for a very long time.
Granted she probably didn’t beat much, but the achievement is just extraordinary, and winning two Group 1 races in seven days, prior to her, hasn’t been achieved since Black Caviar in 2012.
This is a mighty filly and if it was up to me I’d give her the gong.
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