It can be hard to keep track of the amount of Super Saturdays we have for racing in this country, but the one for the Flemington autumn is this weekend with the running of the Australian Cup and the Newmarket Handicap, each race worth in excess of $1 million.
Australian Cup
The Australian Cup has brought together a competitive field with a mix of imports, veterans and mares.
Bow Creek broke his Aussie duck in the Peter Young Stakes last start, always a traditional lead-up to this race, as evidenced by providing eight of the 11 runners here. He’d caught the eye or been unlucky in a couple of his previous starts in this country but was finally able to score with authority, overcoming difficulty to do so.
He showed weight-for-age class acceleration charging through gaps to put away a quality field, and should be even harder to beat at Flemington. He has been handed the visitors draw though, so won’t have it all his own way.
Our Ivanhowe was the unlucky runner behind Bow Creek that day, with plenty to give in the straight, but no room to give it. He may not have beaten the winner home, but he may well have made it a contest. Lee Freedman hasn’t been short on the spruik with him, and he is a deserved second favourite.
Fenway gave it her best shot to run Bow Creek down, but was beaten by a better horse on the day. She’s a good one though, and will be somewhere thereabouts. She appears the overs in the early markets from an each-way perspective.
Awesome Rock put in a supreme effort to run fourth after being three and four wide for a long time in the early stages. He’s starting to become a very good horse, but needs to target something easier. A race like the Easter Cup should be right up his alley.
Happy Trails was good working into his prep, and is a better horse at Flemington. He might just be a length off his best these days though, which won’t be enough to contend. Rising Romance was due to draw a barrier, and is sure to run well. She’ll get her chance if good enough.
Almoonqith pleased first-up, also in the Peter Young, but is unlikely to beat all of these. You’d listen to someone making a case for him to run a drum though.
Of those coming from races other than the Peter Young, Preferment is the clear pick after he resumed well behind Winx in the Chipping Norton. The two best wins of his career have been at Flemington, one of them over this trip, and hitting 2000m second-up appeals as the right recipe.
Extra Zero will run well at despised odds, as he did last year when second at 100-1. Suavito, already a Group 1 winner this prep, is the danger horse stepping up 600m from her close range defeat to Turn Me Loose. She’s only had one crack at 2000m as an older mare, when she won the Matriarch Stakes here, so is another major player.
This is a good horse’s race, and it has attracted a field full of them.
Selections
1. Preferment
2. Our Ivanhowe
3. Bow Creek
4. Fenway
Newmarket Handicap
The Newmarket Handicap is at its best with a champion taking on a big field including a few three-year-olds in the mix. Two out of three ain’t bad, I suppose.
Chautauqua is that champion, or at the least champion-in-making. He resumed with a breath-taking finish to win the Lightning Stakes, giving his backers heart palpitations and his fans thrills.
We know the story by now – get back, wait until hope is all but lost, and then accelerate to the post in a flash of unmatched speed. It’s a recipe that usually ends in a win or a second, which only makes it all the more exciting, because he doesn’t get there every time.
It’s fantastic for racing that he’s taking on the task with 58 kilograms, and what a lesser event this would be without him here.
Delectation beat Chautauqua in the Darley Classic back in spring, and receives two kilograms benefit from that win. Was Chautauqua on the inferior ground that day? Yes. Was it worth more than two kilograms? Probably. Can’t wait to find out.
Japonisme is also a Group 1 winner down the straight, in the Coolmore Stud Stakes in spring. He confirmed his credentials when third in the blanket finish Lightning Stakes behind Chautauqua and Terravista, and gets 2.5 kilograms weight relief from that day. He just keeps improving.
Keen Array and Counterattack filled the placings behind Japonisme in the Coolmore, and the trifecta clashes again here, with these two getting 2.5 kilograms of weight relief of their own from that race.
Both horses have only been seen once since. Keen Array flopped in the Oakleigh Plate when well supported, so can only be taken on trust. Counterattack ran well in the Eskimo Prince, which has become Randwick Guineas winning form with Le Romain running second there. He must be respected.
Secret Agenda is the fourth three-year-old in the race, and the lone filly, but what an intriguing proposition she is. She took to the straight like greased lightning back on Oaks day, thumping a handy field, but couldn’t quite hold on first-up at the Valley.
Churchill Dancer is a straight specialist at big odds given he was two lengths off Chautauqua and one length off Delectation here in the Gilgai, and meets them both significantly better at the weights in this. His Australia Stakes second looks even better now that Holler has won a Group 1 since, and Rebel Dane, in third behind him, has been excellent at weight for age.
The Quarterback was one of the eye-catchers in the Oakleigh Plate, and was always going to be good each-way value here. He’s a must for wider multiples.
Charmed Harmony is just getting ready for the Victoria Handicap. The connections of Tiger Tees will be excited with a bit of rain around. Black Heart Bart was last seen running second in a Perth Group 2 over 2100m, and if Darren Weir pulls this one off then we can all go home.
There should be enough tempo that every horse gets their chance, as they almost always do up the straight, and let’s just hope that track bias doesn’t come into play. Can the champ do it? We can be grateful that he’s taking it on.
Selections
1. Churchill Dancer
2. Japonisme
3. Chautauqua
4. Delectation
Coolmore Classic
The Coolmore Classic can vary its depth from year to year, and while it usually takes a pretty good horse to win one, for many mares it’s the only time they get close to a Group 1. Something of a crack field has been assembled this time though.
The unbeaten Godolphin filly Ghisoni is the early favourite, but something of a false one for mine. Yes, she’s a good size for her age and only has 50kgs on her back, but she had every possible favour in winning first-up, and won’t get it as easy here. Not saying she can’t win, but is unders at the very least.
Solicit has been the subject of much positive talk this campaign, even before she began her prep, and she’s been putting the points on the board. Second to Winx in the Apollo before getting her win in the Guy Walter, she’ll be tough and honest.
While Ghisoni and Solicit will be up the front making the running, Azkadellia and Politeness will be the main two charging home, each capable of running sizzling sectionals.
Azkadellia is a multiple Group 1 winner-in-waiting, so you might as well start backing her now and don’t stop. If every horse in the race gets their chance, she’ll be winning. It shouldn’t be for a lack of speed, and she can overcome that anyway.
Politeness will appreciate being back to mares after a couple of runs in open class, and if she brings her best she’s capable of winning, but it’s hard to see her defeating Azkadellia at the weights if both get to find the post on equal terms.
Amicus looks well in at the weights and over the odds. She’s getting a reputation for mixing her form, and can be hard to catch. Lucia Valentina can produce a bottler first-up and would love any give in the ground, but always gets asked to carry her share of weight.
First Seal form is Group 1 standard, so Telepathic must be taken seriously after chasing that mare home off a six-week break. She’ll have taken much benefit from the run, and of course has the Chris Waller polish.
Zanbagh, Tinto, Vergara and Peeping all ran well enough behind Solicit in the Guy Walter to concede them some sort of chance here, especially meeting the winner much better at the weights, as they all do. Pearls was even behind Ghisoni in the Surround, but can figure in the finish with a cosy run from gate two.
Every horse comes into the race with a reasonable claim in what shapes as a very good handicap, and the Coolmore can provide a winner at odds, which adds to the intrigue.
Selections
1. Azkadellia
2. Telepathic
3. Zanbagh
4. Politeness
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