It’s a magnificent week for sport. From the NRL and AFL grand finals, to the Wallabies over in Pretoria against the Springboks, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Ryder Cup, the F1 in Malaysia, and of course, in spring, Group 1 racing.
The big race on Friday at Moonee Valley is the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m), a crack sprinter affair.
While we wait for final acceptances, the line-up offers a world-class field of sprinters, headlined by the return of the flying grey, Chautauqua. (Click to Tweet)
The Hawkes-trained marvel is first-up after his remarkable last-to-first win at Sha Tin in the Chairman’s Sprint back in early May. He’s the world’s leading sprinter and should be out to stamp that here again.
Also coming off that race and entered is grand old Buffering. Forget that he was near last at Sha Tin, after a global jaunt that saw him win in Meydan in March. He’s nine now and entered in his 54th start – hooray for geldings – and going for his eighth Group 1, with trainer Rob Heathcote very pleased with his ageing marvel.
The duo both have stellar records first-up so they should be firing, but this isn’t quite a match race.
Also entered is Lucky Hussler, who’s recovered from a knee injury that came out of a roughly run William Reid that cut short his autumn. He’s been back in work for close to three months so he should be fit and has a decent enough record first-up as well. It’ll be great to see him back at the races.
The William Reid winner is here too in Flamberge. This gutsy bugger never gives in, but was ordinary in two subsequent runs after that win at this track – and after leaving Peter Moody, it must be said.
Top three-year-old, Extreme Choice, has a go at open company, Wild Rain goes for her first Group 1 after winning a Group 3 and a Group 2 on the trot, while Ball Of Muscle, Heatherly, Redzel, and Chloe In Paris will be hoping to break-through.
It’s hard to go past the top two in Buffering and Chautauqua over the sprint though. Markets will open following the barrier draw later today.
Friday night also sees some good fillies and mares in a Stakes race over 1600m, with Rising Romance and Miss Rose De Lago, Iggimacool and Don’t Doubt Mamma engaged. A 2040-metre race also has Real Love, Set Square, Tom Melbourne, and Tally, all in the early nominations, so keep an eye on that race for later, bigger races, although many – including Excess Knowledge – will go to Sunday’s The Bart Cummings (2500m) instead at Flemington.
Keep your eye on that race here.
Randwick’s big card on Saturday features the million dollar Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) and the Group 1 Metropolitan (2400m). Both have had their barrier draws, both have 13 horses engaged, and we’re seeing what will be close to final fields.
The Epsom features 13 horses in what is a little smaller field than usual, but the class is good – even without Winx or Black Heart Bart.
Dual Group 1 winner Palentino will be aiming to be Darren Weir’s first Sydney winner, carrying topweight with 57kg.
Other big names include the consistent Godolphin horse in Hauraki, Doncaster Mile runner-up Happy Clapper and Randwick Guineas winner Le Romain.
Chris Waller has four horses to defend his Epsom crown, with Macintosh, McCreery, Vanbrugh and Torgensen all set for the race, and down in weight. Macintosh and McCreery come off last start wins, while Torgensen was second in the Bill Ritchie. Vanbrugh is somewhat of a mystery at the moment – not placing in six runs for close to a year since his Spring Champion win.
Hauraki is $5.50 and the current close favourite over Palentino and McCreery both at $6, depending on where you shop.
| No | Barrier | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Weight |
| 1 | 9 | PALENTINO | Darren Weir | Mark Zahra | 57kg |
| 2 | 10 | HAURAKI | John O’Shea | James McDonald | 56kg |
| 3 | 3 | LE ROMAIN | Kris Lees | Hugh Bowman | 55.5kg |
| 4 | 1 | HAPPY CLAPPER | Patrick Webster | Brenton Avdulla | 55kg |
| 5 | 12 | MIGHTY LUCKY | Fred Cowell | Chris O’Brien | 54.5kg |
| 6 | 11 | DIBAYANI | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Damian Lane | 54kg |
| 7 | 13 | SONS OF JOHN | Jason Attard | Glen Boss | 53kg |
| 8 | 2 | MACKINTOSH | Chris Waller | Tommy Berry | 52kg |
| 9 | 4 | MCCREERY | Chris Waller | Kerrin McEvoy | 51.5kg |
| 10 | 8 | HEAVENS ABOVE | Tim Martin | Corey Brown | 51kg |
| 11 | 7 | VANBRUGH | Chris Waller | Craig Newitt | 51kg |
| 12 | 5 | TORGERSEN | Chris Waller | Kathy O’Hara | 50kg |
| 13 | 6 | FABRIZIO | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Johan Victoire | 50kg |
The Metropolitan looks like a mini-Melbourne Cup, with Waller holding half the deck, saddling up six of the 13 runners. Who Shot Thebarman, Grand Marshall, Storm The Stars, Newcastle Cup winner Sacred Master, Antonio Giuseppe and Junoob all take part here.
The lightly-weighted Antonio Giuseppe is the current favourite at $4.50, after four impressive wins on the trot as he makes his way through the grades.
Other good horses involved include the Gai Waterhouse-trained Dee I Cee, the Godolphin pair in last year’s winner Magic Hurricane and Allergic, and John Thompson’s Sir John Hawkwood – the current second favourite in the race.
Finding a winner from those won’t be at all easy for punters.
| No | Barrier | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Weight |
| 1 | 8 | WHO SHOT THEBARMAN | Chris Waller | Hugh Bowman | 57kg |
| 2 | 4 | STORM THE STARS | Chris Waller | Brenton Avdulla | 55.5kg |
| 3 | 1 | GRAND MARSHAL | Chris Waller | Craig Williams | 54.5kg |
| 4 | 3 | MAGIC HURRICANE | John O’Shea | James McDonald | 54.5kg |
| 5 | 6 | SIR JOHN HAWKWOOD | John P Thompson | Blake Spriggs | 54kg |
| 6 | 10 | JUNOOB | Chris Waller | Craig Newitt | 53.5kg |
| 7 | 12 | SACRED MASTER | Chris Waller | Tommy Berry | 53kg |
| 8 | 2 | ALLERGIC | John O’Shea | Michael Dee | 51.5kg |
| 9 | 13 | SENSE OF OCCASION | Kris Lees | Corey Brown | 51kg |
| 10 | 11 | AMEXED | Tony Gollan | Johan Victoire | 51kg |
| 11 | 7 | DEE I CEE | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Kerrin McEvoy | 51kg |
| 12 | 5 | ANTONIO GIUSEPPE | Chris Waller | Glen Boss | 51kg |
| 13 | 9 | QUARTERMASTER | Paul Perry | Kathy O’Hara | 51kg |
One last word – Lankan Rupee had an encouraging jumpout over 700m on the way to a return to the track. The race-fit Hucklebuck won the jumpout, with Flying Artie also taking part.
Trainer Mick Price has said the sprinting champ will have two outings in spring, with the Group 2 Caulfield Sprint (1100m) on Caulfield Cup day his first assignment and the Darley Classic his grand final for this preparation.
He’ll carry a heavy 61kgs in the Caulfield Sprint and Price warned his preparation is ‘gently, gently’ at this stage. Another jumpout is set for next week – here’s hoping he keeps ticking over nicely.
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