There was a touch of spring in the air last Saturday with a host of quality gallopers going around in both Melbourne and Sydney.
For mine, Rebel Dane, ultra-impressive winner of the 1200m Show County, was the pick of the bunch at Warwick Farm, whilst boom Kiwi Cauthen, who destroyed his rivals in the McKenzie Stakes, stood out like a beacon at the Valley.
Both horses look set to play a massive part in the spring features.
Away from these two, there were a number of eye-catching runs.
In Sydney, ATC Oaks winner Royal Descent went off an odds-on favourite in the Toy Show Quality (1300m), and while she was beaten, she was far from disappointing.
Her stablemate Hidden Kisses, much better suited over the distance than the daughter of Redoute’s Choice, touched her out and there’s no doubt she’ll come on significantly for the outing. Stick with her.
In the Warwick Stakes (1400m), Streama was game in defeat behind Veyron. The dual Group 1 winner, ridden by Glen Boss, had the unenviable task of ensuring front-runner and race favourite Rain Affair, under Nash Rawiller, didn’t get away with murder.
There were plenty of nice performances in the race, none more so than Chris Waller’s Beaten Up.
The Doomben Cup winner doesn’t get warmed up until he hits 2000m but hit the line hard and looks a nice Cups horse.
Formerly trained in England by William Haggas, he is a seriously good galloper and boasts a four-and-a-half length decision over Al Kazeem (albeit in 2011), who has taken all before him in Europe in recent months winning three Group 1s.
And in Melbourne, Long John (McKenzie Stakes) ran on well behind Cauthen on a day that didn’t suit swoopers.
We can expect this Street Cry gelding to strip much fitter next time out and he’ll be better suited to the wide-open spaces of Flemington.
But for as good as last week’s action was it doesn’t hold a candle to what awaits us on Saturday.
It’s Memsie Stakes Day at Caulfield and it promises to be an absolute beauty.
The 1400m feature, elevated to Group 1 status, has no less than 11 runners who have tasted success at the highest level.
With the likes of Atlantic Jewel, It’s A Dundeel, Green Moon, Super Cool and Fiorente set to resume, it’s sure to be a mouthwatering clash and a good guide to some of the rich features in weeks to come.
But it doesn’t stop there, for the undercard is as good as you’ll see for a heavyweight championship clash at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
The Group 3 McNeil Stakes (1200m) sees the return of Blue Diamond winner Miracles of Life.
But the flying filly from Adelaide faces stiff opposition from boom colt Prince Harada (equal Caulfield Guineas favourite) as well as Fast ‘N’ Rocking, a certainty licked in the Vain Stakes on August 17, and Peter Moody’s Kiss A Rose, winner of the Quezette Stakes at the same meeting.
And 2011 Blue Diamond winner Samaready returns from a year on the sidelines in the 1100m The Heath Stakes.
North of the border the Group Three The Run To The Rose for three-year-olds is the headline act. And with Sidestep, Criterion and Va Pensiero all nominated, it too promises to be a race not to be missed.
Racing fans are in for a real treat on Saturday – and it’s not even September yet.
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