The Australian racing season’s last Group 1 is upon us, 294 days after the first.
Is there any racing fan who can’t remember all the way back to that day, and Atlantic Jewel’s Memsie Stakes romp?
It was a thrilling victory, the exhilaration of which may not have been bettered in almost a full season of racing since. Certainly, it is a race that must be in the reckoning for the most memorable Group 1.
Others may look to the daring wire-to-wire Chad Schofield ride on Shamus Award in the Cox Plate. Polanski’s Victorian Derby win was something special. Lankan Rupee’s domination of the TJ Smith would find supporters, and perhaps his Newmarket win too.
Some might go for Chris Waller training the first four home in the Doncaster, including Sacred Falls’ back-to-back win.
If you’ve got any others, throw them down in the comments below, and we can look back on another years racing together.
Perhaps the Tattersall’s Tiara will provide a memorable send-off to Group 1 racing in 2013/14 in this country. There are some very good mares engaged capable of doing so.
The history of the race suggests it is open to either a proven mare peaking again after an autumn campaign, or an average one peaking at the right time in the right race.
Red Tracer is the class mare of the field, rarely beaten when taking on her own sex, and if so, not by much. She’s got a couple of Group 1 placings to her name from the Autumn, and comes into the race off a nice effort in the Stradbroke. Returning as the defending champion, she’ll be in the mix again.
Her stablemate, Catkins, might be the biggest danger, and the early markets suggest some punters are inclined to think so. She’ll be two months between runs, coming off a flop in the Queen of the Turf during The Championships. She’s also had a set-back along the way, scratched from the Dane Ripper two weeks ago, which isn’t ideal and may deter some from backing her.
The winner of that race was the three-year-old Gai Waterhouse filly Cosmic Endeavour, who took the Group 2 out with authority. Her form has been first class in recent times, and Tommy Berry will be able to give her the cushiest possible run from barrier five, no doubt looking to box seat once they jump.
Like Chris Waller, Waterhouse also has a second ace in the pack in the form of the Group 1 Sangster winner earlier this campaign, Driefontein. She ran up to her best in the Dane Ripper, but wasn’t strong enough at the end of 1400m to hold out Cosmic Endeavour. Her stamina in the last half furlong will once again be the question.
Steps In Time might be the forgotten horse of the field, despite taking out the Coolmore only two starts back. She couldn’t back it up on the heavy in a high class TJ Smith field, her first exposure to those conditions.
The knock is that she’s run in this race twice before, to be beaten around eight lengths each time.
Avoid Lightning has always been a good stakes grade mare, and is in the peak of her career form. Any cut out of the track is in her favour, and genuine rain will bring her right into the reckoning.
Not too many horses run at Swan Hill in the start before a Group 1, but Lonhspresso presents as the interesting runner from the Darren Weir yard. She’s still untapped for a four-year-old mare, but this is tough at level weights.
Peron always has admirers, and will again. She was third on the line of betting in this race last year when running tenth, and hasn’t shown enough in recent times to suggest she can turn that around.
It’s hard to make a case for any others, and the winner should really come from those in the first third of the market.
Selections: 1. Cosmic Endeavour 2. Steps In Time 3. Red Tracer 4. Catkins
Bondy
Guest
Nice read Cam , I'd suggest Waller's mares should fight this out they've been heavily in commission against the boys at W.F.A this year also and back to fillies and mares should be up their alley . I cant rate Polanski better than Lank Rup obviously but he was a good thing at a good price in the VRC Derby, bless him.
Luke
Guest
Cameron a season which had many highlights as honours were spread around amongst a group of top performers. Outside the great examples you listed my highlights off the top of my head included; -Fiorente was simply awesome in the cup, and giving Gai Waterhouse her first cup winner means this is a racing moment that will be remembered. -Boban completing the big spring mile double. Producing a breathtaking finish to get over the top of Strema in the Epsom, and was just so tough and honest under the big weight in the Emirates. -Buffering really standing up and holding off the Hong Kong champ Lucky Nine to break though for his first Group 1 in the Manikato. -Having 3 individual International Group 1 and that none of them were in their major target. With Side Glance (Mackinnon,) Gordon Lord Byron (George Ryder) and Hannah's Goal (All Aged) it really shows the value to foreign trainers of having campaigns here rather than just the one race. This can only add to the quality of the entirety of our carnivals. -Silent Achiever running down Carlton House in the BMW. Both looked top quality that day and both found admirers with Carlton House being bold and brave from the front and Silent Achiever showing tremendous determination to stick to the task of running him down. -Streama winning the Doomben Cup and providing Guy Walter with a final Group 1 before his untimely passing. -The Boom quinella in the Doomben 10 000. Having backed them both my wallet would have been better off if Temple of Boom had gotten up but they are a great story for the Queensland breeding industry and Spirit of Boom has been the second best sprinter of 2014. I am sure I missed some but that is the great thing about racing, each season offers so many great moments. Let's keep up the articles through the winter. A report on the Grafton Carnival would be great. -
Luke
Guest
And so the group one season is closed out by the now traditional breeding barn stakes. Tomorrow will be the last time we see many of these mares so it is well worth a look to say goodbye to some favourites. If they all show up in good condition it looks a race in five between Red Tracer, Catkins, Steps in Time, Driefontein and Cosmic Endeavour. I am leaning to the filly on the way up as she is the one who you can be sure she isn't being given a final throw at the stumps as she is clearly in form and has a future on the track and not currently having dates arranged with our top sires. So Cosmic Endeavour for mine at this stage, although this is a race where a long priced winner is a very frequent occurrence.
andrew
Guest
not so. we are racing every weekend. c'mon roar. a post each Friday atleast in the off season. I was on course for the atlantic jewel win in the memsie 10 months ago (they bet even money !!) and it was a thrilling race. she beat 9 group 1 winners that day with arrogance. in fact, she beat several horses who have won G1's since such as its a dundeel, fiorente, happy trails, silent achiever and luckygray. wow........puts it in perspective doesn it. for sat, im playing at home with klishina in the 2nd, suspended gem in the 5th, the cleaner in the 6th, and le bonsir in the 7th. over in ald, the smart time to test can continue his winning run in the 6th and bagilvari will appreciate the rise up to 1400m in the 6th.
Drew H
Guest
So that's it for the year. Part and parcel, the fat lady has sung, wham bam thank you mam, thank you good night. I suppose it's been alright. Must put Red Tracer on top again. I always will put it on top of Catkins. Hey, anyone heard the rumour that Chris Waller is brothers with Tony Abbott. It must be a scandal. Slight resemblance only.