Another feature raceday at Randwick and another Chris Waller domination. The champion trainer provided the quinella in two of the three majors on the card, the Epsom and Metropolitan, along with Brazen Beau in the Roman Consul and Moriarty in the Craven Plate.
But it wasn’t just Waller who dominated the program. In the jockey ranks, the ‘Magic Man’, Joao Moreira, proved why he is one of the best in the business with three wins on the card, including a thrilling last stride win in the Epsom Handicap (1600m) on He’s Your Man, who narrowly beat home stablemate Royal Descent.
She is trying her guts out, but she doesn’t like her photo being taken. Hooked was enormous, sitting three wide no cover for the entire trip and stuck on for third, but all credit goes to the winner.
Blake Shinn also rode a treble, and he steered home a 1-2 for Waller in the Metropolitan (2400m) thanks to Junoob, carrying 58kg and being left in front 400m out, he was huge in winning. He kicked on very strongly to hold off stablemate Opinion with Araldo running a very gallant third.
Spillway hadn’t won beyond 2200m and that showed late when he stopped badly over the final furlong. La Amistad was wide most of the way and was a beaten horse 600m out. The rest simply weren’t good enough.
The other Group l on the card, the Flight Stakes (1600m), was taken out by First Seal. A hard week for John Thompson ended with a brilliant Group 1 winner thanks to the filly, who absolutely toyed with her rivals in the Flight, easily dismantling the other two favoured runners, Winx, who was out sprinted, and Thinking Of You, who just didn’t handle the occasion and will be better in the Autumn, but the winner was simply too classy and may back up next week in the Spring Champion Stakes (2000m).
Earlier in the program, we saw the two year olds in Sydney for the first time, and easily the most impressive out of the two races was Vancouver in the Breeders Plate (1000m). He produced a dominant and impressive all the way display, holding off the highly touted Sooboog. Vancouver looks a real pro who could develop into a Slipper contender given he fights, and he does have that Pierro look about him.
Hampton Court bounced back to his best form with a relatively soft win in the Dulcify Quality (1600m). He should have won by more, but got onto heels of the leader and lost momentum before Moreira straightened up and the horse went on with it. Duccio led them up and was quite good in holding on for second, while Bachman is on track for the Derby with his closing third.
Brazen Beau was crunched in betting and duly saluted in the Roman Consul Stakes (1200m), with Moreira at it again, producing another gem, defeating Nostradamus and Delectation, who was brave on speed. As for Hallowed Crown…he needs give in the ground, there is no doubting that now.
Three things I learnt from Randwick:
1. Joao Moreira is just about the best rider in the business
2. The meeting won’t last long in the memory bank of James McDonald #Generalife
3. We didn’t see a Caulfield/Melbourne Cup winner running here
Stone bruise one day, Group l glory and Caulfield Cup favouritism the next. Lucia Valentina was fantastic in her Turnbull Stakes (2000m) win. McEvoy gave her a lovely steer, sitting her worse than midfield between runners, then poking through gaps from the 600m mark, then shoving PFL out of the way before letting down and wearing down the Moody pair of Lidari and Brambles.
For the beaten brigade, forget Happy Trails went around. He couldn’t go the early speed and was further back than anticipated, then coming into the straight when he was about to burst through, he got cut for a run and held up behind the tiring a Entirely Platinum.
The Offer was fantastic and is just ticking over beautifully for the Cups. He was wide no cover from the 1000m mark, and again came off the bit a fair way from home but again was really good through the line.
As for Silent Achiever, she won’t win a Cox Plate, and won’t win a Caulfield Cup, based on her effort here. She was given every chance by Oliver but the mare simply didn’t ping when asked. Not sure where she goes.
Move aside Lankan Rupee, racing has it’s next superstar and his name is Chatauqua. He was simply breathtaking in the Gilgai Stakes (1200m) and looked every bit as good, if not better than Lankan Rupee when he races down the straight. He has the Darley Classic at his mercy and is still attractive odds in my opinion.
Given she was first up, I thought Bounding was very good fresh in sticking on for second. She was just beaten by a superstar and her reputation wasn’t dented from my perspective. Temple Of Boom was exposed throughout and was just fair, while Final Crescendo surprised all of us with his closing third, although he was six lengths from the winner.
Fontein Ruby showed really good grit and determination to lead all the way in the Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m), holding off a fast finishing Maastricht and Crafty, who was excellent late. None of these will win the Thousand Guineas, but there were some who should be followed for the Oaks, mainly Crafty.
Forever Loved won a drama stained Blazer Stakes (1400m), with the favourite Suavito staying in the gates and not taking any part. It was left to the Gai Waterhouse mare to overhaul the Queenslander Enquare, with May’s Dream working home for third ahead of Politeness, who again had no luck from the wide gate.
Who Shot Thebarman was a strong winner of the Bart Cummings (2520m). He got on the back of Sea Moon before peeling three deep 1000m out due to the slowing down of the tempo, putting sea moon in the pocket. He took a few hundred metres to wind up, but was very sharp through the line, beating home Marksmanship and Anadujawun. Sea Moon didn’t have the best of luck, but I would have liked him to have done a bit more.
Can the winner go on and win a Melbourne Cup? I’d say no, but he will run 3200m and that’s half the battle won.
Magicool was given a beaut steer by Bossy to win the UCI Stakes (1800m). The horse was exposed to the front much earlier than what he would have liked, but the horse was the better stayer and held his rivals at bay. Atmosphere ran well for second, and was coming late on the line, while War Point ran his usual honest race in third.
Mihalic travelled well and handled the straight course best to win the Maribyrnong Trial (1000m). Iceflow was strong in second, as was Lake Jackson, and Results, who caught the eye in fourth, the boom horse, Our Red Dog, showed dazzling early speed from the wide gate but was like a 300m greyhound at Healesville trying to run 525m at the Meadows and ran last, beaten 17 lengths.
Three things I learnt from Flemington:
1. Take the $3.50 for Chatauqua in the Darley Classic
2. Oliver will be very lucky to retain the ride on Silent Achiever
3. Horsham private jumpouts probably isn’t a reliable form reference.
Adam Page
Roar Guru
Silent Achiever will get a start if Roger James heads that way. She won a couple of majors in the Autumn, so her spot is assured.
Adam Page
Roar Guru
Absolutely zero chance. Her GF is the Caulfield Cup, she has been set for that, and the Melbourne Cup will come after provided she runs well.
Morgan Popham
Roar Pro
Silent Achiever will win the Cox Plate. Been given terrible rides by Oliver, told to go forward but has gone back both times. Once Nash is on he will go forward and win.
backed in
Guest
Any possibility of Lucia contesting the Cox ? Any at all ?
Casper
Guest
I though He's the Man was exceptional & have always thought he was a 10-11 furlong horse so he should go well in Melbourne as long as his legs hold up. Those older imports seem to be able to hold their form. It will be interesting to see if the Sydney or Melbourne 3 YO form is best. Shooting to Win looks a top class miler in the making while we're all waiting for Rich Enuff to hit the wall, but that might not happen this week. My VRC Derby horse is Merion (by O'Reilly) so interesting to see if he can compete at the mile. Can't see Rich Enuff (Written Tycoon), Almalad (Al Maher) or Shooting to Win (Northern Meteor) going on to the Derby. Lord Van Percy (Van Percy from GB) is definitely a Melbourne Cup chance so he must beat the next level down on Saturday if they want to qualify. He's well in the Herbert Power with 54.5kg. The topweight is by Fiorente's sire & won a derby trial in Germany so he'll be interesting too.
Bradman
Roar Rookie
I'm pretty sure i've read that too on the Nz racing websitel. Shes a 4xG1 winner, Including twice in australia within the last year. I'd be pretty shocked if she missed out because of two mediocre runs. In saying that it's a pity we can't fit them all, should be a hell of a race!
Cameron Rose
Expert
I'm sure I saw on Twitter that the MVRC chairman assured Roger James that Silent Achiever was assured of a start.
kv joef
Roar Guru
agree Bondy, i'm thinking he is a long way from being the roughest. just noticed in the Caulfield Cup, Junoob coped a 1.5kg penalty and He's Your Man 2.5kgs. i've been digging out HYM euro distance form. a touch around Lost The Moment at 2400 but there is little doubt he is a better horse now than his Euro stuff. But Junoob that was just a seriously tough performance - to latch onto that pace with 58kg and keep going giving lumps of weight to the defeated. how they recover is the key. but yep i see him doing ok. actually he reminds me of Hayai, same grit. the young'uns will be saying hay-what :) . congrats for the weekend, you get the MVP (most valuable punter) award. not many would have suggested last thursday that i give my early turnbull tip a sex-change and hair-dye job :) and get it right. Well done.
Bondy
Guest
kv joef Junoob could run a place in one of the featured handicaps its not beyond him, he's probably just as good as Hawkspur as well . ...
Will Sinclair
Roar Guru
Does she get a run in the Cox Plate? Apparently 16 G1 winners entered now... and they don't have room for all of them!
Bradman
Roar Rookie
Read this morning that Silent achiever will head to the Cox anyway. Also Adam you were right about oliver, he's got the boot and apparently Nash Rawiller gets the ride back.
Michael Steel
Roar Pro
The horse which impressed me from Sydney was RISING ROMANCE in the Group 3 Craven Plate. Went to the lead. Had the lead taken away so dropped back to third, Then pulled out at the home turn. Regained the lead to be run down at the post by Moriarty who sat back as the first 3 fought it out. Probably wouldn't impress many punters but I liked the run. Will be decent odds next start.
kv joef
Roar Guru
Maybe so Albo but did you see the winners in Melb? Everyone has got very excited about LV but i still can't shake the ATC Oaks were she was coming off a vinery (2000m) win, starting short and couldn't get past Zanbagh having the length of the straight to do it. And her post-turnbull OTR rating only increased 2pts on her tramway win to 110. This is another way of the official handicappers saying ... 'we got her. she is not surprising us'. i agree with MichealSteel. After watching the Metrop multiple times Junoob was v.impressive. and dismissing the epsom as a form race maybe done at your peril. People like me are v.keen to she the adjusted ratings from the Epsom/Metrop. i think saturday's ratings adjustment might surprise a few judges. interesting to note that Chautauqua is rating only 108 after the Gilgai. Interesting, and a long way behind LR.
Albo
Guest
I won't bag the quality of the Epsom / Metrop races. But what pointers did we get from Randwick on Saturday, in relation to any upcoming winners of the Melbourne Spring Carnival ? Did we see a winner of the Caulfield Cup, the Cox Plate , the Melbourne Cup, the Caulfield Guineas, the Emirates, the Derby, the Oaks ? Anyone ?
Adam Page
Roar Guru
Only one three year old will get a run in the race, and that will be the winner of the Caulfield Guieas aka Almalad or Looks Like The Cat, Rich Enuff won't go there. There are only 14 spots in the final field and there are something like 25-30 horses definitely wanting to head there, including 16 Group l winners.
Bondy
Guest
A lot of horses under the odd's of $5-1 won on Saturday, punters should've had a fill. The Offer has to put up now or , the 3 yr old's look good for the Cox Plt ....
michael steel
Guest
I thought the Sydney racing was great and Junoob was very impressive.
andrew
Guest
concur $3.50 unders chataqua for sprint classic. not knocking it as horse though. the bar will be raised several fold through those mentioned and also p possibly its stablemate deep field and ex-stablemate noitlistentome. if they put it in the right race bounding is an abosulte moral next start for mine. i really hope they run her in the tristarc on caul cup day against the mares over 1400m at G2. i cant see anything from the rather avearge forever loved race beating her, and the presence of catkins will mean a price ensues. she was a huge run, towing the fave along and really game. she won me over. san padre will probably be over the odds in the caul classic over 2000m in 2 wees time. id be happy to back the improving kapset next time too. wary potting the epsom. it was super form race last year when they came to melb. boban, toydini, spurtonic, sacred falls, scream machine all came to melb and performed. the year before, lightinthenite, secret admirire, shoot out and tagus were all out of epsom and did well in melb.
Bradman
Roar Rookie
I have no idea who owns Royal descent, but man they'd surely be getting sick of being pipped every week by the same guy they're paying to train her.. nerves must be shot! Lucia valentina was impressive. I'm always a bit timid to back her however. I saw her once in the flesh when she was racing in Nz, shes such a slim thing! Looks like she would break with a decent bump. My concern is if she's given a rough run I'm not sure she'll hold together too well. She's a hell of a chance in Caulfield on this form. I like bounding, awesome record and fought well this weekend, buy boy oh boy she wasn't a patch on Chautauqua. After a nothing run from silent achiever, and puccini failing in new zealand which means he'll almost certainly miss the cox... maybe the first cox plate in recent years without a leading kiwi contender?
The Doctor
Guest
I remember similar comments being made about Bel Sprinter after the Galaxy. Tiger Tees, Rain Affair, Shamal Wind are others that fall into the category of being spruiked too early. Chautauqua could not have been more impressive on Saturday but to declare him unbeatable down the straight is jumping the gun. The point of my post was that $3.50 is way to short for an all-in market 5 weeks out from the event he may not even contest.