The three-year-olds took centre stage across Australia this Saturday, with the best being the Randwick Guineas (1600m), won by Hallowed Crown in a thrilling edition of the race.
I said a few weeks ago that this bunch of three-year-old colts could well be the best we have seen since Octagonal, Saintly, Filante and Nothin Leica Dane, and the 2014-15 crop are living right up to it.
We saw it firstly with the Hobartville and now with the Randwick Guineas (1600m), won by Hallowed Crown, who wore down leader Shooting To Win, with Sweynesse splitting the pair.
I don’t like being critical of riders, but as good as he is, that wasn’t a good ride from McDonald on Sweynesse. He got caught in a pocket when Preferrment took off, so he had to go back to the rail, and we know that the inside at Randwick isn’t 100 per cent.
To finish as close as he did was outstanding and he is clearly the horse I want to follow. I also think Shooting To Win will be much better ridden with a sit, but full credit to the winner.
Cosmic Endeavour produced a cracking run last weekend, and with that added fitness on her side she added another Group 1 to her CV with a win in the Canterbury Stakes (1300m). McDonald was back in the good books with an absolute peach here, holding out Tiger Tees for the lead before controlling the tempo and fighting off her rivals, including the gallant Catkins, who just can’t quite crack it for a Group 1.
Criterion was the real eye catcher, working home strongly near the inside for third ahead of Hooked. Criterion was excellent moving towards the Queen Elizabeth.
Vancouver stamped himself as the one to beat in the Golden Slipper (1200m) after a dominant on speed win in the Todman Stakes (1200m). Punters, like me, who were keen on him, were sweating a load when he broke through the barriers. Thankfully he did no harm, and he then let his racing do the talking, sitting outside Furnaces, putting him away 250 metres out and winning by a space.
Headwater ran third, and despite sitting wide he was very plain, and that was my query in my preview. He hadn’t been in a serious race and hadn’t worked hard. He did here and he looked like a provincial maiden.
Three Blackbookers from Randwick
1. Vancouver
2. Intimate Moment
3. Criterion
Wandjina, aided by a brilliant ride from in-form hoop Brett Prebble, capped off a big day for Gai Waterhouse by winning the Australian Guineas (1600m), fending off the clueless Alpine Eagle, who is a star, but has no idea what he is doing.
Stratum Star had the cheap run and stuck on for third ahead of Kermadec, who had absolutely no luck in the straight, and arguably should have won had he got clear running. He will go back to Sydney and be ultra competitive in the Rosehill Guineas.
Madam Gangster, off a freshen up, produced the goods yet again with a strong win in the Tressady Stakes (1400m), cutting back to the inside and finishing best to beat home Girl Guide, who improved big time off her poor effort last weekend.
Nadeem Lass ran third ahead of stablemate and the desperately unlucky Girl In Flight, who will be winning races this prep. She was very good, warming up late in the piece.
Three Blackbookers from Flemington
1. Ready For Victory
2. Girl In Flight
3. Kermadec
Adam Page
Roar Guru
As I said in my preview of the race, Headwater looked the goods under no pressure with nothing testing him. Then the first time he copped pressure in a race, he looked like a Kembla maiden. He won't be winning the Slipper.
kv joef
Roar Guru
No disappointment with these 3 yr-olds from me, Will. I thought the race setup as expected and these young turks delivered again. I was only mentioning the 1400m races for STW because i can't see him turning the tables on HC without luck in running which could happen in a big field like the Donnie. the George Ryder will allow us to see where these youngsters sit in the scheme of things. There is no easy racing for any good horse this autumn. As for your evaluation about Hallowed Crown as the best (around a mile). He's earned it fair and square and deserves every accolade. Would have liked to have seen Wandjina setting the race up :) but now i'm just getting greedy. Don't think it would have changed anything. HC still has got to get faster for a race like the Donnie but he is in the right camp for that to happen. Congrats on staying strong with the Cummings horse before the Guineas.
Bondy
Guest
Those 3 yr olds have got a hell of a long way to go to emulate Octagonal, Saintly, Filante and Nothin Leica Dane you almost wouldn't allow them to parade with them let alone race them.. Shooting To Win did win the Clfd Gn's taking a sit off a hot speed and he may still get a mile but the other 3 yr old's are stronger over that journey, Shooting to wins fate now lies with the Ryder if he cant win that its back to 7 furlong events , Hallowed Crown appears he'll eat 10 furlongs off that run maybe the QE 11 for him ? . Did punters lose on Kermadec on the weekend I bet down because of Nash's inconstancy in Grp 1 races, I lost on Kermadec but not as much because of the hoop ? ...
Tim
Guest
I still think this crop hasn't overtaken the crop that included pierro (canterbury stakes, george ryder, 3rd cox) all too hard (futurity, all aged, the other 1400m one at caulfield, 2nd cox plate) supercool (aust cup) fiveandahalfstar (BMW) sacred falls (donny) and I think epaullete won the 10,000 at doomben. That's about 9 open age group 1's.
Will Sinclair
Roar Guru
Thought Shooting To Win might have been a victim of the small field. He really was forced to lead them out and Hallowed Crown was able to just sit outside him and than take the last shot. Which is no criticism of Hallowed Crown. He just keeps showing up and beating the other Sydney 3yos, so it might be time to consider he's just better than the rest of them?
kv joef
Roar Guru
Good wrap adam, I too thought the 3 yrold colts in both states were excellent and am looking forward to a couple of them stepping up to the next level in the George Ryder. Think they might do OK. Like many i was willing to think that Shooting To Win would improve into the mile. Once again he looked v.competitive 200m out and was run over ... mind you by two excellent horses. Returning a result similar to their FU contest. Believe they are thinking of the Doncaster and why not but maybe the All Aged or even that rich Brisbane race might enter calculations. Hallowed Crown looked superb and Tm Cummings are no stranger to taking a classy 3 yrold into the Doncaster. Thought Tm. Hawkes criticism of Blake Shinn's ride on Headwater was unfair. If he was going to be a slipper contender he should've copped that and some more BUT remember that Mossfun was beaten by Earthquake last year and still became a slipper winner ... i do think he under-performed for some reason but can't see him turning around that margin to victory anyway.