The Championships: Sydney Cup and Queen of the Turf preview and tips

After a stunning Day 1 of The Championships, which saw Winx decimate the Doncaster field in stunning fashion, Chautauqua thrill us all again with back-to-back TJ Smith’s, the Kiwi Tavago dominate the Derby, and Yankee Rose display star quality in taking out the Sires.

The argument can be made that Day 2 of The Championships is a diminished product, with no superstars on offer, and it’s a valid one. The fields are a bit mundane, and the feature race, the Queen Elizabeth, doesn’t have the quality of horse that we should expect.

We’ll look at the Queen Elizabeth and the Oaks tomorrow, while today we’ll start with the Sydney Cup and what they’re calling the Coolmore Legacy Stakes, but we’ll call the Queen of the Turf. Seriously, how many Group 1s does Coolmore need to sponsor.

The Sydney Cup has been making a bit of a comeback in recent years, no doubt helped by the healthy boost in prizemoney due to the advent of The Championships.

This year’s edition has attracted some nice horses, and a field mostly in form, which is important if this staying event is to reach great heights. Last year’s trifecta have all returned.

The market can’t decide between Who Shot Thebarman and Libran as favourite, and punters do have a tough choice to make in this regard.

Who Shot Thebarman ran a close second in an epic Sydney Cup in 2015, carrying 54.5 kilograms, which was two kilograms above the minimum. This year he’s being asked to carry 57 kilograms as the top-weight, which is six kilograms above the mimimum.

His form over the last 12 months has been strong once he’s reached 2000 metres or further. He wasn’t far off Preferment in the Hill Stakes and Turnbull Stakes in the spring, put in two solid runs in the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, and then bolted in the Zipping Classic.

He’s coming off a last start second in the BMW, where he just failed to run down Preferment once more. He’s a Melbourne Cup place-getter. He’s ready to win again.

Grand Marshal, last year’s Sydney Cup winner, was third in the BMW. He gets two kilogram’s relief from Who Shot Thebarman from being 1.3 lengths behind him in that race, and only meets him half a kilo worse from last year’s close finish in this race.

On weights and measures, there shouldn’t be much between these two stablemates, and it may come down to the ride on the day.

Libran, equal favourite with Who Shot Thebarman, is the fresh horse on the scene, and Waller’s third horse in the race. He’s coming fully loaded into this one.

Libran has been very good stringing three wins together coming into this, getting the job done at Listed, Group 3 and Group 2 level before he now tackles his first Group 1. He’s risen two kilograms in weight for each of those two Group victories, which adds more merit to his achievement, and he now drops five kilograms into this race, which adds merit to his chances.

He’s never been asked to back up over seven days before, although it’s worth noting he won on a nine day back-up in England last year. He’s never run further than the 2600 metres of last week either, but this race has been the long term plan of Waller ever since the horse was imported to his care.

On a side note, Libran can back up from a gut-buster 2600m to a tough 3200m no worries for Waller, but Winx can’t go from 1600m to 2000m where she would win with a leg in the air?

Almoonqith was a strong winner of the Sandown Cup over 3200m in the spring, after never being given a chance in the Melbourne Cup. He beat Grand Marshal by a couple of lengths, fair and square, that day, and only meets him half a kilo worse here. Supporters would liked to have seen more in the BMW though, it must be said, but he must be a player.

Gallante couldn’t defy Libran last start in the Manion Cup, but gets 2.5 kilograms weight relief for his 2.5 length defeat. Second-up over 2400m there, and now third-up here, there is a case to be made, particularly on a soft track. And Lloyd Williams horses are always a threat in their target race.

Café Society also knows what it’s like to chase Libran home, having done it his last three races. The weights suggest it’s going to be hard for him, unless is a superior stayer over 3200m. But if he is, he still has to beat the likes of Who Shot Thebarman, Grand Marshal and Almoonqith. It’s going to be tough.

The rest of the field doesn’t have much to recommend them, even down in the weights as they are. The cream should rise to the top here.

Selections
1. Who Shot Thebarman
2. Grand Marshall
3. Gallante
4. Libran

The Queen of the Turf has attracted the usual band of high-quality mares, along with a few fillies thrown in.

Can Azkadellia break her Group 1 duck, after three placings at her first three attempts?

Her third in the Myer Classic was possibly the run of the spring, and her third in the Doncaster behind Winx had much to recommend her. She finished right next to Happy Clapper there, conceding him 1.5 kilograms on the weight-for-age scale, and that horse had been in excellent form in weight-for-age events.

Azkadellia’s second in the Coolmore Classic was disappointing at face value, but to my eye she settled too close and her sprint was dulled, even from a midfield position. She needs to be snagged back and saved for one run clear run.

Barrier nine and a soft track are in her favour, and she’s clearly the one to beat.

Vergara is the other mare backing up from the Doncaster, and while she was game in fourth at massive odds, she was a long way behind Azkadellia, and will struggled to turn the tables.

Heavens Above can be tied in through her second to Vergara in the Epona. She keeps getting better, but this feels a bit soon for her.

The Emancipation is the key lead-up for this race, with six or seven horses coming from it, depending on if Supara gets a run as first emergency.

Zanbagh, the second favourite, won that race after a dream ride from Blake Shinn, and isn’t as advantaged at the weights here, but her form has been good. She was a couple of lengths behind Azkadellia in the Coolmore Classic, and meets her 2kg’s worse now. A perfect draw gives her some hope.

The filly Badawiya has won some races where she’s looked a star in the making. She was the worse weighted horse in the country in the Emancipation, where she didn’t do everything right, and gets 3.5 kilograms off Zanbagh here.

If Badawiya settles OK, handles the track, and the widest gate doesn’t cause her undue hardship, she is perhaps a horse that can beat the favourite.

Slightly Sweet and Lady Le Fay closed strongly from the back in the Emancipation, but they’re going to have to go faster than Azkadellia from a similar position at level weights in this. Unlikely.

Suavito has beaten the boys twice at Group 1 level and once at Group 2 level in the last 14 months, as well as run solidly in a Doncaster, and is back in mares grade for the first time in a year and a half.

If you forgive and forget her Australian Cup run, where she was only three lengths off Preferment by the way, she is serous overs at double figure odds. A soft track may not be her favourite thing, but she is clearly the most proven mare in the race.

Politeness has had an awkward campaign, and hasn’t dazzled as she did in the spring where she ran some mighty races, including winning the Myer Classic and just being pipped in the Emirates Stakes. She’s clearly good enough to spring a boilover, and will love any soft conditions.

Two more Melbourne mares are capable at odds – Miss Rose De Lago, meeting Azkadellia three kilograms better for close defeat three starts back and coming off a dominant last-start win, and Noble Protector, third in this race last year behind Amanpour and Catkins.

Artistry is a lightly raced four-year-old taking great strides through the grades, but the Winter Stakes in Brisbane might be more her go if looking for a Group 1 this season. She’s a genuine place chance though.

Risque is third favourite, stepping back to her preferred mile from the 2000m of the Vinery Stud Stakes, where she failed to make an impression. Her 1600m record is sensational though, winning the Thousand Guineas in New Zealand, and third in the Australian Guineas to Palentino and Tarzino, with Jameka behind her.

This could be a simple race, with the favourite Azkadellia winning a deserved Group 1. But if not, the race is wide open, with a number of chances that could take it out.

Selections
1. Azkadellia
2. Miss Rose De Lago
3. Suavito
4. Badawiya