The Racing Weekend In Review 28/2

The Group 1 action in Sydney finally kicked off with the running of the Chipping Norton and the Surround Stakes at Royal Randwick. Whilst in Melbourne it was the Group 1 Australian Guineas at Flemington which provided a major upset with $301 pop Lunar Fox saluting. 

Randwick 

In what was a quality day of racing at Randwick the highlight was the win of Verry Elleegant in the Chipping Norton Stakes. The five-year-old mare looked in a spot of bother down the straight but dug deep to clinch her seventh Group 1. In what was a bunched finish all her rivals had their chance to get past the superstar but in true Verry Elleegant fashion she was not going down without a fight. Described by caller Darren Flindell as “one of the great Chipping Nortons” it certainly was that with a plethora of Group 1 stars breathing down the winners neck. 

“I thought Colette had us cold at the 300m mark and then I saw Avilius coming with a well-timed run and she was in the middle of them. Yeah, she dug very deep, it was a good tough win,” said Chris Waller after taking out his ninth Chipping Norton Stakes. 

The second Group 1 of the day had less of a frantic finish with Forbidden Love clearing away to win the Surround Stakes by three lengths. Jockey Nash Rawillar gave her one of the best rides you will see and when the gap opened there was no stopping her. The Richard and Michael Freedman trained filly didn’t get her way on the Gold Coast but looks to have come back better then ever after coming back to Sydney and will look to pick up a second Group 1 throughout the Autumn carnival either in a Coolmore or even potentially a Doncaster. 

There were some disappointing runs behind the winner including the favourite Dame Giselle who finished six lengths behind the winner.

“Not sure what to make of her,” said Tommy Berry post race. 

Whilst the Ciaron Maher and Dave Eustace trained Away Game once again failed to run out the 1400 metres finishing back in 11th. However, jockey Glen Boss didn’t want to blame the distance for her poor result. 

“She was disappointing but she got really hot and agitated today which is really not like her. She got upset about something and over-raced throughout the whole race. She never gave herself a chance to run seven furlongs,” said Boss. 

The undercard threw up some horses to follow, especially those with an eye to the Golden Slipper with the running of the Skyline and the Sweet Embrace Stakes. 

In the Skyline it was the Waller trained O’President who was given a peach out in front by Tim Clark. Magic Millions winner Shaquero couldn’t quite replicate his last start finishing over five lengths behind the winner. 

The Sweet Embrace was taken out by the classy Four Moves Ahead who looks a major chance in the Slipper but it was the run of She’s All Class that got punters talking storming home late to finish a close second. 

The biggest surprise from the meeting was Think It Over in the Liverpool City Cup starting a $51 chance. It was a sick watch for punters on the favourite Criaderas who flashed down the outside before going down but less than half a length. 

Flemington  

It was a roller coaster day for punters at headquarters with the program bookended by favourites saluting whilst there were a lot of surprises in between including the $301 winner in the Group 1 Australian Guineas. 

Lunar Fox somehow found a way to bounce back from his last start twelfth some 13.2 lengths behind Tagaloa. Jumping cleanly, jockey Michael Dee found himself in a nice spot three deep with some cover before he was able to peel out on the turn and sustain a nice dash before hitting the front just in time to deny a fast finishing Cherry Tortoni.  

Favourite Tagaloa tried hard up front and faded to finish in third after the early hot speed. The disappointment of the race had to be multiple Group 1 winner Ole Kirk who never looked likely. The Hawkes trained colt has most likely run his last race and will kick off his stud career in the months to come.  

Earlier in the program it was Star Of The Seas who got back into the winners stall at a crucial time with the winner receiving a wildcard into the All-Star mile in two weeks time. Fifty Stars came from near last to stake his claim in another Australian Cup assault next weekend. Whilst Mystic Journey’s unsuccessful campaign has come to an end after she sustained an injury during the running of the Blamey Stakes. At this stage the Tassie mare will be back in the Spring but with the breeding barn beckoning we may have seen her for the final time.  

The Inglis Dash down the Flemington straight plucked out another long priced winner with Capriccio getting the better of Bella Nipotina to take out the sprint at $41. The race had its dramas as well with pre-race favourite Rocketing By scratched at the barrier after jockey Kerrin McEvoy felt something not quite right and requested the vets to have a look over the colt.

The day finished off on a high for punters with the money coming for Chaillot who ended up starting the $3.80 favourite. After finishing a close 4th in her Group 1 test in the Spring the lightly raced mare will most likely head back to the big stage with an eye towards the Group 1 Coolmore Classic at Rosehill in a fortnight. 

Looking ahead to next week…

The Group 1 action is starting to kick in with 2 Group 1’s in both Sydney and Melbourne. Randwick plays host to the Randwick Guineas and the Canterbury Stakes whilst Flemington hosts the Newmarket Handicap and the Australian Cup.