crio’s racing

I’m really excited about the week ahead. This, I must add, is not always the state of affairs as the footy seasons take grip. Admittedly the Caulfield meet, where I’ll be “on the bag”, is fairly typical for this stage of the calendar, but there’ll be fantastic interest around the country on runners at Morphettville and at Randwick and then, of course, the pilgrimage to the ‘Bool fills Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
South Australian racing is set to get the fillip it so desperately needs with the visit of the mighty Black Caviar for the 1200m G1 Classic (AR7, 1200m, F&M, 4.23EST). Usually besotted by AFL, especially on a Showdown date, their media has gone Black Cav gaga. Racing in Adelaide is in the doldrums but there will be a bumper crowd on course (and thousands watching on TV) for what promises to be a memorable day. The “support” card is excellent and serious punters must cast an eye to the form. Bart’s Empress Rock looks the measuring stick for the G1 Oaks (AR5, No1), whilst Anthony Freedman’s Cornell (AR6, No1) is the one to beat in the Gr3 Chairman’s Stakes. The time-honoured D.C.McKay Stakes (AR8, G3, 1100m) closes the day – a traditional Goodwood Handicap formline – and Kav holds a strong hand here. Quaddy tips are 1/1/1/6.
Remarkably, the Sydney meeting is even better, with top class horses spread across a feature race littered programme. Try this: a listed fillies race opens proceedings (Hallowell Belle’s the form), followed by the Colts competing for the G3 Frank Packer Plate (2000m), in which Fat Al is expected to kick off Queen Gai’s day. Next up the unbeaten Pierro gets his chance to enjoy the accolades in the Champagne (SR3, G1, 2yo, 1600m) and then the fillies and mares contest the mile named in honour of the mighty Emancipation (SR4,G2).
Then the Quaddy gets underway!
Can’t wait for The All Aged Stakes (SR5, G1, 1400m) in which the breathtaking Atlantic Jewel steps in to open company against some hardened G1 winners and performers such as King Mufhasa (Futurity & co), Rain Affair (G2 Expressway, Tulloch, Challenge), Albert The Fat (Emirates) and OfcourseIcan (Coolmore). Such is her boom she’ll go around at $1.20 and be expected to trounce the others!
The Sydney Cup (SR6, G1, 3200m) is, like so many of the Nation’s former iconic staying races, losing its lustre. I don’t like the race at all – probably 3, 8 and 9.
No doubting, however, the calibre of the 2012 edition of the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (SR7, WFA, 2000m, G1), arguably the race of the day. This is a huge test for the remarkable More Joyous, undisputed Randwick Queen up to a mile. If the pressure is on there are some serious challengers amongst her opponents. Manighar, clearly, is the most prominent of those, but many punters will be happier to back Americain with C.Williams up (not I – though that may be another plus!). Cox Plate combatants Rekindled Interest and Jimmy Choux are top class as are “the rest”…Secret Admirer, Rangirangdoo, even the up and coming Speediness. Ripper race. 2 E/W.
As seems too often the case, the last (Hallmark Stakes, LR, 1200m) is a wide raffle – Nobby Snip is the easy “out”.

Our very best horses are on display Saturday…Black Caviar, Atlantic Jewel, More Joyous, Pierro, Manighar and Americain….and crowd favs like Efficient, Jimmy Choux and Rain Affair. Set your timer to at the very least catch the All Aged and the QE from Randwick and, naturally, Moody’s Mighty Mare @ Morphettville.
Should be a great day. Don’t miss’em.

Comments

  1. Plaudits to the SAJC for their promotion of the races tomorrow….a complete sellout, with GA prices at $10. They deserve their spoils.
    Caulfield is very much the unglamorous venue tomorrow.
    Interesting quandary….given the choice, would it be th morphettville or to Randwick?
    I’d pick Randwick but be happy to lose the toss!

  2. Skip of Skipton says

    A NSW tote account would be handy tomorrow. Do an all-up instead of a Quaddie. Take advantage of the parochial money. Atlantic Jewel won’t be the overs she was first up, but should still be value up there. Americain will be overs because of the More Joyous factor. Drunken Sailor looks the goods in the cup. Nobby Snip and Pinwheel in the last.

  3. I actually think the Sydney Cup is pretty good this year, though overhsadowed by the quality of the races around it. I’ll stick with EFFICIENT with a saver on ANUDJAWAN.

    Like JIMMY CHOUX to topple MORE JOYOUS and co. Only beaten the once (Cox Plare 2nd) at the distance and unbeaten 2nd up. Each way forever. Will be interesting to see how Williams rides Americain. Wouldn’t surprise me if he gets to the front and makes it a true staying test.

    Couldn’t possibly come at ATLANTIC JEWEL around the $1.22. Looks a freak and you will go broke betting against her BUT she has never beaten anything other than 3YO fillies and those odds are very skinny!

  4. Peter Flynn says

    Handy day for the glamour mares.

    Really liked the ride on More Joyous.

    Really liked the win of Atlantic Jewel.

    AJ v BC over 1400m at Caulfield. Not sure who would win.

    Americain is racing over slightly unsuitable distances.

    How do punters rate the David Hayes training performance?

    Not flash for mine.

    The Ascot straight and ground is a test. Black Caviar will need to be a really strong 1400 metre horse to win the Diamond Jubilee.

    I suspect it might be better suited to the King’s Stand.

  5. Skip of Skipton says

    Was cheering hard for Efficient up the home straight. Great effort from the old boy. Despite the stellar unbeaten start to his career, culminating in the Victoria Derby, and his Cup victory twelve months later, I don’t reckon we ever saw the best of Efficient. His Turnbull win at big odds was a glimpse. Gun of a horse.

    What were the early sectionals in the Queen Elizabeth? The way More Joyous exploded at the top of the straight suggests she had a soft lead. I can’t have her as a Cox Plate winner unless it’s an exceptionally weak edition. The prospect of Singo dropping $100K on the bar would have me cheering her on though.

    Budge, fair call there, but good effort by Atlantic Jewel first time in open grade. Was pulling away from the leader, who is no schmuck, on the line.

    Is Black Caviar’s win in Adelaide up on You Tube yet? It’s not the race so much, but Hilton’s hysterics that I wish to relive.

  6. Ordinary Sydney Cup when you spruik Anudjuwan!
    Flynny, Hayes’ horses go awful.

    In Sydney, Gai’s horses settle up front and no one will take them on. Happens all of the time. Look at Fat Al. More Joyous did a Sunline….turned it in to a soft mile. Can’t see how you could come at Jimmy Choux nor Americaine at shorter odds than Manighar.

    Black Cav looked fat. Certainly will benefit from the run. Nice way to pick up a G1!

  7. Looking ahead to Warrnambool….who’s going?
    There’s been money for Smerdon’s runners last Wednesday and again today. A fair sign that they are preparing for another big carnival.
    D.Weir had a winner and his stable also looks on target.

    Also, punters must watch P.Morgan’s horses in the city again…back from a lean spell with runners firing.
    And – while the “guns” are away, Katelyn Mallyon is really riding well.

  8. Skip of Skipton says

    Americain is the best lump of horseflesh in the middle distance/staying category in Australia. His win in the Moonee Valley cup displayed his class, albeit in a weaker grade. I think the French bloke was still training him then? He should be doing better. Although, today’s race wasn’t to suit really, to be fair. Good Old Sydney.

  9. He’s a great looker. 2000m?

  10. Skip of Skipton says

    2000m isn’t the problem. Any good staying horse can get up and have their motor running for a ten furlong event. If you had to you could have Americain wound and set for 7f or a mile. No problem. I think the magic or mojo etc was left behind at Lindsay Park when they packed up and moved. Give him to Moody or Freedman’s brother and see what happens.

  11. Budge reckons Williams’ ride a disgrace. I thought the odds were!

  12. Skip of Skipton says

    It wasn’t a bad ride. Williams had him up racing closer to the pace(no pace) than usual, and took off wide on him at the bend (600m) to try and keep More Joyous honest. Was between a rock and hard place. If he had of sat back it would have been no use, due to the lack of pace. Wankfest of a race really. Reminded me of the time Northerly went up there and put his head on the chopping block. Twice.

  13. Gai benefit

  14. Skip of Skipton says

    Can we pot Sydney/Gaitown racing here without fear of slander or litigation? Is John Size still training in Hong Kong?

  15. OK – I know C Williams and D Hayes have had their differences in the past but I’d be surprised if Hayes was happy with that ride. Before the race they actually declared to the stewards that the gorse (Americain) would be ridden forward if it began with them. In an interview seconds before the jump DH implied that he wanted to lead and make it a strong staying test (thus playing to the mare’s weakness).
    So what happens??

    Americain jumps well, CW hunts up for 6 strides and then tries to take a sit (3 wide) then decides to attack just before the turn. Meanwhile More Joyous cruises to the lead, stacks them up and sprints away in the straight. A total joke (and no, i didn’t back Americain). One of the worst rides I’ve seen for ages.

    While on a roll, this horse is a deadset stayer (and world class at that) but thats it. He is not a middle distance horse though could probably get away with a fresh 2000m win if ridden aggressively. Basically was in the wrong race. Even with 61kgs would have been too good in the Cup. Problem is they are trying to make him into a commercial stallion here and they can kiss that idea goodbye!!

    Crio – can’t knock Gai or her horses. Like her old man, she trains then to get up and running thus putting the onus on the others to take hers on (which they don’t because hers are rock hard fit!)

  16. Skip – are you making it down to the bool? Would enjoy continuing the discussion over a couple of frothies!!

  17. We don’t slag for the sake of it.
    Gai is, indeed, a treasure. Sydney racing would have no profile without her…therein may lie the problem.
    Can you imagine if the Goanna was still alive and punting at the moment? No wonder Bruce McHugh bailed!
    Niello was backed for a bounty (good colt…wait for next year!)

  18. You really don’t want to relive Hilton’s hysterics. Even he would surely be embarrassed. I think he declared it the race that we have been waiting a century for (OK maybe he was speaking on behalf of SA racegoers – both of them) and then in the straight let loose with his pre-prepared commentary that was truly cringe-worthy.

  19. Crio – what are you rambling on about?? Niello has been at stud for a few years now. What horse are you meaning? Pierro (Manikato)??

  20. Pierro.

  21. Skip of Skipton says

    Hilton’s very cringe-worthy hysterics I want to download as my mobile phone’s ringtone.

    Pierro/Niello is a very smooth moving beast. Don’t be surprised to see him in the Cox Plate. That sire line from Octagonal seems to produce just one good colt each. Occy-Lonhro-Pierro/Niello. All dark coats like the famous broodmare Eight Carat from which they spring.

    Haven’t planned, but would love to get to the ‘bool for at least one day. Only a 75 minute drive from here. Would probably stay overnight (I have connections) and make it two. Will ring my bro and nephew and see what’s happening. Stay tuned.

  22. I’m there Skip….swinging the David McLauchlan bag on the Members side.

  23. Skip of Skipton says

    The whole “recent comments” bit on the Almanac site here is all ‘crio racing’. The rest of them must be watching the Cats thrash Brisbane. Big Tomahawk kicked 6. He’d be a Coleman Medal chance at fair odds.

  24. Yeah, or watching the final night of Championship matches like me and Tom!

  25. Peter Flynn says

    H Donaldson WTF?

  26. David Downer says

    G’day boys, enjoyed your banter

    Very late to the piece here, but Saturday was a glorious day’s racing. Has there been a better non-Spring Australia-wide raceday?
     
    Random thoughts…
     
    I finally dips me lid to More Joyous. Have never been an overt fan (too Sydney, too Gai ..ahem), but Saturday seemed her crowning glory thus far. Yes she got it easy in front etc, but if you can dictate a race and give yourself every chance – and the others are dumb enough to let you when you are a distance query, you deserve all the credit. And she won it on her ear. Don’t know about a Cox Plate, but I hope Gai convinces Singo into Ascot! …won’t happen.
     
    TAB regulars wouldn’t have been terribly surprised by H.Donaldson’s call. Given his usual manner, and relative to this occasion, I reckon he was almost “unders” for his histrionics! Had wondered what scripted work-shopped routine he’d come up with – the actual text was a bit “plain Jane” if that was the best of it! Made up for with the screaming I guess.
     
    Kav’s Atlantic Jewel post-race interview was telling. Time stood still towards the end of it, he stood there silent and completely choked up. Bit awkward to be honest!
     
    Happily backed Niwot. Came a cropper on Rekindled Interest.

    Crio – I stuck phat with my boy Amah Rock and picked up the booty last week.
     
    Have to mention Almanac favourite Temple of Boom also winning at nice odds last week. My PC crashed while trying to get the bet on (last minute), missed out!
     
    DD

  27. DD,
    Morgan’s on fire again – hence Amah Rock. That water walker must have some extra salts in it!
    Not sneaking down to Warrnambool….it would make an interesting contrast with Ascot!

  28. David Downer says

    Royal Ascot leave pass allows absolutely no room for squeezing in another at the ‘bool!

    As I say every single May …”next year Warrnambool, next year…”

  29. Fair enough Dave, but the Carnival has become a year by year proposition – like so many of its supporters! I’ll have one for ya.

  30. Peter Flynn says

    I’m going to the ‘Bool (Thursday).

    Cheers,

    Banana Strand

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