We have taken a look at the leading 3-year-old contenders for the spring and assess their likely target races, focussing on the current top chances for races such as the G1 Golden Rose S., the G1 Caulfield Guineas and the G1 Thousand Guineas, and the G1 Coolmore Stud S.
Bivouac (Exceed And Excel x Dazzler)
Trainer: James Cummings
In terms of runs on the board already this campaign, Godolphin's Bivouac is the current equal top-seed of the new 3-year-olds. As a 2-year-old, he improved throughout the season, having five starts and winning two of them, the Listed Lonhro Plate and the G3 Kindergarten S. That second win was a significant pointer to what was to come as he defeated star filly Libertini (I Am Invincible) by two lengths. He then returned at his first 3-year-old start to thrash his rivals in the G3 Vain S. at Caulfield by 4.25l in a time six lengths quicker than the fillies on the same day.
Bivouac
Where to from here: He is expected to be too good for his rivals in Saturday's G3 San Domenico S. at Rosehill after which he is likely to head towards the G1 Golden Rose S., likely through the G2 Run To The Rose in a fortnight. He holds nominations for both the G1 Caulfield Guineas and G1 Cox Plate, and his pedigree does indicate he will stretch out in distance but dependant on how he measures up at G1 level, Cummings may opt to target the G1 Coolmore Stud S.
Libertini (I Am Invincible x Aloha)
Trainer: Anthony Cummings
Libertini joins Bivouac at the top of the seedings at the moment, based on what we have seen of her as a 3-year-old. She emerged late in the 2-year-old season, powering home behind Bivouac on debut in stakes company before following up with easy wins in a Randwick maiden and then in the Listed Woodlands S. at Scone, The buzz on her ahead of her 3-year-old bow in the G2 Silver Shadow S. was huge and she lived up to that with an effortless 2.3l win over the 1200m in a class record time.
Libertini
Where to from here: The effortless nature of her first-up win has suddenly put The Everest on the radar as a possible destination for Libertini this spring. Her owners aren't short of ambition and there is certainly an indication from both trainer and jockey after that Silver Shadow success that she looks more of a sprinter than a miler. She is not nommed for the Golden Rose and is likely to follow the Darley Princess Series, the next leg of that being the G2 Furious S. followed by the G2 Tea Rose S. Whether she gets to the G1 Flight S., a race she is currently even-money favourite for, will likely depend on her options for The Everest.
Microphone (Exceed And Excel x Sung)
Trainer: James Cummings
Microphone was arguably the most consistent 2-year-old of last season, with four wins from six starts culminating in his victory in the G1 Inglis Sires', which followed on from his second in the G1 Golden Slipper S. He emerged from Melbourne formlines, winning twice down the Flemington straight and kept improving through his campaign.
Microphone
Where to from here: Microphone's 3-year-old campaign has been held back, and a shot at the G1 Golden Rose S. seems unlikely given we have not seen him at the trials yet and that race is just four weeks away. It's much more likely that he will head to the G1 Coolmore Stud S. at Flemington, especially given his previous experience down the famous straight.
Castelvecchio (Dundeel (NZ) x St. Therese)
Trainer: Richard Litt
The impressive colt provided a fairytale for young trainer Richard Litt earlier this year, winning the $2 million Inglis Millennium and then following that up later in the campaign by giving Litt his first Group 1 in the Champagne S. The only defeats in his five-start career came when third behind Microphone in the G2 Skyline S. and the G1 Inglis Sires.
Castelvecchio
Where to from here: He had a trial earlier this month, and was well-beaten behind some top-quality sprinters, but jockey Josh Parr reported he took massive improvement out of that run and he worked very well earlier this week. He trials next week, and will be keenly watched, given the intention is for him to go from the G2 Run To the Rose into the G1 Golden Rose S. He holds nominations for both the G1 Caulfield Guineas and the G1 Cox Plate and it wouldn’t surprise to see him peaking over those longer distances.
Loving Gaby (I Am Invincible x Maastricht {NZ})
Trainer: Ciaron Maher and David Eustace
Loving Gaby was twice Group 1 placed as a 2-year-old, in the Inglis Sires' and the Champagne S. having run a close-up fourth in the Golden Slipper S. She was consistently around the top 2-year-olds last campaign, but has just one win, in the G3 Chairman's S. at Caulfield, to her credit.
Loving Gaby
Where to from here: Ciaron Maher and David Eustace have been very patient with the filly this campaign and she was given an easy time of it at a recent Moonee Valley public hitout. She is yet to trial, which makes you suspect that she won’t be ready for the G1 Golden Rose S. with a Melbourne campaign aimed at the G1 Thousand Guineas more of a possibility. She could even be kept fresh for a race like the Coolmore Stud S.
Exhilarates (Snitzel x Samaready)
Trainer: James Cummings
A winner of the Magic Millions 2YO Classic last season at what was her fifth start, Exhilarates didn’t quite measure-up in the Sydney autumn, finishing well down the track in a G1 Golden Slipper S, run on a heavy track. However, she has bounced back off that well, and her first 3-year-old run, she demonstrated all her class with a 1.5l win in the G3 Quezette S. at Caulfield albeit over a second slower than her stablemate Bivouac.
Exhilarates
Where to from now: She presents an interesting proposition this spring, given she really improved through her first preparation and showed an explosive turn of foot to win the Magic Millions. She holds a nomination for the G1 Golden Rose S. and even the G1 Thousand Guineas. The plan from the Quezette S. was to head to the Listed Atlantic Jewel S. at Moonee Valley next week and if that is still the case, a Melbourne-based campaign possibly headed toward the Thousand Guineas looks the likely path.
Prince Fawaz (Fastnet Rock x Lady Paget)
Trainer: Anthony Cummings
This colt really elevated himself late in his 2-year-old season, breaking his maiden at his fourth start at Randwick before following that up with a victory in the G1 JJ Atkins S. at Eagle Farm. He really relished his racing and jumping up in distance late in his campaign and looks a horse capable of further improvement.
Prince Fawaz
Where to from now: He trialled earlier this week at Randwick and looked in need of the hitout, finishing a fair way off the winner with Kerrin McEvoy keeping him busy late on. Cummings indicated the horse has grown significantly in the break, putting on around 30kg in three weeks. He will likely kick things off in the G2 Run To the Rose, with a look to a second-up run in the G1 Golden Rose S. That should position him well to head towards the G1 Caulfield Guineas, while Cummings has always flagged the G1 Cox Plate as a possible spring destination.
Exceedance (Exceed And Excel x Bonnie Mac {NZ})
Trainer: Team Hawkes
Exceedance emerged as a late 2-year-old in lower-class races, storming home to win his maiden at Wyong and then charging late to capture the eye in a Rosehill Saturday 2-year-old race. The expectation is that he can step it up significantly as an early 3-year-old and he looked very good at a recent Warwick Farm trial.
Where to from now: We will know a lot more about this horse after Saturday's G3 San Domenico S. where he takes on Bivouac. Team Hawkes have a big opinion of him, but whether he has taken enough improvement to be a contender for races like the G1 Golden Rose S. and the G1 Caulfield Guineas, both races he holds nominations for, is yet to be proven. He may also head down the path of the G2 Danehill S, and look to target the Coolmore Stud S. later in the spring,
Kiamichi (Sidestep x Ouachita)
Trainer: James Cummings
She was rewarded for her consistency as an early 2-year-old, and her love of heavy tracks, when she caused a huge upset to win the G1 Golden Slipper S. earlier this year. She loves to sit on the pace, and that day at Rosehill she gave a big kick on straightening and never really looked like being run down. Stretched out to the 1400m of the G1 Inglis Sires' she was run over late to finish fourth. Her first start as a 3-year-old in the Toy Show Quality left more questions than it gave answers. She didn't get her preferred track surface, and didn’t race on the speed and finished 10th, beaten nearly five lengths.
Kiamichi
Where to from now: Kiamichi holds nominations for the G1 Golden Rose S. and both the Guineas at Caulfield, but you suspect on her first-up run that she'd need a wet track to figure in races of that quality. There are a few other fillies' stakes races that James Cummings can pick out for her through the spring.
Flit (Medaglia d'Oro {USA} x Glissade)
Trainer: James Cummings
Flit has huge scope for improvement into her 3-year-old season having only started three times as a 2-year-old, winning a Group 3 sprint at Flemington before running a narrow second in the G2 Percy Sykes S. at Randwick, She then returned for her first 3-year-old run in the G2 Silver Shadow S. and while beaten 2.3l by Libertini, closed off very nicely from the back of the field.
Where to from now: Cummings has a decision to make with Flit as to whether he continues to chase Libertini in the Princess Series, or whether he sends her towards the G1 Golden Rose S. on a slightly different path. Interestingly, not only does she hold nominations for the Caulfield and Thousand Guineas but is also one of three Godolphin fillies nominated for the G1 Cox Plate.
Kubrick (Shooting To Win x Alcatraz)
Trainer: Chris Waller
Kubrick is another one of those colts to emerge late in the season, winning races at Cranbourne and Rosehill before being thrown in the deep end in the G1 JJ Atkins S. He acquitted himself very well in that race and was unlucky in finishing a narrow second to Prince Fawaz. He resumed with a solid trial at Rosehill earlier this month.
Where to from now: The path to the G1 Golden Rose S. is likely to be through the G2 Run To The Rose for Kubrick, who also holds noms for the G1 Caulfield Guineas, and the G1 Cox Plate.
Yes Yes Yes (Rubick x Sin Sin Sin)
Trainer: Chris Waller
Yes Yes Yes shaped as a serious Magic Millions 2YO Classic contender, winning two of his first three starts, before being scratched from the feature race. He then resumed with a win in the G2 Todman S. at Randwick in March before finishing a creditable seventh in the G1 Golden Slipper S. Given a good spell, he returned to the trials twice this month and showed enough to suggest he has taken improvement in his break.
Yes Yes Yes
Where to from now: Yes Yes Yes fronts up in what looks a very strong renewal of the G3 San Domenico S. on Saturday, taking on the boom colt Bivouac and the emerging Exceedance. With the G1 Golden Rose and G1 Caulfield Guineas on his radar later in the spring, he is unlikely to be fully wound up but a strong performance there will put him in good stead for those better races later in the campaign.
Dawn Passage (Dawn Approach {Ire} x Raja Lane )
Trainer: Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott
Dawn Passage impressed in his two starts as a 2-year-old, winning by 3.3l (with Bivouac in third) on debut before finishing third in the Inglis Millennium at just his second start. He was sent to the paddock after that and it looks to have been the right move. He is very much up and about early in his 3-year-old season, having won two trials and followed that up with a fast-finishing success in the Listed Rosebud earlier this month.
Dawn Passage
Where to from now: Gai Waterhouse has made no secret that this colt is her prime G1 Golden Rose S. candidate and that looks his major spring target. He will trial next Monday and then go to the G2 Run To The Rose after that. Success in the Golden Rose would likely see him head down the path of the G1 Caulfield Guineas and G1 Cox Plate.
Yourdeel (NZ) (Dundeel (NZ) x Miss Zapper)
One of the most intriguing prospects of the spring having been sold to the Lee family since he struck twice in Group 1 2-year-old races in New Zealand last season, winning the Sistema S. and the Manawatu Sires' Produce S. Now with Lindsay Park, he has yet to be seen at the trials or jumpouts in Australia.
Yourdeel (NZ)
Where to from now: Initial plans were to kick him off in the G2 Danehill S. at Flemington on September 14, which would indicate he is on a Melbourne-based program aimed at either the G1 Caulfield Guineas or the G1 Coolmore Stud S. (or possibly both). He also holds a G1 Cox Plate nomination.
That's the top 15 3-year-old contenders as we see them ahead of the spring, but there are wealth of other horses that can yet emerge.
Others worth keeping an eye out for are Let It Pour, Pin Sec, Reloaded, Spend, Super Seth, Time To Reign, Cosmic Force, Probabeel (NZ), Dalasan, Funstar, Lucicello, Maddi Rocks, Pandemic, Tenley, Dubious, King Of Hastings and Kooweerup.
