Top fillies to fight it out
Flemington, G1 Kennedy Oaks, $1,000,000, 2500m
A quartet of top-flight staying fillies headline the G1 Kennedy Oaks, with very little between them. Miami Bound (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) and Vegas Jewel (NZ) (Shocking) fought out the G2 Wakeful S. on Saturday with Miami Bound getting the result in a tight finish.
Her trainer Danny O'Brien has had a massive week, having won the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday and is riding a wave of momentum as a result. Out of a winner of this race herself in Arapaho Miss (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), Miami Bound has made significant progress through her first seven starts and has been long aimed at this race.
Miami Bound (NZ)
Her and Vegas Jewel were completely dominant over the rest of the field on Saturday, beating them by 6l and both shape as promising stayers. Vegas Jewel is also bred to stay, being by a Melbourne Cup winner and out of a half-sister to the dam of Winx (Street Cry {Ire}). She arguably has more scope for improvement, given she is only in her first campaign and will be having her fifth start.
Her form ties back into one of the other key chances in Gamay (Pierro), who beat her narrowly in the G3 Ethereal S. Trained by Archie Alexander, she also boasts a strong staying pedigree being from a sireline that has won the past two editions of this race. She too has considerable scope for improvement, having start number six.
Gamay
Moonlight Maid (Puissance De Lune {Ire}) is the other major chance having beaten Miami Bound when she won the G3 Edward Manifold S. last month before her excellent second against the boys in the G2 AAMI Vase. Her trainer Mitch Freedman has already had a big week, finishing second in the Derby and winning a race on Cup Day.
Most of the rest of the field have been beaten by that top four this campaign, although Amazing Peace (Declaration Of War {USA}), a winner last time out at Newcastle, Never Listen (Trusting), an 8l victor at Scone, and Stick 'Em Up (Dundeel {NZ}), who comes off a win at Canberra, bring outside formlines.
Two-year-olds chase Cup week win
Flemington, Darley Maribyrnong Plate, $200,000, 1000m
A strong field of five raced and eight unraced juveniles take their place in the highlight 2-year-old race of the Melbourne spring. Run since 1871, it is a historically significant race which has had some top class winners over the years.
Of the raced brigade, the filly Arctic Ice (Brazen Beau) is given a strong chance off her fast-finishing third in the Restricted Listed Inglis Banner at The Valley and she will undoubtedly enjoy the space of the Flemington straight. The Godolphin colt Jerle (Exceed And Excel) acquitted himself well in the Listed Maribyrnong Trial, finishing second and that experience sets him up well for this, while Boom Daddy (Spirit Of Boom) was third in that event and then went on to win at Bendigo.
The market is leaning toward the unraced horses, headed by the colt Tagaloa (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), a $300,000 Gold Coast Magic Millions purchase who won a recent Moe trial. The Chris Waller-trained Castlecomer (Outreach) is a half-brother to Group 1 winner Under The Louvre (Excellent Art {GB}) and is coming off a strong Flemington jumpout where he was just beaten by Tuesday's winner Aryaaf (Epaulette).
Rathlin as a yearling
Rathlin (Fastnet Rock) was a $725,000 Magic Millions buy for Aquis Farm on the Gold Coast in January, and boasts an imposing pedigree being out of a half-sister to Snitzel. He was given a quiet jumpout recently and looks well-poised to improve, while Hard Landing (All Too Hard) was an ultra-impressive jumpout winner and boasts the right bloodlines being a son of Snitzerland (Snitzel), who relished the Flemington straight, where she won three times including a G1 Lightning S.
Roses on offer for sprinting fillies
Flemington, Network 10 Red Roses S., $300,000, 1100m
This race has become a real target for some quality sprinting fillies and has been won by future Group 1 winners Spright (Hinchinbrook), Secret Agenda (Not A Single Doubt) and Shamal Wind (Dubawi {Ire}) in recent years.
California Zimbol (I Am Invincible) is expected to join that honour roll. She boasts excellent form heading into this having beaten subsequent Group 1 winner Loving Gaby (I Am Invincible) at Caulfield last time out. She has elevated to another level this time in and looks a star filly on the rise.
Rubisaki (Rubick) is considered her main threat resuming off an excellent 2-year-old campaign where she won two of her four starts and comes off a couple of recent trials. Taraayef (Lonhro) comes off a stakes win over the 1200 metres at this track fours week ago, while the horses that she beat that day Absolute Flirt (Stratum) and Wayupinthesky (Snitzel), are also engaged here.
The Perth filly, Niccovi (Nicconi) followed up her good run in the G3 Blue Sapphire S. with a close-up second in the Listed Crockett S. at The Valley and off those runs, can certainly be competitive here.
Ball Of Muscle looks for second success
Flemington, Listed GH Mumm Century S. $175,000, 1000m
Star sprinters Lankan Rupee (Redoute's Choice), The Quarterback (Street Boss {USA}) and Redzel (Snitzel) have won this race in the past five years along with Ball Of Muscle (Dubawi {Ire}), who aims to repeat his 2017 success here.
The veteran sprinter looks to have lost none of his speed, finishing second in the G2 Schillaci S. behind Trekking (Street Cry {Ire}) last time out and finds himself outside of Group company in a race for the first time since his victory on this day two years ago.
Ball Of Muscle
He should be heading up the field as usual with his only challenger there likely to be from Tavisan (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), who is coming off a strong win at Cranbourne, and the emerging Equal Love (Equiano {Fr}), who has won six of his nine starts in Adelaide.
James Cummings has three representatives in the race, including Soothing (Lonhro), who will be charging home late, Badajoz (Commands) and Plague Stone (Lonhro). All three would appreciate a bit of Melbourne rainfall ahead of the race.
Russian to stakes test
Flemington, Listed TCL TV S., $175,000, 1800m
Russian Camelot's (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) appearance on Cup week has been much anticipated off his terrific win in a Ballarat maiden last month. The Danny O'Brien trained import made a huge impression with that win and while this is a significant step up in class, this colt is said to be untapped. This is the race O'Brien won with Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare (Declaration Of War {USA}) last year.
Quick Thinker (So You Think {NZ}) goes the other way, dropping back from a fifth in the G1 Spring Champion S. last time out. He won the G3 Ming Dynasty S. earlier this campaign and would relish a bit of rain on raceday given his record on rain affected tracks.
Pancho (Dissident) charged home for second in the Bondi S. last time out and looks to be a progressive middle-distance horse very much suited at the 1800 metres.
Big field tackles Hawkesbury mile
Hawkesbury, Listed Lander Toyota Ladies Day Cup, $150,000, 1600m
The traditional Hawkesbury Oaks Day meeting is highlighted by a very even looking stakes race, with trainer Kris Lees having two of the best chances.
Delectation Girl (GB) (Delegator {GB}) was narrowly beaten in Group 3 company last start and the drop in class looks to be ideal for her to record her first victory since her arrival in Australia. Stablemate Articus (Fr) (Areion {Ger}) has a more recent win on his resume, securing a victory in a benchmark race back in September before running second in the G3 Cameron S. at Newcastle and then seventh in the recent Spring Mile H. at Randwick.
Taikomochi
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Taikomochi (Snitzel) was a Group 3 winner in the autumn and resumes here off a good Wyong trial win.
Gary Portelli has veteran campaigner Testashadow (Testa Rossa) in this race off a good last start third at Eagle Farm and this looks a good race for him to add a second career stakes win.
