Star Kiwi mare kicks off
Rosehill, G2 Iron Jack Missile S., $200,000, 1200m
New Zealand’s reigning Horse of the Year Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands) will make a fresh start in Saturday’s sprint feature in Sydney.
A winner of nine Group 1 races in her homeland and last year’s Empire Rose S. at Flemington, Melody Belle has dwarfed her NZ$57,500 purchase price with almost $3.4 million in stakes. She was a consistent big-race performer in Australia last season, following up her Empire Rose victory with placings in the G1 Mackinnon S., G1 Futurity S. and All-Star Mile. She was a close fourth in the Doncaster and sixth in the Queen Elizabeth S.
The Jamie Richards-trained mare scored a stylish trial win on the Kensington track on July 31, and she is expected to make a bold start to her 6-year-old season on Saturday with Kerrin McEvoy aboard.
However, Melody Belle has a history of needing a run before finding her best form, and Saturday’s quality line-up could be hard to handle if she isn’t quite at fever pitch.
The field also features Group 1 winners Kolding (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}), Flit (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}) and Le Romain (Hard Spun {USA}), along with last season’s multiple Group 2 winner and Group 1 placegetter Savatiano (Street Cry {Ire}).
Eduardo (Host {Chi}), a Group 2 winner and Group 1 placegetter earlier in his career, made a welcome return to winning form last month in his first start for new trainer Joe Pride.
Valuable colts clash
Rosehill, Listed Schweppes Rosebud, $140,000, 1100m
As well as providing an early glimpse of some potential G1 Golden Rose contenders, this 3-year-old feature could have a bearing on the reputation and value of a number of promising colts.
Two scratchings have reduced the field to nine, of which five were bought for $500,000 or more as yearlings.
Ole Kirk (Written Tycoon) was a $675,000 purchase at the 2019 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale. He has had four starts and has already proven his class, winning the Listed Talindert S. on debut and finishing close up in all of his remaining appearances. He ran third in the G2 VRC Sires’ Produce S., then fourth in the G1 ATC Sires’ Produce S. and third in the G1 Champagne S.
I Am Invincible colt Rulership cost $900,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. He won on debut, then placed in the G3 Blue Diamond Prelude, ran eighth in the G1 Blue Diamond and fourth in the G3 Kindergarten S.
Rulership
Kumasi (Snitzel), a $500,000 Magic Millions purchase, followed a debut victory with a second placing in the G3 Pago Pago S. in his only other start.
Anders (Not A Single Doubt) was bought for $670,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and has been an impressive winner of his last two starts in lower grades.
Return With Honour (Fastnet Rock) was a $520,000 purchase at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and is held in high regard by the Gerald Ryan stable. He placed in the G3 Canonbury S. before being tripped up by wet tracks in the G3 Black Opal and Schweppervescence.
The Rosebud also features Prime Star (Starspangledbanner), who cost only $55,000 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale but is out of the Group 1 winner Barinka (NZ) (Shinko King {Ire}). Prime Star won the $2 million R. Listed Inglis Millennium at Warwick Farm in February.
Godolphin speedster back in town
Flemington, G3 Aurie’s Star H., $160,000, 1200m
Godolphin trainer James Cummings has labelled Home Of The Brave (Ire) (Starspangledbanner) the best straight-track performer in his stable, and on Saturday he has the chance to prove that point.
The talented sprinter has had two previous starts on Flemington’s straight sprint course, finishing second in this race two years ago and third in the Listed Straight Six in May of this year.
He is now a 9-year-old but has lost none of his spark, winning a trial on the Kensington track on July 31 in which he defeated Splintex (Snitzel), Con Te Partiro (USA) (Scat Daddy {USA}), Dreamforce (Fastnet Rock), Kolding (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}), Prague (Redoute’s Choice) and Just Thinkin’ (So You Think {NZ}).
So Si Bon (So You Think {NZ}) won this race last year, and he went on to perform with distinction in Group 1 races such as the Memsie S., Sir Rupert Clarke S. and Cantala S., along with the All-Star Mile. He carries a significantly higher weight for his title defence 12 months later, but cannot be underestimated.
Great Again (Viscount) is the winner of 10 of his 25 starts and has been in good form through the winter, winning the Straight Six and placing in the Listed All Victorian Sprint Series Final and G3 Bletchingly S. in his two most recent appearances.
Although he has been unplaced in his last two starts, Hightail (Written Tycoon) was a quality performer last season with victories in the G3 Gold Coast Guineas and Listed Gosford Guineas and a placing in the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas.
