Cover image courtesy of Racing Queensland
Listed WJ McKell Cup - can the only Australian-bred salute at Rosehill?
It has been a while since a European-bred horse (Daralimara {Ire} by Valanour {Ire} in 2004) has won this race but the imports dominate acceptances this year with Welsh Legend (Camelot {GB}) the only locally bred contestant.
She looks to be a major player having been racing well in Melbourne, avoiding the run of demanding Heavy tracks in Sydney over carnival time and the form from her most recent 2000-metre run at Rosehill looks pretty good - a close second to subsequent G1 Doomben Cup winner Huetor (Fr) (Archipenko {USA}).
Her trainer Chris Waller has never won this race but he has three chances this year, with the trainer also set to saddle The Frontman (NZ) (Makfi {GB}) who should be suited back up to the 2000 metres, while his other runner Skyman (GB) (Mukhadram {GB}) looks close to a win following a solid third-place effort over 1800 metres last time out.
The locally bred Welsh Legend looks to go one better in the WJ McKell Cup at Rosehill | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott won this race three years ago with Hush Writer (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) and they saddle up two in this year's edition. Surf Dancer (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) comes off a smart all-the-way win at the same track, while the imported Youth Spirit (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) - who finished fifth in last year's G1 St. Leger - makes his Australian debut off the back of a Randwick trial win.
Meanwhile, the Listed Scone Cup runner-up Dr Drill (GB) (Dansili {GB}) will relish the step up in distance at his third run this preparation.
Listed Belmont Guineas - WA’s promising 3-year-olds
The fact that four of the eight runners in this 3-year-old contest have opened up at under 10-1 is indicative of the quality of this year’s race - a small field but a good one with a number of promising accecptances.
Such as Otheroneson (Demerit), who has really looked the goods when winning three of his last four. Yet to finish out of the first two, he did not have the easiest of runs out wide last time out yet was still too good.
Otheroneson has looked the goods winning three of his last four | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
The Bob and Sandra Peters-owned gelding Devoted (Xtravagant {NZ}) is the proven stakes-class horse, coming off two soft victories including in the Listed Raconteur S. a couple of weeks ago. The famed pink and white silks have been carried to victory in this race on a number of occasions including by recent winners Mystery Miss (Animal Kingdom {USA}) and State Prosecutor (More Than Ready {USA}).
Grant Williams was co-trainer of both of those horses and he saddles up Rokanori (Awesome Rock) who tried hard behind Devoted last start. Another to have won two in a row is War Gem (War Chant {USA}) whilst the filly Searchin’ Roc’s (Awesome Rock) - last spring’s G3 Champions Fillies S. winner - looks nicely primed off two good runs this time in.
Listed Creswick S. - small field but plenty of winners
Including the very exciting unbeaten galloper Passive Aggressive (Fastnet Rock), a sister to the Group 3 mare Missrock out of the Group 3 winner Miss Judgement (Strategic), who seeks black type before heading to the paddock and trainer Grahame Begg is keen to give her time with a view that she will be all the stronger later on.
Just nine horses contest this dash down the famous Flemington straight but what a nice group of 3-year-old sprinters they are, horses who really know how to find the line - between them winning 21 of their 58 starts.
The unbeaten galloper Passive Aggressive is seeking black type before heading to the paddock
The form looks good for Passive Aggressive who last start defeated subsequent Listed June S. winner Dragonstone (Mikki Isle {Jpn}) though this is no easy test for her with a number of dangers including the similarly in-form Star Patrol (Starspangledbanner) who has won his last three by wide margins.
The regally bred Gimme Par (by Not A Single Doubt out of Black Caviar’s sister Naturale by Bel Esprit) has always promised to win a stakes race, and how valuable that would be for her, while Pascero (Pierro) was Group 3-placed two starts back, freshened (performing nicely in a jump-out), since tackling the best of the 3-year-old milers in the G1 Australian Guineas.
The Ipswich Cup - Ipswich's big day
The sort of race where you could highlight the form of 10 runners and still miss the winner, the Listed Ipswich Cup is the main race on Ipswich's annual stand-alone Saturday, a great day for the locals!
The imported Berdibek (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}) found the line well in a race not really run to suit in the G3 Lord Mayor's Cup, a race in which Ballistic Boy (Smart Missile) - who since then took on some smart ones in the G2 The Q22 - was a game second.
Annabel Neasham's record in Queensland features is hard to fault, especially with imports, and Bartholomeu Dias (GB) (Mount Nelson {GB}) showed a good turn of foot when saluting over a similar distance at Eagle Farm a couple of weeks ago.
The Chris Waller-trained Our Intrigue (NZ) is currently the favourite for the Ipswhich Cup | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
The New Zealander Swords Drawn (NZ) (Camelot {GB}) was not far away in trying conditions in the Gold Coast Cup whilst the Chris Waller-trained Our Intrigue (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}) has been performing consistently.
Tony Gollan also launches a two-pronged attack on the race, saddling up Youngblood (Sacred Falls {NZ}) and Tavion Prince (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), both of whom boast excellent records at the trip. The latter is bred on that potent Tavistock (NZ)/Zabeel (NZ) cross which seems to give horses an extra leg in this middle-distance contests.
The up-and-comer of the field looks to be Street Dancer (Pride Of Dubai) who shows good stamina for the son of such a speedy mare as Danehill Smile (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) who, coincidentally, ran on this day 13 years ago; how time flies in the racing world.
Listed Gai Waterhouse Classic - honouring the iconic trainer at just the right time
How apt it is that this race is run this weekend, just a week after the trainer it honours passed the significant milestone of 150 Group 1 wins.
And an interesting field it is, a nice group of mares - some of whom will be trying to secure valuable black type before they head to stud this spring.
Juan Diva (Snitzel) has finished on the heels of the placegetters at her last two starts in similar Listed company whilst Majestic Shot, a Shooting To Win mare line-bred to the great Eight Carat {GB} (Pieces Of Eight {Ire}) who was duplicated in the pedigrees of two stakes winners last weekend. Majestic Shot is due a change of luck having been caught wide from a tricky gate last time out.
Juan Diva is the current favourite for the Listed Gai Waterhouse Classic | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
Tony Gollan won this race two years ago with Solar Star (Zoustar) and has a couple of chances this time around, as well as two emergencies with decent form. Tahitian Dancer (Dawn Approach {Ire}) rarely runs a bad race whilst Pull Anchor (Husson {Arg}) caught the eye with a strong finish at her most recent outing.
Tycoon Evie (Winning Rupert's sister by Written Tycoon) was a late scratching after a float incident last weekend. She ran nicely when resuming and is yet to miss a placing in three second-up attempts.
Dragon Miss (Hidden Dragon), under the guidance of Stephanie Thornton, is up in class but has been racing in flying form..
Listed Eyeliner S. - Gollan again?
Named after one of Queensland's favourite mares, this is a sprint that has been won by some handy types including three (from the last eight runnings) members of the Tony Gollan stable.
Which is quite apt as Tony Gollan enjoyed so much success with the Sequalo breed, that durable stallion a long-term resident of Lyndhurst Stud whose Kruger family proudly raced Eyeliner (Smokey Eyes {Ire}).
Tony Gollan looks to take out the Listed Eyeliner S. again this year
Vinco and Palladas are Gollan's runners this Saturday. Both talented sons of I Am Invincible, the former coming off a dominant win in the Listed Spear Chief H. whilst the latter was unlucky having found trouble at a crucial stage at Eagle Farm two weeks ago.
Emerald Kingdom (Bryannbo's Gift {NZ}) is going to appreciate the drop in class having contested last Saturday's G1 Stradbroke H. while yet another I Am Invincible in Holyfield is nicely primed third-up.
Last Chance (Tycoon Ruler) was no match for Soxagon (Rocker) last start but there was a gap to third that day and this 6-year-old certainly knows how to win - crossing the line in first place on no less than 16 occasions!
