Aurie's Star H. - the little race that could!
When the Pattern system emerged in the 1970s, races were granted black-type status on account of their prestige and record of being contested and won by top-class horses.
Over the years there have been downgrades and upgrades - the latter mainly with races which have been stakes or quality races from the start and have improved further over time.
The Aurie's Star H., at Flemington being run as Race 7, however is unique, a race which forced its own way into its current Group 3 status (having been run as a Listed event between 2005 and 2010) on the back of its support from big trainers, most notably the late, great Bart Cummings.
For many years he used the dash down the Flemington straight as a kicking off point for his spring carnival horses and other stables followed suit with the then non-black-type event won by the likes of Fields Of Omagh (Rubiton) and Sports (Zeditave) with a host of high-class performers finishing behind the winners.
Fields Of Omagh won this race before it became a black-type race | Image courtesy of Sportpix
And in recent years the race that used to be run on a Wednesday afternoon has continued to prove a decent form reference, won by the subsequent Group 1 winners Niconero (Danzero), Temple Of Boom (Piccolo {GB}), Hey Doc (Duporth) and Voodoo Lad (I Am Invincible).
Earning its place as the feature race of the day, the Aurie's Star sees a field of 10 face the starter and so open is this running that four of those are quoted at single-figure odds.
Despite coming back in distance Cause For Concern (Worthy Cause) has opened favourite and the 4-year-old's record of four wins (including three of his last four) from eight starts is hard to fault.
It'sourtime (Time For War) is also racing in good heart, coming off a tidy G3 Bletchingly S. third, a race in which General Beau (Brazen Beau) was run down only late when attempting to record his first win since the spring of 2021.
It'sourtime, the current favourite for the G3 Aurie's Star H. at Flemington | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
Wyong visitor Much Much Better (Stratum) faces a rise in class but has a healthy weight drop and hard to get past will be the gutsy Dance To Dubai (Pride Of Dubai) who dug deep when leading throughout at the same track three weeks ago.
Missile S. - classy winter sprinters
Big Parade (Deep Field) and I Am Me (I Am Invincible) are fighting out favouritism for this feature sprinting contest at Rosehill as Race 8, one that has been won by 42 horses since its inception in 1978. A handful of those were already Group 1 winners whilst 11 of them went onto win at the elite level.
Spark Of Life (Nine Carat {USA}), Dance Hero (Danzero), Sweet Idea (Snitzel), Tycoon Tara (Written Tycoon), Pierata, Campaign King, Padstow (Francis Bacon {Ire}), Lonhro, Eduardo (Host {Chi}), Razor Sharp (Steel Pulse {GB}) and Brawny Spirit (Rustic Amber {Ire})... certainly a nice list of quality campaigners.
And it's a good field this time around with Ingratiating (Frosted {USA}) returning to Sydney having taken out the G3 Bletchingly S. in Melbourne. Last spring's G1 Caulfield Guineas hero Golden Mile (Astern) returns as does the regally bred mare Argentia (Frankel {GB}).
Big Parade, the current favourite for the G2 Missile S. at Rosehill | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
The lightly raced and promising 5-year-old Wewillrock (NZ) (El Roca) split Big Parade and In Secret (I Am Invincible) when trialling nicely at Warwick Farm and another horse boasting an excellent record is the six-time winner Deepour (Exosphere).
The two favoured runners have both been burning the tracks at the trials with Big Parade - who makes his debut for the Joseph Pride stable winning a Warwick Farm heat by just over 20l! I Am Me's winning margins have not been as big, but she too seems to be flying.
Winter Cup - Justaskme again the one to beat
What a grand campaigner Justaskme (NZ) (No Excuse Needed {GB}) is and Saturday at Riccarton Park sees the tough and talented 8-year-old the one to beat in Race 9 as he vies for his sixth success at stakes level.
Racing in great heart - charging late to take out his second Listed Opunake Cup at New Plymouth two weeks ago, the bay has won 12 of his 34 starts and has a further seven placings to his credit.
Included in that tally is a fast-finishing and somewhat unlucky second in this same race two years ago and supporters will be happy to see him go one better this time around.
Justaskme (NZ), the current favourite for the G3 Winter Cup at Riccarton Park | Image courtesy of Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North)
Those likely to mount the biggest challenges are Belardo Boy (NZ) (Belardo {Ire}) who had no luck behind Justaskme last time out, Kick On (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) who has been in consistent form and Zelenski (NZ) (Shocking) who was strong to the line winning two in a row prior to his last-start fighting Oamaru Cup third.
An historic race run since the 1890s, the G3 Winter Cup is a handicap and Justaskme does have a bit of history against him as he carries a hefty 61kg; 6.5kg more than his nearest rival. It has been decades since a Winter Cup winner carried over 60kg but connections are confident that the horse is primed to run another big race.
The young gun sires - those with runners who have just turned three
The first weekend of the new season sees a number of nice young stallions represented by runners - horses whose first progeny have just turned three.
In the third race at Flemington, a 1410-metre contest, Widden Stud play a big hand with two of their sires amongst the 10 runners - the Group 1 sprinters Trapeze Artist and Written By.
The former has the Peter Devitt homebred Flying Concello aiming for three in a row on the back of determined victories at Bendigo and Sandown whilst the latter's stakes-placed son Gangitano strips fitter for his solid first-up performance.
Gallery: Widden Stud sires play a big hand in Race 3 at Flemington, images courtesy of Racing Photos
Coolmore Stud's Saxon Warrior (Jpn) is not shuttling this year but his supporters will be keeping an eye on the $400,000 Magic Millions graduate Warlords who won nicely at his Sale debut as a short-priced favourite in Race 3.
It is a trio of Queensland stallions who have runners at the Murray Bridge meeting in South Australia - Encryption, Lean Mean Machine and Performer with the debutants Enciphering and Lady Means Business and the Victorian-trained favourite Esecutore who resumes off good jump-out form.
In New Zealand Bezique (NZ) by Rich Hill's Ace High has accepted to run in two races at Ruakaka and he is joined in one of those races (Race 2) by another of the breed in Richie's Dream (NZ) who was runner-up in a recent synthetic trial.
Ace High | Standing at Rich Hill Stud
The G1 VRC Derby and G1 Spring Champion S. winner also has High Five (NZ) debuting in the third race at Riccarton, a race which also sees a couple of 3-year-olds having their second starts - Voice Over (NZ) (U S Navy Flag {USA}) and L'Ament (NZ) (Eminent {Ire}) both just out of the placings at their first outings.
Cambridge Stud's G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner Embellish (NZ) has a nice one in the shape of Whiskey Lies (NZ) and he looks a top chance to make it four in a row when contesting the third at Ruakaka.
The first-uppers and imports
There are a number of nice types kicking off their campaigns at the metropolitan meetings on Saturday, kicking off with the Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained River Noire (Winning Rupert) in the opening event at Flemington. Last seen late last year, she has impressed winning two of three and on the back of solid jump-out form has opened up favourite.
In Her Stride (Stratum Star) also seems to be coming along nicely, the G3 Vamos S. placegetter kicks off in the second race at Flemington and has a tidy first-up record. As does last spring's G1 VRC Oaks third home Queen Air (Toronado {Ire}) who lines up in Race 4.
In Her Stride | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
Race 9 on the card is a busy one for first-uppers with Berkeley Square (Territories {Ire}) the early favourite off a jump-out success. Close up in the G1 Caulfield Guineas, he is a Listed and Group 2 winner. Bob and Sandra Peters have one runner - Devoted (Xtravagant {NZ}) with a touch of class and also of interest is the G3 Hobart Cup winner Ho Ho Khan (NZ) (Makfi {GB}) and the Group 2-placed Pippali (Ilovethiscity) who makes her debut for the Moody/Coleman team.
And in the last race at Headquarters, going out a short-priced favourite, is Benedetta (Hellbent) who created such a fine impression winning four in a row over the summer/autumn months.
The latter part of the Rosehill card sees a few resuming including two nice types by Maurice (Jpn) - in the seventh the G2 Stutt S. runner up Foujita San returning gelded whilst in the last race the lightly raced and promising Ausbred Rising Sun reappears.
Foujita San | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
The ninth race in Sydney has several horses resuming - the last start Group 1-placed mudlark Polly Grey (NZ) (Azamour {Ire}), the G3 Chairman's H. winner Kalapour (Ire) (War Command {USA}), the G3 Hobart Cup winner Military Mission (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), The King's horse Chalk Stream (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and the G3 Manion Cup runner-up Raging Bull (Bull Point).
There are also three kicking off in the eighth race at Belmont - Alaskan God (Playing God) the favourite with Buster Bash (Trade Fair {GB}) also being kept safe whilst the stayer Stafford's Lad (Demerit) will be at his best over further.
Also of interest on Saturday are three racing in Australia for the first time - all at Flemington. In the sixth race the Group 3-placed Garachico (GB) (Ribchester {Ire}) races for the Corstens stable; currently big odds having been out of the placings in several jump-outs/trials.
Another unfancied by punters is Win O'Clock (GB) (Australia {GB}) in the eighth race at Flemington - the 7-year-old out of the winner's circle since a success over 2816 metres in November 2020.
The Test S. - America's star fillies
First run at Saratoga in 1922, the G1 Test S. is one of the United States' biggest tests of 3-year-old filly class and an important lead-in into other major races such as the G1 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint and the G1 Alabama S.
Eight fillies face the starter in the 2023 edition with three of those being daughters of Spendthrift Farm's star Into Mischief (USA), the four times US Champion Sire who has done such a great job siring 132 stakes winners.
And one of his best is the in-form Pretty Mischievous (USA) who at her last two outings has claimed Group 1 success in the Kentucky Oaks and the Acorn S. Beaten only twice in eight starts, she is known as a filly who just as much as she needs to - her exciting style seeing her prevail in close finishes.
Also by Into Mischief are Clearly Unhinged (USA) - a lightly raced filly who has won two of three starts with a Group 2 fourth in between - and Interpolate (USA) who has been competitive in Group company at her last two starts.
The most experienced runner of the field is Tappin Josie (USA) (Anchor Down) who has won six of her 14 starts (one of those at Listed level) whilst the filly really bred for this race is Jersey Pearl (USA) (Bee Jersey {USA}).
What a fascinating pedigree this up-and-comer (she has won three of six including her last two in lesser company) boasts - her high-class grandam Jersey Girl (USA) (Belong To Me {USA}) also being the dam of her grandsire Jersey Town (USA).
And Jersey Girl won the 1998 Test S.
There is another link to the history of the race with the 1976 winner Ivory Wand (USA) (Sir Ivor {USA}) being the fifth dam of Munnys Gold (USA) (Munnings {USA}) who was fourth in the Acorn S.
Also of interest is the Acorn S. runner-up Dorth Vader (USA) (Girvin {USA}) who has Australian relations including the G3 BTC Classic winner Platinum Kingdom (Magnus) and the unbeaten Maple Leaf Mel (USA) (Cross Traffic {USA}).