Cover image courtesy of Western Racepix
G1 Northerly S. - a big day for Damien Oliver
All eyes will be on one of Western Australia's favourite sons as Damien Oliver hops aboard Zoumon (Zoustar) in this Group 1 1800-metre contest, this ride, his final in Group 1 company.
The rider of more Group 1 winners than any other jockey in Australian history, Oliver has greeted the judge in big races on 125 occasions locally, as well as four times in New Zealand.
The G1 Northerly S. will see Damien Oliver's final ride in Group 1 company | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
He won his first Group 1 aboard the Bart Cummings-trained Submariner (NZ) (Sea Anchor {Ire}) in the 1990 G1 Show Day Cup at Caulfield and his 100th in the 2014 G1 VRC Derby - on the Chris Waller-trained Preferment (NZ).
Halfway between those two successes was a race relevant to this Saturday - the G1 Underwood S. aboard the Western Australian champion after whom this race is named, the grand galloper Northerly (Serheed {USA}).
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Zoumon has a tricky outside gate to contend with, but racegoers will be hoping for one last glance of that Oliver magic as he steers home the 5-year-old who comes off a brave on-pace second in The Five Diamonds at Rosehill.
Six of his Group 1 wins have been for Waterhouse; the trainer he has had the second most success with after his old master Lee Freedman.
The hardest horse for Zoumon to beat has to be the class runner of the field, the four-time Group 1 winner Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) who has already won feature races in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane... a fourth city would be a fine achievement for this tough campaigner who has shown a particular affinity for the 1800 metres of this race.
Zaaki (GB), the current favourite for the G1 Northerly S. at Ascot | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Zoumon and Zaaki are joined by one other eastern state visitor, the longshot Forgot You (NZ) (Savabeel) who has again drawn wide after ending up too far back in the G1 Railway S.
The major local chances come through that race - the winner Bustler (Playing God) again being taken on by the game runner-up Alsephina (Star Turn), Dom To Shoot (Shooting To Win) who finished off nicely to run third and Trix Of The Trade (Trade Fair {GB}) who showed a nice return to form when a very unlucky fourth.
And adding interest are a couple of exciting 3-year-olds - the G2 WA Guineas quinella of Zipaway (Playing God) and A Lot Of Good Men (A Lot {USA}).
G1 Captain Cook S. (TAB Classic) - New Zealand's Group 1 milers
Named this year for its sponsor, this Group 1 event contested over the mile first took place in 1973 and has been won by some pretty smart gallopers... on its honour roll being the likes of Rough Habit (NZ) (Roughcast {USA}), Tit For Taat (NZ) (Faltaat {USA}) and Mufhasa (NZ) (Pentire {GB}).
Only two horses have won the race on two occasions - Shifnal Chief (NZ) (Shifnal) in 1975 and 1976 and Shuka (NZ) (Bachelor Duke {USA}) in 2013 and 2014 - a feat being attempted by Prise De Fer (NZ) (Savabeel) who showed an encouraging return to form when second in the G3 Eagle Technology S. last weekend.
Which is similar form to this time last year when he also finished off strongly in that race, winning it by 0.5l before taking out the Captain Cook with another big finish. And second on that occasion was Aegon (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) who has seen a bit of the world since then.
Aegon (NZ), the current favourite for the G1 Captain Cook S. at Trentham | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Running fifth in the G1 Champions Mile won by Golden Sixty (Medaglia D'Oro {USA}) last December, he campaigned in Melbourne over the spring with the best of his runs being a G2 Lawrence S. third behind Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars).
Whilst there is plenty of good form in this year's race, there are only two last-start winners with both looking nice chances - Habana (Zoustar) really catching the eye weaving through the field to take out the Listed Fulton Family S. in early November whilst Fashion Shoot (NZ) (Savabeel) charged late after settling at the rear of the field in the G3 Canterbury Breeders' S.
They take on horses already proven at Group 1 level - namely Callsign Mav (NZ) (Atlante) and He's A Doozy (NZ) (Zacinto {GB})... the former freshened since a below best run in the G2 Tauranga S. whilst the latter has not been having the best of luck at recent outings.
G2 The Ingham - an Ingham runner in The Ingham
Renamed The Ingham last year in order to honour the brothers who contributed so much to the racing scene, this 1600-metre contest was first run as The Villiers in 1892.
And not once in that time has it been won by the same horse twice, a challenge faced here by Kirwan's Lane (NZ) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) who is big odds to repeat the dose after taking this race out last year at 20-1.
Kirwan's Lane (NZ) looks to be the first horse to win The Ingham (previously The Villiers) twice | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
On that occasion he was coming off a G3 Festival S. third a couple weeks before whilst this time around he is fresh having run fourth at Randwick in late October; since then finishing fifth and second in Hawkesbury and Randwick trials. He drew barrier nine last year, two this time around with 1kg less.
Much shorter in the market is Detonator Jack (NZ) (Jakkalberry {Ire}), the tough 5-year-old who just does not know how to run a bad race; his last-start victory in The Gong a deserved one on the back of consistent form.
There is also Big Dance form here with that race's game runner-up Cepheus (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) another honest gelding although like Detonator Jack, he has drawn out. Though not as far out as Osipenko (NZ) (Pierro) who was good to the line in The Gong; likely to again get back from the outside of 24.
More favourably treated by the barrier draw is Lion's Roar (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}) who caught the eye charging home late for a Little Dance second. And Attractable (I Am Invincible), conqueror of Cepheus in The Big Dance.
Detonator Jack, the current favourite for The Ingham at Randwick | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennnan
There is also some nice Victorian form here - King Magnus (Magnus) a determined winner last weekend of the G3 Kevin Heffernan S. in which Vilana (Hallowed Crown) was a beaten, but hardly disgraced, odds-on favourite.
Hinged (Worthy Cause) drops in class off a sound performance (noting that she pulled up lame) in the G1 Empire Rose S. whilst Phearson (Exosphere) backs up from his G3 Festival S. win over a fast finishing and somewhat unlucky Williamsburg (Snitzel).
Whilst any of the horses mentioned are capable of saluting, the most apt winner would be Age Of Kings (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) who has finished fourth in a Randwick trial since an even showing at his Australian debut in the Golden Eagle. A Group 3 winner at Royal Ascot, he races in the Ingham family's famous all-cerise colours.
R. Listed Inglis Nursery - half a million for the Inglis graduates
Twelve juveniles face the starter in this $500,000 contest for graduates of Inglis sales. Five of them have already raced, just one of them - Deep Joy (Deep Field) - already a winner having impressed charging home at her Newcastle debut late last month.
Three of the others having their second starts were in the placings at their first outings; Blue Stratum (Blue Point {Ire}) green but game in defeat in the G3 Maribyrnong Plate down the Flemington straight on Melbourne Cup Day, Odinson (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) boxing on well for third in that same race whilst Sacred Fort (Tassort) ran on well behind his stablemate Deep Joy at Newcastle.
Blue Stratum, the current favourite for the R. Listed Inglis Nursery at Randwick | Image courtesy of Inglis
Of those facing the starter for the first time, the dearest buy was Jupiter Hills (Exceedance), a $380,000 Inglis Easter yearling sold by Vinery Stud to Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott Racing with Kestrel Thoroughbreds. The daughter of the G3 Thousand Guineas Prelude winner Miss Gunpowder (Pendragon {NZ}) is being kept very safe on the back of her two trial seconds.
The only trial winner debuting is Tokyo Lady whose sire Tassort has made such a great start with his 2-year-olds... as a $50,000 buy from the Highway Session of the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale she may well prove to be a bargain.
Of the 15 runners, nine made their way through the ring at the Classic Sale whilst two ventured to the Inglis Premier and two to Inglis Easter. And one each the Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale and the Australian Weanling Sale.
Brisbane's Listed 2-year-olds - the Phelan Ready S. and the Calaway Gal S.
There are races for the boys and the girls at Eagle Farm on Saturday, both named after Queensland-trained winners of the G1 Golden Slipper S... Phelan Ready (More Than Ready {USA}) and Calaway Gal (Clang).
With three scratchings and now a four-horse race in the Phelan Ready, there are two horses fighting out favouritism. The Kiwi-bred Beau Dazzler (NZ) (Ardrossan), second in a Toowoomba maiden in late November and Mishani Explorer (Top Echelon), already a winner at the Sunshine Coast.
Barbie's Sister as a yearling, the current favourite for the Listed Calaway Gal S. at Eagle Farm | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
The Listed Calaway Gal S. looks to be a more open race with three runners being kept very safe... Barbie's Sister (Spirit Of Boom) who was run down only late as an odds-on favourite at her Sunshine Coast debut, Kahlisee (Dracarys) who has won a Doomben trial since charging home to win at Eagle Farm in early October and Accelar (Alabama Express) who gave a big sight out in front at Eagle Farm in late October.
Half of the field are debutantes; each of those have trialled quite well but are all double-figure odds in early markets - including the Kembla Grange trial winner Souad (Merchant Navy), a $42,500 purchase from Book 2 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Listed Ballarat Cup - comeback horses chasing Cup success
First run in 1939 over 11 furlongs (2200 metres), remaining at that distance until a change to 2000 metres in 2019, the Listed Ballarat Cup traditionally draws a big crowd of locals - a day which has gone from strength to strength since being granted Saturday standalone status.
It's an even race this year with six of the 13 acceptors opening up at single-figure odds with the in-form Ain'tnodeeldun (Dundeel {NZ}) fighting out favouritism with Foxy Cleopatra (American Pharoah {USA}).
Both horses have done great jobs coming back from injury, Ain'tnodeeldun winning his last three - stepping up in class each time - whilst Foxy Cleopatra has been so game in defeat in the G3 HKJC S. and the Listed Cranbourne Cup.
Foxy Cleopatra, the current favourite for the Listed Ballarat Cup | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
Young Werther (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) looks to be the hardest for them to beat, dropping back in class having contested - and been very good in - elite company; a game and somewhat unlucky third in the G1 Champions (Mackinnon) S. behind the 2022 Ballarat Cup runner-up Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel) and Duais (Shamus Award).
Just Folk (Magnus) was back in winning form digging deep to take out last Saturday's G3 Eclipse S., a race in which Swords Drawn (Camelot {GB}) also ran well... his trainer Michael Moroney is seeking consecutive wins in this race having been successful last year with Bankers Choice (NZ) (Mongolian Khan).
