Cover image courtesy of the Ashlea Brennan
Blue Diamond picture to become clearer?
With the G1 Blue Diamond S. less than a month away, a number of 2-year-olds will be looking to cement a berth in Victoria’s richest race for juveniles, which is worth $2 million.
Caulfield on Friday hosts the two Blue Diamond Previews, with the fillies’ race carrying Group 3 status, while the colts and geldings’ version is a Listed affair.
The fillies’ edition (Race 3), looks wide open. Two of the nine starters have been to the races, including Hayasugi (Royal Meeting {Ire}), who will be looking to break the ice at the third time of asking. Should she do so, she will hand her sire his first win in Australia. The Clinton McDonald-trained filly was very good on debut, running second behind Bold Bastille (Brazen Beau) in the R. Listed Inglis Banner on Cox Plate Day, before an unplaced effort in the G3 Ottawa S. at Flemington in November. Jamie Kah has her first ride on the filly.
Hayasugi | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
Of the unraced brigade, all three of Anthony and Sam Freedman’s trio are highly regarded.
Matisse (Microphone) is a homebred for Murray Thoroughbreds from the stakes performer Sanadaat (Not A Single Doubt). Her third dam, Unison (Marauding {NZ}), was a smart 2-year-old, winning the Listed Widden S. in 1995.
Yulong Investments paid Noorilim Park $370,000 for Mind Shift (Written Tycoon) at the 2023 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale. The filly is out of the unraced Dubawi (Ire) mare Mantra Of Life (USA) and she herself is a half-sister to the Listed victress Peace Camp (USA) (Storm Cat {USA}) - a winner on debut in France at two.
Mind Shift as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Retained to race by her breeders Three Bridges Thoroughbreds and Gary Johnston, Shehungthemoon (I Am Invincible) is from the winning Pivotal (GB) mare Solar Moon (GB) and she herself is a three-quarter sister to the Group 3 scorer Dee Ex Bee (GB) - a two-time winner at two. The filly is closely related to the brilliant Dubai Millennium (GB) - a multiple Group 1 hero.
The most expensive yearling in the race is the Annabel Neasham-trained Bella Corazon (I Am Invincible). She fetched $400,000 at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, with Annabel Neasham Racing and Blandford Bloodstock buying her from the Yarraman Park Stud draft. Bella Corazon, who won a Rosehill trial on January 11, is out of the winning Pierro mare Notting Hill, and is a close relation to the great Redoute’s Choice. This is a brilliant family, with a host of stakes winners, including as the Group 1 victor Platinum Scissors, the Listed Black Opal S. victress Lucky Raquie (Encosta De Lago), the G3 San Domenico S. winner Sliding Cube (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) and the Group 2 scorer Rubick, who won a G3 Blue Diamond Prelude in 2014.
After the fillies strut their stuff, the boys get their chance to lay a marker for the Diamond. There’s 10 runners, with the Team McEvoy-trained colt Blue Stratum (Blue Point {Ire}) the only one to have been to the races. He too can hand his sire a maiden winner Down Under. Blue Stratum debuted in the G3 Maribyrnong Plate at Flemington during the spring, finishing second behind stablemate Dublin Down (Exceedance).
Team Snowden has two runners, including High Octane (Deep Field), who is all the rage with punters. He made $1,050,000 at last year’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, making him the most expensive yearling by Deep Field sold in 2023. China Horse Club, Newgate, Go Bloodstock and Trilogy purchased him from the Segenhoe Stud consignment. He is from Granny Red Shoes (Not A Single Doubt), who won three races, including two Listed events at two. High Octane’s grandam, Shoboard (Show A Heart), also won a Listed race as a juvenile. The colt has looked sharp, winning two of three trials in Sydney.
Neasham’s Innervisions (I Am Invincible) has also looked good at the trials, winning two of three in Sydney. He realised $700,000 at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, with TFI/Annabel Neasham Racing/Dermot Farrington Bloodstock buying him off Kia Ora Stud. The colt is out of Modern Wonder (Snitzel) and she won the Listed Dequetteville S. in Adelaide as a 2-year-old. Modern Wonder is a sister to the Australia’s Champion 2YO Filly in 2019/20, the Group 2 scorer Away Game.
A small but select field for the G3 Manfred Stakes
The Group 3 Manfred S. (Race 6) at Caulfield has been won by some very good horses, including Jacquinot, Portland Sky, Super Seth, Bull Point, Mosheen (Fastnet Rock), Nicconi and Don Eduardo (NZ). And given the depth of this year’s field, it looks certain another topliner will be added to the race’s honour roll.
Boom colt Steparty (Artie Schiller {USA}) is one of a number of runners resuming in the $200,000 sprint. A winner of five of his six races, he has jumped out well and looms primed for a forward showing first-up.
Steparty | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Three of the eight acceptors - Brave Mead (Brave Smash {Jpn}), Scentify (Justify {USA}) and Southport Tycoon (Written Tycoon) - are also in the G2 Australia S. on Saturday, and the latter of that trio will be saved for the The Valley, so we are left with a field of seven at best.
Carbonados (NZ) (Belardo {Ire}) got quite warm in the mounting yard ahead of his Australian debut, but that didn’t hinder his performance, with the gelding winning well at Geelong.
Brave Mead has missed a top-three finish in just one of his nine starts. He is a Listed victor with plenty of class.
King Colorado (Kingman {GB}) is the lone Group 1 winner in the race. He should relish the drop in class, having contested the G1 Golden Rose, G1 Caulfield Guineas and G1 Cox Plate last spring.
King Colorado, winner of the G1 JJ Atkins S. in 2023 | Image courtesy of Michael McInally
A wide open Listed WJ Adams Stakes
Race 5 on the Caulfield card is the Listed WJ Adams S. - a race that was won last year by Star Patrol (Starspangledbanner).
It’s another small field and there appears to be a host of chances.
Va Via (Astern) got her stakes victory in the Listed The Black Pearl at Geelong. She loves it here, having won three of four starts.
Katsu (Mikki Isle {Jpn}) hasn’t always done things right, but he was on his best behaviour when resuming with a victory in the Listed Kensington S. at Flemington at the end of last year. The 4-year-old boasts five wins from 10 starts and all of his triumphs are over this trip (1000 metres).
Foxicon (Foxwedge) is ultra-consistent and goes well fresh, Najem Suhail (Starspangledbanner) wouldn’t know how to run a bad race, while Indian Pacific (Zoustar) creates plenty of intrigue, with the dual Listed scorer having his first run for Nick Ryan.
A happy hunting ground for Ayrton
Enigmatic galloper Ayrton (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) is likely to start favourite in the Listed John Dillon S. at Caulfield (Race 7). He boasts an impeccable record at this track, with five victories from six starts. The gelding also gets the services of Jamie Kah, who knows him well, having won on him four times.
Buffalo River (USA) (Noble Mission {GB}) loves this track and trip, with four wins and three placings from 14 starts. He turned in an eye-catching jump-out at Werribee recently and trainer Mike Moroney is bullish about his chances. Stablemate Not An Option (Not A Single Doubt) returned to the winner’s stall last start and there’s no reason he can’t go on with it.
Buffalo River (USA) | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Sydney visitor Ka Bling (Capitalist) shouldn't be underestimated, despite rising in grade, while Yonce (NZ) (Proisir) is extremely talented, but may just need one more run after a long layoff due to injury.
Naval College shoots for hat-trick in Listed Australia Day Cup
The feature event at Warwick Farm is the Listed Australia Day Cup (Race 6). Chris Waller won the race 12 months ago with Chalk Stream (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and he has three runners this year - Great House (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Otyrar (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) and Kirkeby (Kermadec {NZ}).
The one they all have to beat is the Neasham-trained Naval College (GB) (Dartmouth {GB}, who is airborne this campaign. He has won his past two most impressively under apprentice Jett Stanley. The 5-year-old rises 5.5kg on his last win, but gets the services of James McDonald.
Kris Lees’ mare Yankee Hussel (American Pharoah {USA}) is a mare in form, having been first home at her past three outings, but she is drawn out in gate 12.
Another Tasmanian stakes victory for Payne?
Group 1-winning trainer Patrick Payne has made a habit of winning stakes races on the Apple Isle in recent years. On Sunday, his filly Wings Of Song (Mendelssohn {USA}) was an easy winner of the Listed Tasmanian Guineas in Hobart, while Payne has lifted the Listed Tasmanian Derby trophy the past two years with Dunkel (NZ) (Dundeel {NZ}) and The Nephew (Wordsmith) respectively.
Seven 3-year-olds will do battle for the $75,000 winner’s cheque in the Listed Tasmanian Guineas (Race 6) at Launceston on Friday night, including the Payne-trained Bold Soul (NZ) (Embellish {NZ}). The gelding will start a warm favourite and his last start Flemington triumph suggests he will take a power of beating.
The McEvoys will be hoping Macy Moon (Manhattan Rain) can turn the tables on Bold Soul, after a 0.4l defeat at Flemington.
The best of the locals looks to be Brendan McShane’s Thonatus (Trapeze Artist), who is a son of the trainer’s former handy mare Hot Dipped (Written Tycoon) - a three-time Listed victress.
