Cover image courtesy of Race Images
There are a number of promising horses resuming in different cities whilst a nice crop of second season sires have their first 3-year-old runners.
The Aurie's Star - a Flemington tradition
Newcomers to racing may look at the history of the G3 Aurie’s Star H. and see a race first run as a Listed contest in 2005; won by Niconero (Danzero), and five years later upgraded to its current Group 3 status; on that occasion taken out by Elusive Touch (Elusive Quality).
They may look upon and admire a nice list of quality gallopers, this race also won by the likes of Temple Of Boom (Piccolo {GB}), Tiger Tees (NZ) (Dubawi {Ire}), Hey Doc (Duporth), Voodoo Lad (I Am Invincible), So Si Bon (So You Think {NZ}) and The Astrologist (Zoustar).
But that is not doing this race justice.
Elusive Touch | Image courtesy of Sportpix
For this feature dash down the famed Flemington straight was actually first run, as a mid-weeker in 1974. A race named to recognise the deeds of Aurie’s Star (Stardrift {GB}) who caught the imagination of 1930’s and 40’s racegoers winning 28 of his 89 starts.
He was not only durable and tough, famed for his ability to lump massive weights to stunning victories (up to 71.5kg!), but also very classy and very fast; setting a Flemington record that will never be beaten.
At the age of eight Aurie’s Star covered the six furlongs at Flemington in 1 minute 8 one quarter seconds. He held that record until the six furlongs was converted to metrics, the race run over 7 metres less. Historians have converted his time to 1.7.8 which was not matched until 1991 by Final Card in the G1 Gadsden S. and not beaten until that horse’s half-brother Gold Ace won that same race (then the Salinger) five years later.
Aurie’s Star
The 1200 metre record again fell in 2001 when Iglesia burned down the straight in 1:07.16. It was hard to believe what we saw that day but that horse’s speed genes live on through the deeds of his grandson Written Tycoon.
Bart Cummings was the first to put a stamp on the Aurie’s Star, considering the race perfectly placed to kick of the campaigns of his spring stars and on two occasions he won the G1 Melbourne Cup with horses who resumed in this race; Hyperno (NZ) (Rangong {GB}) in 1979 and Rogan Josh (Old Spice) in 1999.
Plenty of Group 1 spring horses resumed in this race, such as Fields Of Omagh (Rubiton), Apache Cat (Lion Cavern {USA}), El Segundo (NZ) (Pins), Almandin (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}), Magical Miss (Danehill {USA}), Zipping (Danehill), Valedictum (Umatilla {NZ}), All American, Green Moon (Ire) and Roman Arch (Archway {Ire})
Saturday sees two runners; It'sourtime (Time For War) and The Astrologist attempting to become two times Aurie’s Star winners, the former successful last year whilst the latter was in the winner’s stall three years ago.
“Saturday sees two runners; It'sourtime and The Astrologist attempting to become two times Aurie’s Star winners.”
They are two of a number of chances in an even contest which sees four last start winners amongst the field of eight; It’sourtime as well as Zarastro (I Am Invincible), La Danseuse Rouge (Manhattan Rain) and the up-and-coming four-year-old Right To Party (Zoustar).
G3 Winter Cup - two going for two
The last two winners of this 1600m feature; Belardo Boy (NZ) (Belardo {Ire}) and Lord Darci (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}), again take their place. They attempt to become the first since Karla Bruni (NZ) (Pins) to win this race twice; that mare successful in 2013 and 2014.
Rongonui (NZ) (Zivato {Ire}) is also a multiple winner of this race, making it his own on three occasions between 1988 and 1990.
We go back a few decades to the previous multiple winner; Royal Warrant (NZ) (Royal Commission {GB}) saluting in 1955 and 1956 and there were several who won the race twice before him including Catalogue (NZ) (Lord Quex {Ire}), the three times winner who in the midst of those wins made a trip to Australia; taking out the 1938 G1 Melbourne Cup.
Belardo Boy (NZ) | Image courtesy of Race Images
Belardo Boy was in good form when he won this race last year and even better for this time around, the Lisa Latta trained six-year-old winning his last two in Listed company.
Lord Darci is bigger odds than when he won two years ago but on that day he came off a good previous start second and such is the case again this time around.
It is an even contest with Belardo Boy one of the six opening at single figure odds, chances also going to Justaskme (NZ) (No Excuse Needed {GB}), Aljay (NZ) (Rock ‘N’ Pop), Freeze Frame (NZ) (Vadamos {Fr}), Jay Bee Gee (NZ) (Complacent) and Master Marko (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}).
Second season sires - the new 3-year-olds
It is always interesting to note the progression of the progeny of the leading first season sires as they turn three and a number of those stallions are represented by metropolitan runners this weekend.
The opening race at Flemington sees Scoundrel (Pierata) fancied on the back of a smart Kembla Grange maiden victory. His Yulong based sire was the third leading first season sire for 2023/24 with his nine winners inclusive of two stakes winners.
Big Brute (Brutal {NZ}) contests the same race, enjoying a class drop having contested a couple of stakes winners since a winning debut at Balaklava. His Newgate based sire was seventh in the first season sire chart with nine winners, one stakes winner.
Scoundrel as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
The second race at Doomben is another three-year-old event, one in which the favourite is Climactic (Yes Yes Yes) who has been trialling nicely in the lead-up to resumption. His Coolmore based sire was represented by three juvenile winners.
Kingstar Farm’s Unite And Conquer had one winner amongst his first eight runners; she being What A Doozy who resumes at big odds in this race.
The first race at Belmont sees eight horses face the starter and three of those are by second season sires who have made encouraging starts to their stud careers.
“The second race at Doomben is another three-year-old event, one in which the favourite is Climactic (Yes Yes Yes) who has been trialling nicely.”
Lano (Blue Point {Ire}) is one of the nine debut crop winners for his Darley based sire, seeking to make it two from two. Also coming off a win is Timeless Gem (I Am Immortal) whose Swettenham based sire has had four winners including the unbeaten I Am Velvet.
Resuming off excellent trial form and a debut win in January is Glasgow Lass (Alabama Express) who is one of her Yulong sire’s nine winners.
The third race at Riccarton has Jetstream (NZ) (Ferrando {NZ}) whose Westbury Stud based sire was in the top five first season sires in New Zealand.
Spring is in the air - the first-uppers
It is that time of year when we begin to see spring hopefuls kicking off their campaigns and there are a number of stakes winners resuming on Saturday.
The second race at Flemington sees the G3 Manion Cup winner Post Impressionist (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) kicking off over 2350m. His easy win at Rosehill came at his Australian debut; six months between runs on that occasion, five this time.
Post Impressionist | Image courtesy of Sportpix
Last year’s Listed SAJC Lightning S. winner La Danseuse Rouge (Manhattan Rain) resumes off a Cranbourne jump-out victory in the G3 Aurie’s Star whilst Devoted (Xtravagant {NZ}), who won two Listed races in Perth in 2022, is in the eight race at Flemington.
The 2021 G1 Randwick Guineas and 2023 G3 Summer Cup winner Lion’s Roar (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}) is joined by the 2022 Listed Wagga Gold Cup winner Aleas (GB) (Archipenko {USA}) in the eighth race at Rosehill. Both are double figure odds but both are capable of running nice races fresh and have trialled solidly.
The Waterhouse & Bott stable have last year’s G3 Gloaming S. winner Raf Attack (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}) resuming in the following race. A close up fourth in a Randwick trial, he was below his best in two summer/autumn outings.
“It is that time of year when we begin to see spring hopefuls kicking off their campaigns and there are a number of stakes winners resuming on Saturday.”
Another Chino (Maschino) won three Listed races last year and he begins his campaign in the fifth race at Belmont. Whilst not known for his first up for he has been coming along nicely at the trials.
Promising horses - others kicking off spring campaigns
Several other talented horses resume on Saturday. Such as the Michael Hickmott trained Alpine Flyer (Alpine Eagle), a dual acceptor who has opened favourite in the third race at Flemington and the seventh race at Murray Bridge.
A mare who boasts an excellent fresh record, she has twice been competitive in Listed company and has won six of her 19 starts.
The fourth race at Flemington has a trio of promising types kicking off their campaigns; Midtown Boss (Street Boss {USA}) favourite off a Flemington jump-out success. In flying form last time in, he was second to the subsequent G1 William Reid S. runner-up Johnny Rocker (Jukebox) and a close up fifth in the Listed Wangoom H.
Alpine Flyer | Image courtesy of Racing SA
Also well fancied in that race is Prowling (Wolf Cry) who was right in the thick of things in a couple of Listed events late last year whilst Fortunate Kiss (Divine Prophet) was third behind Revolutionary Miss (Russian Revolution) in the G3 Frances Tressady S. at Flemington in February.
She finished off well to defeat Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) in a recent Cranbourne jump-out.
Later in the day Holymanz (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) has his first run since contesting the All-Star Mile in which he ran a solid race against some of the country’s best horses. And before that he was a game G2 Blamey S. second behind the dual Group 1 winner Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel).
She (Revolutionary Miss) finished off well to defeat Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) in a recent Cranbourne jump-out.”
A Listed Alexandra S. third behind the subsequent G1 Australasian Oaks winner Vibrant Sun (The Autumn Sun), Vivy Air (Hellbent) is favourite to kick off her campaign in winning style in the third race at Rosehill whilst also short in the betting is Spring Lee (Zoustar) in the seventh event.
That Bjorn Baker trained four-year-old trialled well behind Joliestar (Zoustar) and has shown nice promise winning two of her seven starts, earning black-type with a Listed Denise’s Joy S. second at her most recent outing in mid-May.
There is also a horse of interest resuming at Doomben, Boom Torque (Spirit Of Boom) taking his place as favourite in the seventh race. The winner of trials at Doomben and the Gold Coast, he won the rich Magic Millions QTIS contest in January and has been successful at half of his twelve starts.
Glorious Goodwood - Australian interest
The Goodwood carnival concludes on Saturday and there is Australian flavour to a number of runners.
Such as in the opening event, the G3 Glorious S. which sees three runners whose dams are by Australian stallions. The two time stakes placed, five time winner Aimeric (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is a half-brother to the Group 1 galloper Aclaim (Ire) out of the stakes placed Aris (Ire) (Danroad).
The Group 2 placed five time winner Mujtaba (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is out of the Australian bred South African Champion 2YO Filly Majmu (Redoute’s Choice) whilst the Listed winner Phantom Flight (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) is a son of the Listed winner Qushchi (GB) (Encosta de Lago).
Asfoora | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
And of course tonight sees Asfoora (Flying Artie) continue her UK campaign, again looking hard to beat in the G2 King George S. Again tackling her is Blue Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) who Darley will be keeping a close eye on.
There is also interest in that race for Widden Stud with the Group 3 winner Starlust (GB) being a daughter of Zoustar.
