First run in 1978, this Group 2 Missile S. dash has some very nice horses on its honour roll, won by the likes of Razor Sharp (Steel Pulse {GB}), Campaign King, Brawny Spirit (Rustic Amber {Ire}), Dance Hero (Danzero) and Eduardo (Host {Chi}).
It has also been won by several horses who have gone onto successful stud careers, such as Lonhro, Commands, Love Conquers All and, most recently, Pierata.
Opening favourite off an easy all the way trial win over proven Group horses, Schwarz (Zoustar) has always shown plenty of talent and he kicked off his last campaign with a game Listed Darby Munro S. second behind Brave Mead (Brave Smash {Jpn}).
Schwarz | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Semillion (Shalaa {Ire}) has the fitness edge, maintaining consistent form over the autumn and winter months with his latest run a brave second behind the in-form Recommendation (Shalaa) in the G3 Bletchingly S.
Arctic Glamour (Frosted {USA}) is at her best over a little longer but is capable of finishing off strongly; she struck a strong trial heat when not too far away from Joliestar (Zoustar) at Rosehill late last month.
Shezanalister (Star Turn) was not in the best part of the track when boxing on solidly at Randwick and her previous win there contained merit. The Listed Ramornie H. can be a good guide to this race and its winner Ka Bling (Capitalist) was strong to the line in that Grafton feature.
G3 Behemoth Stakes - a great race for the Jolly family
See You In Heaven (Divine Prophet) and Karacasu (Headwater) provide the Jolly family with a chance to continue their recent domination of this race with the former looking to become the fifth horse to win it more than once.
Should she succeed, and she is favourite to do so on the back of good jump-out and trial form, she joins Samist (NZ) (Pakistan {GB}), Redelva (Romantic Hope), Hero Wind (Star Pyramul) and the race's namesake (it was called the Spring S. when he saluted in 2020 and 2021) Behemoth (All Too Hard) as multiple winners of this race.
“See You In Heaven and Karacasu provide the Jolly family with a chance to continue their recent domination of this race.”
See You In Heaven is a member of the Richard & Chantelle Jolly stable whilst Behemoth was trained by Richard's brother David who also won this race in 2022 with Calypso Reign (Barbados).
Will Clarken has also already won it; with Mio Dio (God's Own) in 2017 and is seeking another success. Now in partnership with Niki O'Shea, he saddles up two chances; Second To Nun (Akeed Mofeed {GB}) and Boognish (Sooboog). The former showed great heart getting up in the last stride when resuming in a race in which his stablemate was favourite; out of the placings but not disgraced; and her second up form is encouraging.
See You In Heaven | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
The classy miler Chicago Storm (Trust In A Gust) tends to race well fresh whilst Episodic (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) just does not know how to run a bad race.
Listed Belmont Newmarket - Bolton form
Weaponson (Oratorio) is the only one of this race's seven runners not to have met the others last start; he is one of the roughies having his first run since April with his best form coming over a bit more ground.
Each of the other six runners come through the Listed HG Bolton Sprint and they have some ground to make up to turn the tables on Boots Like Bruce (Alfred Nobel {Ire}) whose winning performance was a dominant one.
Boots Like Bruce | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
A horse who really knows how to find the line, the sparingly raced seven-year-old has won seven of his 15 starts and was up in class when taking out the Bolton, winning a BM66 at his previous start; on that occasion tough off a wide run.
Enjoying a 3kg swing on Boots Like Bruce is the Bolton's runner-up Man Crush (Manhattan Rain) who strips fitter for two very good runs this time in. Saloon Bar (Sessions) also meets the favourite 3kg better and he really caught the eye with his strong finishing third.
The Bolton favourite Red Fifty Three (Gingerbread Man) was a solid fourth and he has good second up form. He again has the services of champion local jockey William Pike who has a number of Belmont Newmarkets on his resume.
“Each of the other six runners come through the Listed HG Bolton Sprint and they have some ground to make up to turn the tables on Boots Like Bruce.”
This race has been won by a number of horses who have enjoyed other stakes success, most notably Belele, Medicine Kid (Medical Man {USA}), Willoughby (Fimiston) and Andretti (NZ) (Shifnal) who all also won Group 1 races.
Second Season Sires - the new 3-year-olds
Last season was an exciting one for the new boys with eight different stallions represented by at least eight winners. It is always interesting to see which horses take the next step as their progeny turn three and a number of those stallions have runners in metropolitan races on Saturday.
The second race at Moonee Valley has three; Blue Stratum (Blue Point {Ire}), Immortal Star (I Am Immortal) and Just Like Gaby (Pierata). Each of those promising young horses are in the market, Blue Stratum Group 2 placed last time in and impressive breaking his maiden first up, the stakes placed Immortal Star resuming off good jump-out form and the regally bred Just Like Gaby, the first foal produced by the dual Group 1 winning sprinter Loving Gaby (I Am Invincible), very good at debut.
Pierata also has a nice chance in the third race at Randwick with Bella Khadijah recording a deserved breakthrough at Doomben a couple of weeks ago. Strongly fancied in the same race is Getafix (Calyx {GB}) who has trialled well since finding the line well when resuming.
“Pierata also has a nice chance in the third race at Randwick with Bella Khadijah recording a deserved breakthrough at Doomben.”
There is another Pierata racing at Belmont, Promising debuting in the second race off solid trial form. The Trevor Andrews trained filly, a $60,000 Perth Magic Millions graduate is out of Our Time Will Come (Oratorio) who won at her Ascot debut at two.
The opening event at the Sunshine Coast, a race which has QTIS and Inglis bonuses, has two runners by second season sires and both are facing the starter for the first time; the $60,000 Inglis Classic purchase Balmoral (Royal Meeting {Ire}) who has opened up at double figure odds and the more fancied Cosmo Centaurus (Cosmic Force), a $140,000 Classic yearling who has created a big impression winning three Doomben trials.
Blue Stratum | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
The following race at the Sunshine Coast sees two last start winners by second season sires take their place, Master Bianco (Zousain) and Outta Control (Dubious). The former is well fancied coming off an Ipswich win as an odds-on favourite whilst the latter also has winning form having surprised punters at his Toowoomba debut.
The first-uppers - stakes winners resuming
It's that time of year when the better horses start reappearing and there are a number of gallopers already proven at stakes level kicking off their campaigns on Saturday.
In the fifth race at Moonee Valley, a 1000m BM100 contest, Acromantula (Written Tycoon) and Taunting (Brazen Beau) are both strongly fancied to kick off their preparations in winning form.
The smart Perth galloper Acromantula returns to Moonee Valley where he won the 2023 Listed Norman Carylon S. and where he took on the best, fading from on pace, in last spring's G1 Moir S. quinellaed by Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) and Asfoora (Flying Artie). He has missed a first up placing only once in six tries and has been dominant winning a couple of trials.
Acromantula | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
Last year's Listed SAJC Railway S. winner Taunting disappointed at his only autumn run but was in great form last spring and has been runner- up at his two Moonee Valley outings. Another interesting runner on the Strathayr is the import Point King (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) who resumes in the seventh race; likely to have done plenty of work to be ready for the 2040m.
Randwick hosts a number of stakes winning first-uppers including Sebonack (Capitalist), the 2022 G3 MRC Chairman's S. winner who saluted at Kensington first up last time in. He races in the fifth whilst the G2 Missile S. has three stakes winners resuming; Schwarz, Zoustar and Arctic Glamour (Frosted {USA}) who we have already touched on as well as one of the outsiders, last year's G2 The Ingham winner Loch Eagle (Lonhro).
The following Randwick race sees the imported Group 2 and Group 3 winner Changingoftheguard (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) making his Australian debut for the Kris Lees stable. In the same race is Manzoice (Almanzor {Fr}) whose latest win was the 2022 G1 VRC Derby.
“In the fifth race at Moonee Valley, a 1000m BM100 contest, Acromantula and Taunting are both strongly fancied to kick off their preparations in winning form.”
We've already mentioned Weaponson (Oratorio) who kicks off in the Listed Belmont Newmarket and there are also a couple we have already touched on in the G3 Behemoth S. in Adelaide; Chicago Storm (Trust In A Gust) and See You In Heaven (Divine Prophet). Also first up in that race is the Group 3 and three time Listed winner Air Assault (Justify {USA}) who was good the line when fourth first up last campaign, going to the paddock off a game G1 South Australian Derby third.
The first-uppers - horses of promise
Aside from the stakes winners resuming on Saturday, there are also a number of horses who aspire to that sort of form, kicking off with Mistressofillusion (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) in the opening event at Moonee Valley.
Last in a couple of jump-outs, the Chris Waller trained import was amongst the favourites (but well beaten) when contesting a Listed race at Bath last October. More strongly fancied at Moonee Valley is Scuderia (Squamosa) in the fifth race who resumes off a jump-out victory and an impressive overall record of five wins and five placings from 11 starts.
Speaking of horses who know how to find the line, Our Kobison (Kobayashi) resumes as an odds-on favourite in the fifth race at Randwick. Bolting in with a Wyong trial, he has five wins and three placings from nine starts on his record and he has been in the money at both of his Randwick runs. Also showing plenty of promise in that race is Dancing Alone (I Am Invincible) who has tasted defeat just twice from eight starts; earning black-type with a last start Group 3 third at Flemington on Derby Day.
Our Kobison | Image courtesy of Sportpix
The following race at Randwick sees Tulsi (The Autumn Sun) resuming off a close up Warwick Farm trial third. The consistent former New Zealander was third behind Molly Bloom (NZ) (Ace High) in the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas in November.
And there is a nice staying type resuming in the G3 Behemoth S. in Adelaide;
Arugamama (Churchill {Ire}) having his first run since a Listed second over 2006m in February. He has been placed over the 1200m and his consistent record of four wins and eight placings from 17 starts is hard to fault.
