Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Is the rain a worry for Via Sistina?
The big question ahead of Saturday’s Randwick meeting is who will best handle what is shaping to be a very heavy track after constant rain in Sydney.
The class runner of the feature G1 Winx Stakes is undoubtedly Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock), the current title holder after being successful in the 2024 edition, and a nine-time Group 1 victor overall. Trainer Chris Waller was asked earlier in the week by the media whether he was confident she could manage the conditions.
Via Sistina winning the G1 Winx Stakes | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“It's hard to compare tracks, but the one thing I don't think she likes is a shifty track, and that's what she got in the Makybe Diva last year,” Waller said
“It rained an hour before the race, it actually hailed, and it was a firm base, and it was quite shifty. She didn't like it.
“But when she is getting into the ground, which is where her English form comes in, I think she is pretty good.”
Turning to his other runners, Waller described Aeliana (Castelvecchio) as the most intriguing.
“She is the unknown,” Waller said of Aeliana.
“She (Aeliana) is the unknown.” - Chris Waller
“I think she will measure up, being a Group 1 winner. She has won a Derby, been placed behind the best horses in her 3-year-old year, when she hasn't won.
“It is pretty exciting with her. She is probably next year's queen if she keeps making the rapid rise like she has done.”
Aeliana winning the G1 Australian Derby | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Lindermann (Lonhro), Fangirl (Sebring) and the former American mare Full Count Felicia (USA) (War Front {USA}) complete Waller’s Winx Stakes quintet, with all expected to take their place despite the prospect of a Heavy 10 as they kick off their spring preparations.
Waller admitted the track may play against some of his team:
“The heavy track would take away from Fangirl’s brilliance, so I’m a little bit more concerned with her.”
Meanwhile, Full Count Felicia is untested on such going, and Lindermann’s record offers little encouragement with no top-three finishes from five attempts on heavy ground. But for all runners, it is potentially just as much about getting spring campaigns underway with big targets ahead.
Chris Waller | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
However, the Winx Stakes is not solely about Waller’s strong hand. The Joseph Pride-trained Ceowulf (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) looms as a potential giant-killer, while Ciaron Maher’s Gringotts (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}), though unproven on heavy, has handled soft ground well and looked sharp in recent Gosford trials.
Saltcoats primed for success in The Premier’s Cup
Saltcoats (NZ) (Ardrossan) joined Chris Waller after a three-start juvenile campaign in New Zealand, culminating in Listed success for former trainer Samantha Logan over 1400 metres on a Heavy 10 at Pukekohe. Since then, he has taken time to fully settle into his Australian surroundings, but he looks ideally placed to secure Australian stakes success on a heavy track at Randwick on Saturday.
Jockey Zac Lloyd believes the gelding has gone to a new level this preparation and is relishing the chance to partner him in the G3 Premier’s Cup, having steered him to a dominant win in the Premier’s Cup Prelude last week on the Kensington track.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to meet up with him at this time of year, and he’s very competitive and going well,’’ Lloyd told RacingNSW earlier this week.
Saltcoalts (NZ) | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
“I don’t see why he can’t produce a similar performance on Saturday as he did last start. It’s a very winnable race again, and the horse is going really well, so I can’t fault him.”
Lloyd noted that Saltcoats has developed an adaptable racing pattern, with the ability to jump and settle in a prominent position when required.
“Even over the 1500m where it was a bit sharp for him, he still jumped really well and wanted to travel on the bridle, and it’s helping him put himself in a far better position to win the race,’’ he said.
“He felt like he got over the ground great, albeit it wasn’t as wet as it will be on Saturday, and I don’t think it will faze him. On a relatively quick backup it’s always a good thing, he has good residual fitness.
Zac Lloyd | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“We have a wide-ish draw, but on first glance there doesn’t look much speed underneath us, and I do think he can bounce and roll forward and put himself in a winnable spot.”
While Saltcoats looks the clear horse to beat, his main dangers appear to be the Annabel and Rob Archibald-trained Nellie Leylax (Ire) (Calyx {GB}), who brings strong form, and Good Banter (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), who is in form, stays well and handles heavy conditions.
Agarwood looks to keep her unbeaten record intact
An unbeaten horse always adds plenty of interest to any race, particularly when they have done it in style, possess strong breeding, and are stepping up to Group company. That is the case with the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained filly Agarwood.
The classy Wootton Bassett (GB) filly won impressively on debut at Warwick Farm in May, and later that month she confirmed her talent with a convincing second-start win at Randwick on a heavy track, defeating the talented colt Matima (Lonhro) by just over two lengths.
After a freshen-up, Agarwood has impressed in trials at Warwick Farm and Goulburn in preparation for her first-up assignment. Co-trainer Adrian Bott is confident she is ready, but acknowledges the challenge of stepping up in class.
Agarwood | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
“She’s got to take that next step into stakes company now. She has early winter form, but I feel she’s had enough time to have the benefit of that preparation.
“She looks well, and I’ve been pleased with her trials so it’ll be interesting to see the level improvement we see from her.”
“She (Agarwood) looks well, and I’ve been pleased with her trials so it’ll be interesting to see the level improvement we see from her.” - Adrian Bott
While Agarwood has handled heavy ground before, Bott was clear that it won’t be a like-for-like test.
“No doubt it wouldn’t have been anywhere near the ground we’re going to receive on Saturday but it was a heavy surface and she handled it well,” he said.
“She was pretty impressive in what she did early days.
Adrian Bott | Image courtesy of Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Racing
“She was always showing the right signs and the level of improvement she took out of that maiden win into Saturday grade was pleasing. She showed she was a filly with a bit of class,and she should be tested against these fillies.”
When asked about her program beyond this race, Bott said it will be guided purely by her performance.
“Against her own age and sex she could be stretched to an extent, so we’ll stick to the series for now and take it one run at a time.
“Against her (Agardwood) own age and sex she could be stretched to an extent, so we’ll stick to the series for now and take it one run at a time.” - Adrian Bott
“The first two 1200m runs are the ones that are set for her, and off the back of that, you’d think she could stretch out to 1400m.”
Saturday’s edition of the Group 2 $300,000 race, won last year by Ameena (Tassort), promises to be highly competitive. Key rivals include Savvy Hallie (Hellbent), who won comfortably in maiden company last start, Within The Law (Lucky Vega {Ire}), a standout 2-year-old last season, and Queen Of Clubs (Maurice {Jpn}), who could prove the knock-out horse of the race.
Oak Hill out to be Per Incanto’s next sprint star
It wasn’t that long ago that a Per Incanto (USA) gelding named Jimmysstar (NZ) worked his way through the grades for Ciaron Maher, quickly stepping from benchmark company to Listed and then Group 1 level.
Now it could be the turn of another son of Little Avondale Stud’s star stallion, with the Ben, Will and JD Hayes-trained Oak Hill (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) set to make his stakes mark.
The super-consistent 5-year-old was among a number of horses transferred to Lindsay Park following the passing of Mike Moroney earlier this year, and now the team at Lindsay Park are reaping the benefits of the hard work Moroney and his team have done.
Oak Hill (NZ) | Image courtesy of Race Images
Since joining the Hayes stable, Oak Hill is unbeaten in two starts and now tackles the Listed Carlyon Stakes at Moonee Valley. His most recent win came at the same track in Benchmark 100 company earlier this month, taking his record to a strong seven wins and two placings from just 14 starts.
JD Hayes reflected on the stable’s good fortune in inheriting some of Moroney’s horses and how Oak Hill has flourished at the right time.
“We’re very lucky with these Ballymore horses that came to us,” Hayes told racenet.com
“Mike (Moroney) picked some very nice horses, and we just got them at the right time as they have flourished into men.
“Mike (Moroney) picked some very nice horses, and we just got them at the right time as they have flourished into men.” - JD Hayes
“He’s developed them, and we feel like the coach that has just taken over a premiership side. Some of them are a bit like ruckmen; they have taken a bit longer, but they are really starting to blossom with maturity.
“Oak Hill is definitely one of those horses.”
JD Hayes | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Saturday’s Carlyon Stakes has drawn a deep and competitive field. Among the key rivals to Oak Hill are the talented Baraqiel (Snitzel), who has been trialling brilliantly, the in-form New York Lustre (Manhattan Rain), and Group 1-winning sprinter Mornington Glory (Shalaa {Ire}), who excels at Moonee Valley and will take benefit from his first-up run behind Oak Hill.
Twain is out to replicate 'Mum' in the Foxbridge
The John Bell-trained Twain (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) has developed into a highly promising sprinter, boasting six wins and three placings from just 10 career starts. On Saturday, the consistent and classy gelding steps up to black-type company and weight-for-age level in the G2 Foxbridge Plate at Te Rapa.
Family expectations add extra intrigue. His dam, Fleur de Lune (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}), was a winner of the same race in 2012 for trainer Lee Somerville.
Twain (NZ) | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
After posting two wins earlier this preparation, Twain was runner-up over 1200m behind Midnight Scandal (NZ) (Belardo {Ire}), who is set to be a rival again at Te Rapa. Bell admitted the gelding felt the effects of that tough run.
“After his last start, he was a little bit tired,” Bell told loveracing.nz.
“He had to go early, which was unfortunate. He was challenged on the outside, and he is a very aggressive horse. Vinnie (Colgan, jockey) had to pick him up and carry him over that last stride.
“He felt it, but he has kicked back nicely.”
Colgan will again be in the saddle on Saturday, with Twain to jump from a wide barrier of 11.
John Bell | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
“He gets out of the gates and he will just sit there with a bit of cover, in the first three, four or five,” Bell said.
“He (Vinnie) rode him between races in a track gallop the week before, and he was very happy with that, and he was upset that he had to go a bit early in the race at Te Rapa.
“He is a big-race rider, he knows the horse now. The instructions will be – ‘go and do it’.”
“He (Vinnie Colgan) is a big-race rider, he knows the horse now. The instructions will be – ‘go and do it’.” - John Bell
It shapes as a very competitive edition of the Foxbridge Plate. Key rivals include Sacred Satono (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}), a consistently strong performer who deserves a big win, Doctor Askar (NZ) (Derryn), an up-and-coming talent who won five races in a row to finish last preparation, and Joshua Brown (NZ) (Dalghar {Fr}) and Mali Ston (NZ) (El Roca), both of whom must be respected.
