Saturday preview: Private Harry's winning streak on the line in Shorts nailbiter

Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography

Unbeaten streak: Can Private Harry pave his Everest path in gold?

The G2 Shorts at Royal Randwick is a time-honoured G1 The Everest lead-up and this Saturday’s edition looks no different, with three of the confirmed Everest runners lining up in the 10-horse field. Joliestar (Zoustar) and Briasa (Smart Missile) will resume alongside Private Harry (Harry Angel {Ire}), whose faultless streak of five career victories, including the G1 Galaxy Handicap at his most recent start, hangs in the balance.

Part-owner Sean Driver of Kurrinda Bloodstock doesn’t believe there’s much to worry about, telling Racenet on Friday, “he’s ready to go!”

He continued, “I think you will get a shock when you see Private Harry in the mounting yard on Saturday. He's always had a presence about him but he's turned from a colt into a stallion now. He's probably 60-80kg heavier.

“There are no excuses, we can't have the horse any better and I think he will make a statement on Saturday.”

A statement, it will have to be. The documentary film on Winx (Street Cry {Ire}) covered extensively the pressure that trainer Chris Waller felt in preserving the mighty mare’s winning streak with every start, and surely there has to be hints of that for Nathan Doyle, who trains the colt for Driver’s syndicate and Yulong, who bought into the colt in March.

The tension doesn’t seem to phase Driver, who will also have Boston Rocks (Hellbent) is the $2 million The Kosciuszko on the same card. Private Harry’s chance to climb the mountain is secure, no matter the outcome on Saturday.

“We are trying to enjoy the process and just focusing on our horse going into his spring carnival,” Driver said. “Nathan plans to run Private Harry again in the Premiere Stakes (on October 4) and then it is two weeks to the Everest.”

Five slots remain in the Everest, including the one belonging to Mulberry Racing, the owners of fellow Shorts runner Jedibeel (NZ) (Savabeel) who will be hoping to put his hoof up for a spot at the starting gates on October 18. Inglis, Coolmore, James Harron, and Godolphin are also yet to confirm their picks.

Tupakara bidding to shed maiden tag in Tea Rose

There are few maidens more well credentialled than 3-year-old Tupakara (Trapeze Artist), who heads into Saturday’s G2 Tea Rose Stakes a maiden from seven starts - but critically, with four placings at stakes level, including third in the G1 Champagne Stakes in the autumn, and two fourth-placed efforts in Group company.

The Annabel and Rob Archibald-trained filly was second in the G2 Furious Stakes at her last start to Apocalyptic (Extreme Choice), who takes the number one saddlecloth in the Tea Rose, with Tupakara settling for second. Her performances to date have earned her a benchmark rating of 96 - not bad for a filly with no win to her name yet.

Saturday could be just the occasion to tick that box; Tupakara only faces a field of 10, five of whom she beat last start, and Annabel Archibald has made a critical gear change in the hopes of having the filly at her best.

“She is a lovely, honest horse,” Archibald said. “When you've got JMac on, it helps, and we've added the blinkers as well. She was a bit on and off the bridle the other day (in the Furious), and we were umming and ahhing whether to go winkers or blinkers or save them for the mile (in the Flight Stakes).

“But James came and galloped her on Tuesday and we put them (blinkers) on and she worked really well in them, so we've put them on.”

Archibald has three runners in the race - she also trains Kujenga (King’s Legacy) and Next Jen (Ole Kirk) - and tips Tupakara to be the obvious winner from her entrants. A better barrier, jumping from three this time instead of 10, should increase her chances.

“She (Tupakara) was the one that drew poorly and beat all bar one last start, so she is probably the obvious horse (to win),” Archibald said. And if Saturday doesn't go to plan? Archibald expects improvement again when the filly steps up to the mile in the G1 Flight Stakes at her intended next start.

A family affair in Underwood

When Buckaroo (GB) (Fastnet Rock) returns to Caulfield on Saturday in an attempt to claim back to back editions of the G1 Underwood Stakes, one of his rivals will come from closer to home than he has previously encountered. His year younger half-brother Middle Earth (GB) (Roaring Lion {USA}) will take his first step up to Group 1 grade for the spring seven barriers to the inside of Buckaroo, on behalf of the Ciaron Maher stable.

Buckaroo’s last start in the Northern Hemisphere was in September of 2023 and the dour Middle Earth kicked off his career just three months previously in a 2011-metre maiden race, but it isn’t the first time the two have faced each other in a race. Landing in Australia last October, Middle Earth made his Southern Hemisphere debut with a win in March, and two starts later, the now 6-year-old ran ninth behind Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) in the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes, beaten just one and a half lengths by Buckaroo.

Buckaroo’s trainer Chris Waller sends the 7-year-old into Saturday’s race off of a third place in the G1 Memsie Stakes and a jump-out, in contrast to last year’s lead-in of a G2 Chelmsford Stakes win.

“His first-up run was excellent (and) you would expect the Memsie form to stand up,” Waller told RSN on Friday. “I would have liked to have been third-up coming into the race, but instead of being third-up we've done the best we can; Memsie, he then had a trial at Flemington last Friday, and he'll be ready to go Saturday.”

In contrast, Maher expects Middle Earth to be far from his best in the contest, with bigger goals in mind later in the spring. Both geldings have nominations for the G1 Melbourne Cup - Buckaroo ran ninth in 2024.

“He's ticking along the right way,” Maher said. “He hit the line well (last start in a 2000-metre event) and he'll strip fitter, (but) the 1800 metres is probably short of his best.”

It could be the start of a great spring sibling rivalry, something that Caulfield is not unfamiliar with; full brothers The Phantom (NZ) (Noble Bijou {USA}) and The Phantom Chance (NZ) finished second and third respectively in the G1 Caulfield Stakes in the spring of 1993, only nabbed in the home straight by Naturalism (NZ) (Palace Music {USA}).

Colts assemble for Guineas dress rehearsal

The G1 Caulfield Guineas has long been a reliable source of stallions - notable winners this century include Redoute’s Choice, Lonhro, Starspangledbanner, All Too Hard, The Autumn Sun, Super Seth, and more recently Ole Kirk, Anamoe, and Private Life.

Preparations for the mile test get truly underway on Saturday with the G3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude, where a field of eight features five colts ready to stake their claim for a slot at stud. Private Life finished fourth in this race last year before cementing his spot at Coolmore with the Guineas itself.

Vega For Luck (NZ) (Lucky Vega {Ire}) - Flying the flag for Yulong, Vega For Luck is the most seasoned runner with nine runs under his belt, including a debut victory and two stakes placings. His sire Lucky Vega (Ire) was a more dominant juvenile, but his cracks at the 2000 Guineas races resulted in highly credible third and fourth place finishes.

Bacash (Cosmic Force) - A dual winner who ran third last start at Listed level, Bacash’s family, which includes G1 Robert Sangster Stakes winner Driefontein (Fastnet Rock), is pretty versatile. Cosmic Force’s best performers so far are mostly geldings, much in the mould of his own sire Deep Field who still dominates the Hong Kong scene.

Space Rider (Zoustar) - With three Zoustar sons covering their first books this spring, there’s no shortage of desire for more Zoustar blood at stud, if Space Rider can prove himself worthy. Co-trainer Mick Price has the Guineas only pencilled in, depending how the colt performs.

“He is coming off a poor run where I don’t have a reason for his poor run,” Price told RSN on Thursday, referring to the colt’s seventh last start in the Listed McKenzie Stakes. “He worked good on Saturday morning and I don’t want to say he’s fighting for his manhood, but they’ve got to be genuine, don’t they?

“We’ll try him at 1400 metres. He’s going well in trackwork, but if he doesn’t fire at 1400 metres we won’t be going towards the Guineas, and we might have to freshen him up and try something else.

“I just thought that run the other day at The Valley, it was the run of a colt who was close to their top in the first half of the race, and Michael Dee said the alarm bells were ringing at the 600 metres, which isn’t good.”

Bingi (Snitzel) - Twice a winner from three starts, a win here could draw a lot of interest towards this colt. The passing of Snitzel means there’s only so many of his sons left to enter stud. This is the extended family of Away Game (Snitzel) and Modern Wonder (Snitzel), as well as Inference and Jacquinot, so there’s plenty of potential.

Stay Cosmic (Cosmic Force) - A rig, but one who’s never finished further back than second in four starts, including two at Listed level. Trainer Phillip Stokes believes the distance will suit - and being a rig won’t stop the right stud if his performances are good enough.

“He’s always been a bit more tractable than his brother Stay Focused, I’ve always thought he’d be a miler,” Stokes told RSN on Thursday. “I definitely think he’s looking for the 1400 (metres) and then the mile so that will suit, he put in a nice piece of work on Saturday morning and he’ll take his place with Jamie Melham booked to ride.

“We’re hoping he can get into a Caulfield Guineas, that’s been the plan anyway.”

Estremo (Extreme Choice) - Closely related to Move To Strike and in the hands of Chris Waller, this colt certainly looks good on paper. Three sons of Extreme Choice have their first runners this season, with Extreme Warrior already producing a speedy trial winner on Thursday.

"He was probably ready for 1400 metres last start, and he gets the 1400 metres this week," Waller told RSN on Friday. "He's had a couple of races running left-handed in Melbourne and he's been running well, so he'll get his chance on Saturday."

Super Saturday ahead for Barham mares

Boutique breeders Chris and Jane Barham have had a remarkable run of success from a small broodmare band. In 2002, they purchased their first filly at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale; Legally Bay (Snippets) would win the G3 Sweet Embrace Stakes and produced three stakes winners, the best of which was multiple Group 1-winning sire Merchant Navy.

This Saturday, they have a strong chance to be in the headlines again, when four of their six-strong broodmare band will have runners in stakes races on both sides of the Tasman.

Jolie Bay (Fastnet Rock), a full sister to Merchant Navy, will be represented by her spectacular daughter Joliestar in the G2 Shorts, where the mare will be warming up for a second tilt at the G1 The Everest in the Chris Waller Racing slot.

Jenga (All Too Hard), a winning half-sister to stakes winner Granny Red Shoes (Not A Single Doubt), has Kujenga running in the G2 Tea Rose Stakes, and Airman (I Am invincible), out of another of Legally Bay’s daughters Zara Bay (Fastnet Rock), takes a crack at the G1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes.

Hold Me Closer (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), already the dam of Group 3-winning Thought Of That (So You Think {NZ}), has 3-year-old filly Cherish Me (Brazen Beau) lining up in the Listed Jim Moloney Stakes, and across in New Zealand, her 5-year-old daughter Privy Garden (So You Think {NZ}) heads to the G3 Metric Mile.

History against Another Wil in Sir Rupert Clarke

Another Wil (Street Boss {USA}) is not afraid to carry a bit of weight; his G1 CF Orr Stakes win in the autumn came under 59kg at the same track and distance - a weight which he also carried to fourth in the G1 All-Star Mile and last start in the G1 Memsie Stakes. However, it has been a long time since a horse has won the G1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes hefting such a weight over the line.

Behemoth (All Too Hard) lumped 60kg to victory in 2020, but it’s important to note that was when weights were raised by 2kg during the pandemic, and Jungle Cat (Ire) carried the equivalent 58kg to victory in 2018. Back in 2000, Testa Rossa defied a 4kg rise in the weights from 54.5kg to win his second straight Sir Rupert Clarke, but hardly any horses have had to carry the same since - let alone come close to winning.

In 2021, 59kg had Behemoth finishing sixth in his title defence, and Tie The Knot (Nassipour {USA}) carried 59kg to 14th place in 2001.

The 6-year-old Another Wil will have to defy a fair few years of history if he wants to double his Group 1 tally on Saturday, and trainer Ciaron Maher is aware it’s no easy feat. That is particularly true with the looming threat of Angel Capital (Harry Angel {Ire}), who gets away with 53.5kg, the same weight carried to victory by Magic Time (Hellbent) in 2023. Since 2000, 11 of the winners have carried 53.5kg or less.

Maher conceded the entire is a solid chance for Saturday.

“It will be a good race, but he’ll (Another Wil) improve, which he needs to,” Maher told RSN earlier in the week.

“I’m confident. I wanted to wait the extra week rather than go last week to the Makybe Diva, but looking at the Makybe, maybe I should have gone there. Anyway, we make these calls, and he goes to Saturday’s race in good order.”

Another Wil currently sits on the third line of betting, with Angel Capital the current favourite, and 4-year-old hopeful Sepals (Calyx {GB}) separating them. Trainer Cliff Brown is aware that it's a big jump for the gelding from benchmark win to Group 1 company.

“He was impressive the other day, but it was a benchmark race, and we have to now go several levels higher,” Brown told RSN on Friday. “Angel Capital did it in a Group race and was just as impressive against better opposition.”