Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
The star mares finally meet in the Winx Stakes
It has probably been the most talked-about potential match-up since the day the Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained Sheza Alibi (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) smashed the field in the G1 Doncaster Handicap.
On Saturday at Randwick, Sheza Alibi takes on arguably the best mare in the land, Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun), in the G1 Winx Stakes over 1400 metres.
Autumn Glow | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Co-trainer Peter Moody is under no illusions about how hard the task will be, but also sees it as an important learning opportunity.
“We are not thinking we just go there and win and be the dominant horse,” Moody told racing.com.
“We are not thinking we just go there and win and be the dominant horse.” - Peter Moody
“We are going there to learn where we sit in the food-chain and being very respectful of her opposition.
“But we are not going up there to play marbles either.
“It certainly makes for an interesting start to the spring. Gets the elephant out of the room quite quickly,” he said of the first-time clash with Autumn Glow.
“It’s exciting and it’s good for racing. For me, it makes it a bit easier for my programing going forward because, to be honest, we are taking on the best horses in the country with the best trainer in the country and the best jockey in the country.
Peter Moody | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“If we can be ultra-competitive or lucky enough to beat them, the world is sort of our oyster and we can go anywhere chock full of confidence.
“If she (Autumn Glow) beats us comprehensively, and I am not thinking it’s a two-horse race in any shape or form, we can duck and weave a bit and place our mare to advantage and not kid ourselves.
Moody clearly thinks that the 3-time Group 1 winner Autumn Glow is the standard setter in the field and the country.
“Autumn Glow is the benchmark. She is the best horse in the country. We’ve got to lift our bar and for people to suggest Autumn Glow wouldn’t continue to improve, they are kidding themselves because I know myself training some good mares over the years, they keep getting better at five, six and seven.”
Chris Waller | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Autumn Glow’s trainer Chris Waller is always respectful of the opposition and this case was no different, while he also re-emphasised that the Winx Stakes is simply the starting point for his star mare’s campaign.
"It's a bit like two grand final teams playing in the first round of the competition for the year," Waller told racenet.
"You would probably prefer you weren't playing the top team straight up but you can't change the draw. You start preparing eight weeks ago really expecting everything.
"It's a bit like two grand final teams playing in the first round of the competition for the year." - Chris Waller
"Tearaway leaders, good horses, wet tracks … just a tough Group 1 test. But the preparation doesn't change.
"I think they've probably got the market right but there's a lot of good horses there including plenty of ours. There'll be a lot of eye-catching runs. We are there to win but at the same time it's a starting point."
The race, however, is not just about the two star mares. Within the final field of 14 runners, there are no fewer than 13 individual Group 1 winners, with the Bjorn Baker-trained Midnight Dynamite (Pierata) the only non-Group 1 winner.
He does, however, bring a fitness edge to the race, being the only runner not first-up from a spell.
Midnight Dynamite | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Campione D’Italia takes on the older brigade
It’s not often that a 3 -year-old colt takes on older horses in Group company so early in the season, but that is the task Champion trainer Chris Waller has set his talented colt Campione D’Italia (Snitzel) as he lines up in the G3 Show County Quality at Randwick on Saturday.
It’s a race Waller has won the last two years with his Group 1-winning mares Joliestar (Zousatr) and Lazzura (Snitzel) emphasised a lot of the reasoning to do with the placement is to get a run into his star colt with bigger targets ahead.
“Taking on the older horses isn't easy, but I'm petrified of missing the lead-up to the Golden Rose with any horse, so I'd rather get him started earlier, get fitness in his bank,” Waller told Racingandsports.
Campione D'Italia | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Campione D’Italia was a top-class 2-year-old colt, winning the G1 Sires Produce Stakes and the G2 Skyline Stakes, as well as running a slashing fourth in the G1 Golden Slipper Stakes and second in the G1 Champagne Stakes over the mile distance.
The good-looking colt had a solo exhibition gallop between races at Rosehill last Saturday.
"He was fresh, but I think better than last prep," Waller said of the gallop.
"You might remember a couple of his early races, he was on the job and a bit too aggressive, but he's continued to mellow.
"He's really muscled up and matured as a 3-year-old now. He's exciting.
"He's (Campione D'Italia) really muscled up and matured as a 3-year-old now. He's exciting." - Chris Waller
"The Golden Rose looks a perfect race for him and then perhaps we'll shorten him up and bring him back for the Coolmore."
It’s a tidy-looking edition of the Show County Quality, with some of the hardest to beat being the close relation to Winx (Street Cry {Ire}) in Enriched (I Am Invincible), who has been trialling well.
Matcha Latte (Maurice {Jpn}) should sprint well fresh, while the Queensland raiders that have trekked south in Soothsayer (Divine Prophet) and Midnight In Tokyo (Koboyashi) add plenty of intrigue.
Silver Shadow trio ready to make their mark
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott training combination are lining up three exciting fillies in the G2 Silver Shadow Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.
Originally, it was just going to be Agrarian Girl (Tassort) and By Choice (Written By) lining up, but some strong trackwork recently by Reachin’ Out (Stay Inside) has meant she will take her place.
Reachin' Out | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
"We originally had her (Reachin' Out) pencilled in for some tougher tasks first-up, then we settled on some easier tasks after her trials," Bott told Racingandsports, but he has since changed his mind.
"Then we saw the nominations and after her work on Saturday, we thought she deserved to kick off there."
Agrarian Girl has only had two starts, winning the Listed Lonhro Plate on debut and then running a strong second to Chayan (I Am Invincible) in the G2 Reisling Stakes.
"Agrarian Girl, she's a natural speed filly," he said.
Agrarian Girl | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
"She has trialled up well on two occasions. She had limited opportunities in her two-year-old campaign, but she was really good the times we saw her."
By Choice is a very consistent filly and has plenty of class, although Bott believes she may come into her own once the distances slightly increase.
"By Choice, she's the most seasoned of them all," Bott said.
"She will be better suited getting out to 1400 and 1600 metres this prep. She will stay in the Princess Series, but she may just find them a little sharp first time out."
By Choice | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
It’s a very competitive edition of the Silver Shadow Stakes, with the hardest for the Tulloch Lodge trio to beat potentially being the Rob and Annabel Archibald-trained Cherry Bomshell (Lucky Vega {Ire}), while Queenslander Pembrey (Prague), with James McDonald aboard, has to be respected.
Apocalyptic ready to sprint sharply in the Toy Show
The MyRacehorse and partners owned-Apocalyptic (Extreme Choice) returns to the track as a 4-year-old mare when she tackles the G3 Toy Show Quality over 1200 metres at Randwick on Saturday, with her sights now firmly set on a career built around sprinting.
The daughter of Extreme Choice enjoyed a standout 3-year-old season, collecting Group 2 victories over 1200 and 1400 metres before capping it with a G1 Flight Stakes triumph at a mile.
Apocalyptic | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Now that she has moved beyond her own age group, trainer Michael Freedman and rider Tommy Berry appear keen to keep her to the shorter trips, and her recent trial suggests she has returned in excellent shape.
"She's had a really good break, very similar to Ninja," Berry said.
"Michael (Freedman) has decided to treat her more like a sprinter this preparation and you can tell. She's been trialling sharply, and her work has been very sharp.
"The only thing I didn't really want was to draw in with her because she does like a bit of room, and she has drawn perfect in six.
"There won't be any excuses Saturday. She's in great order."
"There won't be any excuses Saturday. She's (Apocalyptic) in great order." - Tommy Berry
While the Toy Show Quality may only have a small field, there is certainly no shortage of talent.
Apocalyptic will again cross swords with her familiar sparring partner Savvy Hallie, with the Hellbent mare looking a serious threat, while Matthew Smith's Prima Bella (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) comes into the race chasing a hat-trick and cannot be overlooked despite doing her recent racing in the lower grades.
Tennessee Bound chasing seven straight
It’s extremely hard for any horse to win six races, but to do it in their first six starts consecutively takes a good one.
That is what the Ciaron Maher-trained Tennessee Bound (Written Tycoon) is, and she lines up to make it seven over 1300 metres in the hands of star apprentice Jabez Johnstone at Sandown on Saturday.
Jack Turnbull, the National Assistant Trainer for Ciaron Maher Racing, said the stable had been careful in their placement of the mare and that the patient approach had paid off with the help of patient and understanding owners.
Tennessee Bound | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
"We'd have her in, give her a break, and thankfully (owner) Gerry (Ryan) just said do what you have to do," Turnbull told Racingandsports.
"She's a mare that has taken time and hopefully the time given repays us, but we can't hide her now as we've placed her as best as we can.
"She's (Tennessee Bound) a mare that has taken time and hopefully the time given repays us, but we can't hide her now as we've placed her as best as we can." - Jack Turnbull
"She's in a 1300-metre benchmark 88 and we feel as though that's that next bracket, but it's tougher again than what she has been meeting."
Turnbull said the team was unsure where the ceiling is for Tennessee Bound.
"If she was successful, a race that comes to mind is the Let's Elope, potentially stepping up to 1400 (metres)," Turnbull said.
"She's a speed horse, so we don't have to stretch her if we don't want to. We would only be thinking of black type if she was winning again.
Jack Turnbull | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
"It's hard to determine how good she might be because she is still only lightly raced, but she will come back and be better again, I'm sure.
"What she is racing against and her ratings, she is that Listed, Group 3 level now, at the right time, but to say she's a Group 1 horse is a bit audacious given her trajectory has been monitored.
"She is unbeaten, she seems to raise the bar every time it is asked and hopefully, she can do it again on Saturday."
The high-class Gold Coast Belle (So You Think {NZ}) looks the testing material. She has won four of her six starts and was successful in the Listed Bendigo Guineas at her last start before a break back in May, while Elouyou (So You Think {NZ}) has been racing very consistently and, with a touch of luck, could surprise.
