Don't have a late one tonight because they've moved the meeting forward and the first race jumps at 11am Melbourne time. 10am if you're in Queensland. 8am if you're in WA. The pub won't even be open.
It's the first Group 1 of 2014 with the Orr Stakes at Caulfield and it's backed up by some magnificent support races in both Melbourne and Sydney.
The G2 Expressway Stakes at Randwick sees the likes of Boban, Appearance, Sizzling, Rain Affair, Speediness and Pinwheel back from the spelling paddock.
Meanwhile in Melbourne some quality three-year-olds are kicking off their campaigns with the Australian Guineas just three weeks away. We also see the return of some of our top class weight-for-age stayers with the Australian Cup due in less than a month.
Throw in the Blue Diamond Preludes where the juvenile boys and girls try to book a place in the $1M Blue Diamond Stakes to be run in a fortnight and you have the makings for a crackerjack day of racing.
It's the first Group 1 of 2014 with the Orr Stakes at Caulfield and it's backed up by some magnificent support races in both Melbourne and Sydney.
The G2 Expressway Stakes at Randwick sees the likes of Boban, Appearance, Sizzling, Rain Affair, Speediness and Pinwheel back from the spelling paddock.
Meanwhile in Melbourne some quality three-year-olds are kicking off their campaigns with the Australian Guineas just three weeks away. We also see the return of some of our top class weight-for-age stayers with the Australian Cup due in less than a month.
Throw in the Blue Diamond Preludes where the juvenile boys and girls try to book a place in the $1M Blue Diamond Stakes to be run in a fortnight and you have the makings for a crackerjack day of racing.
LOOKING FORWARD
Who's hot?
Queensland based hoop Damian Browne returned from suspension mid-January and has ridden 7 winners from his last 26 rides at a strike rate of almost 27%. That was enough to convince Darley to give him the call-up in the absence of the injured Kerrin McEvoy and so he's off to Melbourne this weekend.
He hasn't ridden a winner for Peter Snowden this season but has landed three placegetters from just four opportunities. Tomorrow he rides Carillo (Race 3 No. 7), Earthquake (Race 5 No. 3) and Mohave (Race 6 No. 1) and he did enjoy good success here during the Spring Carnival.
C.F. Orr Stakes (Group 1, 1400m, w-f-a)
*** Playing God and Sertorius are early scratchings ***
A good horses race. In the last 15 years it's produced winners such as Redoute's Choice, Lonhro, Elvstroem, El Segundo, Maldivian, Typhoon Tracy (twice), Black Caviar and All Too Hard.
Six three-year-olds have won during that period although All Too Hard last year was the first to do so since 2003. 12 of the 15 winners paid $7 or less with the last four favourites all successful. Inside barriers are a plus from the tricky 1400m start here but the small field will offset that to some degree.
Group 1 status and almost a quarter of a million dollars prizemoney for first place is nothing to sneeze at however some of these horses are targeting the Australian Cup at Flemington in March and may not be fully wound up here.
I'm thinking especially of the Waller runners Hawkspur and Foreteller because he doesn't really make a habit of producing winners fresh. Both these runners went fairly first-up last preparation before scoring big wins second-up in the Chelmsford Stakes and Makybe Diva Stakes respectively. I still expect bold showings from both.
Shamus Award is first-up since winning the Cox Plate but there is a precedent to say it can be done. All Too Hard saluted last year after finishing 2nd to Ocean Park in the Plate the previous October. Maldivian did the double in 2008/9. Looked impressive winning an 800m Flemington jump-out last Friday by about four lengths. That was his second hit-out in a fortnight so he's been tuned up for this although his main target is the Australian Guineas at Flemington next month.
The other three-year-old Eurozone commands respect because he's won four from six in Sydney and he was only three lengths behind Zoustar (and just a length and a half adrift of last weekend's Manfred Stakes winner Bull Point) in the Golden Rose (below). He has had the benefit of a gallop the reverse way of going at Caulfield on Tuesday with raceday jockey Damien Oliver aboard. He was the Cummings partnership's first stakes winner back in August and is aiming to provide them with their first G1.
Moment of Change has residual fitness on his side and always seems to run a handy race but he appears to be camera shy of late. Unbeaten here at the 1400m in two attempts including a G1 Rupert Clarke Stakes. Moody and Nolen have combined to win this race three times in the last four years.
Finishing Card appears to be out of his depth.
Locky's Selections
He hasn't ridden a winner for Peter Snowden this season but has landed three placegetters from just four opportunities. Tomorrow he rides Carillo (Race 3 No. 7), Earthquake (Race 5 No. 3) and Mohave (Race 6 No. 1) and he did enjoy good success here during the Spring Carnival.
Caulfield
*** As of 4pm today the track was rated a Dead 4. The forecast is for a hot and sunny day. ***
*** Playing God and Sertorius are early scratchings ***
A good horses race. In the last 15 years it's produced winners such as Redoute's Choice, Lonhro, Elvstroem, El Segundo, Maldivian, Typhoon Tracy (twice), Black Caviar and All Too Hard.
Six three-year-olds have won during that period although All Too Hard last year was the first to do so since 2003. 12 of the 15 winners paid $7 or less with the last four favourites all successful. Inside barriers are a plus from the tricky 1400m start here but the small field will offset that to some degree.
Group 1 status and almost a quarter of a million dollars prizemoney for first place is nothing to sneeze at however some of these horses are targeting the Australian Cup at Flemington in March and may not be fully wound up here.
I'm thinking especially of the Waller runners Hawkspur and Foreteller because he doesn't really make a habit of producing winners fresh. Both these runners went fairly first-up last preparation before scoring big wins second-up in the Chelmsford Stakes and Makybe Diva Stakes respectively. I still expect bold showings from both.
Shamus Award is first-up since winning the Cox Plate but there is a precedent to say it can be done. All Too Hard saluted last year after finishing 2nd to Ocean Park in the Plate the previous October. Maldivian did the double in 2008/9. Looked impressive winning an 800m Flemington jump-out last Friday by about four lengths. That was his second hit-out in a fortnight so he's been tuned up for this although his main target is the Australian Guineas at Flemington next month.
The other three-year-old Eurozone commands respect because he's won four from six in Sydney and he was only three lengths behind Zoustar (and just a length and a half adrift of last weekend's Manfred Stakes winner Bull Point) in the Golden Rose (below). He has had the benefit of a gallop the reverse way of going at Caulfield on Tuesday with raceday jockey Damien Oliver aboard. He was the Cummings partnership's first stakes winner back in August and is aiming to provide them with their first G1.
Moment of Change has residual fitness on his side and always seems to run a handy race but he appears to be camera shy of late. Unbeaten here at the 1400m in two attempts including a G1 Rupert Clarke Stakes. Moody and Nolen have combined to win this race three times in the last four years.
Finishing Card appears to be out of his depth.
Locky's Selections
7 Shamus Award
8 Eurozone
4 Hawkspur
3 Moment of Change
8 Eurozone
4 Hawkspur
3 Moment of Change
Other bets
Polanski (Caulfield Race 3 No. 1) is thrown in here at the set weights plus penalties because in a handicap he'd be giving at least 15kg to this lot. He looked good in a recent 800m trial at Cranbourne where he sat on the speed and finished on the heels of Oakleigh Plate hopefuls Lankan Rupee and Unpretentious. The stable is talking possibly the Futurity Stakes followed by the Australian Guineas so expect him to be a bit more forward in his prep than he was first-up last time in. One from one here at the 1400m. $3.30.
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| Polanski winning the VRC Derby at Flemington in November |
Sizzling (Randwick Race 6 No. 8) has tempted Hugh Bowman to stay in Sydney despite the fact he could easily have ridden both Polanski and Eurozone at Caulfield. He can run a race fresh and a change of stable quite often brings about a change in fortunes. I like the fact that he's drawn the outside in barrier 11 because he's shown in the past he races best when given clear running and they really only have to negotiate only one bend from the 1200m chute start here at Headquarters. Looks to be a race set up for a swooper with Rain Affair, Any Day Will Do, Howmuchdoyouloveme and River Lad sure to run them along at a good clip. $13.
LOOKING BACK
Who's hot?
Teronado (Rosehill Race 1 No. 1) is a horse I've been following as longtime followers of this blog will know. He'll have to give weight to all his opposition and they do have race fitness on their side whereas he is first-up but I think this guy has a touch of class. Being aimed at the Australian Guineas at Flemington in March. Scratched from Brisbane for this. $7.50. 3rd. NPP. Late scratching of the natural leader didn't help. They walked in front and sprinted home. Did well to maintain his spot in the running down the home straight.
Jarklin (Caulfield Race 4 No. 2) placed behind Blue Diamond Preview (F&M) winner Eloping on debut then won at his second start. Followed that with a second to spruik horse Nostradamus. Worth a nibble each-way at $26. 7th. Outclassed.
Ecuador (Rosehill Race 6 No. 8) is a lightly raced four-year-old who looks a good horse in the making. Nine career starts for three wins, five seconds and a sixth beaten a length in an Epsom when he was at the end of his campaign and had probably had enough. Like the fact that he goes straight to the 1400m first-up and that he's had a couple of solid jumpouts in the lead up to this race. $2.20. SCR.
African Pulse (Caulfield Race 7 No. 5) is five from five first-up and has five wins and a second from six attempts at 1000m including two out of two here at The Heath. Has to give weight to a good young horse on the way up but it's worth the gamble at around $4.50. 4th. No excuses.
Mick Kent is in good touch with nine winners from 26 runners in the last three weeks stretching from Moonee Valley to the Yarra Valley, Flemington to Mornington, Werribee to Sale and even Yea. I don't even know where Yea is.
Tomorrow at Caulfield he has Scratchy Bottom (Race 1 No. 4) 1st $4.30 win / $1.70 place and Epingle (Race 8 No. 5) SCR. He also has runners at Kyneton. (Bikini Dancer won the first at $4.90 win / $2.00 place)
Manfred Stakes (Group 3, 1200m, 3-y-o set weights plus penalties)
Tomorrow at Caulfield he has Scratchy Bottom (Race 1 No. 4) 1st $4.30 win / $1.70 place and Epingle (Race 8 No. 5) SCR. He also has runners at Kyneton. (Bikini Dancer won the first at $4.90 win / $2.00 place)
Caulfield
Bull Point looked good and the second horse Worth a Ransom ran out of his skin and has obviously improved since being gelded. The Quarterback was the real eye-catcher and it may pay to watch him come Guineas time. Prince Harada needs to lift on that.
Locky's Selections
4 Bull Point (1st)
5 Prince Harada (4th)
6 Monkstone (8th)
7 Hard Stride (7th)
5 Prince Harada (4th)
6 Monkstone (8th)
7 Hard Stride (7th)
Other bets
Teronado (Rosehill Race 1 No. 1) is a horse I've been following as longtime followers of this blog will know. He'll have to give weight to all his opposition and they do have race fitness on their side whereas he is first-up but I think this guy has a touch of class. Being aimed at the Australian Guineas at Flemington in March. Scratched from Brisbane for this. $7.50. 3rd. NPP. Late scratching of the natural leader didn't help. They walked in front and sprinted home. Did well to maintain his spot in the running down the home straight.
Jarklin (Caulfield Race 4 No. 2) placed behind Blue Diamond Preview (F&M) winner Eloping on debut then won at his second start. Followed that with a second to spruik horse Nostradamus. Worth a nibble each-way at $26. 7th. Outclassed.
Ecuador (Rosehill Race 6 No. 8) is a lightly raced four-year-old who looks a good horse in the making. Nine career starts for three wins, five seconds and a sixth beaten a length in an Epsom when he was at the end of his campaign and had probably had enough. Like the fact that he goes straight to the 1400m first-up and that he's had a couple of solid jumpouts in the lead up to this race. $2.20. SCR.
African Pulse (Caulfield Race 7 No. 5) is five from five first-up and has five wins and a second from six attempts at 1000m including two out of two here at The Heath. Has to give weight to a good young horse on the way up but it's worth the gamble at around $4.50. 4th. No excuses.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
I think I smell petrol.
- Niki Lauda, German Grand Prix, 1976
- Niki Lauda, German Grand Prix, 1976
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