Thursday 17 April 2014

The Championships Day 2 Royal Randwick

Hello & welcome to all my readers, Over the last year I have grown more interested in racing down under with the help of +At The Races who show Australian racing in the early hours every morning. So when taking an early look at last year's Melbourne Cup I stumbled across former German Derby winner Waldpark & was immediately drawn to him for the race so after writing a few pieces on him I was lucky enough due to the reach of Twitter to start chatting to one of his part owners who kept me updated it gave me a real interest in the horse on the lead up to 'The Race That Stops A Nation' unfortunately he was badly injured in last season's Caulfield Cup, thankfully the horse has made a full recovery as this photo that was posted on Twitter earlier in the week (see below) shows so hopefully he can attempt to make the Cup this year.


Since then I have focused more on the other top races in Australia of which there are many with the help of @calumswanlaw & @Marcinoz1 (Australian experts), most recently I have been focused on the build up to the last 2 weeks with the inaugural running of The Championships run at Royal Randwick which is only 5km away from the heart of Sydney. Last Saturday saw the first day's competition on a Heavy track after a lot of rain, the star of the show was Lankan Rupee who since being gelded has not looked back & on ground that did not suit simply blew his rivals away in The TJ Smith Stakes he is now rated the top sprinter in the world (see video below), he beat old Gordon Lord Byron who finished an honourable 6th (2 weeks earlier he had won the George Ryder Stakes Group 1 at Rosehill on his Australian debut).


The other standout performance on the day was by a human, that of trainer Chris Waller who trained the 1-2-3-4 in the big race of the first day of The Championships; The Doncaster Mile Group 1, the win went to Sacred Falls who was gaining back to back wins in the event, 2nd was the mare Royal Descent, 3rd Weary or better known over here as Sir Patrick Moore (seen below as a 2yo with Harry Dunlop)


who ran a mighty race on only his 4th Australian start (the week before he had won The Doncaster Prelude Group 3) & in 4th was Hawkspur. It was an incredible training performance in such a top race (see the video of the race below). In its first year The Championships has attracted horses from New Zealand, Japan & Ireland. It looks a fabulous event & the prize money is fantastic, I can see the new breed of young upwardly mobile UK trainers aiming horses at it in the next few years especially as so many of our new trainers have worked in Australia, at this time of year there is not much in the UK & with Dubai finishing at the end of March it sits well in the International calendar.


In the early hours of Saturday morning the 2nd day of The Championships can be seen on +At The Races with the big 3 races being The Sydney Cup Group 1, The Australian Oaks Group 1 & The Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes Group 1. 
There is a Royal presence in the main event The Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes Group 1 (07:25am UK Time) as The Queen's former Derby third Carlton House tries to gain his first Group 1 win & his first win in Australia, on his most recent start he was 2nd to the top New Zealand mare Silent Achiever (who re-opposes tomorrow)


since transferring to Australia he has become a frontrunner, in the Ranvert he was clear in the straight only for his suspect stamina to ebb away as the big Kiwi mare strode by, it was by far his best run down under, since that race he has finished 4th in a Barrier trial at Randwick. He just is not quite up to Group 1 company for all I liked the horse in the UK (had a huge Ante Post bet on for the Derby), the ground is the other stumbling block as it is currently heavy at Randwick & his best form has come on a sound surface, at his current odds he is opposable.

Chief threat amongst the opposition is Carlton House's Ranvert conqueror the top class Kiwi mare Silent Achiever who has been in rude health this year winning her last 4 starts (the last 3 at Group 1 level) at Ellerslie & twice at Rosehill, she is a former New Zealand Derby winner & acts on any ground. She must have an excellent chance of getting the 5 timer up as the old adage goes 'don't bet against a filly in form'.


Another Kiwi raider is the classy It's A Dundeel who has looked devoid of pace on his last few starts finishing in behind his fellow Kiwi Silent Achiever, last year he won the Underwood Group 1 to end the winning streak of the previously unbeaten Atlantic Jewel. I doubt heavy ground is really his bag though.


Scared Falls last weekend's Doncaster Mile winner (see photo) steps back into the fray over a trip further than his best, last week appeared to be his aim so he is passed over. 


Two of his stablemates who finished behind him last week re-oppose in the shape of the mare Royal Descent & Hawkspur; Royal Descent is a former Australian Oaks winner over this course on Heavy ground last year so after last week's excellent 2nd (see photo above) over shorter she must be in the shake up under Damien Oliver.

Hawkspur finished 4th last week which was also a great run as he is better over further, as he showed when winning the Queensland Derby at Eagle Farm last year, he has some form on Heavy including last week but I do wonder if its what he really wants so he is another I will pass over after previously having him on my short list.


Two more stablemates of Sacred Falls takes their chances in the shape of Boban & My Kingdom Of Fife; Boban is better known as a 7 furlong / mile horse so it is strange that he is running in this & not last weeks Doncaster, he was 7th behind Gordon Lord Byron last time & before that had won the Chipping Norton Group 1 at Warwick Farm, I can't see him staying or handling the ground. 


My Kingdom Of Fife (formerly Kingdom Of Fife in the UK) is a former winner of this race back in 2011 on Heavy when he was at his pomp but injury curtailed him for 2 years until he reappeared just under a month ago, he has had 3 quick runs & has shown very little.  


Former Melbourne Cup winner Green Moon bounced back to form behind the now 
injured Fiorente, he has proved effective at this trip however the ground is likely to prove an issue as he has shown very little form on it in England or Australia.


   Toydini is another sprinter / 7 furlong horse stepping up in distance, on form he is a long way below his rivals & faces a huge task on ground that will not suit.


Le Roi is a useful handicapper on good - good to soft ground but each time he has tried the best company he has been well beaten so he stands little chance tomorrow in this top class race.


Dear Demi is a very useful mare who's biggest win to date was The Crown Oaks at Flemington in 2012, her best run of last year was a close 2nd to Side Glance in the Mackinnon Group 1, she was well fancied by connections for the Melbourne Cup but finished a disappointing 19th, she has shown very little this year, infact she was last in last week's Doncaster Mile Group 1. She was easily beaten by Royal Descent in last seasons Australian Oaks on this card so has work to do with her.


A cracking Group 1 as you would expect for the money & the prestige, I think the finish can be fought out between 2 mares, The in-form Silent Achiever & Royal Descent who bounced right back to form last week. 
Its hard for me to oppose the big Kiwi mare but I think she might be hard pressed to hold off Royal Descent 7/1 BET365 / WILLIAM HILL at a course she goes well at.

The Sydney Cup Group 1 (06:45am UK Time) looks likely to head to the Gai Waterhouse stable courtesy of the much improved The Offer (formerly known as Offer in Ireland (best run 3rd Curragh Cup Group 3 2012) who has hacked up on his last 2 starts including in the Chairman's Handicap last weekend.
Also in opposition is last year's runaway Irish St Leger winner Voleuse De Coeurs, last year's Duke Of Edinburgh Handicap winner Opinion, Brigantin ex Andre Fabre & a horse I backed last weekend (2nd Australian Derby Group 1) stepping up in trip Tupac Amaru, he looked in need of the full 1m4f & further so he is interesting for Kerrin McEvoy.

Also on the undercard I like Oakleigh Girl (see photo below) in The Girvan Waugh Royal Randwick Stakes Group 3 (04:20am UK Time) who shaped really well in the richest 2 year old race in the world the Golden Slipper last time, I first saw her win the first race on Melbourne Cup Day last year, she is very speedy & should beat these.


@fttfracing



     

    
        


    
   
       

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