With the racing season set to end next Wednesday, Saturday sees the final black-type racing in Australia and New Zealand for 2018/19, with stakes races at Caulfield, Rosehill, Morphettville and Otaki.
Sesar on the way up
Caulfield, G3 The Big Screen Company Bletchingly S. 1200m, $160,000
The Bletchingly S. at Caulfield represents the final Group race on the calendar, and while Group 1 winning filly Mystic Journey (Needs Further) will bypass the race, there is still a solid off-season field headed by promising 3-year-old Sesar (Sebring).
A winner of the G2 Roman Consul S. last spring when trained by Steven O'Dea, the Aquis Farm owned colt resumed with a convincing win in his first start for Team Hawkes at Randwick last time out.
He is headed towards the G1 Memsie S. this campaign, with the $7.5m Golden Eagle also possibly on his agenda later in the spring. This race looms as a good stepping stone as he seeks to build a resume which could see him join Aquis' burgeoning stallion roster in the coming years.
A winner of three of his eight starts, this is his first time the Melbourne way of going, which may present something of a query. The probability of a wet track is not a concern, having won two of his three starts on heavy.
His main rival appears to be the veteran sprinter Jungle Edge (Dubawi {Ire}), who he beat by 3.6l at Randwick, but who has fitness and a weight swing on his side.
The rising 9-year-old has been racing in great heart this campaign and will no doubt give Sesar something to chase down late. He was third in this race last year behind top class sprinters Vega Magic (Lope de Vega {Ire}) and Voodoo Lad (I Am Invincible).
Jungle Edge
Four-time stakes winner Cliff's Edge (Canford Cliffs {Ire}) resumes for new trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace and does boast a good record at this track with four wins, as well as a perfect three from three over the 1100m.
Group 1 winner Scales of Justice (Not A Single Doubt) also resumes, but will probably need the run, while Bandipur (Commands) was a touch disappointing last time in the G3 Sir John Monash S. which was his first start for his new trainer Richard Laming. He does have a strong record at Caulfield.
Winning farewell for Eckstein?
Rosehill, Listed Maldives Travel Connection Winter Challenge Handicap, 1500m, $150,000
Eckstein (I Am Invincible) is aiming to end her racing career on a high with a second successive stakes win in the Listed Winter Challenge.
She collected a valuable fifth stakes success and the first for her new owners at Coolmore when she won the Listed Winter S. at Rosehill last time out.
This is likely to be her final run before a date with Justify (USA) in the next couple of months and if she can repeat her last-start performance, she is in with a strong chance of ending things on a winning note.
Import Take It Intern (Ire) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) has been runner-up at stakes level his past two starts and gets his chance for an Australian black-type success here. Last seen when narrowly beaten in the Listed Mumm S. at Eagle Farm last month, he has since had a trial victory to prepare for this.
They will be both chasing down Cradle Mountain (West Quest {Can}), who was just nabbed late by Eckstein and co over the 1400m last time out, when fourth. He has never been out to the 1500m before but should get a relatively soft lead and be given every chance to see out the extra distance.
Stampede (High Chaparral {Ire}) is the other likely leader, although he looked a little flat on resumption. He does, however, have an inside barrier, so even if Nash Rawiller doesn’t get the 6-year-old to the front, he should be prominently positioned.
Godolphin's Gaulois (Street Cry {Ire}), just beaten by Eckstein last time, will be one of those charging home late, while others with a chance include Seaway (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) and Nicci's Gold (Nicconi).
3YOs clash in Adelaide
Morphettville, Listed TAB Lightning S. 1050m, $100,000
G1 The Goodwood runner-up Behemoth (All Too Hard) resumes in what looks a battle of two very promising 3-year-olds in the traditional black-type season-closer, the Listed Lightning S. at Morphettville.
David Jolly's lightly raced gelding made terrific progress last time in, finishing close-up in a pair of Listed races before peaking in the Group 1 sprint where he was narrowly, and some say unluckily outpointed by Despatch (Written Tycoon).
While that wasn't the strongest Group 1, it is still a good recommendation for this, especially off his recent Murray Bridge trial win which showed him in the right condition to shine first-up.
Assertive Approach (Akeed Mofeed) looks the one who can threaten him. He has only had two starts, but he streeted a midweek field at Sandown last time out and has reportedly taken substantial improvement since.
He certainly looks a stakes-quality horse and he is likely to be the one at the front making his own luck, while Behemoth searches for a run in behind.
2-year-old Excess Funds (Rubick) looked to have taken a big leap forward in his break when resuming with a 2.25l win against his own age at Sandown last time out. This is a step up, but he does get a 5kg weight advantage.
Juvenile black-type on offer
Otaki, Listed Courtesy Ford Ryder S., 1200m, $50,000
The Listed Courtesy Ford Ryder S. bring stakes racing to a close in New Zealand with the 2-year-olds looking for some black type to take into their 3-year-old year.
London Bound (NZ) (Proisir) was a seven-length winner on debut for trainer Clayton Chipperfield at Te Rapa last time out and a repeat of that performance on a similarly heavy track at Otaki should see her hard to hold out.
Flaunting (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}) was second that day having started favourite and she is again in the market here despite a comprehensive defeat that day.
Sai Fah (NZ) (Rios {NZ}) was also a big margin last-start Te Rapa winner, and backs up seven days after that 6.5l success over the 1100m. He carries the fitness edge with this his fifth run of the campaign.
Vibrato (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) looks a promising type for Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, winning easily at Arawa Park five weeks ago, but the gap between runs is a slight query.
