Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
G1 Australian Guineas - a stallion's race with a gelding as favourite
Of the 18 G1 Australian Guineas winners to have ended up standing at stud, all but one have sired stakes winners whilst seven - Military Plume (NZ), Zabeel (NZ), Flying Spur, Pins, Reset, Al Maher and Shamus Award - have been represented by Group 1 winners.
Another stallion could be added to that list with Yulong's Grunt (NZ) vying for his first elite-level winner with Veight a leading contender on the back of his game G1 CF Orr S. fourth against the older horses... Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) already holding up that form.
Veight, the second favourite for the G1 Australian Guineas at Flemington | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Just one other Australian Guineas winner has a runner with the exciting visitor Quintessa (NZ) being a daughter of Shamus Award who won the Australian Guineas five months after becoming the only maiden to win the G1 WS Cox Plate.
Quintessa is one of the three fillies taking on the boys with the other two rank outsiders. There have been five female winners of this race - Triscay (Marscay) in 1991, Miss Finland (Redoute's Choice) in 2007, Shamrocker (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}) in 2011, Mosheen (Fastnet Rock) in 2012 and Mystic Journey (Needs Further) in 2019.
Of the four of those to have runners of racing age, three have produced stakes winners - Triscay the dam of G1 The Galaxy winner La Baraka (Euclase) and the G2 Gloaming S. winner Tsuimai, Miss Finland dam of the G1 Thousand Guineas heroine Stay With Me (Street Cry {Ire}) and Mosheen dam of the Group 1-placed, dual Group 3 winner Primo Scene (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and the Listed winner Danon Ayers Rock (Jpn).
Studmasters will be keeping a close eye on this race as always and there are several colts of interest such as King Colorado (Kingman {GB}) from the prolific Fall Aspen (USA) (Pretense {USA}) family, the $1.4 million Inglis Easter purchase Cap Ferrat (Snitzel) from the family of Makybe Diva (GB) (Desert King {Ire}), The Pendragon (NZ) (U S Navy Flag {USA}) from a family which has produced the successful stallion Green Dancer (USA) and Southport Tycoon (Written Tycoon) who hails from the same branch of the La Troienne (Fr) (Teddy {Fr}) family as Artorius.
Riff Rocket, the current favourite for the G1 Australian Guineas at Flemington | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
Or could a gelding take the prize as did Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) in 2020 and Hey Doc (Duporth) in 2017. Favourite Riff Rocket (American Pharoah {USA}) is gelded as is the talented Perth visitor Zipaway (Playing God) and the promising Otago (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}).
G1 Verry Elleegant S. - a timely renaming
Whilst there is some controversy regarding the recent renaming of this race - run from 1925 as the Chipping Norton S. - it is now a nice tribute for a horse so sadly lost to us.
It is a race with an outstanding honour roll, won by such wonderful gallopers as Phar Lap (NZ) (Night Raid {GB}), Bernborough, Tulloch (NZ), Emancipation (Bletchingly), Super Impose (NZ) (Imposing), Octagonal (NZ), Tie The Knot (Nassipour {USA}), Lonhro, Winx (Street Cry {Ire}), Anamoe and on two occasions - in 2021 and 2022 - by Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) herself.
Courtesy of the two great mares he trained and a few of other smart ones, Chris Waller boasts a great record in this race - taking home the trophy 10 times since 2011.
He saddles up three of the nine runners on Saturday including the odds-on favourite Fangirl (Sebring) coming off her barnstorming first-up victory in the G2 Apollo S. Her second-up form may not be a stunning as her fresh form, but it is still pretty good, and it may be as a summer 5-year-old that she has come up better than ever.
Fangirl, the current favourite for the G1 Verry Elleegant S. at Randwick | Image courtesy of Sportpix
She is an Ingham family horse and they too boast a good record in this race courtesy of Winx's four wins between 2016 and 2019 and the wins by father and son Octagonal and Lonhro in 1997 and 2003.
James McDonald is again aboard Fangirl - he has been on her on six occasions and just the one defeat. He too loves this race, winning it four times including the last three on Verry Elleegant and Anamoe.
Such is Fangirl's domination of this race that only two other horses are quoted at single-figure odds - Think It Over (So You Think {NZ}) who was third behind her in the Apollo and Just Fine (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) who has been trialling nicely in preparation for his return.
G1 Surround S. - classy fillies
One of Australia's biggest races for the 3-year-old fillies - and named in honour of arguably the very best of that age and gender (the only filly to win the G1 WS Cox Plate) - the G1 Surround S. sees 12 classy girls vying for glory.
The G2 Light Fingers S. won by Kimochi (Brave Smash {Jpn}) is a major form reference, one which has provided six winners of this race. Office (Metal Precieux {Ire}) won both races in 1992, Skating (At Talaq {USA}) in 1993, Staging (Success Express {USA}) in 1998, Gold Edition (Lion Hunter) in 2007, More Joyous (NZ) (More Than Ready {USA}) in 2010 and most recently Nakeeta Jane (So You Think {NZ}) in 2019.
Seven of the fillies defeated by Kimochi in the race two weeks ago again take her on - including those who were second, third, fourth and sixth home... Learning To Fly (Justify {USA}), Kristilli (Hellbent), Stefi Magnetica (All Too Hard) and Tiz Invincible (I Am Invincible).
Learning To Fly and Tiz Invincible have both drawn better gates than they did in that race - whilst Kristilli was brave off a wide run... as was Stefi Magnetica who found early trouble.
Learning To Fly, the current favourite for the G1 Surround S. at Randwick | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Adding interest are several classy types resuming, including the G1 Flight S. winner Tropical Squall (Prized Icon), the G1 VRC Oaks heroine Zardozi (Kingman {GB}) and the Listed Desirable S. winner Roll On High (Shamus Award).
It is always interesting to look at feature fillies’ races from a long-term perspective... what have Surround winners gone on to do at stud?
First run in 1979, the race has been won by 39 fillies who have had at least one foal of racing age - 22 of those have produced stakes winners whilst another five foaled stakes-placed winners and three are the grandams of stakes winners including Parables (Lonhro) whose grandson Daumier won the 2022 G1 Blue Diamond S.
Five Surround winners have produced Group 1 horses - La Caissiere (Luskin Star) the dam of the dual Group 1 winner Dashing Eagle who also won this race (producing a Listed winner in South Africa), Khaptivaan (Adraan {GB}) dam of the G1 Oakleigh Plate winner Khaptingly (Bletchingly), So Keen (NZ) (Jade Hunter {USA}) dam of the dual Group 1 winner Keeninsky (NZ), Staging (Success Express {USA}) dam of the Group 1 gallopers Duporth and Excites and Savannah Success (Success Express {USA}) dam of the G1 WS Cox Plate-winning Champion Sire Savabeel.
G1 NZ Derby - Australian-bound filly odds-on
A race with a varied history - one which has two origins in the 1800s with the New Zealand Derby first run at Riccarton in 1860 combined with Ellerslie's Great Northern Derby (first run in 1875) in 1973.
In 1973 it was run in May and has since been run on New Year's Day and Boxing Day and then, in 2006 to March.
The race's most successful trainer Roger James has a chance to further enhance his impressive record of five New Zealand Derby wins - saddling up, along with co-trainer Robert Wellwood, the in-form Orchestral (NZ) (Savabeel) who has won her last three including the G2 Avondale Guineas in which she was dominant putting 4l on her rivals.
Orchestral (NZ), the current favourite for the G1 NZ Derby at Ellerslie | Image courtesy of Race Images, Kenton Wright
The G1 Vinery S.-bound filly vies to become the first filly to win the Derby since Habibi (NZ) (Ekraar {USA}) in 2013 - and she is an odds-on favourite to do that.
Leaving only a couple of other horses in the market with the second favourite being Interlinked (NZ) (also by Savabeel who has sired a number of Derby winners in Australia but is yet to have a winner in this version) who ran on well when third in the Avondale Guineas.
Trained at Cranbourne by the New Zealanders Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, he seeks to become the first horse to successfully head over from Australia to win this race since Bede Murray won with Coniston Bluebird (Scenic {Ire}) in 2009.
It is another son of Savabeel who looks to be one of the major threats to the favourite - Ascend The Throne (NZ) still a bit green in the Avondale Guineas but good to the line finishing fourth at just his fifth outing.
G2 Skyline S. - all eyes on Storm Boy
All eyes are on the G1 Golden Slipper S. favourite Storm Boy (Justify {USA}) who has bolted in with a Rosehill trial since his breathtaking R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic victory.
He aims to become the sixth horse to win this race and the Slipper, the double last taken out in 2004 by the Gai Waterhouse-trained Dance Hero (Danzero) 20 years ago.
But it has not been that long since the race provided the Slipper winner - Shinzo (Snitzel) second last year.
Others with their names on both honour rolls are Prowl (Marauding {NZ}) in 1998, Guineas (Crown Jester) in 1997, Star Watch in 1988 and Sir Dapper in 1983.
Storm Boy, the current favourite for the G2 Skyline S. at Randwick | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Just three of Storm Boy's eight rivals are already winners - his stablemate and second favourite Prost (a Snitzel three-quarter brother to Shinzo) taking out the G3 Canonbury S., Odinson (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) winning the R. Listed Inglis Nursery in December whilst Parkour (Extreme Choice) was successful at Randwick in late December.
Gai Waterhouse has a good record in the race - with Adrian Bott claiming victory with Santos in 2018, also cheering on Valentia in 2041, Manhattan Rain in 2009, Dance Hero (Danzero) in 2004.
Storm Boy's in-form jockey James McDonald also knows how to win this race, successful aboard Microphone in 2019 and Exosphere in 2015.
G2 Sweet Embrace S. - fillies seeking a Slipper place
Named after the 1967 G1 Golden Slipper S. winner Sweet Embrace (Todman) - granddaughter of Jack and Bob Ingham's first broodmare Valiant Rose (Valiant Chief) - this 2-year-old fillies' contest gives its winner a berth straight into the Golden Slipper.
And four of its winners have completed the double - Dark Eclipse (Baguette) in 1980 - the race's second running - Ha Ha (Danehill {USA}) in 2001, Crystal Lily (Stratum) in 2010 and Fireburn (Rebel Dane) two years ago.
As a $650,000 Magic Millions graduate, Chateau Miraval (Zousain) is the most expensive yearling lining up in this race on Saturday. The half-sister to the G2 Furious S. winner North Star Lass (Zoustar) is one of the two daughters of Widden Stud's Zousain tackling this race.
The other being Zounaka who debuts off a Gosford trial victory.
Manaal, the current favourite for the G2 Sweet Embrace S. at Randwick | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Also by first-season sires are Manaal (Tassort) who was a strong-finishing second behind the subsequent G1 Blue Diamond S. runner-up Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon) in the G3 Widden S., Totoka (Brutal {NZ}) who got through traffic to win at Canterbury first-up and Wave Breaker (Pierata) who was a solid third in the Widden.
Manaal is the favourite for the race with other chances going to Castanya (Capitalist) who was second to Switzerland (Snitzel) at debut before taking out the Listed Lonhro Plate as well as Fly Fly (Trapeze Artist) and Extreme Diva (Extreme Choice) who have both had unlucky runs behind Switzerland.
