Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
G1 Newmarket H. - Imperatriz takes on Black Caviar history
It has been well-documented in the leadup to this historic (a race first contested in 1874) dash down the Flemington straight that Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) needs to draw on Black Caviar (Bel Esprit) type speed and strength to claim this race with the same weight - 58kg - that the unbeaten superstar carried to victory in 2011.
Whilst not suggesting that Imperatriz is another Black Caviar (she is after all one in a million!) it is interesting to compare their careers at the same stage.
On Saturday Imperatriz lines up for her 25th start - the same number of runs Black Caviar had in total. She has won 18 races, half of those at Group 1 level. She has raced twice at Flemington for wins in the G1 Lightning S. and the G1 Champions Sprint. She has raced nine times over the 1200 metres - seven wins, five of those in Group 1 company.
Imperatriz | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Into her sixth racing campaign, Imperatriz is second-up from a break having won the Lightning (by a long neck) three weeks ago.
Black Caviar had just nine starts under her belt when she contested the 2011 Newmarket. She too was second-up off a Lightning victory, a race in which she proved 3.25l too good for Hay List (Statue Of Liberty {USA}).
She'd had four previous starts at Flemington and seven over 1200 metres. It was her first ever run in a handicap whilst Imperatriz has raced once under those conditions - defeating Dragon Leap (Pierro) in a non-stakes contest at the start of her 2022 spring campaign; that triple Group 2 winner carrying 5kg less than her 60kg.
Black Caviar jumped from barrier seven of 11 in the Newmarket, Imperatriz has drawn three of 13.
Black Caviar | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
There was a slightly bigger spread in the weights when Black Caviar won; second home being Crystal Lily (Stratum) with 50kg whilst this year's bottom weight on 51.5kg is Cylinder (Exceed And Excel).
Black Caviar had 3kg more than her nearest weighted rival - the unplaced Eagle Falls (Hussonet {USA}) on 55kg whilst Imperatriz carries 2.5kg more than Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) and Buenos Noches (Supido).
Black Caviar defeated four horses who had already won at Group 1 level - Crystal Lily, Response (Charge Forward), Star Witness and Eagle Falls and Imperatriz takes on the same number... Bella Nipotina, Magic Time (Hellbent), Ruthless Dame (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) and her stablemate Skew Wiff (NZ) (Savabeel).
Whichever way we look at it, we will be witnessing history being tackled on Saturday - bring it on!
G1 Randwick Guineas - Militarize back to his own age
Favourite Militarize (NZ) (Dundeel {NZ}) is out to create a bit of breeding history on Saturday, the G1 Randwick Guineas never before won by a horse whose sire already won it - and Dundeel (NZ) was first across the line in this race in 2013.
His sireline has a good record in this race - Dundeel's high-achieving sire High Chaparral (Ire) also grandsire of the 2021 winner Lion's Roar (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}) and the 2017 winner Inference (So You Think {NZ}) - and sire of the 2010 winner Shoot Out.
Dundeel is also represented by Celestial Legend who comes off a dominant victory in the G2 Hobartville S. and Fukubana who boxed on well four fourth in that same race.
Gallery: Militarize (NZ) is out to create breeding history as the G1 Randwick Guineas has never before been won by a horse whose sire already won it
A race which has been a good guide to the Randwick Guineas; the double taken out on five occasions since 2011... by The Autumn Sun, Kementari (Lonhro), Hallowed Crown, Dissident and Ilovethiscity whilst another seven winners in that time ran in the Hobartville at their previous start.
As did another six horses lining up this Saturday including Encap (Capitalist) who was a brave second off a wide run, Les Vampires (Pierro) who was game on pace third and Tom Kitten (Harry Angel {Ire}) who did not have a great deal of luck finishing fifth.
Militarize meanwhile comes through the G2 Apollo S. in which he took on the older horses and what a form line that is - he finished off gamely to split Fangirl (Sebring) and Think It Over (So You Think {NZ}) who, in the other order, went on to quinella last weekend's G1 Verry Elleegant S.
G1 Canterbury S. - Think About it odds-on
Group 1 form from Sydney and Melbourne converge in this Group 1 weight-for-age sprint first run in 1929 and won by such outstanding gallopers as Amounis (Magpie {GB}), Chatham, Beau Vite (NZ), Shannon, Sky High, Manikato (Manihi), Emancipation (Bletchingly), Placid Ark (Arkenstone), Shogun Lodge (Grand Lodge {USA}), More Joyous (NZ) (More Than Ready {USA}) and Pierro.
Odds-on to add this race to his impressive resume is Think About It who, on the back of good trial form, looks set for another big year having, in 2023 won the G1 Kingsford-Smith Cup, the G1 Stradbroke H. and The Everest.
Other runners have the benefit of a run or two under their belt with his main danger being Espiona (Extreme Choice) who skips the G1 Newmarket H. to run in this after her eye-catching, fast finishing G1 Lightning S. third first-up.
Think About It remains the one to beat in the G1 Canterbury S. | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Off a similar fresh performance last time in, Espiona bolted in with the G2 Golden Pendant in which she defeated last weekend's G2 Blamey S. winner Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel).
Pericles (Street Boss {USA}) also has a nice form line having been good to the line at his two runs this campaign - a G1 CF Orr S. sixth and a G1 Futurity S. second, both times behind current weight-for-age star Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars).
Lady Laguna (Overshare) meanwhile has been up for a while and just keeps racing well, winning three in a row including the G3 Southern Cross S. before a game second to Zougotcha (Zoustar) in the G2 Millie Fox S.
Think About It does however remain the one to beat and whilst others may have a fitness edge his first-up form is impeccable - four starts, four wins... a Kembla Grange maiden at debut, a Warwick Farm BM72, the Listed Takeover Target S. and - last spring, the G2 Premiere S.
The Todman S. - the Slipper-bound boys
What a race this is with the second, third, fourth and fifth favourites behind Storm Boy (Justify {USA}) for the G1 Golden Slipper S. tacking each other on.
One of the horses most discussed in regards to being Storm Boy's main threat is here - the boom colt Switzerland (Snitzel) vying to remain undefeated on the back of his first two determined victories.
Whilst he is yet to be proven at stakes level, Straight Charge (Written By) comes off a dominant all-the-way victory in the G2 Silver Slipper S. and from barrier one he looks set to again be leading the charge.
Espionage (Zoustar) is the other horse high up in Slipper betting and it is hard to split him and Straight Charge. He beat that horse in the G3 Breeders Plate last spring and was second to him a couple of weeks ago.
Gallery: Contenders for the G1 Golden Slipper S. tacking each other on
Shangri La Express (Alabama Express) won his first two before running into Switzerland last start; game in defeat considering that he got a bit stirred up before the race.
And so, this is a race likely to have a major effect on the Slipper with its winner vying to become the seventh horse to claim the double.
The six to have done so are by Luskin Star in 1977, Marauding (NZ) in 1987, Tierce in 1991, Pierro in 2012, Vancouver in 2015 and Farnan four years ago.
Last year's winner Cylinder ran second in the Golden Slipper as did the 2021 winner Anamoe.
Adding interest to the race are a couple of debutants coming off trial seconds - Full Metal Jacket (Capitalist) and Verlander (Written Tycoon). The former was a $26,000 Inglis May Yearling Sale purchase from the family of the 2010 Slipper winner Crystal Lily whilst the latter is a $220,000 Inglis Easter graduate whose third dam is the runaway G1 Adelaide Cup winner Demerger (Saithor {US}).
The Reisling S. - the Slipper bound fillies
The Waterhouse/Bott training duo seek to further their domination of this season's feature juvenile races continue as they saddle up this race's favourite, the $1 million Magic Millions graduate Too Darn Lizzie (Too Darn Hot {GB}).
Racing in the same pink and grey colours as Too Darn Hot's (GB) owner/breeders, Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber's Watership Down Stud, she attracted attention at the sales being the the most expensive yearling by a first-season sire sold at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale since 2015.
Currently quoted at 50-1 for the G1 Golden Slipper S. in two weeks' time, the mid-January Gold Coast debut winner out of the G2 Blue Diamond Prelude-winning and G1 Blue Diamond S. runner-up Enbihaar (Magnus) has drawn (barrier three) to make the most of her natural pace.
Too Darn Lizzie | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Away from the favourite this is an even field with chances going to Erno's Cube (Rubick) who brings Storm Boy and Straight Charge form to the race, Extreme Diva (Extreme Choice) who keeps racing well, Reasonable Point (Blue Point {Ire}) who ran on well at his debut in the Listed Talindert S. at Flemington and Silmarillion (another Too Darn Hot {GB}) who was a fast finisher at his first start at Canterbury.
The last time the winner of this race went onto Golden Slipper glory was 2018 - Estijaab (Snitzel) one of the seven fillies to take out the double; the others being Hartshill (My Heart {Ire}) in 1974, Burst (Marauding {NZ}) in 1992, Merlene (Danehill {USA}) in 1996, Belle Du Jour (Dehere {USA}) in 2000, Polar Success (Success Express {USA}) in 2003 and Overreach (Exceed And Excel) in 2013.
The Sistema S. - Group 1 juvenile action in New Zealand
The best of New Zealand's juveniles take each other on in the G1 Sistema S. at Ellerslie and it is going to be exciting to see if the Australian-bred Captured By Love (Written Tycoon) can remain undefeated.
Described by co-trainer Mark Walker as a filly "with star qualities," she has gone from strength to strength since her winning debut at Tauherenikau in mid-November, a few weeks later winning the G2 Challenge S., freshened before a G3 Taranaki 2YO Classic victory then finding plenty to take out the G1 Matamata Breeders S.
A filly who makes her own luck on pace, Captured By Love vies to become the second juvenile Written Tycoon Group 1 winner in New Zealand with Luna Rossa (NZ) having been successful in the 2016 G1 Manawatu Sires' Produce S.
She faces stiff competition on Saturday with one of her major dangers being another Written Tycoon filly in Velocious (who like Captured By Love is out of a Snitzel mare) who has been kept up to the mark with a trial victory since her dominant R. Listed Karaka Millions success.
Gallery: Two strong contenders for the G1 Sistema S.
Also bred on this Written Tycoon/Redoute's Choice cross is Foreverintime who faces the starter for just the second time having recorded a smart debut victory at Ellerslie a couple of weeks ago.
Another coming off a strong win is Savaglee (NZ) (Savabeel) who attempts to become the third Savabeel winner of this race after Cool Aza Beel (NZ) in 2020 and Sword Of Osman (NZ) in 2018.
The Sistema S. is part of a strong Ellerslie card which also sees the running of G1 Bonecrusher New Zealand S. in which the terrific mare Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) is a short-priced favourite and the G2 Auckland Cup in which there are a number of chances including the G2 Avondale Cup trifecta of Asterix (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), Dionysus (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) and Good Oil (NZ) (Dalghar {Fr}), the class performer Prise De Fer (NZ) (Savabeel) and the up-and-comers Trust In You (NZ) (Sweynesse) and Mark Twain (NZ) (Shocking).
