Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
The G1 Thousand Guineas - fab fillies
Chris Waller has been enjoying a good recent run in this race, last year cheering home Joliestar (Zoustar) and the year before Madame Pommery (No Nay Never {USA}); making it three wins in the Classic he also took out in 2014 with Amicus (Fastnet Rock) whose son Okita Soushi (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was a gallant third in the G1 Melbourne Cup.
He looks a top chance to add another Thousand Guineas trophy to his cabinet, saddling up the favourite Aeliana (NZ) (Castelvecchio) who seeks to add to the recent good form being enjoyed by the progeny of her young Arrowfield Stud-based sire.
And she has the services of the hot, hot, hot James McDonald who is also seeking a third Thousand Guineas win in a row.
Castelvecchio is also represented by the promising Double Market who went from a debut maiden victory at Ballarat to Group 2 success on W.S Cox Plate Day. She is a member of the Lindsay Park stable who will be on a Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) high. Success in this race is a bit of a Hayes tradition with the latest family win recorded by Stay With Me (Street Cry {Ire}) for David, Ben and Tom Dabernig in 2015.
Aeliana (NZ), the current favourite for the G1 Thousand Guineas at Caulfield | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott teamed up in 2016 to win with Global Glamour (Star Witness) and whilst both of their fillies this year are double-figure odds, they both have credentials; Too Darn Lizzie (Too Darn Hot {GB}) and Dominetta (Zoustar) looking nicely primed for the mile.
James Cummings is another to have already won this race; in 2019 with Flit (Medaglia D'Oro {USA}) and he has one of the favourites in Zeitung (Exceed And Excel) who was strong to the line taking out the G3 Vanity S. on Derby Day.
From the same sireline, Matisse (Microphone) was a game second in that race, one in which Lovelycut (Ilovethiscity) was a tough fourth having done a bit of work from an outside gate.
Thousand Guineas winners have done a great job at stud, 24 of them going on to produce stakes winners with 10 represented by Group 1 progeny including the dams of Tie The Knot (Nassipour {USA}), Russian Emperor (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Stay With Me, daughter of the 2006 winner Miss Finland (Redoute's Choice).
G1 Sir Rupert Clarke S. - varying form lines
A variety of form lines converge in this always interesting 1400-metre contest at Caulfield that was first run as the Invitation S. in 1951.
The Golden Eagle, the Listed Wangoom H., the G2 Linlithgow S., the G3 Moonga S., the G3 Sydney S., the G1 Empire Rose S., the G3 Rising Fast S. and the G1 Coolmore Stud S. are just some of the races in which runners have had their latest starts.
It is a race won in 2016 by the Ciaron Maher-trained Bon Aurum and he has three of his best gallopers taking each other on this time around including Another Wil (Street Boss {USA}) and Jimmysstar (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) who were last seen filling the quinella positions in the Linlithgow.
They fight out favouritism whilst the stable's G1 Manikato S. and G1 Australian Guineas winner Southport Tycoon (Written Tycoon) has another tricky gate to contend with having ended up at the rear of 20 runners in the Golden Eagle; far from disgraced finishing ninth on rain affected going.
Tuvalu (Kermadec {NZ}) is already a Group 1 winner at Caulfield, taking out the 2022 Toorak H. whilst Gentleman Roy (So You Think {NZ}) won the G2 Lawrence S. at the track in mid-August. Buffalo River (USA) (Noble Mission {GB}) is another who has shown a distinct liking for the circuit.
Jimmysstar (NZ), the current favourite for the G1 Sir Rupert Clarke S. at Caulfield | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
He is one of three chances for the Michael Moroney and Glen Thompson partnership, noting that the former won this race in 2002 with Pernod (NZ) (Centaine) holding off Bel Esprit. They are also cheering on the lightly raced and consistent 4-year-olds Run Harry Run (Written Tycoon) and War Machine (NZ) (Harry Angel {Ire}).
Kimochi (Brave Smash {Jpn}) and Bittercreek (Snitzel) both ran well in Group 1 company at Flemington during Cup Week.
This is a race with a strong honour roll, won by the likes of Cap D'Antibes (Better Boy {Ire}), Manikato (Manihi), Magari, Ripa (NZ) (Pride Of Kildare {Ire}), Tauto (Good Brandy {GB}), Poetic King (Yeats), Mr. Murphy (Danehill {USA}), Santa Ana Lane (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and Behemoth (All Too Hard).
It has also been won by a number of stallions who have gone onto sire Group 1 winners; Encosta De Lago, Testa Rossa, Exceed And Excel, Raffindale (GB), Rancho Ruler, St Jude, Barely A Moment, Bon Hoffa, Rebel Dane and Matrice.
Seven of its winners are currently standing at stud and its female winners have also fared well with Canny Lass (Bletchingly), Mannerism (Amyntor {Fr}), Pernod and Response (Charge Forward) all the dams of stakes winners.
G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas - a good race for the Yulong boys?
It's time for the Group 1 fillies following on from last weekend's G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas which saw a dominant performance by the short-priced favourite Savaglee (NZ) (Savabeel).
The female version of the Classic named after its UK counterpart which has a history going back to 1814, the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas is not such a clear cut race with two lovely fillies vying for favouritism.
Hot on the heels of Yulong Stud's Alabama Express being represented by his first big race winner, the G1 VRC Oaks heroine Treasurethe Moment, he has another chance for elite level glory in the shape of Alabama Lass.
Beaten only once in a five-start career, the Ken and Bev Kelso-trained bay has been flying through the classes, holding on strongly after making the pace in the G2 Soliloquy S. at her most recent outing.
Gallery: The two fillies battling out favouritism for the G1 NZ 1000 Guineas at Riccarton Park, images courtesy of Peter Rubery
Second to her at her previous start in the G3 Gold Trail S. was Captured By Love. That daughter of fellow Yulong stallion Written Tycoon has raced twice since, taking on the boys with placings behind Savaglee in Group 2 races over 1400 metres.
So much are these two fillies dominating the market that there are no others under double-figure odds. There is however plenty of form with Love Poem (Snitzel) third in the 2000 Guineas and Raziah (NZ) (Niagara) showing talent whilst Connello (NZ) (Time Test {GB}) and Costae (NZ) (Ribchester {Ire}) have both recorded a couple of impressive wins in a row.
This race has been won by a number of classy fillies who have gone on to enjoy Group 1 success in Australia; in recent decades Legarto (NZ) (Proisir), Ad Alta (NZ) (Kenfair {NZ}), Tycoon Lil (Last Tycoon {Ire}), Snap (NZ) (Kingdom Bay {NZ}), Canterbury Belle (NZ) (Beaufort Sea {USA}), Noble Heights (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}), The Jewel (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}), Seachange (NZ) (Cape Cross {Ire}), King's Rose (NZ) (Redoute's Choice), Daffodil (NZ) (No Excuse Needed {USA}), La Bella Diosa (NZ) (So You Think {NZ}), Kahma Lass (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) and Risque (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}).
The other Caulfield 3YOs - the G3 Blue Sapphire S. and the G3 Thoroughbred Club S.
It's a good day for 3-year-olds with the Thousnad Guineas one of three feature Caulfield events for that age group. The first is the fourth on the card, the G3 Blue Sapphire S. over 1400 metres.
It may have attracted only seven runners, but it is an interesting race with Coleman (Pierata) and Rue De Royale (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) coming back a couple of notches having contested Group 1 races at their latest outings.
Coleman looks ready for a step up in distance off an even showing in the G1 Coolmore Stud S. down the Flemington straight whilst Rue De Royale looks suited back in trip having tired from the 200 metres after sitting outside the leader in the G1 Caulfield Guineas.
Coleman, the current favourite for the G3 Blue Sapphire S. at Caulfield | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Several others boast good recent form credentials such as Pisces (Frosted {USA}), Catoggio (Written Tycoon) and Cavity Bay (Cable Bay {Ire}).
The sixth event of the day, the G3 Thoroughbred Club Of Australia S., is run over 1200 metres. Half of the full field of 16 (there is also an emergency) are last-start winners, making this an intriguing contest.
Successful at two of her first three starts, Rich Dottie (Written Tycoon) is the most strongly fancied of those whilst another with fans is She's Got Pizzazz (Zoustar) who steps up quickly in class having easily won a Kilmore maiden as an odds-on favourite.
Rich Dottie, the current favourite for the G3 Thoroughbred Club Of Australia S. at Caulfield | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
It would be a timely win should another coming off a maiden win salute, Legacy Bay (Zoustar) being a sister to last year's Thousand Guineas winner Joliestar.
Eneeza (Exceed And Excel) just has to find the form that saw her win the G2 Percy Sykes S. in April to figure in the thick of things here whilst Tobeornottobe (Pierata) ran nicely coming back to a sprinting trip last time out.
G3 How Now S. - genetic legacy at play
Named in honour of one of the late great Colin Hayes' finest mares, the G3 How Now S. was first run in 1999 and won by the speedy Snippets' Lass (Snippets) whose genes run through a couple of the mares vying for valuable black type in this race.
Namely Facile (Trapeze Artist) and Infancy (Wandjina), granddaughters of Snippets' Lass' Champion Sire son Snitzel.
Snippets' Lass is one of the four How Now winners to produce stakes winners, the others being Vivacious Spirit (Bel Esprit), dam of the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas winner Costa Viva (Encosta De Lago), Miss Judgement (Strategic), dam of the Group winners Missrock (Fastnet Rock) and Passive Aggressive (Fastnet Rock) and Piavonic (Scenic {Ire}), dam of the Group 2 juvenile Von Costa de Hero.
Niance (NZ), the current favourite for the G3 How Now S. at Caulfield | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
Grahame Begg won this race last year with the late Rose Quartz (Written Tycoon) and is hoping for two in a row, his mare Niance (NZ) (Swiss Ace) favourite having won five of her nine starts including the Listed Alinghi S. first-up.
Sans Doute (Not A Single Doubt) had little luck down the Flemington straight on Derby Day whilst both Cigar Flick (Churchill {Ire}) and Infancy also found trouble in that race. Extratwo (Toronado {Ire}) is rarely away whilst the up-and-comer of the race is She's Bulletproof (Shooting To Win) who raced away to a 6l victory at Moonee Valley on W.S Cox Plate Eve.
Perth Racing heats up - a sizzling summer ahead
After spring we start to look to Perth for feature racing, its summer carnival often attracting smart ones from the east tackling smart local performers.
There are three Group 3 races and two Listed races on Saturday's Ascot program: the first of those being the fifth race on the card, the G3 Colonel Reeves S. over 1100 metres.
Western Empire (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) is, on the back of excellent trial form, favourite to kick off his campaign in winning style. He is taken on by last year's quinella, Hot Zed (Red Hot Choice) attempting to be the first dual winner of the race whilst Ghost Who Walks (God Has Spoken) seeks to go one better this time around.
Western Empire (NZ), the current favourite for the G3 Colonel Reeves S. at Ascot | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
Hardest for those horses to beat will two by Playing God, the in-form Almighty Class and the consistent Rope Them In.
The G3 Champions Fillies S. is the next race, one which Grant and Alana Williams teamed with William Pike to win last year with Keshi Boom (Spirit Of Boom) with that combination hoping for two in a row, Storyville (Overshare) drawn better than she did when ending up a bit too far back in the Listed Burgess Queen S.
Runner-up in that race was the consistent Ron's Finalflutter (Written Tycoon) whilst those finishing third, fourth and fifth all look decent chances here; Flower Of Gold (Bull Point), Diamond Dancer (Long Leaf) and Divine Impact (Playing God).
Ron's Finalflutter, the current favourite for the G3 WA Champions Fillies S. at Ascot | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
Next up is the G3 R.J Peters S. which Bob Peters has won before. And he can do so again with Luvnwar (NZ) (War Decree {USA}) who is yet to put a hoof wrong.
The Listed Placid Ark S. is for the sprinters with three runners at single-figure odds; Repossession (Sessions) looking good winning two of his first three starts, Wind And The Lion (Written By) also displaying promise and Magna's Choice (Magna Grecia {Ire}) unbeaten.
Luvnwar (NZ), the current favourite for the G3 R.J Peters S. at Ascot | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
The Listed Jungle Mist Classic is the final race for the day and it looks to be an even affair, one which could be a good race for Toronado (Ire) who is well-represented by Twain's Angel who has been beaten only once in seven starts, Laced Up Heels who endured a tough run last time out and Toropa who has been in the quinella at all eight of her outings.
