It has been 20 years since trainer Gai Waterhouse saddled the winner of the
Group 1 Victoria Derby, but if punters are correct, Australia’s popular Hall of
Fame trainer could be in line to collect the lion’s share of that A$1.5 million
prize Saturday with Hampton Court.
The A$500,000 Inglis Easter yearling has hit his best stride as late, taking
the Dulcify Quality over a mile at Randwick October 4 before jumping up to Group
1 class to romp in the Spring Champion at about 1 1/4 miles a week later,
besting the talented filly First Seal. Hampton Court will be negotiating a
left-handed course for the first time in his first voyage under jockey Kerrin
McEvoy, but Waterhouse noted after Wednesday’s barrier draw that she is “quietly
confident.”
“He has come along in leaps and bounds,” she told Racing and Sports. “The
further he goes the better and the 2,500 meters won’t worry him. I don’t like to
get too cocky because you can fall flat on your face in this game but I am
quietly confident.”
Breaking just outside the favorite and likely to be racing prominently is
Moonovermanhattan, who hinted his worth at this distance with a victory in The
Vase over 2,040 meters at Moonee Valley five days ago. The gray had previously
been an unlucky second in the Bill Stutt over a mile September 26 before losing
a shoe when seventh in the Caulfield Guineas October 11. Moonovermanhattan
boasts the same trainer/jockey combination (Mick Price and Craig Newitt) as
champion sprinter Lankan Rupee.
Meanwhile, Bondeiger will negotiate a trip from the rail draw. The Danny
O’Brien charge came from a long way back to make up ground to be seventh in the
Vase, which snapped a two race win streak in a Geelong maiden September 26 and a
Caulfield benchmark race October 15.
Despite having never won a race, Preferment is the top choice to upend
Hampton Court. On the board in four of six outings, Preferment finished fast
after traveling wide to be a strong second in the Geelong Classic over 2,200
meters October 22, suggesting he should relish this further stretch out in
distance. He is drawn ideally in barrier 6 and is from the stable of Chris
Waller, who should never be ignored in a big event. Preferment is piloted by ace
big race rider Damien Oliver.
The Group 1, A$1 million Mackinnon Stakes was dealt a blow Thursday when
defending winner Side Glance was withdrawn due to a fetlock injury, but
Saturday’s weight-for-age showpiece — which grants the winner an automatic
berth into the Melbourne Cup next Tuesday — nonetheless boasts a strong lineup
of reliable gallopers.
Rogan Josh was the last horse to complete that big-race double in 1999, and
other high-profile winners of this event include So You Think and Lonhro.
Jointly favored at $5.50 to join that list are last season’s dual classic winner
Criterion and Australian Oaks winner Rising Romance.
Criterion wrapped up his sophomore campaign earlier this year with a sweep of
the Rosehill Guineas and Australian Derby, and while he has not won in five
outings this season, he has proven he has retained his class. The chestnut was a
flashy runner-up to Fawkner in the Caulfield Stakes October 11, and checked in
seventh, beaten just 1 1/2 lengths, in the Cox Plate six days ago.
Rising Romance proved herself a rising force in Australia when she won last
season’s Oaks in her second domestic start after relocating from New Zealand,
and she has proven up to the challenge of dealing with her elders this season,
having finished a narrow second in the Caulfield Cup October 18.
Those classic winners are followed closely in the betting by Chris Waller’s
French import He’s Your Man, who has really come into his own this season as a
five-year-old and recently recorded a big-race double, taking the Kingston Town
September 13 before wheeling back to a mile to add the Epsom Handicap October 4.
He’s Your Man once again gets the services of Joao Moreira, who partnered him in
the Epsom.
The reliable seven-year-old gelding Happy Trails is nearly always to be found
at the finish line of these big events, and thus cannot be discounted for a spot
on the board. The chestnut recorded a career highlight when winning the Turnbull
over this track and trip a little more than a year ago prior to finishing second
in the Cox Plate. Happy Trails was most recently sixth, beaten less than a
length, trying that weight-for-age championship again six days ago.
The Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes for three-year-olds has developed a
reputation as a stallion-making race, and the partnership of Stallion Racing,
Jadeskye, Teeley Assets, Werrett Bloodstock and Coolmore certainly have a sire
prospect to boast of in “TDN Rising Star” Rubick.
The easiest of debut winners January 25, Rubick added the Blue Diamond
prelude two weeks later, after which Coolmore got in on the action, buying a
share in the colt. Rubick suffered his first, and thus far only, defeat at the
hands of Earthquake in the Blue Diamond a further two weeks later, and was
shelved for the season thereafter. His sophomore debut was delayed by a virus,
but Rubick certainly made it worth the wait for his connections when he zipped
home in the about five-furlong Schillaci October 11.
If there is a chink in Rubick’s armor it is that he was beaten in his lone
try over this 1,200-meter distance, but trainer Gerald Ryan seemed pleased with
Rubick’s first taste of the Flemington straight last Friday.
“He changed stride as he hit the course proper but unlike most horses he
didn’t deviate,” Ryan told Racenet.com.au. “He ran his last 600 meters in :34.67
seconds, and his last 400 in :23.02, which was faster than any of the official
jumpouts.”
Rubick retains the services of his Schillaci partner Kerrin McEvoy, who has
ridden Earthquake in her last five outings and was forced to choose between the
two after the filly won the Thoroughbred Club on the Schillaci card. Earthquake
gets the services of James McDonald. Rubick was not handed any favors when
drawing the rail, but McEvoy doesn’t appear flustered.
“His draw isn’t ideal but they start a few meters off the fence,” McEvoy told
Racenet.com.au. “He’s got a lot of natural speed and it’ll take a fast one to
cross him, but if one wants to go mad it won’t bother me because I don’t think
he has to lead. I’d say we’ll be able to move further away from the fence if
that’s what we want to do.”
On his decision to stick with Rubick, McEvoy — who won this race aboard
Sepoy in 2011 — added, “I hadn’t ridden him in a race until last start and he
gave me the feel of a very good horse.”
Both Rubick and Earthquake will have to be at their best to upend $3.20
favorite Rich Enuff. After breaking his maiden at the listed level August 23,
the chestnut added victories in the Danehill over this track and trip September
13 and the Caulfield Guineas Prelude two weeks later before finishing second in
the main event, the Caulfield Guineas, October 11. Arrowfield and Pinecliff
Racing’s Scissor Kick looks like value at $14 off a pair of runner-up efforts
after torrid trips in the Golden Rose September 13 and Stan Fox two weeks later.
The Group 1 Myer Classic is the primary target for fillies and mares during
the Melbourne Spring carnival, and this metric mile event has produced the likes
of Horse of the Year Typhoon Tracy and four-time Group 1 winner Divine Madonna.
May’s Dream provided her sire New Approach with a first Australian Group 1
winner when taking last season’s Australasian Oaks at Morphettville, and another
high-level victory on this world-class stage would certainly bolster her
reputation. The four-year-old was just seventh on seasonal debut in the
Sportingbet Sprint September 20, and after finishing third in the Blazer here
October 4, was fourth in the Tristarc over that same 1,400-meter distance
October 18. May’s Dream will appreciate Saturday’s added distance, and will have
to see off her Tristarc conqueror Sweet Idea once again. That consistent
four-year-old still searches for her first win at the highest level, but has
come close twice this season, with a second in the Memsie August 30 and a
fourth, beaten just over two lengths, in the Sir Rupert Clarke September 28
preceding her Tristarc score.
The form of the Tristarc is also represented by second Girl Guide and third
Catkins. The latter has been threatening to break through in Group 1 company
since finishing second here last year, and she has proven remarkably consistent
since, finishing off the board just twice in nine starts and collecting four
further group wins. Diamond Drille provided the owners of Pierro with another
Group 1 win in the Queen of the Turf at the Championships last season, and she
was seventh second-up in the Tristarc, beaten 2 3/4 lengths.
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