Godolphin’s Contributer (High Chaparral), widely expected to record a fourth
consecutive victory in Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth II S. (Aus-G1), was a shock
withdrawal from The Championships at Royal Randwick.
According to reports, trainer John O’Shea disclosed that the handsome bay was
found to be lame in his off fore leg Friday afternoon and was subsequently
scratched from the race.
O’Shea commented, “We’ll know more in the next few days but we’re hoping for
a successful Spring campaign with him.”
With the dual Group 1 winner out of the A$4-million contest, Japanese raider
To The World (King Kamehameha), runner-up to Sydney Cup (Aus-G1) favorite
Hartnell (Authorized) in the BMW S. (Aus-G1) last time out, was promoted to the
top of the betting market alongside David Hayes and Tom Dabernig’s Criterion
(Sebring), whose latest effort was a short-head second to Real Impact (Deep
Impact) in the George Ryder S. (Aus-G1).
In all, there are nine other Group 1 winners remaining in the
line-up for the feature event on day two of The Championships.
The rating of the 2000-meter Queen Elizabeth S. has progressed steadily since
2008, and the race’s appeal received an additional boost last year with the
creation of The Championships, which saw its purse jumping from A$500,000 to a
whopping A$4 million, the richest prize money in the world for a turf race over
the distance.
Chris Waller, who saddles three runners in this year’s renewal, has described
the Queen Elizabeth as the “new Cox Plate.”
The trio of Waller trainees is precisely led by Coolmore’s Cox Plate (Aus-G1)
hero Adelaide (Galileo), who will be making his second and final start in
Australia before embarking on a return flight to Ballydoyle. The globetrotting
four-year-old won the Secretariat S. (G1) last term and made a major impression
when storming from last to first despite a wide trip in the Spring Carnival’s
leading weight-for-age contest. Waller has however expressed doubts about his
charge’s ability to cope with soft ground, with showers expected over Sydney
Friday and Saturday.
“(Ballyoyle trainer) Aidan (O’Brien) said he needs the ground to be vibrating
under him to be at his best,” the trainer told Racenet.
The Japanese pair Tosen Stardom (Deep Impact) and To The World both bumped into Godolphin imports on their Australian debut — Contributer in the Ranvet (Aus-G1) and Hartnell in the BMW, respectively — and will be bidding to emulate their compatriot Real
Impact who struck gold in the George Ryder.
To The World was the subject of a jockey controversy this week after
connections expressed discontent about Nick Hall’s ride in the BMW and opted to
call upon Hong Kong ace Zac Purton for Saturday’s race. Hall brought the case
before Racing New South Wales stewards, arguing that he had been engaged to
partner the horse in both Group 1 contests, and has been entitled to a winning
or losing riding fee, which could amount to A$118,800 in case of victory by To
The World.
More international flavor comes courtesy of Ed Dunlop’s Red Cadeaux (Cadeaux
Genereux), who eventually opted for this race instead of the two-mile Sydney Cup
(Aus-G1).
“We came to the conclusion that two miles on a soft track might be hard on
him,” said Dunlop who landed in Sydney Thursday.
“I went to see him as soon as I got here and he is bright and happy and looks
well,” the trainer continued.
Hayes and Dabernig send out a pair of live chances. Aside from Criterion
(Sebring), who found only Real Impact too good in the George Ryder, the team
also has Spillway (Rail Link), the narrow winner of the Australian Cup (Aus-G1)
last time out.
While Godolphin won’t have Contributer in the QEII, the “Boys in Blue” will
send out a top threat in the Sydney Cup — Hartnell, who will attempt to score a
second consecutive victory at the highest level following his dominant
performance in the BMW at Rosehill March 28. The four-year-old hasn’t put a foot
wrong since shipping from the Middleham stable of Mark Johnston — he would
actually be unbeaten in three starts if he hadn’t run against his aforementioned
stablemate on his Australian debut in the Chipping Norton S. (Aus-G1) February
28.
Saturday’s line-up, however, appears stronger than in previous renewals of
the staying contest, a fact probably helped by the extra A$600,000 that has been
added to the overall prizemoney since The Offer (Montjeu) won it last year.
Protectionist (Monsun) returns to the trip that saw him win the Melbourne Cup
but faces a stiff task as he gives weight to the entire field, including a
massive six kilos (13 pounds) to the favorite. The former German-trained
galloper failed to make the switch to middle distances, running sixth in the
1800-meter Peter Young S. (Aus-G2) and eighth in the 10-furlong Australian Cup,
but showed some marked improvement in the 2400-meter BMW, where he rallied on
strongly to finish fifth behind Hartnell. The Kris Lees trainee bids to become
the first horse since Makybe Diva to register the Melbourne Cup-Sydney Cup
double — Australia’s only two Group 1 races run over two miles.
Waller’s Who Shot Thebarman (Yamanin Vital), third in Protectionist’s
Melbourne Cup, was two lengths ahead of this rival in the BMW and appears well
handicapped. Waller has been upbeat about his charge, who won the Auckland Cup
(NZ-G1) over the same trip in 2014.
“There is no better form than the Melbourne Cup for a two-mile race,” he
said. “Who Shot Thebarman has really matured. He is a much stronger horse and
has had the perfect preparation.”
Hong Kong raider Dominant (Cacique) is an interesting candidate as he tackles
the trip for the first time. His last victory came in the 2400-meter Hong Kong
Vase (HK-G1) in 2013, a race in which he ran fourth last season, and he was
fifth to Contributer in the 2000-meter Ranvet on his first start in Australia.
Joao Moreira takes over in the saddle from Damien Oliver.
A deep field of fillies goes to post for the Australian Oaks (Aus-G1) at
Royal Randwick Saturday, with Savaria (Savabeel) an interesting challenger from
New Zealand. The Roydon Bergerson trainee filly brings classic form to the
table, having won the New Zealand Oaks (NZ-G1) at Trentham on her last start
March 14.
However, a race that would appear to hold the key to finding the winner of
Saturday’s race is the March 28 Vinery Stud S. (Aus-G1) run at Rosehill. Three
of the first five finishers from that race renew their rivalry in the Oaks. The
victorious Fenway (High Chaparral) would have made it four here, but she was
scratched after coming up lame Friday, and Gai Waterhouse’s Adrift (Zabeel) was
also declared a non–runner once found to be suffering from swelling in one of
her hind legs.
Despite only finishing fifth in the Vinery Stud, the Waller-trained Winx
(Street Cry) looks like starting favorite for the Australian Oaks, based partly on her
penultimate outing in which she beat Hauraki (Reset) in the Phar Lap S. (Aus-G2)
at Rosehill March 14. This piece of form looks even better now following the
classy effort of Hauraki in claiming second behind Mongolian Khan (Holy Roman
Emperor) in the Australian Derby (Aus-G1) Monday. Moreira takes over in the
saddle from Tommy Berry on Saturday, with the latter set to steer her stablemate
Wine Tales (Tale of the Cat).
Further intrigue is added to the race with the presence of Vinery Stud third
and fourth Thunder Lady (Mastercraftsman) and Ballet Suite (High Chaparral).
Thunder Lady, trained by John Sargent at Randwick, was a high-class runner last
year, winning the Wakeful S. (Aus-G2) at Flemington November 1 and following up
with a second in the Crown Oaks (Aus-G1) five days later. She has taken a few
runs to recapture her form this year, but seems to be peaking at the right time.
Coolmore and partners’ Ballet Suite gives Waller a strong hand in the race, has
the added benefit of having Ryan Moore in the saddle and is another that should
appreciate the stiffer distance test.
The most recent form in the race is represented by Candelara (Real Saga),
with trainer Bjorn Baker obviously happy to turn out last Monday’s Adrian Knox
S. (Aus-G3) winner right back.
Also on Saturday at Royal Randwick, just three trainers are responsible for
better than half of the field in the Queen of the Turf S. (Aus-G1).
Noble Protector (Haafhd) is a fascinating contender and is bidding for a hat
trick of wins since being exported to Australia from England for the Melbourne
Spring Carnival. Running in the Qatar Bloodstock colors of Sheikh Fahad and
trained by Robert Smerdon, the filly is climbing the ladder step by step having
won the Matron S. (Aus-G3) at Flemington March 14 and the Sunline S. (Aus-G2) at
Moonee Valley March 27 in her two starts this preparation. A solid listed class
performer last summer in England when trained by Stuart Kittow, Noble Protector
has kept improving all year and will be hard to beat on her first attempt in
Group 1 company.
Waller saddles a quartet of runners with Catkins (Dubawi) probably the pick
of the group. She is also bidding for her first Group 1 success but brings high
class form to the table. Conqueror of next-out Group 1 winner Plucky Belle
(Mossman) in the Millie Fox S. (Aus-G2) February 21, she was runner-up in the
Canterbury S. (Aus-G1) at this venue March 7 and her recent win in the
Emancipation S. (Aus-G2) at Rosehill March 28 sees her arrive in top form.
Moreira jets back into Sydney to ride.
First Seal (Fastnet Rock) bids to make amends for a narrow defeats in the
Coolmore Stud S. (Aus-G1) March 14 and in the Vinery Stud S. at Rosehill a
fortnight later and takes her chance despite a recent scare. Having finished
with blood in her nostril after Rosehill, First Seal was subsequently cleared to
race after an inspection by Racing NSW vet Craig Suann.
Her trainer John Thompson told ANZ Bloodstock News on Wednesday, “She worked
over 1200 metres with a mate this morning. I think once they saw the cuts on her
head it was obvious something had happened but the stewards are just doing their
due diligence and all is good.”
Fresh from landing his third Australian Derby on Monday, New Zealand trainer
Murray Baker fields two fillies in the 1600-meter event. Diademe (Savabeel),
winner of the Thoroughbred Breeders S. (NZ-G1) at Te Aroha April 4 has the
valuable assistance of Ryan Moore, while Sports Illustrated (Fast N’ Famous),
reopposes her stablemate having been denied by just a neck in the same race last
week.
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