Spring Racing Contenders: Horses to watch in 2020
All eyes are on the Spring Racing Carnival after a bumper weekend at Caulfield and Randwick which saw a number of past and potential Group 1 winners resume. Highlighted by the P.B. Lawrence Stakes, the weekend also contained the Vain Stakes, Quezette Stakes and Regal Roller at Caulfield, while a star emerged at Randwick in the Up & Coming Stakes. Let’s take a look at some horses to follow into the big races coming up.
Cascadian and Kings Will Dream shine in PB Lawrence Stakes
The Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes over 1400m headlined Saturday’s meeting at Caulfield. It saw the return of seven Group 1 winners, including Regal Power, Mystic Journey, Arcadia Queen and Kings Will Dream. The race was won by Godolphin mare Savatiano, who edged out Winter Championship winner Sircconi right on the line. While the 1400m was always going to be a touch short for the stars resuming, punters were left scratching their heads after the race due to lacklustre performances by All Star Mile winners Mystic Journey (8th) and Regal Power (9th).
Mystic Journey had plenty of excuses; she was caught very wide early on and was then shuffled back to midfield when the leaders slackened the tempo at the 800m, which caused her to over-race a touch down the side. She was the first horse beaten as they swung for home and only battled away. Regal Power over-raced badly throughout and was also left flat-footed went the sprint went on, suggesting that he has come back dourer this time in.
The horses we want to follow out of the race are Kings Will Dream (3rd) and Cascadian (4th). Kings Will Dream has always raced well fresh over 1400m, and Saturday was no different. He came from a fair way back to run home strongly, suggesting he will appreciate every bit of a rise in trip again. Cascadian defied the pattern of the day after settling last, as he switched back to the inside and worked home strongly in a race where he looked outclassed on paper as one of the non-Group 1 winners. He will have a nice race installed for him in the spring.
What a finish! Mark Zahra with an absolute peach steers Savatiano home to win the PB Lawrence. @Godolphin @MelbRacingClub pic.twitter.com/FV3NhyTq4K
— Racing.com (@Racing) August 15, 2020
Branders Rule shows promise in Vain Stakes
Caulfield also hosted two Group 3 races for the three-year-olds who have big targets in mind. The Vain Stakes for the colts and Quezette Stakes for the fillies saw some quality prospects resume and stamp their claim on the spring, but there were some short-priced flops as well.
The Vain Stakes saw the money come for Snowden galloper Rulership while original favourite Hydro Star drifted out to $5 in a market move that was bang on, with the Headwater colt finishing last in the nine-horse field. Our Playboy got the spoils over Ranting and Rulership in his third career win. Branders Rule, who is now with Peter Moody due to COVID-19 restrictions, worked home very nicely into fourth and will improve up in trip. Rulership looked to peak at the 1000m.
Our Playboy stormed down the outside to beat Ranting and Rulership and win the G3 Vain Stakes. @MickPriceRacing ? pic.twitter.com/FpgozBBxMv
— Racing.com (@Racing) August 15, 2020
Quezette Stakes winner Bella Nipotina set for big spring
In the fillies’ edition of the 1100m Group 3, race favourite Parlophone was up to her old antics out of the barriers when she tried to buck for the initial stages. Once she settled and caught up with the field, she was fair and railed to run sixth.
The star of the show, however, was Bella Nipotina for Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig. The Pride Of Dubai filly had promised plenty in seven career starts which included placings in the Inglis Banner and Inglis Millennium, but she just hadn’t been able to get the job done until now. She returned in brilliant fashion, winning by two lengths at around $20. The way she put the field to bed makes it hard to see her being beaten by most of these in some quality races down the track. Agreeable was also very nice through the line, running into fourth for Anthony and Sam Freedman.
Bella Nipotina simply too quick. What a way to get your maiden win, in the Group 3 Quezette Stakes. @lindsayparkrace pic.twitter.com/CwoxiHDYHC
— Racing.com (@Racing) August 15, 2020
Mixed bag for resuming stars at Royal Randwick
Randwick’s Saturday meeting saw a number of quality runners resuming, including the likes of Masked Crusader, Athiri and Shared Ambition, but they were all overshadowed by a budding superstar in North Pacific. The Hawkes-trained Brazen Beau colt started a short-priced favourite in just his third race and justified the $1.90 to win by an official margin of 5.3 lengths in the 1300m Group 3 Up & Coming Stakes, defeating Bazooka and Marsannay.
That impressive win saw North Pacific wound into as little as $4 for the Golden Rose in six weeks’ time, which in our opinion is slightly skinny. His record now reads 3:2-0-1, with both wins coming on very heavy tracks and his third placing coming on a Soft 7 when five lengths behind Golden Slipper winner Farnan. We have every belief that the horse is a star, but we just want to wait and see him do it on a dry track before we go and take short odds about him in an all-in market.
On face value, North Pacific will only improve as the distances get further, with a mile likely to be his best distance. He has firmed in markets for the Golden Rose, Caulfield Guineas and Cox Plate, which goes to show just how impressive he was. Hear what jockey James McDonald and co-trainer Michael Hawkes had to say after the race yesterday:
North Pacific stole the show yesterday. Greg Radley, @DufficyRon and @LizzieJelfs had nothing but good things to say about the star colt this morning on Thoroughbred Weekly. pic.twitter.com/lDDyUseiYc
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 16, 2020
Team Hawkes had another short-priced favourite beaten half a length in the form of Masked Crusader. The Toronado gelding resumed in an 1100m BM88 under Tommy Berry but was unable to get the job done, finishing second as Godolphin’s Varda made it four consecutive wins this time in.
Masked Crusader was slow out of the gates, which might’ve been the difference in the end, before looking slightly flat-footed at about the 300m when the leaders and eventual winner put the sprint into the race. The final 50m is when he did his best work, charging to the line and giving punters one last glimmer of hope.
The four-year-old star will only improve second up, rising to 1200m and beyond on (hopefully) drier surfaces. He lost no admirers on Saturday and is one to follow going forward. We aren’t overly keen to back him in any futures markets just yet, as he is only five runs into his racing career and hasn’t beaten any superstars, but he sure does look promising.
Varda wins 4 in a row! It was a late thriller with Masked Crusader chasing but Varda and @mcacajamez too good. pic.twitter.com/dtvBc7SdJw
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 15, 2020
Athiri was nearly the run of the day at Randwick despite not winning the 1000m SKY Racing Active Handicap. Beaten just a tenth of a length behind hard-fit Fanciful Dream, the James Cummings mare was first up and put in a supreme effort.
Ridden by champion NSW metro jockey James McDonald, the Lonhro mare came five-wide into the straight before switching back to the inside of the eventual winner. Fanciful Dream looked to be a comfortable victor at the 200m, but Athiri knuckled down to the task and only just missed.
She deserves a place in the blackbook and is worth following this campaign, as she looks to have returned in very good fashion as a more mature mare.
Fanciful Dream in the shadow of the post beats Athiri and gapped the rest in the Sky Racing Active Handicap. pic.twitter.com/jkPTcdg5Tj
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 15, 2020
The aptly named Spring Preview saw consistent galloper Man Of Peace make it three in a row with another all-the-way victory. Louise Day rated the gelding a treat in front again and did just enough to hold on from a fast-finishing Angel Of Truth. That horse has not tasted victory since the 2019 ATC Derby, finishing midfield in multiple Group 1 attempts, but Glenda Markwell looks to have the five-year-old gelding firing for the spring.
The son of Animal Kingdom got a long way back in the run and gave most of the field windburn in the straight, finishing hard down the middle of the track to be beaten only half a length. Four of his five career wins have come on rain-affected going, so the Heavy 10 track no doubt played a part in his brilliant return. The good folks at Sportsbet.com.au must not have seen the run, as they are offering nearly five times what their rivals are paying for Angel Of Truth to win the Metropolitan Handicap.
Of the rest, Kiwi mare Rondinella was impressive from last to finish six lengths back in sixth and no doubt will find a winnable race this spring if the rain hangs around. Melbourne Cup contender Shared Ambition only beat two runners home, but we can forgive that run first up on a bottomless track and about 1600m short of his pet distance.
MARKET UPDATE
Angel Of Truth $26 to $11 for The Metropolitan at @atc_races Randwick on October 3 after finishing second to Man Of Peace in Race 8.https://t.co/rbruvEf5Fc https://t.co/2CIJRVykuC
— TABcomau Media (@tabcomaumedia) August 15, 2020
Blackbook horses for 2020 Spring Racing Carnival
- Agreeable
- Angel Of Truth
- Athiri
- Bella Nipotina
- Branders Rule
- Cascadian
- Kings Will Dream
- Masked Crusader
- North Pacific
- Rondinella