The Championships
Day Two
PREVIEW
Day 2 of The Championships at Royal Randwick features another
bumper 10-race card with four Group One races headlined by the $4 million Longines
Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the $1.6m Schweppes 150th Sydney Cup. The Seven News
Australian Oaks and Cellarbrations Queen of the Turf Stakes round out the Group 1 races,
with the Arrowfield Three-Year-Old Sprint, G2 and Girvan Waugh Percy Sykes Stakes, Gr3
also The Championships races.
The outlook is for a drier and more pleasant Day 2 of The Championships after the disruption
caused by rain last Saturday. Day 1 went ahead Monday, with the meeting starting out on a
heavy track. The weather in Sydney has been kinder so far this week and connections can look
forward this Saturday to a track which is far less rain-effected.
Four of the six international runners in Sydney for The Championships take the stage at Royal
Randwick, including three runners in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
English jockey Ryan Moore who won last year’s Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup adds further
international flavour to the riding ranks with Joao Moreira and Zac Purton returning again from
Hong Kong to take on Sydney and Australia’s best.
LONGINES QUEEN ELIZABETH STAKES
2000m WFA Group 1 (Race 9)
Contributer defeated Tosen Stardom and Lucia Valentina in the Ranvet Stks
T
he world’s richest 2000m race on
turf is the highlight race of The
Championships and brings together a
terrific field of 13 runners, with no less than 10
individual Group One winners.
Not among the Group One winners (yet) are
the Japanese raiders To the World and Tosen
Stardom who ran second in The BMW, Gr1
and Ranvet Stks, Gr1 respectively at Rosehill
in recent weeks. To the World also boasts two
seconds at the elite level at home and it seems
a matter of when, not if, for the powerful four
year old.
To the World takes the path of last year’s
winner It’s a Dundeel, dropping back from a
second placing in the 2400m of The BMW, this
time to be ridden by Zac Purton replacing Nick
Hall. Tosen Stardom ran strongly behind race
favourite Contributer in the Ranvet Stks, with
Tommy Berry again in the saddle here and will
improve on that performance.
Contributer has been the star of Godolphin’s
strong team this Autumn, winning three
straight at weight for age, including the
Chipping Norton Stks, Gr1 and Ranvet Stks,
Gr1. Trainer John O’Shea has stated that the
entire has improved again so his favouritism
is justified despite the awkward barrier draw.
James McDonald rides and looks to go back to
back in this race.
David Hayes and Tom Dabernig have two
runners with the four year old Criterion
coming into the race off a narrow defeat by
Japanese miler Real Impact in the George
Ryder Stks. That form was proven with
Kermadec and Real Impact fighting out
the Doncaster Mile finish on Monday, and
2000m suits. Criterion seeks his second
Championships crown following the 2014
Australian Derby, this time with Craig
Williams aboard. Spillway finished strongly
to win the Australian Cup, Gr1 at Flemington
four weeks ago and will again be ridden by
LONGINES QUEEN ELIZABETH STAKES
continued
Criterion was edged out by Real Impact and beat home Doncaster Mile
winner Kermadec in the George Ryder Stakes
Michael Walker. Spillway returns to the scene
of his brilliant win in last year’s JRA Plate
over this, his pet distance.
South Australian Happy Trails is another at his
best distance backing up after the Doncaster
Mile for trainer Paul Beshara and rider Damien
Oliver. The seven year old can never be
discounted and will appreciate any improvement
in the going from Day 1 of The Championships.
The English visitor Red Cadeaux makes his
first Sydney appearance, bypassing the Sydney
Cup for the riches of this race over the shorter
distance. Kerrin McEvoy has been booked to
ride the nine year old who is the UK’s highest
ever stakes winner, with connections banking
on soft going.
Adelaide has arguably been the forgotten
horse of the race having been the original
favourite after winning last October’s Cox
Plate with a sweeping run. Ryan Moore again
rides, with the four year old now in the stables
of Chris Waller. A drying track would be more
suitable to the chances of Adelaide who comes
into this race first up this autumn.
Chris Waller also saddles up Beaten Up. The
seven year old is on the comeback trail having
won the 2013 Doomben Cup, Gr1 and showed
he was progressing well with an excellent third
in The BMW, Gr1. That the stable heads here
rather than the Sydney Cup indicates that the
gelding can run well with Glyn Schofield riding.
Royal Descent is the third of Chris Waller’s
runners, another backing up from the
Doncaster Mile on Day 1 when finishing third.
She ran fifth when on the same path last year
and can perform well again for Joao Moreira in
any going.
Lightly framed mare Lucia Valentina has been
freshened for this race by Kris Lees after being
unplaced in The BMW. To be ridden by Hugh
Bowman, the four year old will appreciate a
softer track than last start at Rosehill. Both of
her Group 1 wins were at 2000m including last
October’s Turnbull Stks.
SCHWEPPES SYDNEY CUP
3200m Hcp Group 1 (Race 8)
Race favourite Hartnell for Godolphin has been in brilliant form this Autumn most
recently winning The BMW over Japanese star To the World.
T
he 150th running of the Sydney Cup
has been boosted by an increase in
prizemoney to $1.6 million and presents
one of the better quality renewals of the race.
The Cup is headed by the German-bred entire
Protectionist who is now in the stable of
leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees. The five
year old earned his 58kg top weight with a
devastating finish to win the Melbourne Cup
last November.
This time to be ridden by Craig Williams,
Protectionist gets to his best distance with
his runs this campaign indicating that he is
improving as the distances increase, finishing
5th in The BMW, Gr1 last start. Protectionist
seeks to join Galilee and Makybe Diva as
Sydney Cup winners in the same season
following a Melbourne Cup success.
Who Shot Thebarman is the leading chance of
Chris Waller’s runners and comes into the race
off three excellent runs, with the latest being a
close 4th in The BMW, Gr1. The five year old,
already a winner at 3200m and Melbourne Cup
placed, seems to be the typical New Zealand
bred stayer who is improving with maturity and
the 3200m looks ideal on Saturday. Blake Shinn
takes the ride after returning from suspension.
Waller also saddles up Grand Marshal, who has
been improving in recent starts and will benefit
from the services of Jim Cassidy.
Race favourite Hartnell for Godolphin has
been in brilliant form this autumn most
recently winning The BMW over Japanese star
To the World. Hartnell drops no less than 5.5kg
in weight to 52kg, with Tommy Berry taking
SCHWEPPES SYDNEY CUP
continued
Dominant comes to Sydney for Hong Kong trainer John Moore as winner of the
The 2013 Hong Kong Vase, Gr1 at 2400m
over from James McDonald. The four year
old son of English Derby winner Authorized
is already a Listed Race winner at 3200m in
the UK, so he is a justified favourite. On the
minus side, three winners of The BMW have
headed to the Sydney Cup with handy weight
reductions in the past eight years and all were
unplaced.
Dominant comes to Sydney for Hong Kong
trainer John Moore as winner of the
2013 Hong Kong Vase, Gr1 at 2400m. The
gelding ran well when sixth over 2000m in the
Ranvet Stks, Gr1 and reports from Canterbury
are that Dominant continues to improve. The
booking of Joao Moreira is a critical pointer to
his chances.
Au Revoir for Peter Moody goes into the race
off a 28 day break when well beaten in the
Australian Cup. His win in last November’s
Sandown Classic after a solid effort in the
Melbourne Cup is a better pointer to his
chances. Kerrin McEvoy takes the ride.
Tony McEvoy places horses to advantage
and Big Memory comes into the Sydney Cup
after travelling wide when second in the
Mornington Cup. The five year old has a win
over Protectionist and ran well in last year’s
Caulfield Cup when disadvantaged by a wide
barrier. That is no problem here and Glen
Boss will ensure that he gets every chance.
Narrowly beaten at his only Royal Randwick
start, Big Memory is a legitimate chance of
upsetting the bigger names.
The greatly improved Akzar also comes out
of the Mornington Cup for leading Victorian
trainer Darren Weir and is to be ridden by
Brenton Advulla.
The remaining Victorian stayers Like a
Carousel, Renew and Don Doremo will all run
a strong 3200m and can’t be discounted.
CELLARBRATIONS QUEEN
OF THE TURF STAKES
1600m F/M WFA Group 1 (Race 7)
Diamond Drille for Gai Waterhouse wins the 2014 Queen of the
Turf Stks over Gypsy Diamond
R
un for the second time over 1600m
at Royal Randwick as part of The
Championships, on paper this promises
to be the strongest ever running of this race.
Six of the runners are Group One winners.
Noble Protector travels to Sydney from
Caulfield for Robert Smerdon and pays the late
entry fee after two brilliant wins over mares at
Flemington and Moonee Valley. She may prove
to be the best of a strong book of Day 2 rides
for Craig Williams and will look for the track to
further dry out before Saturday afternoon in a
bid to win her first Group One race.
First Seal is the other equal favourite for the
race dropping back in distance to 1600m from
the 2000m of the Vinery Stud Stks. James
McDonald again rides and the brilliant filly
will look to make up for frustrating seconds at
Group One level at her most recent starts.
Gai Waterhouse backs up Cosmic Endeavour
(Tommy Berry) and Diamond Drille (Blake
Shinn) from Monday’s Doncaster Mile. Both
are suited back against their own sex and
Diamond Drille returns as last year’s winner.
Amanpour also turns out for Gai Waterhouse
and she steps up to the mile with similar form
to Diamond Drille before she won in 2014.
Chris Waller has four runners engaged for the
race with popular grey Catkins well fancied
to take out her first Group One win with Joao
Moreira riding. Both Intimate Moment (Zac
Purton) and Telepathic (Glen Boss) will be
CELLARBRATIONS QUEEN OF THE TURF STAKES
continued
Noble Protector chases her first Group 1 win at The Championships
strong at the end of 1600m, dropping back
in distance here. Waller also has Thousand
Guineas winning filly Amicus to be ridden by
Damien Oliver.
Like Noble Protector, Bonaria travels to Sydney
from Victoria having won the Myer Classic,
Gr1 over 1600m at Flemington last November
with Hugh Bowman to ride from barrier 1.
Murray Baker travels Diademe and Sports
Illustrated from New Zealand to The
Championships after they ran the quinella
in the NZ Breeder’s Stks, Gr1 last Saturday.
Ryan Moore rides Diademe with Opie
Bosson on Sports Illustrated, fresh from The
Championships success on Mongolian Khan
in Monday’s Australian Derby. Baker seeks
a third Championships win after Mongolian
Khan and It’s a Dundeel in 2014.
Gypsy Diamond will get back and run on for
Peter and Paul Snowden after a close second in
this race last year.
SEVEN NEWS AUSTRALIAN OAKS
2400m 3yo F SW Group 1 (Race 6)
Fenway provided a fairy tale win over First Seal in the Vinery Stud Stks, Gr1
for Lee and Shannon Hope, with Blake Shinn riding for his family
A
field of 13 fillies face the starter over
2400m, with Sydney’s leading trainer
Chris Waller again having a strong hand
in the race in an event having many chances. The
Vinery Stud Stks, Gr1 is the strongest traditional
lead up to the race with the Adrian Knox Stks,
Gr3 also providing plenty of Oaks winners.
Winx won brilliantly over 1500m at Rosehill
defeating eventual Australian Derby runner-up
Hauraki before enduring a chequered passage
when 5th in the Vinery Stud Stks, Gr1 over
2000m last start. Joao Moreira is booked to
ride from barrier 1. Waller also has Ballet Suite
coming into the race from the Vinery Stud
Stks after beating home her stablemate, with
Ryan Moore taking the ride. Wine Tales backs
up from an unplaced run in Monday’s Adrian
Knox Stks, Gr3 for Kerrin McEvoy.
Fenway provided a fairy tale win in the Vinery
Stud Stks, Gr1 for Lee and Shannon Hope,
with Blake Shinn riding for his family. The
filly looks equally well placed again at The
Championships.
Kiwi trainer Roydon Bergerson is not well
known to Australian racegoers, but in Savaria
he has a strong chance of making it a classic
double for the New Zealanders. The filly was
strong on the line in the New Zealand Oaks 28
days ago and benefits from James McDonald
taking the ride.
Bjorn Baker backs up Candelara from a tough
win in the Adrian Knox, last Monday with
Hugh Bowman riding again.
John Sargent has Victorian Oaks placed
Thunder Lady to be ridden by Zac Purton and
the lightly raced late nomination in Gust of
Wind also in the race.
Adrift for Gai Waterhouse, Rustic Melody
for Kris Lees and Zarzali for James and Bart
Cummings are gifted fillies in a strong race.
ARROWFIELD 3YO SPRINT
1200m 3yo SW Group 2 (Race 5)
Re-match – Mossfun and Earthquake meet for the first time since last
year’s Golden Slipper at The Championships this Saturday
A
strong field of nine males and three fillies
make for an interesting race.
The three fillies are well known to racegoers
with Mossfun, Earthquake and Bring Me
The Maid having run the trifecta in the 2014
Golden Slipper, Gr1. James McDonald rides
Earthquake this time for Godolphin with
Tommy Berry partnering Mossfun.
Despite his outside barrier, handsome colt
Kuro is a deserved race favourite on the back
of his strong second last start in The Galaxy,
Gr1 behind Sweet Idea. Joe Pride seeks The
Championships success after Terravista’s third
placing in the T J Smith Stks, Gr1 on Monday,
Kuro to be ridden by Blake Shinn.
Rosehill trainer Gerald Ryan has booked Joao
Moreira to ride talented colt Rubick. Although
unplaced in the Galaxy, Rubick can bounce
back here.
The speedy Delectation for Chris Waller and
Hugh Bowman returns off a sound run in
the deep end in the Newmarket Hcp, Gr1 at
Flemington with Chautauqua, Lord of the Sky
and Terravista confirming that form line at
the Championships last Monday. A cross-over
nose band could be a decisive gear change.
Rekindled Power resumes from a spell after the
Sandown Guineas for trainer Paul Messara, to
be ridden by Craig Williams.
Mossfun’s stablemate Nostradamus returns
to Sydney with the blinkers removed and Zac
Purton riding in a bid to realise the colt’s ability.
Confederate and Puzzling Wonder both have
untapped potential although rising sharply in
class.
GIRVAN WAUGH
PERCY SYKES STAKES
1200m 2yo F SWP Group 3 (Race 4)
Lake Geneva looks for her maiden win at The Championships
A
ptly named, honouring the legendary
veterinarian Percy Sykes, this race
sees Golden Slipper and Blue Diamond
3rd placegetter Lake Geneva looking for
her maiden win for Team Hawkes and Ryan
Moore. She is a deserved favourite off those
runs, but would appreciate a strongly run first
800m.
The Godolphin duo Calaverite and Ottoman
give trainer John O’Shea an excellent
chance of kicking off a big Day 2 of The
Championships. Calaverite shapes as though
this was her target race, returning off a Listed
win at Moonee Valley and ridden by James
McDonald.
Ottoman was unplaced but close enough to the
winner in the Golden Slipper to be a realistic
chance of a maiden The Championships race
win for Sam Clipperton. Serenade for Mike
Moroney profiles similarly with Craig Williams
riding.
Mine Two could provide rider Jason Collett
and Hawkesbury trainer Garry Frazer their
first The Championships win after finishing
brilliantly at Rosehill last start. Like last year’s
winner Eloping, Mine Two has paid the late
entry.
Gerald Ryan has saved Perignon for this
race after scratching from the Inglis Sires’ on
Monday. Stablemate Cartier Rock, Denpurr
and Sempre Libera are all lightly raced and
would only provide a minor surprise.
PROVINCIAL
CHAMPIONSHIPS FINAL
L
1400m (Race 3)
ike the Country Championships Series
Final on Day 1, the Provincial Final is run
for the first time in 2015. The field of 15 is
drawn together from the first three placings in
one of the qualifying races run at the five NSW
provincial tracks.
The Final sees a number of trainers with multiple
representations in the race with Newcastle trainer
Kris Lees having six runners. Bede Murray from
Kembla Grange has three runners and Kim
Waugh from Wyong two runners.
The Provincial Final presents a relatively
even race, perhaps with potential to throw up
placegetters at big odds. Barriers are likely to
be more important considerations than was
the case with the Country Final on Day 1 of
The Championships.
Qualifying race winners were Sure and Fast
(Wyong, Bede Murray and Jason Collett), Darci
Magic (Kembla, Murray and James McDonald),
Magic of Dreams (Newcastle, Kris Lees and
Tommy Berry), Harmonic (Hawkesbury,
Tony McEvoy and Tim Clark) and Powerline
(Gosford, Lees and Ryan Moore).
Other notable runners are Selectify for
Kris Lees, Oxford Poet for Kim Waugh and
Unequivocal for Noel Mayfield-Smith.
Good luck to all involved.
Last year’s Sapphire Stakes winner Cosmic Endeavour, contests
the Queen of the Turf Stakes on Day 2 of The Championships
Sapphire Stakes 1200m, Group 2 (Race 10)
An excellent Group 2 level fillies and mares race won last year by Cosmic Endeavour which again
brings down the curtain on The Championships. The race boasts a divergence of form lines including
four runners travelling from Melbourne. Atmospherical returned to Sydney running evenly in the
Galaxy, a race in which Chloe in Paris maintained her excellent form. The 2014 minor placegetters
Avoid Lightning and Belle De Coeur are back to contest the race a second time.
Perhaps the consistent Griante who won two starts back over 1200m at Royal Randwick can make
her own luck from the inside draw in a very even race.