Autumn Carnival has well and truly arrived, with the best of the best hitting the tracks this weekend. Our Flemington card is action-packed with the first running of the All-Star Mile at Group 1 status supported by a strong undercard with a tribute race to the late Michael Moroney and, of course, the MSS Security Sires Produce Stakes.
Not only will there be a feast on the track for racing aficionados; the VRC is hosting ‘Feast’ in the new precinct on the east end of the lawn. Hosted in conjunction with the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, Melbourne’s best restaurants make their way trackside as racegoers can indulge to the backdrop of elite Group 1 racing!
Our two-year-old feature, the Group 2 MSS Security Sires Produce Stakes, features the one-time Magic Millions hopeful Tycoon Star. Although he didn’t start in the Gold Coast feature race, the Hayes Bros handy colt lived up to expectations, running a strong third in the Group 1 Blue Diamond behind Devil Knight. Behind him in the money is, interestingly, Vinrock, who led throughout for his dominant debut win at Pakenham a fortnight ago. Meanwhile, Steel Trap makes the trip north off the back of a strong campaign in Adelaide with a win first up followed by a third at Morphetville, where the colt raced wide without cover but boxed on well to hit the line amongst the placings.
Following on in Race 6, we see our Caulfield Cup hero Duke De Sessa return to Flemington off the back of her first-up win in the Group 3 JRA Plate at Caulfield. She’s had one trial in between, up in distance, drawn the rails, and looks primed for an Australian Cup Prelude assault. Ciaron Maher hosts three other starters in the race, with Group 1 Turnbull Stakes winner Smokin Romans joining Middle Earth, who is set to make his Australian debut, and Berkshire Breeze, who boasts strong second-up form. The one to watch could be track specialist Shaiyhar, who won first up at Flemington in the TAB Australian Cup and has. chased hard for two thirds at Caulfield since. Could the return to Flemington be all that the Busuttin-Young-trained gelding needs?
Our feature race of the day comes along in Race 7, the All-Star Mile set to be run for the first time at its elevated Group 1 status. Despite its recent upgrade in title, the race has interestingly attracted its smallest field of runners in the race’s history, with just seven starters headlined by 10x Group 1 winner Mr. Brightside. With two runs under his belt, including his most recent Group 1 Futurity Stakes win, there’s no denying that Mr. B will be the one to beat—especially when you consider his form at the track and distance. Taking him on are the likes of Another Wil, who solidified his reputation as a rising star in the WFA ranks when he ran Mr. Brightside down to win the Group 1 C.F. Orr stakes first up. Godolphin’s Tom Kitten is also set to start following his recent second to Mr. Brightside in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes, where he stormed home after he was held up for most of the straight.
Group 1 Oaks star TreasureThe Moment is looking to keep her picket fence intact as she looks to extend her winning streak to six on the trot in the Group 2 Kewney Stakes, joined by Group 1 Thousand Guineas winner Another Prophet, who is looking to turn her recent form around.
And if you thought the Flemington card wasn’t big enough, Race 9 will keep us glued to the telly with some of the best from the Spring Carnival, starting in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap. Last year’s Everest favourite Joliestar goes second up after a luckless run in the Group 2 Expressway; meanwhile, the blinkers come off Ciaron Maher’s talented colt Growing Empire after a questionable run in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning first up. The horse on everyone’s lips is Espionage, though, who pulled up with heat stress following his first-up run in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate after an extended spell. The Waterhouse-Bott-trained colt has a significant weight advantage, and with blinkers on for the first time, he should not be overlooked.
The day’s racing is truly going to live up to its ‘Super Saturday’ moniker, so stay tuned on our website tomorrow as we preview the Group 1 Randwick Guineas and Group 1 Canterbury Stakes as well as the inaugural running of The Kiwi across the ditch at Ellerslie.
