Tonight is the night for the world’s richest turf race, The Everest. The slots are filled for a purse of $15 Million Australian ($9.9 Million US) featuring the best of the best in the sprinting division down under. From Nature Strip to last year’s champion Classique Legend. As well on the card up in Sydney is the running of the Kosciuszko (Not to be confused with Thaddeus Kosciusko, as in the name of the bridge in Albany that everyone posts a picture of when they drive to Saratoga). The Kosciuszko is the world’s richest race for country trained horses, carrying a total purse of $1.3 Million. These two feature races highlight a major point in the Spring Carnival’s in both Sydney and Melbourne.
Caulfield will be on display tonight as well with the running of their most prestigious event, the Caulfield Cup. A race won by many legends in the past and the first of the three main championship races down in Melbourne, followed by next week’s WS Cox Plate and of course the first Tuesday in November for the Melbourne Cup. Can Incentivise continue his climb to being Australia’s newest superstar? From finishing 8th in a maiden at Toowoomba to the heavy favorite for one of Melbourne’s classics, it has been a meteoric climb for Incentivise but the main target is now in front of him.
Australia (Friday)
Randwick (Australia A) – First Post: 9:30 PM ET
Race 1: 7-8-13
Race 2: 1-3-6
Race 3: 2-9-4
Race 4: 6-2-8 – (Reginald Allen Handicap)
Race 5: 7-6-12 – (The Kosciuszko)
Race 6: 1-7-4 – (GIII Sydney Stakes)
Race 7: 8-1-4 – (The Everest)
Race 8: 11-1-3 – (GIII Craven Stakes)
Race 9: 1-2-5 – (St. Leger Stakes)
Race 10: 3-1-7
Race 2 – #2 – Rock – This galloper for Team Hawkes has shown lots of talent in the past but has not shown that in recent form. With that being said, today is a significant drop in class and it looks more like they are giving him an easier spot to win than this much of a drop being a negative. Closed from well back in the GI Epsom Handicap LTO and was 7th. Gets the services of Tommy Berry for this one and will be the top weight but should be a live chance. Even with the class drop this is not an easy field but that will help provide some value with Rock.
Race 4 – #6 – Mayrose – Coming off of a barrier trial at Randwick, this daughter of Pride of Dubai has shown decent form at lower levels and could be ready for a swift step up in distance. One of the key factors with this filly is that she will relish the ground on the day. Jumping up into stakes company will be a test but the prep seems right to give her a swing at a nice price here against a weaker stakes field.
Race 6 – #1 – Kementari – Not usually the type of horse I would go right back to after a hard fought victory LTO in the GII Gilgai Stakes at Flemington. Comes back in a fortnight and looks to have landed a really nice spot in the Sydney Stakes. Draws post 7 and relishes a soft going. Is the class of the field and I am expecting him to have another run like he did at Flemington and transfer it to Caulfield, a track he has won at twice in his career.
Race 7 – #8 – The Inferno – The former Singapore superstar has made a nice impression since making the trip over to Australia. A strong winner two back in the GII Ian McEwen Stakes and ran a valiant 2nd in the GI Moir, both at The Valley. Is 1 for 1 over the soft going and although many didn’t know what to expect from The Inferno when he got here, I would assume connections not only knew what they had but were also in the back of their minds preparing for a tilt at The Everest. This is a field of the best of the best class of runners in Australia, but on his day he is right with them.
Caulfield (Melbourne Racing Club) – First Post: 9:15 PM ET
Race 1: 7-6-2
Race 2: 4-1-8
Race 3: 7-10-2 (Gothic Stakes)
Race 4: 1-6-10 (GIII Ethereal Stakes)
Race 5: 2-6-10 (GIII Neds Stakes (Caulfield Classic))
Race 6: 1-10-7 (GIII Might And Power Stakes)
Race 7: 6-4-1 (GII Tristarc Stakes)
Race 8: 13-17-2 (GII Alinghi Stakes)
Race 9: 1-16-2 (GI Caulfield Cup)
Race 10: 12-8-3 (GII Caulfield Sprint Stakes)
Race 1 – #7 – Mimi’s Award – Needed a start first up after a disappointing 9th over the Hillside course at Sandown LTO, although did show up a little bit late. Stackhouse stays aboard for this step up into a competitive handicap but should improve and love the ground. Has done nothing wrong in any other start of her career and once she is back too close to her best she could be a very dangerous galloper.
Race 6 – #1 – Zoutori – Carries the top weight being a winner of the GI Newmarket Handicap back in March and on performance has a definite edge over this field. Linda Meech takes over the mount and she has been flying of recent times. After last week being my official divorce from backing Buffalo River who will look to burn even more money as the favorite in this field, I will heavily leaning on Zoutori to out class them.
Race 7 – #7 – Aidensfield – Aidensfield has put together a strong campaign without finding the winner’s circle. Will have to make a significant step up from Benchmark 78 and 80 to challenge this Group Two but I have been really happy with her progression this season. Likes the ground and has decent form around him.
Race 9 – #1 & #16 – Homesman & Nonconformist – I am willing to take two horses that have been in great form at big prices to challenge the heavy favorite Incentivise. Both Homesman and Nonconformist have good soft ground form and have been battling it out with the likes of Probabeel and Zaaki. A lot of people are downgrading the form out of the Underwood and Might and Power Stakes simply because Zaaki was defeated, however some credit needs to go to the horses who he was running against in that they were better than given credit. Zaaki was Australia’s super horse just last week so if he is going to get beaten even below his best, it would take an in form galloper to do it. Use these two with Incentivise and hopefully they can pull off the upset.
