Colossalbet Blog

Category: Racing 101

  • All-Star Mile Promises a Tight Race at Caulfield

    Twelve horses are poised to charge out for the sixth edition of the lucrative $4 million All-Star Mile, returning to Caulfield for the second time this Saturday.

    A High-Quality Field Despite Smaller Size:

    While the field size may be smaller than in previous years, Racing Victoria emphasizes the exceptional quality of the participants. Each runner boasts a rating above 100, the highest average in the race’s history. Six Group 1 winners, including the race favorite Mr Brightside with barrier 11, will be vying for victory, although it’s the second-lowest number to compete. As Racing Victoria points out, prominent contenders like Alligator Blood, Attrition, Duais, and Aegon were unfortunately sidelined by injuries or setbacks.

    Intrigue Abounds for Race Fans:

    Matt Welsh, Racing Victoria’s Executive General Manager – Racing, anticipates a race brimming with possibilities:

    • Can Mr Brightside defend his title against the highly-rated Pride Of Jenni (barrier 6)?
    • Will Cascadian (barrier 7), last year’s runner-up, finally claim the top prize?
    • Can the New Zealand challengers, Puntura (barrier 4) and Desert Lightning (barrier 8), cause an upset?
    • Or will there be a surprise victory from another contender?

    Building Excitement for the Race:

    “The All-Star Mile has already sparked plenty of discussion,” Welsh said, “and now it’s time to debate who will win the race.”

    “We think the All-Star Mile will be an enthralling spectacle with the dynamic of the field assembled. The best races are those when we have a genuine tempo and that is assured at Caulfield on Saturday,” he added.

    Starting Positions Revealed:

    Pinstriped, entering the All-Star Mile for the first time, drew the coveted barrier one. Perth’s Dom To Shoot will start from the widest gate (12). Last year’s runner-up, Cascadian, has barrier seven, while New Zealand’s Puntara and Desert Lightning secured barriers four and eight, respectively.

    With a captivating mix of established champions, rising stars, and the potential for an underdog story, the All-Star Mile promises to be an edge-of-your-seat experience. Don’t miss the action this Saturday at Caulfield!

  • SA horses shine at Flemington on Cup week

    Promising filly Karavas completed a successful week for South Australian horses at Flemington with her win in the Group 3 Ottawa Stakes on Thursday.

    It was the second win in three years in the feature for the Richard and Chantelle Jolly stable and capped a massive six days in the saddle for Jake Toeroek.

    The lethal combination claimed last weekend’s Listed John Letts Cup at Morphettville with Pudding, one of two winners for the leading rider on the day, Toeroek’s third win in succession in the race.

    They followed up with four winners at Morphettville on Melbourne Cup Day, the leading rider grabbing a fifth win with Sabermetric.

    That form flowed to Flemington where Karavas stamped herself as a filly with a bright future dominating down the straight to make it two wins from as many starts.

    “She’s a real athletic filly, well-muscled. She always looked like she’d go early,” Richard Jolly said.

    “She had the benefit of that run at Murray Bridge.

    “People disregard our form a bit, good on them, she started good odds,” he said.

    Jolly said unlike their previous Ottawa winner See You In Heaven, Karavas was a filly who would be best suited over the short course.

    “This girl is more precocious,” Jolly said.

    “I feel this filly is going to be a sheer sprinting type.

    “We can put her away now and aim at some nice races in the autumn,” he said.

    Karavas’ win followed on from a big Melbourne Cup Day where Travis Doudle claimed the Schweppervescence Plate over 1000m with Damien Oliver riding, while Dan Clarken and Oopy MacGillivray’s The Map scored an impressive win in the 2800m race with Jamie Kah in the saddle.

    “By far and away the biggest thrill of my training career,” MacGillivray said.

    “The Map is a very special to us,” she said.

    Jamie Kah said it was a thrill to reunite with a stable who had been so crucial in her career in the early days.

    “Riding a winner on Melbourne Cup Day is awesome, but (winning) for them it felt like winning a Melbourne Cup,” Kah said.

    “I was always excited to ride this horse.

    “The feel she gave was fantastic,” she said.

    The hot SA form didn’t stop there with the Michael Hickmott trained, Fancify, finishing 2nd in the Three-Years-Old and Four-Years-Old, Fillies and Mares Race on Oaks Day while Kristi Evans trained, Platinum Wolf, ran a great race to finish 3rd in the Greys race on Cup day. 

  • Mr Brightside ready for Champions tilt

    Mr Brightside will chase Group 1 honours in the Champions Mile at Flemington.

    The Lindsay Park team of Ben, Will and J D Hayes would like a little luck to go their way in what has been a frustrating week at Flemington. 

    After Mr Brightside was touched out in the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley, the Hayes boys have suffered narrow losses with Apulia and Crosshaven earlier in Melbourne Cup week. 

    “With a bit of luck, we could be having a great Cup Carnival,” Ben Hayes said. 

    The Lindsay Park stable is pinning their hopes in Mr Brightside to end Cup week with a Group 1 win in the Champions Mile (1600m) on Saturday. 

    Hayes said the stable made the decision to come back from the 2040m of the Cox Plate when beaten by Romantic Warrior to Saturday’s journey with a view of a potential trip to Hong Kong. 

    “He’s an elite miler, so if we do decide to go to Hong Kong, it gives us more options,” Hayes said. 

    “We can stay at the mile or go to 2000 metres in Hong Kong, but we’ve got to get through this run first and see how he recovers from it. 

    “We haven’t committed to anything yet. He’s in the sixth run for the prep and these good horses, you do need to look after them. 

    “It’s something we’ll discuss with the team after the run.” 

    Hayes said Mr Brightside had remained at Flemington since his Cox Plate defeat and had freshened up nicely for his tilt on Saturday. 

    Mr Brightside will also be racing in blinkers again as the gelding looks to improve on his fourth in the corresponding race in 2021, when run as a handicap, then third last year. 

    “He’s probably due and there will be no excuses,” Hayes said. 

    “He hasn’t missed a day’s work. We’ve kept him at Flemington since the Cox Plate and we’ve always said that he thrives racing two weeks, two weeks, and that is what is happening here. 

    “He’s done so well and is a happy, enjoyable horse. 

    “I never get sick about talking about Mr Brightside, but if I ever do, slap me.” 

  • Guineas next stop in winning Roll

    Guineas the likely next step for daughter of Shamus Award

    Katherine Coleman has always known Roll On High was a filly with above-average ability and now the rest of the world does too after she charged into Thousand Guineas contention at Flemington on Tuesday.

    The daughter of Shamus Award now occupies a place on the second line of betting on the Group 1 at Caulfield on November 18 after decisively winning the $175,000 Desirable Stakes.

    The 1400-metre event was only the fourth start for Roll On High, following a Pakenham maiden win on October 20, but Coleman said the Slade Bloodstock galloper had earned her crack at a valuable Group 1 win.

    “Definitely, if she pulls up well then she’s probably earned her spot there,” Coleman, who trains in partnership with Peter Moody, said.

    Roll On High ($12), who is from the High Chaparral mare All Highs On Me, came with a sweeping run down the outside to score by three quarters of a length from Joliestar ($9.50) with Kimochi ($4.20) filling another minor placing, two lengths away in third.

    Even though Roll On High was up in grade, winning jockey Billy Egan said she relished the set up of the Desirable Stakes and would take benefit from the outing.

    “She was going this good when she won last start but she didn’t have that many horses to pass last time so she was a little lost when she got to the front,” Egan said.

    “Today she had one more to drag her a long way down the straight and she was very willing to pass it but when she hit the front she was still a touch green but she has a touch of class there.”

    Commemorative, the $3.30 favourite, enjoyed an economical run on the fence and presented as a winning hope early in the straight but weakened late to finish sixth, beaten just under six lengths.

  • Ozzmosis aiming to uphold family tradition

    Ozzmosis out to become the fourth generation Coolmore winner

    Ozzmosis has the job of continuing his family’s amazing connection with the Coolmore Stud Stakes when the $2 million Group 1 is run at Flemington this Saturday.

    The Bjorn Baker-trained colt is out to become a fourth generation winner of the 1200-metre event that has risen to become the most significant race for three-year-old colts on the Australian calendar.

    Ozzmosis is by Zoustar, who won the Coolmore Stud Stakes in 2013, five years after his sire Northern Meteor won the race.

    Back when the race was known as the Ascot Vale Stakes – before it moved to Derby Day, which coincided with its elevation to Group 1 status – Northern Meteor’s sire Encosta De Lago won it in 1996.

    Baker recognises the 19-horse field that contains the Golden Slipper trifecta of Shinzo, Cylinder and King’s Gambit, plus local stars including Stretan Angel, Steparty and I Am Unstoppable, is not going to be easy but is an obvious target for his classy colt.

    “He is a well-bred colt, he’s got a great attitude and I think he can run a big one,” Baker said.

    “It is obviously going to be a very hard race, but he is in good order.”

    Ozzmosis, a $250,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling, is out of the Darci Brahma mare No More Tears, who is a daughter of Ocean Of Tears.

    Ocean Of Tears (Minardi) is from the Centaine mare Procure, which makes her a half-sister to Hips Don’t Lie, the dam of Acrobat, Lake Geneva and Ennis Hill, who is the dam of one of last season’s top two-year-olds Learning To Fly.

    Ozzmosis did not debut until late May, when he won easily at Gosford, before a similarly impressive win at Randwick on June 10.

    He was then put away to be prepared for his three-year-old season and made it three from three in the Listed Heritage Stakes before a third placing in the Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) won by Coolmore rival King’s Gambit.

    The Darby Racing-owned colt tuned up for the Coolmore with a slick Flemington jumpout win last Friday, leaving Baker and raceday jockey Rachel King happy.

    “Rachel was very happy with him, so that gives us a bit of confidence going into Saturday,” Baker said.

    “He seems to have settled in well down there and we’re very happy with him going into the race.”

    Zoustar is the only stallion represented in this year’s Coolmore Stud Stakes who is a past winner, but three others have supplied winners of the race.

    I Am Invincible, who has King’s Gambit, I Am Unstoppable and Tiz Invincible engaged, is the sire of Brazen Beau (2014), Home Affairs (2021) and In Secret (2022), Cylinder’s sire Exceed And Excel is a two-time winner of the race, while Steparty’s sire Artie Schiller produced Flying Artie to win in 2016.

  • Cummings playing it Strait in Eagle

    What began as a pipedream will become a reality when Strait Acer lines up in the Golden Eagle.

    He might have a famous racing surname, but the effort of Edward Cummings to have a Cox Plate and Golden Eagle runner in the space of eight days has been a notable feat.

    Cummings, the grandson of Cups King Bart and son of respected Sydney trainer Anthony, has a boutique team of just 22 horses in work at Hawkesbury.

    Despite his small numbers, he saddled up Duais to a luckless fourth in the Cox Plate (2040m) last weekend and will start Strait Acer in Saturday’s $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill.

    While the latter is a $34 chance in pre-race markets, he arrives at the race in the form of his life.

    Stringing together a hat-trick of wins in Midway and Benchmark grade, Strait Acer stepped up to the Silver Eagle (1300m) and despite a chequered passage in the straight, he motored to the line for an encouraging second to Vienna Princess.

    If Cummings wasn’t certain he had a Golden Eagle contender going into the Silver Eagle, he was after it.

    “Even though it was the plan and we got into the race fair and square, I thought I was half-mad just for trying it because he was so far out of the handicap,” Cummings said.

    “We started his prep a month earlier than we normally do with our horses because he was that forward and because we needed to test him and get him up in the ratings quickly.

    “We had one run where we could be unlucky and the rest of them would have to be runs where he was winning, and that’s basically how it has turned out.

    “He put a few together and the last run in the Silver Eagle was really good.”

    Cummings can see similarities between Strait Acer and a horse he trained in partnership with his father, 2018 Villiers Stakes winner Sky Boy.

    After showing early promise, Sky Boy notched five successive victories during the spring and summer of that year and Cummings has used him as a barometer for Strait Acer.

    “Watching a horse like him reminds me a lot of Sky Boy when he had that prep stringing five or six wins together, culminating in the Villiers,” Cummings said.

    “We have gone on a very similar journey and that experience has informed a lot of what we’ve done with this horse.

    “The horse is in great nick, and he is just learning and improving all the time.”

    Cummings will also start Queenmaker in the TAB Handicap (1900m), the mare continuing to thrive as she prepares to line up for her sixteenth start in a campaign that kicked off in February.

    “We did give her a month freshen-up (in July), she’s had five or six starts since then and it’s only her second racing preparation. She loves it,” Cummings said.

    “Zac Lloyd goes back on and I think he’ll be riding her with a fair bit of confidence.”

  • Kovalica Waller’s Golden boy

    Chris Waller has put blinkers on Kovalica to sharpen him up for a slight distance drop.

    The Cox Plate came under serious consideration for Kovalica, but his performance in the King Charles III Stakes convinced connections the $10 million Golden Eagle was the right target.

    The Queensland Derby winner was one of the few horses to make headway from back in the field, coming from last on the corner to finish fifth behind stablemate Fangirl.

    That 1600m effort has proved the determining factor in resisting the temptation to step Kovalica up to 2040m in last Saturday’s Cox Plate and instead fit him with blinkers for a Golden Eagle (1500m) assault.

    “Had he not sprinted as hard as what he did in the King Charles, the Cox Plate would have been the logical race to go to,” trainer Chris Waller‘s racing manager Charlie Duckworth said.

    “But the fact he was reeling in older weight-for-age stars, and that he’s only four once …. the Cox Plate is still going to be there for him next year.”

    Waller won the inaugural Golden Eagle with Kolding, who like Kovalica was raced by Neville Morgan and sported the prominent owner’s blue and white colours.

    But they aren’t the only commonalities the horses share.

    Both are by Ocean Park, both won the Queensland Guineas the previous winter and like Kolding, Kovalica will tackle the Golden Eagle fourth-up and off the back of a Group 1 mile run at Randwick.

    Duckworth can make cases for all of the stable’s runners but says Kovalica’s fast finishing second in the Epsom Handicap (1600m) and his King Charles Stakes effort make him Waller’s top seed.

    “He pretty much has to be,” Duckworth said.

    “Despite only running second and fifth, you couldn’t have asked more from any horse in his last two runs.”

    The commitment of jockey Tommy Berry has also been a confidence boost.

    Berry has been retained for the Golden Eagle mount after riding Kovalica last start and hasn’t missed an opportunity to sit on his back since.

    “Tommy has come in and galloped him on the Saturday, Tuesday, (last) Saturday and again on Tuesday.

    “He is putting the hard yards in and he has got bags of faith in the horse.”

    Kovalica ($10) will lead a five-pronged Golden Eagle bid for Waller, although he has been a market drifter since landing gate 16 at Tuesday night’s barrier draw.

    His barn mates fared better with Rediener drawing three, Osipenko and Vienna Princess alongside each other in barriers eight and nine respectively, while Age Of Kings will jump from gate 11.

  • Amelia’s Jewel shining ahead of Golden Eagle

    Simon Miller is confident Amelia’s Jewel can bounce back in the $10 million Golden Eagle.

    His stable star may have been beaten for just the second time in her career last start, but Simon Miller couldn’t be happier with Amelia’s Jewel ahead of Saturday’s 1500m Golden Eagle at Rosehill.

    Beaten 5.5 lengths as a $2.40 favorite in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) last start, Miller is confident the Group 1 winning mare is 100%, working her the Sydney way of going at Flemington on Tuesday morning.

    “Her work was brilliant, really good, strong, weights good, she’s eating up again which is what she always does. I was just waiting for her to get back on her game before I increased her work again and she did,” Miller said.

    Damian Lane will remain on Amelia’s Jewel this weekend, forgoing rides at Flemington to partner her, something Miller takes confidence in.

    “He reverse galloped her last Tuesday… it was her first time proper reverse gallop, she got on the right lead straight away and then Saturday morning she launched onto the right lead straight away and he said “mate, she’s taken to this pretty good,” Miller said.

    “He was glowing in his post-race gallop.”

    Miller puts Amelia’s Jewel’s poor performance in the Toorak Handicap down to the occasion and an “off day”, something he noticed in her demeanour pre-race.

    “We were tickled pink going to Caulfield, and then I got into the pre-enclosure and I thought we’re in a bit of trouble here, it’s amazing how externally they can look brilliant and internally there’s something not right,” Miller said.

    Originally with a tough decision between the Golden Eagle or last Saturday’s Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m), Miller and owner Peter Walsh effectively had their decision made for them after her ninth placing in the Toorak.

    “We were probably lucky we got three weeks to the Eagle… You can’t hit the Cox Plate like that… that extra week just let us idle her along so the timing was perfect,” Miller said.

    Amelia’s Jewel will travel to Sydney on Wednesday night but won’t get a feel for the Rosehill track before Saturday, set to stable her with John O’Shea.

    “I’m going to stay at Randwick, I’ve got to stay at my old bosses, at O’Shea’s, otherwise he’ll kill me… It’s interesting isn’t it, how will she go with it (Rosehill), I’m not sure. She’s pretty professional, she got around The Valley her first go… I think she’ll be fine,” Miller said.

    Miller will bring Amelia’s Jewel back to Perth after Saturday’s Golden Eagle, for which she is the $4.50 favorite, and hasn’t completely ruled out running in The Pinnacles at Ascot in December.

  • Hong Kong star claims Cox Plate

    Hong Kong’s Romantic Warrior has scored a last stride thrilling win in the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley.

    Champion James McDonald’s faith in Hong Kong superstar Romantic Warrior has been vindicated with the jockey landing a second Cox Plate victory. 

    After guiding Anamoe to success in last year’s Group 1 weight-for-age championship, McDonald had to call on all his strength to get Romantic Warrior home in the 2040m contest at Moonee Valley on Saturday. 

    McDonald never lost faith in Romantic Warrior despite the Danny Shum-trained gelding being beaten at his Australian debut in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 7. 

    Starting the $3.60 favourite, Romantic Warrior scored by a nose from Mr Brightside ($9) with Alligator Blood ($6) a short-neck away third. 

    Romantic Warrior returned a win dividend of $2.80 on the World Pool. 

    McDonald made trips to Hong Kong to partner Romantic Warrior to win the lead up to the Hong Kong Cup as well as the Hong Kong Cup at the international meeting last year and was also aboard gelding to win the Queen Elizabeth II Cup in April. 

    “This horse is pretty special to me,” McDonald said. 

    “I mentioned if he came to a Cox Plate, he’d be a suitable horse. I meant what I said and credit to (owner) Peter (Lau Pak Fai) and Danny. 

    “It takes a hell of a lot of balls to come out of Hong Kong with all the prizemoney there. It is one of the best racing jurisdictions in the world and they come here and showcase their boy. 

    “I reckon he’s got more to come, too. 

    “He’s been bubbling. He showed a significant amount of improvement like I thought he would, and he loves the bloody Valley!” 

    The first three horses across the line were positioned third, fourth and fifth in the running line behind King Colorado and Zaaki. 

    McDonald elected to ease three wide racing to the 600m mark with Alligator Blood taking up his spot. 

    Romantic Warrior wobbled slightly around the turn, as did Zaaki which allowed Mr Brightside to get up on the fence to hit the front 50m out, only to be grabbed on the line. 

    McDonald said he was comfortable where Romantic Warrior was positioned in the race. 

    “I knew I was on the right horse, and I kept going, ‘he’s the best horse, he’s the best horse’ so I’d ride him like it,” McDonald said. 

    “I took a gamble about the 1000 (metres) or 1200. We elected to come back a spot and to the minute right now I believe that was the winning move.” 

    Shum said it had been a gamble to send Romantic Warrior from Hong Kong to contest Saturday’s race. 

    Romantic Warrior had to adapt to different training conditions in quarantine at Werribee having not raced since late in May in Hong Kong. 

    The gelding had an interrupted preparation before arrival in Australia missing an important trial and initially not taking to a change in feed. 

    But Romantic Warrior was able to overcome that adversity to claim Australia’s best race. 

    “I don’t know how to tell you how happy I am. I am really happy,” Shum said. 

    “I want to thank Peter the owner for giving permission to come here. James Mcdonald, all the team, all the Hong Kong fans, my wife Christine, my son Aaron. 

    “I love you! I love you!” 

    After Romantic Warrior’s first-up Australian defeat, Shum said he was a little deflated, but knew the gelding would improve with the outing. 

    “He was not really ready, but he got better day-by-day,” Shum said. 

    “I was confident he would run a good race, but it is a strong race. 

    “He overcame all of the challenges and the difficulties. James McDonald gave me a very good report.” 

    Shum said Romantic Warrior would return to Hong Kong as early as possible to prepare for the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin on December 10.

  • 32 left in Cup, penalty for Cleveland

    Monee Valley Cup winner jumps to 14th in order of entry.

    A penalty for his Moonee Valley Cup win, combined with natural attrition, has Cleveland safely in the field for next week’s $8.4 million Group 1 Melbourne Cup.

    Racing Victoria’s head of handicapping David Hegan issued the Kris Lees-trained entire a 0.5kg penalty for Friday night’s win under 55.5kg, taking his Melbourne Cup weight to 52kg.

    Placed 24th in the order of entry prior to the win, Cleveland elevated a few spots owing to several higher-weighted runners not being paid-up as third-round acceptors and now sits in 14th position after the penalty.

    “Under the set weights and penalty conditions of the Moonee Valley Gold Cup, Cleveland was allocated the base weight on Friday night,” Hegan said.

    “Thus, he came in well at the weights against some of his opposition on the night and compared to where they are in the Melbourne Cup weights.

    “Vow and Declare and Future History will now meet Cleveland 0.5kg and 3kg better respectively in the Melbourne Cup after the penalty. If the luckless Athabascan makes the field it would be a 3.5kg turnaround in his favour against Cleveland too.”

    Cleveland becomes the first Moonee Valley Gold Cup winner to receive a Melbourne Cup penalty since 2015 when The United States moved to 52.5kg with a 2.5kg penalty.

    Cleveland will be one of two Melbourne Cup runners for six-time winner Lloyd Williams and his partners after Epsom Derby winner Serpentine jumped to 22nd in the order of entry.

    In 23rd position is More Felons with True Marvel 24th but those two are not yet guaranteed a run with a ballot exemption on offer to the winner of Saturday’s The Archer at Flemington, while Wednesday’s Bendigo Cup contains two runners – Hasta La War (29th) and Interpretation (31st) – who can elevate their position in the order of entry if they win and receive a penalty.