Inglis Millennium winner Fully Lit headlines Sunday’s Black Opal at Canberra.
Gai Waterhouse and Adrain Bott will be well represented in the nations capital’s biggest day of racing, headlined by unbeaten two-year-old colt Fully Litin the Group 3 Black Opal Stakes (1200m).
The stable are enjoying an unprecedented two-year-old season with 19 total wins, including Fully Lit, with the Hellbent colt set to star a short-priced favourite for Sunday’s Black Opal, which the stable hope see him present as yet another Golden Slipper chance.
“He’s come through his last win in the Millennium beautifully and he’s trialled nicely since,” Bott said.
“He’s in great order, and obviously has plenty of upside. He’s improving every start.”
Gai Waterhouse holds the record with seven Golden Slipper winners, one of those in partnership with Bott, who says Sunday’s race will be another piece in the puzzle as to Fully Lit’s standing in the Sipper pecking order.
“I’d like to see him perform well in the Black Opal to see where he is at. It’s always a competitive contest so this will give us a great guide.”
Fully Lit is the $1.50 favourite for the Black Opal after drawing barrier three with Regan Baylissto maintain his association with the colt. Peter and Paul Snowden have the only other two horses in single figures with Holmes A Court at $6 and King Of Roseau at $9. Meanwhile, in a far more open affair, Waterhouse & Bott will saddle up recent Magic Millions winner So United in the Listed Canberra Cup (2000m), who has drawn barrier seven in a field of 11 with Tim Clark onboard.
“We thought So United was great last start…before that he was really impressive when he won at the Gold Coast. He’s progressive and continues to improve,” Bott said.
So United is a $5 second elect behind the Kris Lees trained Almaniaat $4.20, who will jump from barrier 10.
Newmarket weights to determine whether Espiona’s next assignment.
Chris Wallerwill study the weights for this Saturday’s Newmarket Handicap before deciding whether Espionaruns in the $1.5 million event at Flemington or returns to Sydney.
The daughter of Extreme Choice caught the eye late when steaming home into third placing in the 1000-metre Black Caviar Lightning, won by Imperatriz.
The star Kiwi mare was late last week confirmed as a Newmarket starter, where she is expected to be 58kg topweight, and Waller said how Espiona measures up against her and some of the other better-performed nominations will determine whether she takes her place in the 1200m race.
“I just want to see not what weight she gets, but how she fares in the weights against the other horses,” Waller said.
If Waller opts against running in the Newmarket, she will most likely appear in the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes at Randwick.
The five-year-old was one of 13 nominations for that $750,000 event, which will herald the return of The Everest winner Think About It, and Waller would not have too much issue seeing her jump from the 1000m of the Lightning to 1300m second-up.
“I don’t see 1300 metres being much of a problem, I think it is a good distance for her,” he said.
“Her first-up run was terrific. She is effective now both ways as well as up the straight.”
Espiona is one of two Canterbury Stakes nominations for Waller, who also has Golden Slipper winner Shinzoentered.
The valuable son of Snitzel has not started since his third placing in the Coolmore Stud Stakes third placing and Waller tossing up whether he is ready for the 1300m first-up.
“I’ve still got to make a decision if Shinzo is quite ready for it,” he said.
Shinzo had had two trials this preparation, a third over 900m at Randwick on February 8 before a sixth placing in an 850m trial at Randwick a fortnight later.
James McDonald has bestowed high praise on unbeaten colt Storm Boy saying, “he’s as good as you get”.
Gai Waterhouse and Adrain Bottdon’t just have their sights set on the Golden Slipper with Storm Boy, they are also eyeing off a clean sweep of the juvenile triple crown.
As the raging Slipper favourite made light work of his Skyline Stakes (1200m) rivals at Randwick on Saturday, Bott was already thinking of the bigger autumn picture and the heights the $60 million colt might reach.
He revealed that he and Waterhouse were keen to target the youngster, not just at the Golden Slipper (1200m), but at the ATC Sires’ Produce (1400m) and Champagne Stakes (1600m) as well.
“We’ve had to prepare for the Golden Slipper, but we’ve got big targets for the triple crown as well,” Bott said.
“I’d like to think he is only going to be better suited getting over the 1400, 1600 metres in time.
“It’s very exciting for everyone involved.”
Having his first start since demolishing his Magic Millions rivals, Storm Boy wasn’t the best to begin but quickly mustered speed to take up the running under new jockey James Mcdonald.
As the pressure came on at the top of the straight, the $1.18 favourite found another gear, extending his advantage and cruising to the line 1-1/2 lengths clear of stablemate Prost($12) with Duvana($18) another 1-1/4 lengths away third.
Bott said it was a relief to see Storm Boy return so well from his Magic Millions foray and tick the final box in what will be his last start before the Golden Slipper in three weeks.
“It’s always a little bit nerve wracking seeing these profile horses come back off that turnaround,” Bott said.
“He’s a lovely style of horse, he’s got plenty of gears.
“It’s his first run (back) and at 1200 metres off a while between races and a freshen up – he’s only had the one trial and he’s a lovely, big colt – so I think condition-wise, that will tighten him up nicely.”
McDonald was having his first race day feel of Storm Boy and came away brimming with praise for the Coolmore colt.
He believes there is still more under the bonnet and expects the youngster to thrive in a high-pressure race like the Slipper.
“He’s as good as you get,” McDonald said.
“He’s strong, he knows he’s really good and the more you ask him the more he keeps giving.
“Until he gets into a high-pressure race, I think that is when you’ll see a fair dinkum horse.”
Connections are yet to decide if McDonald will keep the Slipper ride, or if it will go to English jockey Ryan Moore, who jetted in to claim last year’s two-year-old centrepiece for Coolmore on Shinzo.
However, McDonald made it clear he is keen to stick with the Skyline Stakes winner.
“Ryan (Moore) is obviously their number one and we’ll see what happens, but if I get the opportunity, I’d love to ride him,” McDonald said.
The Michael Freedman-trained Manaaltook out the Group 2 Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m) for the fillies to remain the only non-Tulloch Lodge two-year-old to claim a black-type race in Sydney this season.
Manaal also denied Waterhouse and Bott when capturing the Gimcrack Stakes in September and while Freedman said she would most likely press on to the Slipper, he admitted the males looked hard to beat this year.
“She is one of the better fillies around, whether they can stack up against the colts remains to be seen,” Freedman said.
“We thought we could come here and get the job done, we’ll have a think about the Slipper.”
The Golden Slipper picture took further shape last week when Storm Boy had his first start since the Magic Millions carnival and while he did not elevate his peak rating, he tightened his grip on Slipper favouritism.
While he will still be favourite after Saturday night, the Slipper market is set to be reshaped and a main danger defined this weekend with the Todman Stakes and Reisling Stakes to be run at Randwick.
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.”
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.
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 Duaisto 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 Queenmakerin 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.”
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 Redienerdrawing three, Osipenkoand Vienna Princess alongside each other in barriers eight and nine respectively, while Age Of Kings will jump from gate 11.
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’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 Warriorhas been vindicated with the jockey landing a second Cox Plate victory.
After guiding Anamoeto 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.
Monee Valley Cup winner jumps to 14th in order of entry.
A penalty for his Moonee Valley Cup win, combined with natural attrition, has Clevelandsafely 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 Serpentinejumped 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.
