Cover image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
G2 PB Lawrence S. - Melbourne's first WFA for the season
One of four first-up contestants in this year’s edition of the Group 2, Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) goes into the race off the back of good jump-out form and looks set for a bold fresh showing having gone to the paddock on a high note following his G1 Doncaster H. victory.
The Lindsay Park-trained gelding will take on the very classy Regal Power (Pierro) who also kicks off his spring campaign in Saturday’s Group 2, but could be one to watch first-up because he does tend to improve with a run under his belt.
Elephant (NZ) (Shocking) on the other hand flies fresh. At the corresponding meeting 12 months ago, he won the lesser 1400-metre race on the card in convincing style at his Australian debut. The son of Shocking following up that win with a second-place finish in the next start in the G2 Feehan S., splitting the Group 1 performers Superstorm (Sebring) and The Chosen One (NZ) (Savabeel) on that occasion.
The other to resume is the imported Uncle Bryn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) (Rob Brydon fans take note), who did not have the best of luck kicking off his first Australian campaign at Sandown-Hillside in March, but made amends for that performance when winning at Sale in April and was most recently sighted finishing sixth in a BM100 H. at Caulfield in May. He has raced in lesser grade up until now, but it is well worth noting how the imports tend to improve off their first local preparation.
Mr Brightside (NZ), the current favourite in the G2 PB Lawrence S. at Caulfield | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
The evergreen Streets Of Avalon (Magnus) was not in the best part of the track in the G3 Bletchingly and he loves the Caulfield 1400 metres, having won five times at this journey.
Scallopini (Snitzel) also comes into the race off the back of a run in the G3 Bletchingly S. in which he was a brave second, while I Am Superman (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) has been kept fresh since getting back from a wide gate in the G1 Stradbroke H.
It is an impressive honour roll that this race's winner will be added to. From 1949 until 2010 it was run as the J.J Liston S. and has been won by such outstanding winners as Lord (NZ) (Targui {Fr}), Tobin Bronze (Arctic Explorer {GB}), Tauto (Good Brandy {GB}), Mahogany (Last Tycoon {Ire}), Sydeston (St Briavels {GB}) and Apache Cat (Lion Cavern {USA}) in the past.
G3 Vain S. - seven promising 3-year-olds
Either Semillion (Shalaa {Ire}) or Cannonball (Capitalist) would be an apt winner of this race, both promising young horses boasting a strain or two, the latter is out of a mare line-bred to him, of the horse after whom this race is named.
A son of a three-quarter sister to the most successful horse line-bred to Vain, which of course is Black Caviar (Bel Esprit), Semillion is yet to run a bad race and has trialled well in the lead up to this preparation. Meanwhile, Cannonball won both of his autumn assignments including when he showed his affinity of the Caulfield track in the Listed Redoute's Choice S.
Alpha One is looking for a fourth successive victory in the G3 Vain S. at Caulfield
Another four of this race's seven runners comes into the race off winning form, with Millane (Zoustar) impressive at his Flemington debut in Listed company in March, while Thron Bone (Thronum) has the fitness edge having been a tough winner of each of his last three starts.
Also going for a fourth successive victory is Alpha One (Super One), a member of the prolific Eight Carat (GB) (Pieces Of Eight {Ire}) clan who created a big impression when saluting at Moonee Valley a couple of weeks ago. Another on the up is Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) who hails from the same family as his grandsire Redoute's Choice (Danehill {USA}).
G3 Quezette S. - the fillies kick off their spring campaigns
Formlines from Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia collide in a race in which 10 of the 14 contestants are resuming. Four of the contestants are last-start winners, two are maidens and one is having her first career start.
One of the maidens, Waltz On By (I Am Invincible), is well in contention having run so well at her first two starts before a luckless run in the G1 Blue Diamond S. She seeks to become a third generation Caulfield stakes winner with her dam Stay With Me (Street Cry {Ire}) and grandam Miss Finland (Redoute's Choice) both winners of the G1 Thousand Guineas, the latter winning another four stakes races at the track.
Also unlucky in the Blue Diamond was Miss Roseiano (Exceed And Excel), great-granddaughter of Eight Carat's (GB) (Pieces Of Eight {Ire}) Group 1 daughter Diamond Lover (Sticks And Stones), whilst the equally well-related Ojai (an Exceed And Excel descendant of Bint Marscay {Marscay}) ran a nice race in the G1 Golden Slipper S.
Ebhaar, the current favourite in the G3 Quezette S. at Caulfield | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Ebhaar (I Am Invincible) is already a Caulfield stakes winner and has been flying at the trials recently, while debut winner I'mlovin'ya (Capitalist) trialled nicely at Cranbourne on Monday in preparation for this first-up assignment.
Representing Queensland form lines is the unbeaten She'sgottheboom (Spirit Of Boom) who warmed up for the Group 3 with a victory in a recent Flemington jump-out.
Listed The Rosebud - Sydney's sprinters on the up
In its 11-year history, the Listed The Rosebud has been won eight times by horses who have gone on to further stakes success so it will be well worth noting who performs best on Saturday.
Godolphin and James Cummings won this last year with Paulele (Dawn Approach {Ire}), defeating In The Congo (Snitzel) from the Waterhouse and Bott stable in the process. Both those stables have leading chances this year, the former saddling up three runners including the talented Spacewalk (Exosphere), who has also accepted for Caulfield, while the latter has the early favourite Kibou (Maurice {Jpn}), who has looked good making his own luck on pace winning his last two.
Kibou, the current favourite in the Listed The Rosebud at Rosehill | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
The Hawkes stable had to make do with a third place with Remarque (Snitzel) last year. This time around they will be hoping to go two better and they will be represented by Sebonack (Capitalist), who showed plenty during his debut campaign in which he contested both the G1 Blue Diamond S. and the G1 Golden Slipper S.
Miss Hellfire (Hellbent) has also displayed talent and has been coming along nicely at the trials, while Zoukerino (Snitzel) comes into the race off the back of a smart debut victory.
G3 Spring S. - the return of Behemoth
For third year running the aptly named Behemoth (All Too Hard) kicks off his spring campaign in this home-town feature at Morphettville and he is attempting to become the third horse to win the 1200-metre contest on three occasions.
The popular and classy Redelva (Romantic Hope) achieved this feat in 1988, 1989 and 1990, while the tough Hero Wind (Star Pyramul) was first across the line in 1994, 1995 and 1997.
Behemoth has won this race twice on the back of a good trial coming off an unplaced run in the G1 The Goodwood H. and his form reads the same this time around. The market thinks he is the one to beat, the triple Group 1 winner opening as a short-priced favourite.
Behemoth looks to make it a three-peat in the G3 Spring S. at Morphettville | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
Fellow track specialist Pindaric (Fastnet Rock) looks his biggest threat. The sparingly raced, but classy 6-year-old beaten only once in his five Morphettville starts. Overall, the winner of seven of nine, he is up in class from a tricky gate but there is no doubting his heart.
Outlaws Revenge (Reward For Effort) and Royal Mile (Danerich) are proven Morphettville stakes performers, while Agreeable (Sebring) has also run some nice races in black-type company.
G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois - the Cox Plate hero returns
Reigning G1 Cox Plate champ State Of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner) has well and truly held up his Melbourne form over the last few months and he will be out to prove his mettle once more in the G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville on Sunday.
Since his victory in the Moonee Valley showpiece, State Of Rest has gone from strength to strength, proving too strong for his G1 Prix Ganay rivals at Longchamp in May before a tough G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup third off a less than ideal run in transit at the Curragh.
At Royal Ascot in mid-June, he was game leading throughout to add another elite level success to his excellent record - defeating the short-priced favourite Bay Bridge (GB) (New Bay {GB}) in the G1 Prince Of Wales's S.
State Of Rest (Ire) looks to add another Group 1 to his resume in the G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
On Sunday we get to see him in action again as he prepares for a return trip to Australia. Racing this campaign in the Newgate colours, he is one of the nine classy gallopers contesting the Group 1 in Deauville.
Amongst his main rivals in the mile contest, which has long attracted high calibre competition, are Coroebus (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who comes off success in the G1 2000 Guineas and the G1 St James's Palace S., Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who has tasted defeat just once in her six starts, and the unbeaten Erevann (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}).
Some of the great horses boasting a Prix Jacques Le Marois on their record include; Lyphard (USA), Irish River (Fr), Miesque (USA) (Nureyev {USA}), Dubawi (Ire) and his sire Dubai Millennium (GB), Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa {USA}), Kingman (GB) and his son, the Darley shuttler Palace Pier (GB), who landed the race in 2020 and again the following year.
