Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
There is also a good card at Te Rapa with three Group races whilst Caulfield has its annual VOBIS day. Plus three Listed events at Morphettville and one at Ascot with plenty of interest.
South Australia's premier race for 3-year-old fillies, the G1 Australasian Oaks kicked off in excellent style (as a Group 3 - but upgraded the following year) with a win for the outstanding filly Rose Of Kingston (Claude {Ity}).
She is one of many Australasian Oaks winners to go onto bigger things, others who continued to prove their talent at the elite level including Imposera (NZ) (Imposing), Mannerism (Amyntor {Fr}), Our Tristalight (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}), Delicacy (Al Maher), Egg Tart (Sebring), Sound Action (Vettori {Ire}), Zarita (NZ) (Pentire {GB}) and Episode (Scenic {Ire}).
Michael Jeffrey’s Portrait of Rose Of Kingston | Image courtesy of the Australian Turf Club
Some nice winners there - races claimed by those fillies including the G1 Caulfield Cup (twice), the G1 South Australian Oaks (twice), the G1 Futurity S., the G1 Show Day Cup, the G1 AJC Derby, the G1 South Australian Derby (twice), the G1 Queensland Oaks and the G1 Ranvet S.
There is plenty of depth to this year's running, two promising fillies vying for favouritism - Wings Of Song (Mendelssohn {USA}) who has gone from strength to strength winning six in a row and Vibrant Sun (The Autumn Sun) who looked to have a bit in hand with her second up victory in the G3 Alexandra S. at Moonee Valley.
Chris Waller has the best recent record in the race - successful in 2020 with Toffee Tongue (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) and Egg Tart in 2017 and he is a chance to add another trophy to the mantle with Concello (Trapeze Artist) in consistent form - James McDonald taking the ride.
Gallery: Two promising fillies vying for favouritism in the G1 Australasian Oaks
The G1 New Zealand Oaks trifecta of Pulchritudinous (NZ), Positivity (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) and Qali Al Farrasha (NZ) (Almanzor) adds interest as do the promising fillies Quickster (Shamus Award), Queen Of Dragons (Pierro) and Coco Sun (The Autumn Sun).
G1 Robert Sangster Stakes - three in a row for Maher?
First run two years after the first G1 Australasian Oaks - for its first two years as a Listed race, from 1986 to 2003 as a Group 3 race, once as a Group 2 and since 2005 a Group 1, this races was for many years run as the Swettenham Stud S. before being renamed to honour that farm's famous founder.
Like the Oaks, it is a race which has produced successful broodmares, 13 of whom have been represented by stakes winners.
Amongst that tally are the dams of three elite level winners - Leica Western (Best Western) producing the Australasian Oaks winner Leica Smile (At Talaq {USA}), With Me (Covetous) the dual Group 1 winning sprinter Accomplice (by With Me's G1 Golden Slipper S. conqueror Canny Lad) and Response (Charge Forward) the Slipper winner Estijaab (Snitzel) as well as last year's G3 Concorde S. winner Remarque (Snitzel).
Gallery: Broodmares that have been represented by stakes winners
Other notable winning broodmares include Egyptian Raine (NZ) (Desert Sun {GB}) - dam of the dual Group 3 winner Egyptian Symbol (Stratum), Ellicorsam (Fimiston) - dam of the Group 3 and Listed winner Ellicazoom (Testa Rossa) and Rostova (Testa Rossa) - dam of the Group winners Anaheed (Fastnet Rock) and Farooq (Frankel {GB}).
Ciaron Maher has co-trained the last two winners of this race - Ruthless Dame (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) and Snapdancer (Choisir) - and, as favourite, Estriella (I Am Invincible) looks a big chance to make it three in a row for him.
It is however an open race with another four last start winners including the G1 Galaxy winner Zapateo (Brazen Beau), the G3 RN Irwin S. winner Benedetta (Hellbent) and the New Zealand visitor Wonderful Tonight (I Am Invincible).
Gallery: An impressive field for the G1 Robert Sangster S.
Meanwhile I Am Me (I Am Invincible) comes off an excellent first up G1 William Reid S. third whilst Passive Aggressive (Fastnet Rock) was game off a wide Galaxy run. Chairman's Sale entrant Lempicka (Rich Enuff) has a big finishing burst whilst the 3-year-olds Stretan Angel (Harry Angel {Ire}) and Learning To Fly (Justify {USA}) have both come up well.
G3 Breeders Stakes - promising juveniles
The first stakes race on Saturday's Morphettville card, this 1200 metres juvenile dash has some pretty smart ones on its honor roll - won by the likes of Pago Pago, Tobin Bronze, Storm Queen (Coronation Boy {Ire}), Manihi, Military Plume (NZ), Blevic and Gold Guru (Geiger Counter {USA}).
Nine horses who have raced (six already winners) are tackled by three debutants with Growing Empire (Zoustar) opening up favourite on the back of his first up all the way win in the Listed St Albans S. at Moonee Valley.
Karavas (Alabama Express) caught the eye with a strong finishing second when resuming in the Listed Dequetteville S. whilst Pure Aqua (Headwater) was always travelling well when taking out the Listed Without Fear S.
Karavas | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Khadime (Star Turn) created a big impression saluting at her Sandown debut and the last two unplaced runs of Dancing Storm (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) can be forgiven.
The most interesting of the first starters is the G1 Blue Diamond S. winner Hayasugi's (Royal Meeting {Ire}) stablemate Stanley Express (Starspangledbanner). The $110,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale graduate who has been jumping out nicely at Cranbourne is a member of the prolific Eight Carat (GB) (Pieces Of Eight {Ire}) clan.
G2 Queen Of The South Stakes - who will be crowned the winner?
Here is another Adelaide female feature which has been won by mares who have gone on to good careers at stud.
First run in 1980 as a Listed event, upgraded five years later to Group 3 status and to Group 2 level two years after that, the 1600 metres contest has been won by ten stakes producing mares.
“First run in 1980 as a Listed event, upgraded five years later to Group 3 status and to Group 2 level two years after that, the 1600 metres contest (Queen Of The South S.) has been won by ten stakes producing mares.”
The already mentioned G1 Australasian Oaks winner Rose Of Kingston is one of those, others including Star Style Girl (Without Fear {Fr}) - dam of the G1 Manawatu Sires Produce S. winner San Luis, Marquise (NZ) (Gold And Ivory {USA}) - dam of the G1 Arrowfield Stud S. winner Shower Of Roses (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), Sylvaner (NZ) (Danasinga) - dam of the G1 Cape Derby winner Atyaab (Dundeel {NZ}) and Hidden Strings (Weasel Clause) - dam of the G1 Australasian Oaks winner Sopressa (So You Think {NZ}).
Nicely primed off two excellent runs at Caulfield - including a last start G3 Victoria H. second - Seonee (Winning Rupert) is favourite to become her recently relocated (from Queensland to Western Australia) sire's first Group 2 winner.
Campionessa (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}) can atone for a run of bad luck - held up at a vital stage in the G2 Sunline S. at Moonee Valley before striking interference off a wide run in the G1 Queen Of The Turf S.
Seonee | Image courtesy of Makoto Kaneko
The consistent Lady Jones (Toronado {Ire}) put in the big strides late to win the Gold Bracelet at Bendigo a couple of weeks ago whilst Grinzinger Belle (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) was run down only late by G1 Australasian Oaks candidate Vibrant Sun (The Autumn Sun) in the G3 Alexandra S. at Moonee Valley.
G2 Tobin Bronze Stakes - named after one of Adelaide's favourite sons
This race has had a few names over the years, run from 1981 to 2016 with various sponsor titles; from 2017 until 2021 named after the talented sprinter Euclase and since then run in honour of one of the best horses to emerge from South Australia.
The popular and handsome chestnut won the first of his many features at Morphettville - the 1965 Breeders S. He went on to 12 wins in races now classified as Group 1 events (he raced before the introduction of the pattern system) with his last two particularly memorable - the Caulfield Cup under the considerable steadier of 61.5kg and, a week later, the WS Cox Plate at 6-1 on.
Last year's winning of this sprinting feature - Royal Merchant (Merchant Navy) - returned to Morphettville two weeks later to take out the G1 Goodwood H. - no easy task for a 3-year-old.
“This race has had a few names over the years, run from 1981 to 2016 with various sponsor titles; from 2017 until 2021 named after the talented sprinter Euclase and since then run in honour of one of the best horses to emerge from South Australia.”
It is an even edition of the race this year with the major chances including Arkansaw Kid (Harry Angel {Ire}) who was held up for runs when a close up fifth in the G2 Arrowfield Sprint S., Pivot City (Not A Single Doubt) who comes off a confidence boosting win at Sandown, Skybird (Exosphere) who enjoys a nice weight drop off her first up run and Gumdrops (Written Tycoon) who found some trouble in running in the Listed Redelva S.
A couple of locals look dangers to the locals - Sir Sway (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) impressive winning his last two including the Redelva and Great Maximus (Magnus) who had won his first two before racing greenly in that same race.
Te Rapa - three Group races
Three Group races feature on Saturday's Te Rapa card - the G3 Cambridge Breeders S. over 1200 metres for the 3-year-olds, the G2 Travis S. over 2000 metres for the fillies and mares at weight-for-age and the G3 Easter H. for the open milers.
Favourite in the Breeders is the promising December (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) who has done a good job winning three of his first five starts. Sindee (NZ) (Ardrossan) also boasts a good record - beaten only once in four outings; so tough after racing wide at her latest.
I'munstoppable (NZ) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) also covered ground when second to Sindee last start whilst Mary Shan (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) found trouble in the G2 David and Karyn Ellis Fillies Classic. The Group 1 placed Impendabelle (Impending) resumes and Irish Legacy (I Am Invincible) is expected to bounce back of her somewhat unlucky unplaced run in the G2 Wellington Guineas.
Apostrophe (NZ) | Image courtesy of Race Images Palmerston North
The Travis is not such an open race - Apostrophe (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) an odds-on favourite after overcoming trouble to win the G3 Manawatu Breeders S. in such impressive fashion.
The late Tavistock also has the favourite in the Easter H. - Snazzytavi (NZ) a mare who just does not know how to run a bad race. It could be a quinella for the much missed stallion with Tavattack (NZ) looking nicely primed for the step up to 1600 metres.
