Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Group 1)

WILLIAM Haggas must love his annual April bonuses at Randwick, the Somerville Lodge ‘Guv’nor’ landed his third A$5 million Group 1 Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes in four years on Saturday.

On paper it was a match race between Haggas’ Dubai Honour and the local star Anamoe. In reality it didn’t eventuate.

In a race that supplied no excuses, the Irish-bred Pride Of Dubai gelding was simply too strong and too good. Anamoe was given the run of the race by James McDonald as Tom Marquand settled two pairs further back.

With Marquand busy on Dubai Honour rounding the bend, they drew alongside Anamoe, the two horses matching motors until Dubai Honour drew clear from the 150-metre mark, winning by two and a half lengths as the Savabeel horse Mo’unga nosed out the Street Boss horse Anamoe to take second.

Delighted

Haggas, who took back-to-back wins with Addeybb after the Winx three-peat, was understandably delighted.

“He relaxed very well and I knew when he relaxed well he would pick up and he picked up well. Anamoe is a great horse, take nothing away from him, but this horse has come forward for being here and he’s won well today,” reflected Haggas.

“Don’t underestimate him, he’s a pretty good horse. He was never quite right last year, he was boxing against some good horses, top, top horses. The horse is in a great frame of mind, he looks great. I couldn’t be more thrilled.”

Haggas indicated that Hong Kong will be next. “We’re very keen to go to Hong Kong now on the way home and run him at the end of April in the QEII. We want to try and bring Dubai Honour out here again next year. You need the right horse,” he added. “Joseph (O’Brien) came down with a strong team but had a brutal time and that tells you how difficult it is.”

Schweppes Sydney Cup (Group 1)

EXPLOSIVE Jack, an Australian, South Australia and Tasmania Derby winner in 2021 with Johnny Allen in the saddle, won last Saturday’s A$2 million Group 1 Sydney Cup over 3,200 metres at Randwick. Relishing the soft conditions, the Jakkalberry gelding with apprentice Dylan Gibbons riding at 52.5 kgs was one of the few to make ground from back in the field.

Winding up strongly on rounding the bend, Explosive Jack ran down the French-bred Masked Marvel gelding True Marvel to win by a length as the Irish-bred So You Think gelding Knights Order took third.

Riding for Ciaron Maher and David Eustace for the first time, the win was Gibbon’s first Group 1. “You can’t explain it,” he said.

“I’ve always manifested these wins and thinking about what I’d do in the moment, but it just takes over for you. Just the pure joy of knowing that not only is it a great moment for me, but for everyone who’s helped me get to this point.”

“It couldn’t have worked out better today, he just gave me a beautiful ride,” added Gibbons.

“When I saw Cleveland not going that great I thought ‘either I’m going really good or he’s going really bad.’ Once I got him out the way I thought we were just going to whack away and run a gallant third or fourth, but as they stopped, he didn’t and I’m just fortunate to get these opportunities.”

Kerrin McEvoy was at a loss to explain the run of the race favourite Cleveland. “Disappointing. We had a nice trip around. He failed to pick up and get home. Remains to be seen how he pulls up.”

Joseph O’Brien’s charge finished 30 lengths from the winner with the Melbourne Cup winner and second favourite Gold Trip just one place closer in a big result for bookmakers.

Tom Sherry got a nice ride, finishing sixth on Selino for Chris Waller, four lengths from the winner.

The result makes Explosive Jack, a NZ$100,000 Karaka yearling, the first Australian Derby winner to win the Sydney Cup in 42 years.

The Star Australian Oaks (Group 1)

THE New Zealand filly Pennyweka has completed a rare Group 1 double, adding Saturday’s Australian Oaks to her New Zealand Oaks win three weeks earlier.

Under a hold three-wide and mid-field in the run, the Jim Wallace-trained Pennyweka brought herself into the race from the 600 metre mark to hit the front with 300 metres remaining.

Asked to lift by Damien Lane, she fended off the challenge of So Dazzling to leave the So You Think filly to take second as Pennyweka cruised home by two lengths. Third, five lengths from the winner was the Contributer filly Premise to make it a New Zealand-bred trifecta.

“She was obviously well prepared by Mr Wallace and has been going great over the ditch (in New Zealand),” said jockey Damien Lane. “I was the only horse travelling on the corner and we put them to the sword in the straight.

So tough

“She is so tough. When I was doing her form, she started racing in September, had a short six-week let-up through December and she’s raced all the way since January.

“I have ridden enough New Zealand horses and had enough success on them to know that what you see is not always what you get. What she is, is just tough, big heart.”

Bred by 76-year-old Jim Wallace and his brother Les, Pennyweka, with over 80 people in her ownership syndicate is from the first season of the Deep Impact stallion Satono Aladdin.

“I think down the track, not this year but next year, she could well be a Melbourne Cup horse,” said Wallace. “I am not a great believer in four-year-old mares in those sort of high-pressure handicaps of Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.

“I think she will be much better in another year. She has got a lot of developing to do physically. She is not the biggest horse in the world and time will be her friend.”

Queen Of The Turf Stakes (Group 1)

THE final Group 1 of the Championships at Randwick was the Queen Of The Turf Stakes over 1,600 metres for fillies and mares.

Much anticipation surrounded the Australian debut of Alcohol Free who was sent out favourite, but her party popped on rounding the turn as the Chris Waller-trained Atishu swept past her to go to the front at the 300 metre mark.

Unchallenged to the line, the Savabeel mare won comfortably from the Dundeel filly Hope In Your Heart with the More Than Ready mare More Secrets third.

Alcohol Free faded to finish 10th, eight lengths from the winner, with jockey James McDonald commentating, “She will improve with just having a preparation here. She just needs time to acclimatise.”

Joseph O’Brien’s Statement was a distant 14th, just ahead of the William Haggas-trained Purplepay. The win was Chris Waller’s 10th Group 1 for the season, all won with individual horses.

“She’s enjoying her racing, she’s wanting to be there, and it showed at the 300 metres today how serious she is about being a racehorse,” he added. Bred and sold by Waikato Stud, Atishu a NZ$260,000 Karaka yearling, becomes the 31st Group 1 winner for her sire Savabeel.

RACING Victoria has outlined some changes to the International Melbourne Cup protocols for 2023. Radiographs will no longer be mandatory but may be directed to be undertaken at the discretion of Racing Victoria, though CT or MRI scans remain.

The pre-travel inspection and imaging window will now open earlier on August 1st. All internationals, including those on a one-way ticket, will remain at Werribee until Champions Stakes Day on November 11th, or until their last spring start.

Racing Victoria is also looking to appoint a case manager for international runners to improve its communications. The Victoria Racing Club is also set to announce that nominations for the November 7th Melbourne Cup will close in early September, shifting from the traditional early August date. Nominations for the Cox Plate and Caulfield Cup will likely remain in early August.

Stepping into stakes class, the unbeaten Mastercraftsman five-year-old remained so, winning the 2,100 metre Group 3 Easter Cup at Sandown by a widening two lengths.

Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, White Marlin will continue to the Mornington Cup before taking on the Listed Andrew Ramsden at Flemington on May 13th over 2,800 metres. The race carries a ballot-free entry to the Melbourne Cup for the winner.

TE Akau Racing’s head trainer Mark Walker broke the New Zealand training record last weekend, registering his 161st win for the season after Fellini saluted at Pukekohe on Saturday.

Walker is set to complete his 10th training premiership having won five in New Zealand before heading to Singapore in 2010 where he won four premierships in 10 years.

“For Mark to have broken the all-time record with nearly a quarter of the season remaining is an incredible achievement,” said David Ellis. “Mark started training for Te Akau when he was 24-years old. He’s humble, a great boss to his staff, and has done such an excellent job for Te Akau in both New Zealand and Singapore.”