Race by race recap of key performers and ones to watch moving forward from Saturday's Chipping Norton Stakes meeting at Randwick.
Chipping Norton Stakes Day was all about the return of Winx and the Champion mare delivered on the anticipation as she cantered to victory in the feature event.
It was the race prior, the Group 3 Liverpool City Cup (1300m) which profiles as the race to follow moving forward.
The winner Crack Me Up showed his credentials for the Doncaster Mile as did Egg Tart, Interlocuter and McCreery.
Race 1: Fui San - Highway Handicap (1600m)
Jason Collett gave Fui San a lovely run, in on the fence behind the early lead. Once he peeled off the leaders back in the straight, it was over pretty quickly.
Fui San sits in comfortably behind the speed as they round the turn, springing to life at the 200m and pulling clear for a convincing win the TAB Highway at @royalrandwick. pic.twitter.com/8TxDtrPkiP
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 3, 2018
He’s run to a Timeform rating of 79.
That was the last Highway Handicap until after The Championships.
There are a couple of nice races for him over the mile at Warwick Farm and Kembla Grange next fortnight.
Until then, his connections can be buzzing about the time their Benchmark 58 horse won at the same meeting as Winx!
Race 2: Just Shine - Benchmark 85 Handicap (2000m)
Saturday was the hat-trick for Just Shine. He’s run to a Timeform rating of 90. Clare Cunningham has this horse flying.
Just Shine sits off the speed patiently and comes steaming home over the top with a perfectly timed kick. The @ClareCRacing-trained gelding notches a third straight win on his belt with a spectacular showing in town! pic.twitter.com/gTTg58NKd9
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 3, 2018
These lightly-raced types who find a new level once getting up over ground tend to string a few wins together.
There is a 1900m Benchmark 85 at Rosehill in two weeks they should go to.
The runner up Tamarack should head that way as well. He was good to the line. He’s another who like Just Shine has found a new level in his past couple of runs up over ground.
Race 3: Santos - Group 2 Skyline Stakes (1200m)
The penny has really dropped for Santos this prep. He won the Pierro Plate first up now this. He produced a Timeform rating of 109.
Perhaps a few nervous moments down the straight for Santos, but in the end the talented colt digs in to hold them off in the concluding stages, taking out the Skyline Stakes at @royalrandwick. pic.twitter.com/h6uBOsprCa
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 3, 2018
The Skyline Stakes isn’t renown as being the form line for a subsequent Slipper winner. Dance Hero was the last to claim Skyline Stakes/Slipper double in 2004.
Spin was excellent first up. He’ll likely contest the Pago Pago in two weeks time where he can confirm his place in the Slipper field a week later.
Legend Of Condor in third was luckless. He was caught three wide but still kept on finding.
They’re going to back him up in the Todman on Saturday or the Black Opal Stakes on Sunday. A strong result should guarantee that Golden Slipper start for the colt.
Race 4: Seabrook - Group 2 Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m)
Seabrook forced to travel wide from the draw but was still a cut above in the straight.
She’s edged past a nice filly in Fiesta to win and recorded a Timeform rating of 107.
.@HugeBowman looked calm and collected as always aboard Seabrook as the 2YO came charging from back in the field with all the late speed for an emphatic win the Sweet Embrace Stakes. pic.twitter.com/n8py7Lkcmz
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 3, 2018
107 is about on par for a Sweet Embrace. [n[Crystal Lily[/n] was the last filly to claim the Sweet Embrace Stakes - Golden Slipper double in 2010.
Hugh Bowman post race labelled Seabrook as a perfect Golden Slipper horse. That’s an impressive wrap.
Prairie Fire will also head north after running fourth in the Blue Diamond so Mick Price has a nice dual pronged attack for the Golden Slipper in three weeks.
Race 5: Crack Me Up - Group 3 Liverpool City Cup (1300m)
Crack Me Up is a great addition to the Baker stable. He arrived at Warwick Farm on Thursday and 48 hours later, Bjorn pocketed $8500 prizemoney because of him.
A @BBakerRacing-boilover!!
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 3, 2018
The superbly ridden Crack Me Up weaves through the field and gives a last-ditch kick at the 50m to deny them in the shadows at @royalrandwick. Jason Collett is on fire with his third winner on the day!! pic.twitter.com/rcsTMlDd94
The win netted the Mossman gelding a Timeform rating of 117, that’s six pounds clear of his Villiers Stakes win.
He’s of course exempt from ballot in the Doncaster because of that Villiers win. He’s clearly right on track after Saturday.
It was good to see Egg Tart return like that in running fourth. Her spring prep was a forgettable one.
Interlocuter and particular McCreery were good late out wide. They’ll both be better out to a mile.
Race 6: Winx - Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m)
Winx couldn’t have been more impressive. The daughter of Street Cry had the race in her keeping a long way from home. She won by seven lengths and jockey Hugh Bowman barely had to do a thing.
She's on another level!!
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 3, 2018
Winx takes out the TAB Chipping Norton Stakes with an effortless ride from @HugeBowman. She glides past the field and shows us just how good she is. A pleasure to witness this mare in action!!
23 straight wins is the record, with 16 Group 1’s. pic.twitter.com/PBcwcfNHc6
We’ve got her running to a Timeform rating of 132. Scary about that is she tends to produce such a figure when winning her Grand Finals, ie; Cox Plate’s and Queen Elizabeth’s, not so much first up.
16 Group 1 wins. She’s an absolute star. She’ll go to the George Ryder Stakes (1500m) now in three weeks time then the Queen Elizabeth.
After what she produced on Saturday, it’s hard to see her being stopped this autumn.
Only Grand Armee and Tulloch have claimed back to back Queen Elizabeth’s. Winx looks set to be the first mare to achieve the feat come April 14.
Race 7: Shoals - Group 1 Surround Stakes (1400m)
After her poor first up run at Caulfield, a lot didn’t want a bar of Shoals. She’s put it behind her pretty quickly.
.@JoshuaParr8 rides a very smart race on Shoals, putting her right up on speed and pulling clear steadily for a big win in the Surround Stakes at @royalrandwick. First Group 1 for Josh since 2014! pic.twitter.com/1XlBLcW3NZ
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 3, 2018
The Fastnet Rock filly has run right back up to around her best on Saturday, producing a rating of 112.
The stable have some big goals on the agenda for her. Firstly the Coolmore Classic then potentially the Diamond Jubilee during Royal Ascot.
If successful in the Coolmore next fortnight, she’d be the first filly since Regal Cheer back in 2006 to claim the Surround Stakes-Coolmore Classic double.
The placegetters Torvill and Rimraam will appreciate a bit more ground the way they were attacking the line.
Race 8: Dixie Blossoms - Group 2 Guy Walter Stakes (1400m)
Dixie Blossoms was the class mare and was pitchforked into the event under the Set Weights plus Penalties.
That class edge was there for all to see in the straight.
Dixie Blossoms pings to the outside and lets loose an explosive run over the top, sailing home in the Group 2 Guy Walter Stakes at @royalrandwick. pic.twitter.com/YKCg4KWONc
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 3, 2018
She ran to a Timeform rating of 114. That’s the same figure she ran to winning the race last year.
The Street Sense mare will head to the Coolmore Classic next. She ran third in the race last year.
Interestingly, the last horse to claim the Guy Walter Stake - Coolmore Classic double was Danni Martine in 2005, trained by none other than the man himself, Guy Walter.
Outside of Dixie Blossoms, Raiment was good second up off a generous break.
Race 9: Osborne Bulls - Benchmark 85 Handicap (1200m)
There was a flood of money for Osborne Bulls on Saturday and he justified it. The Street Cry gelding settled midfield and really unleashed in the straight.
Osborne Bulls gets a perfect ride down the outside and skips away to a comfortable win in the last at @royalrandwick. @tyeangland steers home this winner for @godolphin!! pic.twitter.com/CsiwYUcRyR
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 3, 2018
He’s run to a Timeform rating of 107. That’s a figure which suggests he won’t look out of place at stakes level.
He was only a Benchmark 81 horse prior to Saturday so James Cummings can keep working him through the grades.
That said, a stakes race like the Darby Munro Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill in three weeks looks mighty tempting for a horse who is clearly up to it.
The other eye catcher was Lovani in fourth. She’s arrived at the Brad Widdup stable as a key subject in a rather controversial case. Based on that first up run though, we in Sydney will be remembering her for some successes in her upcoming preps.
