The Randwick Timeform recap featuring a race by race recap of key performers from Day 1 of The Championships.
The ten race card was comprised largely of capacity fields and four Group 1’s.
The meeting proved something of a punters graveyard however The Doncaster Mile provided one of Sydney’s more popular wins this season with Happy Clapper claiming the $3million feature.
D’Argento turned heads flashing home into fourth and looks a colt well worth following next season while his stablemate Comin’ Through in second continued his stellar form this prep after being gelded.
Race 1: Paquirri - Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes (1100m)
Paquirri set the trend for the day winning the first at 50-1. The Gary Moore-trained colt had shown some promise prior to Saturday however the Blinkers going on really sparked him.
Upset in the opener!
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 7, 2018
Paquirri looms the main danger in the straight, skipping past Legend Of Condor & Ennis Hill for a commanding win in the Kindergarten Stakes on Day 1 of #TheChampionships. pic.twitter.com/BScQ2A6R2I
He’s run to a Timeform rating of 109. That’s a shade on the low side for a Kindergarten Stakes.
It’s still a good enough figure though to suggest the son of I Am Invincible can be a factor in Brisbane during the winter.
We might see a couple out of that race head north. Lean Mean Machine could be another.
Chris Waller won the JJ Atkins with Press Statement in 2015. Lean Mean Machine’s connections, Raffles Racing won it with Sacred Elixir in 2016.
Together they could perhaps forge a winning combination.
Race 2: Muraaqeb - Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m)
Muraaqeb was a five time stakes placegetter prior to this. Getting this Group win is overdue.
Muraaqeb sits in behind cover patiently, and bursts through as a gap emerges, charging clear for a good win in the Carbine Club Stakes. A big showing from this colt for Hayes' & Dabernig! pic.twitter.com/tltGkKpW14
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 7, 2018
We’ve got the Snitzel colt running to 107 on Saturday which is somewhere near his best.
The Frank Packer Plate (2000m) at Randwick on April 21 is next for him. Icon Of Dubai who ran fifth should go there as well. He’ll relish 2000m fourth run from a spell.
Holy Snow was great in third. He was held up for a run but was strong late. Whether Mick Price spells the son of Fastnet Rock or finds another race I’m not sure. Either way, he’s a really nice colt.
Race 3: Houtzen - Group 3 PJ Bell Stakes (1200m)
So it turns out her first up run in the Fireball Quality last month was a case of too bad to be true.
HOUTZEN!!
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 7, 2018
The Toby Edmonds-trained filly gets a patient and perfectly-timed ride from @SchofieldGlyn as she races to the lead and holds off challenges all the way to the line to win the P J Bell @royalrandwick. #TheChampionships pic.twitter.com/D3nmNjwWqu
Houtzen has bounced back well and run to a Timeform rating of 107.
The I Am Invincible filly will back up in the Arrowfield Stud 3YO Sprint and then contest the Robert Sangster Stakes on May 5. If she can get back to the best of her two-year-old form she’ll be there at the finish in each of them.
The three that finished right behind her, Manicure, Problem Solver and Demerara, they should all go the the Group 3 JB Carr Stakes over 1400m at Randwick in a fortnight. They’re all capable of adding some black type to their records there.
Race 4: Victorem - Country Championships Final (1400m)
Victorem is a talent. He’s won five of his six career starts now. On Saturday he ran to a Timeform rating of 101. That’s the highest winning figure of a Country Championships Final.
Victory for Victorem!!
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 7, 2018
The rails run was true for Victorem as he races up on the inside and pulls clear with a mighty to kick to win the @NewhavenPark Country Championship Final @royralrandwick for @JGrahamRace & #TeamPortMacquarie!! pic.twitter.com/MB6yv7kjSX
Clearly Innocent ran to a rating of 100 in 2016. The following year he went on to perform at Group 1 level.
The good thing for Victorem now is all the potential options they have with him. He could go to the Hawkesbury Guineas or head up to Brisbane for a Winter Carnival. Jenny Graham has a nice one on her hands and she’s spoilt for choice in regards to campaign options from here.
Race 5: Sir Charles Road - Group 2 Chairman’s Quality (2600m)
There was good late support for Sir Charles Road and it turned out to be justified.
A thrilling battle down the straight as Sir Charles Road goes stride for stride with Ventura Storm, edging him out in the final stages in the Group 2 Chairman's Quality @royalrandwick. pic.twitter.com/OmTqCNFfb1
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 7, 2018
The Myboycharlie gelding got a beautiful run third pair back on the fence and outstayed them all.
He’s run to a Timeform rating of 112. It’s a shade on the low side for a Chairman’s win.
It still bodes well for the NZ Raider in the Sydney Cup however where he’ll carry just 50kg.
Ventura Storm was good in second. He’s been running in Australian Cups and Tancred’s so the UK import thrived dropping back from weight for age to handicaps.
That was his third run in as many weeks and will back up again in this Saturday’s Sydney Cup.
Race 6: El Dorado Dreaming - Group 1 Inglis Sires’ (1400m)
El Dorado Dreaming has gone from a provincial placegetter to Group 1 winner. She’s run to a Timeform rating of 112. We’ve put a question mark next to the figure though based on how sharply the filly has improved.
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 7, 2018
Absolute SCENES down @royalrandwick as triple figure chance El Dorado Dreaming runs the race of her life down the outside to deny Oohood in the G1 Inglis Sires'. Incredible!! pic.twitter.com/8wtI9G1WZx
It’s the biggest upset in a Sydney Group 1 since Zavite won the Ranvet Stakes in 2011 at $101.
She’ll go to the Champagne Stakes now. 40 2YO’s have claimed the Sires’ Produce - Champagne Stakes double.
With that in mind, if they put up a silly price about the Ben Smith-trained filly in the Champagne Stakes, snap it up.
Oohood was yet again held up for a run when she needed it. It’s probably cost her the win.
Tony McEvoy’s filly has now placed at Group 1 level on three occasions. They’ll likely run her again in the Champagne Stakes.
Race 7: Levendi - Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m)
Finishes don’t get much more enthralling than the one Levendi and Ace High produced in the Australian Derby on Saturday. A nose split them on the line and it was a further six lengths back to Tangled in third.
A clash for the ages as Levendi does battle with Ace High all the way to the post, nailing him on the bob for a thrilling finish to the Group 1 Australian Derby. World class racing @royalrandwick!! pic.twitter.com/QFAdrvmWkC
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 7, 2018
It is the second year running a horse has claimed the Tulloch Stakes - Australian Derby double. Jon Snow did it last year.
The Rosehill Guineas is generally considered the dominant form line brought into the Derby each year. That may have to be reassessed after Saturday.
We’ve assessed Levendi’s win at 120. That is a shade below the prior five year winning average of the race.
Some quality types have won during that time. Dundeel and Criterion in particular.
Pierro in his first crop has now sired the Australian Derby winner and Pinot who won the Victorian Oaks during the spring.
Race 8: Trapeze Artist - Group 1 T J Smith Stakes (1200m)
In theory, successfully dropping a horse back from a Randwick Guineas to win a TJ Smith isn’t easy.
Trapeze Artist with a dynamite sprint!!
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 7, 2018
Redzel gives a good sight rounding the bend, but the @GRyanRacing-trained colt was more than game, driving hard and fast to the line for a statement win in the T J Smith!! pic.twitter.com/yTg4LjiEA7
Gerald Ryan and Trapeze Artist however made it look clinical.
He’s run to a Timeform rating of 124. It’s the first time a three-year-old has won a TJ Smith Stakes since Melito won the 2010 renewal. She was also trained by Gerald Ryan.
The All Aged Stakes shapes as being Trapeze Artist’s last career start prior to commencing stud duties in the spring. He can become the first horse since Bentley Biscuit in 2007 to claim the TJ Smith - All Aged Stakes double.
Redzel was brave in second. The Team Snowden-trained sprinter beat everything else by two or more lengths. He’ll go to the Doomben 10,000 next month and should be too good.
In Her Time was strong late for third. She’s still early in her prep and should be headed to the Sunshine State as well.
Race 9: Happy Clapper - Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m)
It was a very popular win and a dominant one too. Happy Clapper gave most of his rivals a sizeable weight advantage and was still a class above by some way.
The people's horse wins The Doncaster Mile!!
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 7, 2018
A game Happy Clapper does all his best work up the rail, streaking clear for a good win The Doncaster Mile. A peach of a ride from @blake_shinn makes it a second Group 1 in three starts! pic.twitter.com/20b9O3j5OI
The Pat Webster-trained gelding ran to a Timeform rating of 129.
It’s the highest ever winning figure of a Doncaster Mile. It’s been produced by a horse who has run second to Winx on three occasions now. She of course is the world’s best mare.
Comin’ Through was great in second as was Arbeitsam in third.
D’Argento was the other real eye catcher in fourth. He was snagged back to last, spotted them a massive head start into the straight. It was extremely impressive.
They grey hasn’t had much go right for him this autumn but has still walked away with a Group 1 (Rosehill Guineas). It’s expected he’ll successfully make the transition to weight for age as a four-year-old.
Race 10: Luvaluva - Group 3 Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m)
A fantastic win under the circumstances. Luvaluva was returning off a setback and giving all of her rivals 7kg but she was still too good.
Luvaluva comes charging at them with a lunge on the line, taking out the TAB Adrian Knox in the shadow of the post for John Sargent on Day 1 of #TheChampionships. pic.twitter.com/xdHdXYjUVS
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 7, 2018
She’s run to a Timeform rating of 113.
The Oaks is next for her on Saturday. She’ll meet everything she gave 7kg to in the Adrian Knox on level weights.
In theory she’ll have the measure of them again this Saturday.
It’s the fillies coming out of the Vinery Stud Stakes in Hiyaam and Unforgotten who are her main rivals come Saturday.
