The Randwick Timeform recap featuring a race by race overview of key performers and ones to watch out of the nine race George Main Stakes Day program.
Winx undoubtedly stole the show in winning her third straight George Main Stakes, the first to do so in the race’s 78 year history.
The champion mare did have a strong supporting cast on Saturday though, particularly in the form of Avilius who was dominant winning the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m).
The son of Pivotal has commenced his time in Australia with three wins from as many starts with the latest clearly the pick of them.
Glyn Schofield is yet to fully ask upon Avilius however based on his career peak figure when second in the 2017 Group 2 Prix Niel (2400m) behind Cracksman, there is plenty up the French import’s sleeve.
Race 1: Sei Stella - Class 3 Highway Handicap (1000m)
Sei Stella went to the front and was dominant late putting more than three lengths on her nearest rival. It was an impressive result considering how worked up the Not A Single Doubt mare got pre-race and the way she wanted to really pull early. Despite expending all that additional energy she still managed to produce a massive kick late.
We’ve got her running to a Timeform rating of 87 and you would suspect she’ll only be improving on that with experience.
She profiles as a better sprinter than Highway Handicap level however can have one more soft kill in a Highway Handicap.
Unfortunately for connections there aren’t any suitable ones for her over the next month although she won’t look out of place at midweek or Saturday level off that first up display.
Lifesaver was good in second. Again, there don’t look to be any suitable Highway Handicaps for him over the coming month so he may ply his trade up in Brisbane for a while.
Race 2: Ragged Rascal - Listed Heritage Stakes (1100m)
It’s unlikely many picked this coming. Ragged Rascal was ridden cold and charged home to win comfortably. The son of Denman produced a Timeform rating of 109.
It was easily a career peak for him and the stable are looking toward the Caulfield Guineas.
Along with the winner, it was something of a surprise quinella with Meryl running 2nd.
The two favourites in Neutrality and Santos were disappointing. It’s still early in the spring though so there is plenty of time to bounce back. Both are still promising.
Race 3: Muraaqeb - Benchmark 88 Handicap (1600m)
Muraaqeb had been building toward this well with a couple of good runs in Melbourne and on Saturday ran to a Timeform rating of 110. He’s improved with each run this prep.
The stable are hoping he’ll sneak a run as a lightweight Epsom hope.
The good news for them is there’s still room for him to improve fourth up based on the strength of his best. His career peak came when running seventh in the All Aged Stakes last autumn.
The other one to watch out of the race was Drochaid who ran seventh. He was making late ground first up over the mile.
He’ll be fitter for the run and better suited up in trip. It’s also worth noting they gelded him prior to this prep.
Race 4: Ball Of Muscle - Group 2 Shorts (1100m)
With the scratching of Redzel, the race opened right up and Ball Of Muscle was the one to capitalise. He’d run second in the race in the previous three years. Redzel beat him last year.
The Joe Pride-trained sprinter cracked the $1million prizemoney mark on Saturday & ran to a Timeform rating of 119. That’s an equal career peak for him.
His dam Parfore has now foaled two winners of The Shorts. Ball Of Muscle’s older brother Terravista won this race in 2014.
Invincible Star showed good improvement on her Concorde run to finish second. Brave Smash was solid in third and will appreciate 1200m.
After All That running fourth was excellent from a Kosciusko perspective.
Race 5: Siege Of Quebec - Group 3 Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m)
Siege Of Quebec bounced back sharply from the week prior and booked himself a ticket in the Epsom. He produced a Timeform rating of 114 which is strong for a Bill Ritchie.
Pierata was excellent off a setback in second. The son of Fastnet Rock was brave in defeat after travelling three wide with no cover throughout. He’ll take benefit from the run following the leg infection which ruled him out of a planned second up run in the Tramway Handicap.
Boban in 2013 was the last horse to claim the Bill Ritchie/Epsom Handicap double.
Siege Of Quebec is an interesting horse heading into the Epsom with just 50kg on his back.
The Waterhouse-Bott stable now need a jockey who can make the weight.
Music Magnate in third and Duca Valentinois in fourth each got their preps back on track.
Race 6: Winx - Group 1 Colgate Optic White Stakes (1600m)
We all know Winx is amazing and on Saturday the champion mare won her third straight George Main Stakes (Colgate Optic White).
Chris Waller's superstar ran to a Timeform rating of 129 which suggests the latest is the pick of her George Main successes.
Winx's George Main Stakes boasted the third fastest final 600m of the day and she was eased down late over the Randwick Mile. It was only the two sprints over 1000m (Race 1) and 1100m (Race 4) that were quicker.
It’s interesting to find new pieces of history she claims with each of her wins.
After Saturday, she’s the first horse to win three renewals of the George Main Stakes.
The Turnbull Stakes in three weeks is next for her which she won last year before claiming her third Cox Plate. The last horse to win consecutive renewals of the Turnbull Stakes was Vo Rogue in 1987/88.
Outside of Winx, Egg Tart in third produced a nice lead up run into the Epsom where she’ll carry just 52.5kg.
The George Main Stakes has produced the last two subsequent winners of the Epsom.
Hauraki (2016) and Happy Clapper (2017) each ran second behind Winx in the George Main Stakes prior to winning the Epsom at their next start.
Race 7: Miss Fabulass - Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes (1400m)
Miss Fabulass is beautifully bred and she’s living up to that pedigree. She ran to a Timeform rating of 114 which is the highest winning figure of a Tea Rose since First Seal beat Winx in 2014.
Miss Fabulass’ dam Samantha Miss won this race ten years ago. She went on to win the Flight Stakes a fortnight later.
History suggests she’ll keep following in her dam’s footsteps. Seven of the last 11 Tea Rose Stakes winners went on to claim the Flight Stakes.
The next four across the line behind Miss Fabulass were good, Fiesta, Pretty In Pink, Oohood and Maid Of Heaven. They’ve got a task ahead of them though trying to reverse the margin on the Strawberry Hill Stud blueblood.
Race 8: Avilius - Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m)
Outside of Winx level, Group wins don’t come much classier than this.
If you weren’t excited about Avilius prior to Saturday, it’s well and truly time to be now.
He was spotting the pacesetters a big margin turning for home but still mowed them down.
The son of Pivotal recorded a Timeform rating of 115. Scary about that is he is still performing well shy of his best European run in the Prix Niel behind Cracksman last September. We’re still only scraping the surface with him.
He’ll be mighty hard to beat in The Metropolitan. Herculian Prince in 2010 was the last horse to claim the Kingston Town Stakes/Metrop double.
For what it’s worth, the Metrop isn’t a noted favourites race. Only two favourites have won The Metrop in the past 11 years - Glencadam Gold in 2012 & Magic Hurricane in 2015. If people want to try and get Avilius beat at an undoubtedly short price, Brimham Rocks, Patrick Erin, Libran and Big Duke were all good late behind him on Saturday.
Race 9: Trekking - Benchmark 88 Handicap (1200m)
James Cummings placed Trekking perfectly on Saturday and the horse again rewarded him.
The Street Cry gelding keeps producing nice, steady improvement this prep and on Saturday ran to a Timeform rating of 109 which is a new career peak.
He’s an open quality sprinter well and truly. There is probably scope for further improvement too deeper into the spring having only had the three runs this prep.
The blackbooker out of the race is Warranty in fourth. It was a good first up effort. She is only a Benchmark 74 mare as well so the Snowden’s have plenty of options for her next start.
