** Official Cricketweb Horseracing thread **

[The_CricketUmpire]

Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip - great run late. Carrying 62kg, race 7 at Moonee Valley. Ran 4th after being back in the pack for most of the race.

 

[_Ed_]

Imperatriz! Between her, I Wish I Win and Roch 'n' Horse, it's been a strong couple of years for Kiwi sprinters.

 

[The_CricketUmpire]

Pinstriped wins the G2 Feehan Stakes at Moonee Valley (1600m). The winner of the Feehan gets automatic entry into the Cox Plate and is guaranteed a start in the race.

Feehan Stakes/Caulfield Cup
1963 Sometime
1954 Rising Fast

Feehan Stakes/Cox Plate
2007 El Segundo
2001 Northerly
2000 Sunline
1990 Better Loosen Up
1988 Our Poetic Prince
1987 Rubiton
1983 Strawberry Road
1978 So Called
1954 Rising Fast

Feehan Stakes/Melbourne Cup
2013 Fiorente
1954 Rising Fast

 

[Molehill]

Meanwhile in Ireland, the bizarre campaign of Auguste Rodin continued with a win in the Champion Stakes. His 5 efforts this year now show 3 Group 1 wins (in 2 Derbies) and 2 totally tailed offs. Sounds like he goes for the Breeders Cup. He's also seen as a key to the future of breeding as he ties in the Japanese sire Deep Impact and is out of a Galileo mare. The future looks bright for him no matter what he does at Santa Anita.

Worth looking out today for City of Troy who looks a stunning 2 year old and is also highlighting the impressive start to the breeding ranks of Justify.

 

[_Ed_]

Justify certainly has made a strong start, albeit with exceptional books of mares giving him every opportunity.

Must admit to feeling a bit conflicted about Justify. A phenomenal athlete and great to watch, but his positive sample absolutely should have led to a disqualification in the Santa Anita Derby. And without that Santa Anita Derby win, he wouldn't have made the field for the Kentucky Derby a month later, so his Triple Crown sweep would never have happened.

 

[Molehill]

It's a valid point, however I'm generally dubious of all US Horse Racing. I doubt he was the only one running on some kind of drug.

As it turned out, City of Troy was withdrawn due to softening ground anyway.

 

[The_CricketUmpire]

Good news. As a Western Australian, it's good to see the West Aussie's be recognised for their contribution to Australian racing.

Australian Racing Hall of Fame welcomes three WA titans

www.rwwa.com.au

 

[The_CricketUmpire]

Mr Brightside wins the G1 Makybe Diva Stakes

Only three horses have achieved the Memsie Stakes / Makybe Diva Stakes Double:

2023: Mr Brightside
2014: Dissident
2008: Weekend Hussler

Also in regards to the big Spring 3

Makybe Diva Stakes/Caulfield Cup
2021: Incentivise
2002: Northerly
1999: Sky Heights
1977: Ming Dynasty
1976: How Now

Makybe Diva Stakes/Cox Plate
2002: Northerly
1979: Dulcify
1966: Tobin Bronze
1964: Sir Dane
1962: Aquanita

Makybe Diva Stakes/Melbourne Cup
1969: Rain Lover
1965: Light Fingers

 

[The_CricketUmpire]

Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup weights were released today:

Gold Trip assigned topweight for the Cups

At today’s reveal of the weights for the 2023 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) and Carlton Draught Caulfield Cup (2400m), Racing Victoria’s (RV) Head of Handicapping, David Hegan, announced that the defending Melbourne Cup champion Gold Trip has been assigned the topweight of 58.5kg for both marquee...

www.racingvictoria.com.au

 

[The_CricketUmpire]

See Chief Handicapper (David Hegan, Racing Victoria) and reasoning for the weights

WATCH: Cup weights announced

Who will carry the top weight in this year's Melbourne and Caulfield Cups?

www.racing.com

 

[Molehill]

Desert Hero is an interesting entry, was 3rd in the Leger on Saturday. The winner of that is fast improving and very good and now 3rd favourite for the Arc. It looks like he has a nice weight too in comparison to some other European entries, although Vauban still looks the one to beat.

 

[The_CricketUmpire]

Desert Hero is an interesting entry, was 3rd in the Leger on Saturday. The winner of that is fast improving and very good and now 3rd favourite for the Arc. It looks like he has a nice weight too in comparison to some other European entries, although Vauban still looks the one to beat.

Desert Hero was paying 12/1 when I checked market prices on Sportsbet on 19th September.

 

[Molehill]

The big news here is that Constitution Hill will remain over hurdles and not go chasing. A shame as I'd love to have seen what he could achieve over fences and also if he'd stay 3m. But the Champion Hurdle now looks a formality (even if Mullins has said that two of his stars will challenge him) and we'll get to see him thrashing lesser horses (and not many of them probably) all season. To put in perspective how good he is, Vauban was 20L behind him in the Champion Hurdle and he hardly came off the bridle.

 

[_Ed_]

Militarize was incredible in that Golden Rose. I thought he had no hope from where he was.

Great to see Alligator Blood do it again in the Underwood too - six Group One wins now for a gem of a horse.

 

[Smudge]

Off to the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe tomorrow. I expect to enjoy myself...

 

[The_CricketUmpire]

Looking forward to watching the G1 Arc De Triomphe at 10:05pm (Perth time), run at Longchampe. The Arc is one of the best races in the world and one of the best 2400m races in the world - weight for age as well. Good prize money too, the race is worth $5.3 million.

#TheArc #LongchampeRacecourse

 

[Smudge]

Had a great day. Went with €300 and left with €460. A rare winning day for me. Had a lot of success with the "2 out of 4" bet and a few win bets on the favourites including Ace Strike in the Arc. I was incredibly well looked after so didn't get the standard experience but the facilities look great for all levels of spectator. Curious that they have the Arc as R4 of 9 though.

 

[_Ed_]

Great to hear that you enjoyed one of the pinnacle events on the racing calendar. Admit to having a pang of envy, particularly since I was contending with these conditions at Hastings on Saturday.

 

[Molehill]

Had a great day. Went with €300 and left with €460. A rare winning day for me. Had a lot of success with the "2 out of 4" bet and a few win bets on the favourites including Ace Strike in the Arc. I was incredibly well looked after so didn't get the standard experience but the facilities look great for all levels of spectator. Curious that they have the Arc as R4 of 9 though.

I think you mean Ace Impact who was a superb winner of what looked a decent Arc, and a grandson of Frankel too. It is standard in Europe for the big race of the day to be the middle one, TV generally shows the first 4 races on a card and covers the early afternoon before football takes over. Normally, Arc day sees Paris invaded by the English/Irish but I suspect many went to Rome instead for the Ryder Cup.

Great to see Highfield Princess win the sprint whilst Opera Singer looks a big player in the Classics next season.

 

[Smudge]

Yes, Ace Impact, obviously. Glad you feel better that you corrected me though.