The Club’s World Pool programme has delivered some wonderful racing on the international stage with high-class races from France, Argentina and Australia recently and it is increasingly evident that our customers appreciate access to quality horseracing from around the globe.
There was a fantastic vibe at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney last weekend for The Everest meeting, which has really been embraced by a younger demographic and the racing was outstanding with The Everest win of THINK ABOUT IT, who has now won 11 of his 12 starts.
Pleasingly, the nine World Pool races the Club simulcast from Randwick were well received by our customers with strong turnover.
Our simulcast and World Pool programme continues this Saturday (21 October) from Australia with the running of the G1 Caulfield Cup (2400m), which is carded as S1-3 and will be run at 2.15pm. The early speed is expected to be strong. GOLDMAN is a natural frontrunner who will go forward from a wide gate, with SPIRIT RIDGE and HOO YA MAL also in the leading division.
The key lead-up race looks to be the Turnbull Stakes, run at Flemington two weeks ago when Melbourne Cup winner GOLD TRIP sprinted brilliantly from the rear of the field to score impressively over WEST WIND BLOWS and SOULCOMBE.
GOLD TRIP ran fifth in this race last year and despite giving weight to all his rivals under handicap conditions looks a win and place chance.
WEST WIND BLOWS, trained in partnership by Simon and Ed Crisford, made his Australian debut in the Turnbull Stakes, racing on-speed and staying on to finish second. Jamie Spencer again takes the ride and, with an inside gate, WEST WIND BLOWS should settle in the front half of the field and is a place chance.
Chris Waller has a good record in the Caulfield Cup, having won two of the past three renewals. His leading chance is SOULCOMBE, who made good ground in the closing stages of the Turnbull Stakes. SOULCOMBE has drawn ideally in gate six and is a win and place chance with Craig Williams aboard.
Japan has won the Caulfield Cup twice previously and is represented by BREAKUP, to be ridden by Damian Lane who has had many successes on Japanese-trained horses around the world, including in this race in 2019 on MER DE GLACE.
BREAKUP ran fourth in the Tenno Sho Spring (3200m) in April and will be strong at the finish. He has been working well since arriving in Australia and is a place chance.
Other chances include top-class mare MONTEFILIA and Derby Stakes runner-up HOO YA MAL.
Following the Caulfield Cup, our international focus switches to England for British Champions Day at Ascot, where the conditions are soft after significant rainfall. Following a track inspection at Ascot on Friday, three races – the G1 Champion Stakes, the G1 Fillies & Mares Stakes and G2 the Long Distance Cup – have been switched to inner course, where the track is rated good to soft while the remainder of the card will be run on the round course.
Given the amount of rain Ascot has received, I would like to caution that the ground conditions could have a major impact on the performances of some horses, including the champion filly TAHIYRA.
The first of the four Group 1s is the British Champions Sprint Stakes (1200m), which is carded as S2-2 and will be run at 8.50pm.
The pace will be good despite the rain-affected going with a big field and lots of natural speed in the race.
KINROSS is the reigning champion and has been consistent this year, winning twice at Group Two level over 1400m. KINROSS was slightly held up when closing late for second in the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp at 1400m on 1 October.
We are hopeful KINROSS will finish the year at the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races in December and from a middle gate and with Frankie Dettori aboard he is my win and place selection.
MILLSTREAM is a three-year-old from the Jane Chapple-Hyam yard who looks suited on yielding ground, having won successive races at Deauville in August. He was a fading sixth in the Haydock Sprint Cup Stakes on 9 September but back to soft going here, Mill Stream is a place chance.
There are a number of fillies in the race with good ability and SANDRINE for Oisin Murphy and BELIEVING, to be ridden by Daniel Tudhope, both have place claims on their best form this season.
The British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (2321m) is carded as S2-3 and will be run at 9.25pm.
The pace should be steady with JACKIE OH setting the pace with stablemate ABOVE THE CURVE a likely companion on the speed and POPTRONIC prominent as well.
JACKIE OH fought on gamely after leading when second to star filly BLUE ROSE CEN in the G1 Prix l’Opera over 2000m on Arc Day. She extends further in distance in this race and is a place chance.
FREE WIND is another top chance for Frankie Dettori and the John & Thady Gosden training combination. Back against her own sex here, FREE WIND is a win and place chance.
TIME LOCK comes into the race off successive wins at this trip with William Buick taking over from Ryan Moore and is a place chance. ONE FOR BOBBY is a filly at big odds but has shown a liking for soft going and is an outsider with place claims.
The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (1600m) is carded as S2-4 and will be run at 10.05pm.
This is a wonderful clash between champion colt PADDINGTON and champion filly TAHIYRA.
The pace should be generated by CHALDEAN and EPICTECUS with PADDINGTON also landing on speed with HI ROYAL.
PADDINGTON’s only defeat this year was when he extended in distance for the Juddmonte International at York and was beaten by MOSTADHAF and NASHWA. He comes back to the 1600m here and should get the run of the race from Ryan Moore from his good draw. PADDINGTON has shown he can handle soft ground and is a win and place chance.
TAHIYRA has been defeated only once in her career, in the Thousand Guineas in May. She has since recorded three consecutive victories at the highest level against her own sex. TAHIYRA has been incredibly impressive and, while taking on the males for the first time, is the hardest for PADDINGTON to beat.
NASHWA won the G1 Falmouth Stakes (1600m) against her own sex and has since run well against the males in the Juddmonte International at York and the Irish Champion Stakes, where she was a close third in a high-quality contest. NASHWA comes back in trip for this and is a place chance for Hollie Doyle.
BIG ROCK and CHALDEAN are outstanding three-year-old milers and, along with French challenger FACTEUR CHEVAL, are place chances behind the three favourites.
The Champion Stakes (2000m) is carded as S2-5 and will be run at 10.45pm.
The pace will be moderate with POINT LONSDALE and ROYAL RHYME likely to set the tempo in front.
MOSTADHAF has had an incredible season winning the Prince of Wales’s Stakes and Juddmonte International at his last two starts. MOSTADHAF is the highest-rated horse in the field but there are concerns over whether he will handle soft going. He is a place chance.
My win and place selection is HORIZON DORE, trained by Patrice Cottier and to be ridden by Mickael Barzalona. HORIZON DORE is an exciting three-year-old who caught the eye winning a Group Three race against his own age on Arc Trial Day at Longchamp and then produced breathtaking acceleration to storm down the middle of the track to win the G2 Prix Dollar over 1950m on 30 September.
KING OF STEEL is also a high-quality three-year-old, who was second in the Derby Stakes and comes off a last-start fourth in the Irish Champion Stakes behind AUGUSTE RODIN when second favourite to the winner and was beaten only one length when he appeared to have every chance.
BAY BRIDGE won this race last year and is a place chance after a consistent year and his last start sixth in the Arc over 2400m. William Haggas goes into the race double-handed with DUBAI HONOUR and MY PROSPERO and both have place claims.
Comment
