StableTalk

Just as a little bit of fun, I thought I'd have a look at the Group 1 Australian races from this side of the world.

Saturday sees a couple of interesting races at Caulfield - the Sir Rupert Clarke Handicap over 1400m is a Group 1. Much though I'd like to see XTRAVAGANT win for NZ, I suspect it's between COUNTERATTACK and VOODOO LAD and I'll go for the latter.

PRINCE OF PENZANCE turns out in the Underwood Stakes over 1800m. I don't fancy him over this short a trip. BLACK HEART BART seems the one but I prefer LUCIA VALENTINA who ran well in Hong Kong last December and wasn't disgraced behind WINX on her first run for six months.

Three Group 1 races this weekend in Australia. CHAUTAUQUA, who many people think would have won the King's Stand at Ascot, returns after a long break at Moonee Valley. He won well at Sha Tin and if fully fit, will take some stopping. The obvious alternative is BUFFERING, who has won this race three times including this year. He jumps and runs and if he can poach a decisive advantage, he may be able to hold off a numbe rof rivals who may not be fully fit after their winter breaks.

Two of Australia's most iconic spring races take place tomorrow at Randwick - the Epsom and the Metropolitan. As we don't have Group 1 handicaps in Europe (they do in the US), it's a novelty to see the best horses handicapped against each other. The Epsom looks very open - HAURAKI is hugely consistent and probably the place to start. He has to give nearly a stone to FABRIZIO who won well last time. The likes of LE ROMAIN and MACKINTOSH are among a number of other possibilities.

The Metropolitan is fiendishly difficult - MAGIC HURRICANE showed enough a fortnight ago to suggest he's coming into peak form for a race he won last year but there are plenty of other options including ex-British classic placed STORM THE STARS, WHO SHOT THEBARMAN, SIR JOHN HAZELWOOD and the lightly weighted ANTONIO GUISEPPE. Put Nz$ 20 from Father's collection plate in my hand and I'd consider ALLERGIC who beat JUNOOB last time over course and distance.

The Spring pace quickens at Caulfield and while the Caulfield Stakes has been discussed elsewhere, the Caulfield Guineas looks a serious race for the 3-y-o. SACRED ELIXIR is a son of Pour Moi who has yet to have a huge impact in the UK but this colt comes from NZ and looks the best for these against the locals. You have to respect multiple winners like HEY DOC and IMPENDING.

At Randwick, the Spring Champion Stakes is another strong Group 1 for the 3-y-o. Perhaps the filly YANKEE ROSE will outrun the colts.

Thought I would offer my perspective on the "international" runners for Saturday's Caulfield Cup at Randwick.

EXOSPHERIC (as he is now called) has been a slightly disappointing horse. He looked very good when winning the Jockey Club Stakes beating last year's Leger winner SIMPLE VERSE and Melbourne Cup hope BIG ORANGE and on that basis he was fancied to win the Hardwicke at Ascot but he ran a shocker and while the straight course at Ascot dried during the week the round course remained pretty soft and the evidence is he doesn't go well on deep ground as he has such a good stride.

I thought back on quicker ground in the Princess of Wales at Newmarket he would redeem himself but he was third behind BIG ORANGE who was given a superb ride by James Macdonald that day and that has to be classed as a slight disappointment. He was a decent fifth back over 2000m in the Juddmonte (the Arc runner up HIGHLAND REEL was second) but I don't find him an easy horse to read in terms of form. He's the sort who could well thrive in Australia but he could be a complete disaster.

SCOTTISH hasn't got many miles on the clock and won the Strensall at York last time but while he is a proven Group 3 performer, he's not run in a Group 1 and I think this is a big ask on his first run in Australia.

SIR ISAAC NEWTON, on the other hand, has mixed it with the best in his time even though he's only had a dozen runs. He won the Wolferton Handicap at Ascot which is a really competitive race for 3-y-o over the 2000m and followed up in a Group 3 at The Curragh and both those runs were on soft ground. He was fourth in the King George, fourth in the Juddmonte (just in front of EXOSPHERIC) and tenth in the Irish Champion Stakes which is the best race run in Europe this year. I think he has every chance in the Caulfield Cup - he's tough and has form at this trip with the very best in Europe.

I know very little about the German runner ARTICUS though he's trained by the top German trainer Andreas Wohler who handled PROTECTIONIST. His form in German group races is okay but I'd be surprised if it was anywhere near good enough.

A reasonable European challenge for the Geelong Cup over 2400m though probably not the strongest renewal of the race.

QEWY comes out of handicaps and has run well over 3000 and 3200m and it's fair to argue going back in trip won't help but he's a decent staying handicapper and the same is arguably true of fellow Godolphin runner OCEANOGRAPHER who was seventh to Melbourne Cup hopeful HEARTBREAK CITY in the Ebor at York. He had KINEMA behind that day though KINEMA probably has better form at 2400m.

The ex-French runner GREY LION was last in the Kergorlay at Deauville. Another ex-British runner ARAB DAWN could be coming to hand on his third start of this campaign (or preparation as you lot call it).

An excellent front running performance by QEWY to win the Geelong Cup. I don't see it as Melbourne Cup winning form however but he's 33/1 with the bookies up here while SCOTTISH is 25/1 after his fine second at the weekend.

The Cox Plate is the big one on Saturday and the view up here is, I suspect, much as it is with you in that it looks a straight fight between WINX and HARTNELL. I'd back her over 2000m and him over 2400m if I'm being honest but I'm looking at the value in the bigger price horses.

Moulin winner VADAMOS is 12/1 but all his form up here is over 1600m. His attempts at 2000m haven't been that inspiring.

Also at Moonee Valley on Saturday, SECOND WAVE goes in the Group 2 Gold Cup over 2500m. He was second to SIR ISAAC NEWTON in the Wolferton at Ascot before a fourth at Goodwood so he's no mug but he's had a long time off and this is a pretty tough assignment for a first start.

Just seen the Cox Plate - hugely impressive by WINX. I'm not sure HARTNELL is a 2000m horse in all honesty but she is very good.

I understand Ascot are trying to get her for the Prince of Wales next year and the thought of a clash between WINX and ALMANZOR over 2000m next June - you'd crawl over broken glass to see it.

The Queen Anne is the alternative I suppose but it's up to the WINX team to see if they fancy it.

To be honest, I think she could win the Arc if the ground was decent at Chantilly.

Vadamos retires to stud Wed, 09 Nov 2016
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Cox Plate and Emirates Stakes fourth placegetter Vadamos has been retired to stand at Tally-Ho Stud in Ireland.

Trained by Andre Fabre, Vadamos won the Gr. 1 Prix Du Moulin over 1600 metres at Chantilly in September before travelling to Australia for the Cox Plate, where he set the pace before sticking on to finish fourth, almost 10 lengths behind Winx.

Vadamos again over-raced in Saturday's Emirates Stakes, but held on for fourth. He will be sent to Tally-Ho in County Westmeath for the 2017 breeding season.


i thought this guy showed enough to be chance at stud

VADAMOS was arguably one of the bet older milers in Europe this season but against the likes of TEPIN and the class 3-y-o they didn't have much hope.

An excellent day for Godolphin at Sandown on Saturday with QEWY continuing the strong upward curve from his fourth in the Melbourne Cup to land the Sandown Cup which he was entitled to do on his Flemington form. The Melbourne Cup seventh, BEAUTIFUL ROMANCE, who might have been closer with a better start, won the Group 2 over 2400m beating Flemington sixth ALMOONQITH and BIG ORANGE in a bunch finish.

BIG ORANGE, who over raced when tenth at Flemington, went from the front but those tactics aren't as effective in Australia as on the more galloping and undulating British tracks but he fought hard and was beaten less than a length.

will stand at richhill stud next year down under

with 3 of the last 4 winners melborne cup by monsun and the other by pentire i figure they see staying as his go at stud

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