Dips my lid, applauded, stunned in awe, toasted outstanding performances with enough booze to fill a Centennial Park lake, but never before “a moment’s silence” that has been granted to Black Caviar at Royal Randwick today as part of the Immortals promotion.
Winner of her only 25 starts, Black Caviar died recently and the Australian Turf Club, in conjunction with an outstanding Winx Stakes and supporting program, will pay tribute to another exceptional.
But the passing of others, better than greats with the supreme “champion” title, locals Todman, Tulloch and Kingston Town, plus the more recent outsiders Sunline, from New Zealand, and Makybe Diva, Euro bred with strong South Australian and Victorian backgrounds, were allowed to pass without the same recognition.
Mind you I don’t begrudge Black Caviar, basically Victorian, the accolade. Perhaps champions are more popular now yet in the eras of Sydneysiders Todman, Tulloch and Kingston Town racing was biggest game in town.
“Dips my lid (hat)” is recognition of something special which Black Caviar generated; the enormity of her effort beating Haylist in Randwick’s the T.J.Smith left me dumbstruck while the latter stages of the Royal Ascot triumph emitted my roar of “keep lifting girl”.
No doubt Winx was responsible for the same emotions in spades, and the Group one sprint today named in her honour lives up to the title, even more so than races named after others of the ilk. Obviously Fangirl, developed by Chris Waller, who tuned Winx, is the form horse in the weight-for-age sprint but has the odds to go with it – around $2.25 yesterday.
However, others raise queries. Topliners matches, with rivals promising to be better than ever before, leave in my assessments only two out of 12 acceptors out of contention: Zeyrek and Just Fine with Tropical Squall and Zardozi on the fringe.
The class of Tropical Squall to date is questionable but she is prepared by Gai Waterhouse – Adrian Bott, suggesting she will go fast fresh, probably make the pace out of harm’s way. With a scramble behind? Who knows?
Zardozi, already a Group one winner, is more of a stayer but is talented and could sprint so early in the preparation.
Stronger cases can be made for Riff Rocket, Via Sistina, Atishu, and Zougotcha, stablemates of Fangirl, while Waller’s Buckaroo shouldn’t be overlooked despite long odds ($61).
A Brit-bred having his first start for Waller last February Buckaroo was fifth to Fangirl, beaten 3.3 lengths, in the Apollo Stakes at Randwick over today distance, 1400 metres, and should have finished closer.
Fangirl is now a six-year-old mare, usually passed to point of improvement for Colonial breds while it was Buckeroo’s first Australian campaign after which most imports progress significantly. Subsequently he has been gelded, another positive. Buckaroo’s recently barrier trials, too, have been strong.
And just how good is Riff Rocket, another returning for a spring campaign? Perhaps staying is his caper but he has scored over the distance and is unbeaten twice first-up.
Consider, too, Via Sistina, from Ireland, the most intriguing of the Winx team. Yes, she a seven-year-old but only had 15 starts with two Australian excellent efforts. After being far too good in the Group one Ranvet at Rosehill she was second in the incredible Queen Elizabeth at Randwick, ridden by James McDonald, and prompting the Racenet guide to comment: “gave an impossible start”. The 1400 metre is short of her best so far but now under the Waller system?
Atishu has Group one ability with excellent and distance credentials but is a trouble magnet during a race while Zougotcha promises to get a sweet run, which can be applied to Ciaron Mahor’s Semana, with a Brisbane campaign under her girth possibly giving her a fitness edge.
Regarding his team, Waller has mentioned the bunkum “luck in running”. The best ride is more to the point. Fangirl will get back in the field but has JMac, one of the world’s best, navigating.
Still the price skinny with the depth of the Winx, formerly the Warwick Stakes that goes back to 1923 with an honour roll including immortals Sunline, Super Impose, Kingston Town (three), Tulloch, Bernborough, plus Chatham, Amounis and Limerick in the good, and very old days.
Still history is being made today: the silence of a racehorse and there has never ever been a trainer like Waller with so many chances in the weight-for-age race that goes back so far.
Selections are in Play The Exotics.
