Again emphasising the dominance of mares in the modern era, Saturday’s Winx Stakes at Royal Randwick, featuring Via Sistina, with Joliestar looking dynamic elsewhere, were the best of a very GOOD week.
Via Sistina headed the Chris Waller trifecta narrowly in the Group one weight-for-age sprint ahead of other mares Zougothca and favourite Fangirl while Joliestar, a stablemate, scored effortlessly in the lesser Show Country Quality.
Once regarded as the weaker gender the last four champions have been mares: Sunline, Makybe Diva, Black Caviar and Winx. Before them only Wakeful who started her career in 1900 was given a “champion” title.
In Warwick Hobson’s “Racing All-Time Greats” the best were Carbine, Phar Lap, Peter Pan, Bernborough, Todman, Tulloch, Vain, Manikato, Kingston Town and Super Impose either stallions or geldings.
Certainly the good old days were tougher on the elite: they had to carry big weights over unfavourable journeys in quest of prizemoney where now they can reap golden harvests in set weight events.
Some say that colts and stallions now are retired early giving the mares easier opposition, but while a factor, not one that gives mares the dominance in recent decades.
Even the Pride Of Jenni, another mare and scintillating front runner, should be Horse Of The Season, and is favourited to win Saturday’s Group one Memsie Stakes at Caulfield.
Given the choice of which will have the best spring from Saturday I’m going for the Aussie-bred Joliestar, a four-three-year-old by Zoustar, while Via Sistina, from Ireland, will be taking on the elite with the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley, Australia’s weight-for-age championship of Australasia with outside inclusions, her ultimate goal.
Joliestar did it easier and produced a quicker final 600 metres (32.71) against Via Sistina’s 32.98. Yes, the older mare carried more weight (57kg) but was under considerably more pressure. James McDonald declared a kilo over (55kg) on Joliestar.
(The Betsmart Racing service gave Joliestar a better weight-for-age rating 104 to Via Sistina’s 101.2 and regarded the four-year-old as producing the most competitive run of any horse in the Randwick program unsuited by the race shape)
Still Via Sistina, under a heady Kerrin McEvoy ride, was superb, resuming after a spell over what most figured was a distance short of her best. But seven-year-old had the benefit of Waller’s preparation opposed to what she was given in Europe. Obviously nobody trains mares better than Waller.
Another plus for Via Sistina was the comment of Nash Rawiller, who handled Waller’s entire Riff Rocket in the Winx: “This was an incredibly frustratingly run race for me on a horse first up. We were hoping for a bit more even speed mid-race but he’s still gone through his gears and we got outsprinted. Has probably run one of the best closing sectionals for the day.”
Via Sistina came from behind Riff Rocket, exceptional considering the quality of the opposition, and the future winners the Winx will produce.
Sure Joliestar didn’t down any world-beaters but it was the way she did it. Wow.
While the Winx Stakes was worth every cent of the $1 million prizemoney, it was encouraging that Racing Victoria has seen fit to reduce the All-Star Mile by $1.5 million to $2.5 million in 2025. It won’t be a better race than the Winx. Many would like to see a similar trim in some Sydney majors. Again $1 million seems worthwhile. Amongst the beneficiaries in Victoria will be the Picnic Cups rising from $7,000 to $10,000. Picnic racing is big down south and the same spirit also booms in NSW which triggers good as is the elevation to Immortal status of Ron Coote, a South Sydney developed exceptional, who later joined the Roosters.
Some with a red and green eye reckon Coote was better than John Raper who was a champion. None can top that rating but Coote was right up there with Raper. Amongst his repertoire Coote had a classic tackle: not a coat-hanger, grapple, or ball and all, but just as effective.
Like most saddle greats James McDonald rides the fine line between careless and daring, the situation on Ameena in the Silver Shadow Stakes at Randwick.
Ameena beat Godolphin’s Silmarillion by a short half head “after permitting his mount to shift out under hard riding over the final 25 metres into the rightful running of Zeitung”, according to the steward’s report. Zeitung was “severely hampered”. BAD. The leading jockey was suspended until September 7 for careless riding. Zeitung was beaten three quarters of a length. Stewards decreed most of the damage was done “just prior to the finish” which, considering the beaten margin didn’t necessitate a protest. Other jurisdictions, however, place stricter rules on interference and had McDonald stopped riding and straightened his mount, required by the rule, he couldn’t have beaten Silmarillion, a stablemate of Zeitung.
JMac had a day of ups and downs: in the opening event being he was dislodged from Smashing Eagle who deceased at the 700 metres, and subsequently took a compulsory count being replaced in the second, but back on the next for Kreon, disappointing in the Highway.
Joliestar and Ameena gave him a winning double but the program confirmed the strength of the opposition. Apart from McEvoy taking the major, Jason Collett notched a treble and Nash Rawiller a double.
With the ongoing waffle about Latrell Mitchell, the suspension of Cameron Murray and the effort by South Sydney against Newcastle it’s been an UGLY week for the Rabbits.
Reports indicate there is concern about Wayne Bennett the incoming coach, spending time concerning the Rabbits and not current focus, the Dolphins. Well, it’s hardly having a beneficial impact on either side.
The Bennett non-attendance and attitude to the recent Hall Of Fame function could not be classified as ugly, but certainly unpleasant.
