Racing’s High Society: The King Charles III

Forgive my negativity about The Everest but the King Charles 111, with Pride Of Jenni adding her catch-me-if-you-can dimension this Saturday, is a better race.

Still because of the elite double, Royal Randwick takes the thunder out of the Caulfield Cup long regarded as one of racing’s major features and puts Sydney well and truly in the vanguard over Melbourne so far this spring.

Both programs are in the delicate balance of track conditions with Randwick looking a possible heavy and Caulfield always difficult to anticipate.

Once titled the George Main Stakes, the King George didn’t need royal patronage to designate class, going back to its inception in 1945 and since 1980 being a justifiable Group one sprint.

Yes, The Everest is newly minted to the highest status, according to reports, but still waiting for clarification. Australia has a total of approximately 540 to 550 Group races from a season total of almost 21,000 races. The Asian Pattern Committee is the accepted authority for Group and Listed status in Australia.

Certainly the Randwick 1200 metre dash is elite quality, makes headlines due to the $20 million prizemoney and massive spend on promotion, more than any other Australian race. Excessive? Why argue? It puts the turf into the spotlight.

The King Charles, though, tops the menu today. Consider Pride Of Jenni, last season’s Horse Of The Year, graded at 122 benchmark currently with her rival Fangirl, successful in the George Main last year, on 119, while the best of The Everest are I Wish I Win, and Bella Nipotina (118), superior to Buckeroo’s 117, the highest in the Caulfield Cup, a handicap against Randwick’s weight-for-age scintillators.

Regarding Pride Of Jenni, Kevin Casey wrote in Best Bets: “In my view her last 12 months of racing (nine starts, five wins and three seconds) has been amongst the most exciting an Australian horse has ever had.”

Food for thought: recollect Vo Rogue, for one, who left great memories. On Friday Pride Of Jenni, with a penchant for the royal occasions, was a $2.3 chance because Fangirl is a dynamic Randwick miler and the promise of Ceolwulf and Celestial Legend add to an enthralling clash.

In winning Randwick’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes Pride Of Jenni led at one stage by 30 lengths and scored by over six in a 2000 metre spectacle. Will she be as dynamic over the 1600 metres? Can Major Beel who likes to lead get close enough to be a pest and set up the finish for Fangirl? Anyway, I’ll be tipping Celestial Legend will do much better with blinkers for the first time, but will it be enough to down the mares?

Celestial Legend figured in what the broadcaster decreed as “the greatest barrier trial the world has ever seen” over 1000 metres at Randwick on October 8, involving The Everest chances, Lady Of Camelot, Private Eye, Sunshine In Paris, Joliestar, as well as Fangirl, out for fresh air and very light exercise. She finished last. Celestial Legend was asked to do marginally more than the others but surged to the line under Blake Shinn.

While mares highlight the recent history of the George Main (King Charles) they are yet to open an account in seven The Everests: a negative for Bella Nipotina, who did well under tender encouragement last start, I Am Me, Steffi Magnetica, Sunshine In Paris and Joliestar.

The seasoned topliners? Rob Waterhouse, bookmaker and astute judge, opines: “To my mind the old horses seem a bit weak this year. We all think great things of them but I think they’ve been poor”.

Obviously the improvement factor with the three-year-old is the gamble rather than their score on the board. Gai Waterhouse, wife of Rob, has two Storm Boy, sluggish early but can be fast and furious, and Lady Of Camelot who looks overs at $51.

However I am going with I Wish I Win influenced by his two attempts this preparation being in unsuitable races, the gelding has won third up twice and gets blinkers back on today. With the Peter Moody involvement he will be prime. Whether that’s good enough is the risk but the rain affected conditions, plus his down the outside predilection, swings the balance in his favour.

The Caulfield Cup, though, will depend more on navigational expertise. The anticipated speed out wide from Deny Knowledge (17) and Eliyass (21) charging towards the first turn could produce a scrimmage. Others will also jockey for a position up front.

The Gemba Caulfield Cup predictor, assessing the prices, used in Racing.Com lists Buckeroo on top at $3, he was $4.50 with bookmakers yesterday, Eliyass $6 with $8 available and Deny Knowledge $7 with $12 on offer are the trifecta.

Potential points to Land Legend, on the assumption he will improve on his recent triumph in The Metropolitan at Randwick but he has drawn one barrier, unsuccessful since 1941. But how many launching from the rails have had the benefit of Zac Purton, who has the sit on Land Launching?

With Land Legend a strong fancy Zardozi, too, so close to Land Legend in The Metrop will prove hard to beat. Unlike most staying events in more recent times Aussie-breds, and Zardozi is one, don’t figure in the best staying races. In the Caulfield Cup they have 17 wins from the last 25.

Being on the same day Caulfield Cup and Randwick’s The Everest and King Charles is a downer for Channel Seven’s Bruce McAvaney, one of racing’s greatest enthusiasts, because it prevents the best jockeys riding in both meetings.

Alas Peter V’Landys has come this far, eclipsed Melbourne on Caulfield Cup day. I don’t think he’s going back.

Peter Mair, much involved if not enthusiastic, is betting each-way on the industry.

“No matter which way one looks at it the Australian racing industry is in disarray,” Mair emailed. “On any rational assessment it cannot go on as is. The administrators would know this. Sadly, ‘rationality’ is not a card face-up on the political table.

“On the converse side of the argument, the racing on Saturday in Sydney and Melbourne would in the normal course rank as one of the best ever anticipated.”