Latest news with #RanvetStakes
News.com.au
22-04-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Via Sistina the only certainty in open Horse of the Year awards
The close of Sydney's showpiece autumn carnival usually provides clarity for the various Horse of the Year award categories each season – but not this year! The only certainty is that Via Sistina will claim Horse of the Year after successive autumn carnival Group 1 wins in the Verry Elleegant Stakes, Ranvet Stakes and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, bringing her tally of big-race wins in 2024-25 to a record-equalling seven. The champion mare also wins the middle distance category and is a contender for the miler title although she has opposition from Epsom Handicap-King Charles III Stakes winner Ceolwulf, Mr Brightside (Makybe Diva Stakes, Champions Mile) and Fangirl (Queen of the Turf Stakes). But with 12 Group 1 races left this season – four in Adelaide and eight in Brisbane – the other awards categories are wide open, particularly the three-year-old filly division. Melbourne's wonder filly Treasurethe Moment won eight races in a row during the season including three at Group 1 level in the VRC Oaks, Vinery Stud Stakes and ATC Australian Oaks. But is that enough to secure champion three-year-old filly honours? Lady Shenandoah will have her admirers after an unbeaten season that included her Group 1 treble in the Flight Stakes, Surround Stakes and notably her defeat of the mares in the Coolmore Classic. Aeliana 's absolute dominance of the 'boys' in the ATC Australian Derby puts her into the conversation but unbeaten Autumn Glow 's obvious potential probably isn't enough to earn the fillies title. The two-year-old award is similarly contentious with four different winners of the juvenile Group 1 races this season. Marhoona only had three starts culminating with her Golden Slipper win so she has to be among the main contenders. Unbeaten Vinrock won his three starts and is the first horse since Full On Aces (1981) to win the VRC Sires'-ATC Sires' double, while Team Hawkes won two-year-olds majors with the very impressive Nepotism (Champagne Stakes) and Devil Night (Blue Diamond). Godolphin's Tempted was the unlucky two-year-old in both the Blue Diamond (seventh) and Golden Slipper (third), but won the Reisling Stakes beating Marhoona in a brilliant 1min 8.49sec and claimed the Percy Sykes Stakes despite enduring a wide run. But her luckless losses in the majors will most likely cost her the juvenile title, too. The champion three-year-old colt or gelding is also up for grabs although Godolphin colt Broadsiding has a compelling case as the only male in the age group to win twice at Group 1 level so far this season with success in the Golden Rose and Rosehill Guineas. He was also placed in the Cox Plate. But Private Harry, unbeaten in five starts, burst on to the scene like a comet this season culminating with wins in The Sunlight and then the Group 1 The Galaxy against older sprinters ensuring he will have plenty of support. Linebacker did beat Broadsiding in the Randwick Guineas (Aeliana was fourth) but that was his only win for the season so he probably hasn't done enough to claim the three-year-old colt or gelding award. Jimmysstar became the only dual Group 1-winning sprinter so far this season with his fast-finishing All Aged Stakes triumph last Saturday complementing an Oakleigh Plate win. But The Everest winner Bella Nipotina is arguably still slight favourite to win the sprinter division although this is a hotly contested award with Briasa (TJ Smith Stakes), Joliestar (Newmarket Handicap), Sunshine In Paris (Champions Sprint) and Overpass (Winterbottom Stakes) all contenders. Similarly, the champion stayer category is also very open. The Melbourne Cup winner often has the advantage but Knight's Choice is behind the likes Duke De Sessa (Caulfield Cup) and Arapaho (Sydney Cup). â– â– â– â– â– 2024-25 HORSE OF THE YEAR AWARD CONTENDERS HORSE OF THE YEAR: Via Sistina CHAMPION MIDDLE DISTANCE: Via Sistina
South China Morning Post
28-03-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Dubai Honour set for another Australian Group One tilt after Hong Kong Vase second
Tom Marquand expects Dubai Honour to prove hard to beat when the globetrotting stayer tackles Saturday's Group One Tancred Stakes (2,400m) at Rosehill in his first appearance since running second in December's Group One Hong Kong Vase (2,400m). The globetrotting stayer produced his best performance in Hong Kong on his fourth trip to the city when runner-up to fellow British galloper Giavellotto in the Vase. Dubai Honour has contested the Group One QE II Cup (2,000m) at Sha Tin three times, with his best result third behind Romantic Warrior in 2023, and he again holds an entry for the Champions Day feature next month. The William Haggas-trained gelding returns to Sydney, where he is unbeaten from two starts having won the Ranvet Stakes (2,000m) and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2,000m) at Group One level in 2023. 'We always see it with those horses, they do the Sydney trip once and he's been to Hong Kong a couple of times now as well and they just become so professional,' Marquand said of the three-time Group One winner. 'It probably is fair to say that he does thrive off it. He really does well. He is a mature horse now and we all know his level of form, and that's a high level. 'We are very much of the impression that over a mile-and-a-half he doesn't need the rain, but if it comes it's of assistance. 'When Ryan Moore won on him [in the Ranvet Stakes] it was a good four. It was pretty quick and he's felt good before on Hong Kong ground. It's not that he needs the soft ground, it just assists him a bit extra.' Dubai Honour narrowly holds favouritism in overseas markets ahead of the former Irish-trained Vauban, who joined the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable after his second failure in the Group One Melbourne Cup (3,200m) in November. He struck instantly for his new stable and owners with victory in the Group Three Sky High Stakes (2,000m) at Rosehill first up. The Tancred Stakes is one of 12 overseas races to be simulcast by the Jockey Club on Saturday, with another two races from Rosehill, three from Flemington and six from South Africa's Turffontein racecourse also offered for betting. The Group One Australian Cup (2,000m) headlines the Flemington card, with comeback mare Pride Of Jenni holding favouritism in her bid for a fourth elite-level success. Pride Of Jenni was retired after a disappointing spring campaign, but a change of heart from owner Tony Ottobre led to her return and she won the Group Two Peter Young Stakes (1,800m) at Caulfield first up. The great mare is back! 💫 Pride Of Jenni picks up where she left off, stringing her opposition out & trouncing them in the Peter Young Stakes.@cmaherracing @craig_newitt — (@Racing) March 15, 2025 At Turffontein, the Group One SA Derby (2,450m) takes centre stage with most attention surrounding the unbeaten Immediate Edge. Trained by father-and-son duo Mike and Mathew de Kock, Immediate Edge maintained his perfect record at start three when he overcame interference to brilliantly win over 2,000m on his last appearance.
