Racing
The Saturday Look Ahead
The first weekend of autumn carnival racing is nirvana for punters.
There are no fewer than 26 stakes races including four at Group 1 level across the nation in a four-day period starting Friday.Plus there's seven stakes races at Ellerslie on Saturday with three Group 1 events – and this doesn't include New Zealand's richest race, the $4 million NZB Kiwi.
Royal Randwick will be the epicentre of feature racing with nine of the 10 races having Group or Listed status including two Group 1 races, $1 million Randwick Guineas (1600m) and $750,000 Canterbury Stakes (1300m). The race meeting boasts 12 individual Group 1 winners.
The Randwick Guineas is shaping as a classic contest between crack colts Autumn Boy, Attica and Ninja, and boom filly Sheza Alibi.
Randwick's "support" races feature three Group 2 events including two crucial Golden Slipper lead-up races, $300,000 Todman Stakes (1200m) and $300,000 Reisling Stakes (1200m).
The Todman could provide a new Golden Slipper favourite if Silver Slipper winner Stretan Ruler, promising Paradoxium or talented Hidrix wins impressively.
Some of the nation's best sprinters clash in the $500,000 Challenge Stakes including 2022 The Everest winner Giga Kick and last year's Golden Slipper heroine Marhoona.
At Flemington, there are also 12 individual Group 1 winners competing on a raceday that has seven stakes events on the program, highlighted by the Group 1 $2 million All-Star Mile (1600m) and Group 1 $2 million Newmarket Handicap (1200m).
Godolphin's outstanding three-year-old Tentyris is attempting a straight-track Group 1 hat-trick in the Newmarket after his wins in the Coolmore Stud Stakes and Lightning Stakes.
Tentyris has been burdened with 57kg and if he wins the Newmarket, he will equal the all-time weight-carrying record for a three-year-old set by the great Ajax in 1938.
The handicap conditions of the Newmarket make this very interesting with proven topliners like Baraqiel, War Machine and Sepals, plus gifted sprinters Angel Capital and Caballus, and lightly weighted three-olds My Gladiola, Wodeton and Pallaton adding plenty of depth to the feature race.
There is stakes racing at Newcastle and Pakenham on Friday, two Listed races at Bunbury on Saturday, plus another four black-type events including the Group 3 $200,000 Black Opal Stakes (1200m) at Canberra on Sunday which is another significant Golden Slipper lead-up race.
Then at Morphettville on Monday, there are another four feature races including the Group 2 $350,000 Adelaide Cup (3200m).
In New Zealand, it's "Super Saturday" at Ellerslie with three Group 1 races – Sistema Stakes (1200m) for two-year-olds, the New Zealand Derby (2400m) for the three-year-old classic generation, and the weight-for-age Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m).
Unbeaten filly Lara Antipova has romped home in her three races by an aggregate margin of 15.75 lengths and she is racing for a possible Golden Slipper start in the Sistema Stakes.
Legarto is the favourite for the New Zealand Stakes and the only filly in the Derby field, Autumn Glory, is favourite to win the staying test.
But most interest in the Ellerslie meeting is on the NZB Kiwi when the outstanding three-year-old filly Well Written, already the winner of the Group 1 Thousand Guineas and Karaka 3yo Millions this season, is a long odds-on favourite to record her sixth win from as many starts.
PALLATON HAS A POINT TO PROVE
Trainer Michael Freedman believes Pallaton is finally ready to realise his potential in the Newmarket Handicap.
Pallaton was challenging for Golden Slipper favouritism going into the Todman Stakes 12 months ago but ran last behind Tentryis and Wodeton. The trio clash again in the Newmarket.
Freedman's talented colt seemingly lost his way after that Todman loss before a trip to Melbourne during Cup Week last November turned things around for the young sprinter.
"Pallaton is a horse I've always had a nice opinion of, I've made no secret about that,'' Freedman said.
"But he went through a period where he lost a bit of form and I can't really explain it to be honest.
"Then he had that trip to Melbourne and won up the straight during Cup Week which I feel has helped him mentally.
"His two runs back this autumn have been very good, particularly his win in the Zeditave Stakes at Caulfield.
"This is a tough race but it is a handicap, he has no weight on his back, and he has won up the straight before.''
Freedman still managed to win the Golden Slipper last year with Marhoona, one of the main chances in the Challenge Stakes at Randwick.
"I think this is a nice race for Marhoona,'' Freedman said.
"She has come back from Melbourne in good order and I was really happy with her work on Tuesday.
"I wasn't disappointed with her Lightning run as it was the first time up the straight for her and that is always a bit of a query.
"I get the feeling she is a filly that really likes getting around a bend and that's the theory of getting her back to Sydney for the Challenge and then maybe go to The Galaxy.''
Freedman has every reason to be optimistic about the chances of promising Ninja and improving Decorum in the Randwick Guineas, and his Golden Slipper hopefuls Naadra in Reisling Stakes, plus talented Incognito and possibly Outspan in the Todman Stakes.
Ninja is attempting to become the seventh to complete the Hobartville Stakes-Randwick Guineas double after Celestial Legend (2024), The Autumn Sun (2019), Kementari (2018), Hallowed Crown (2015), Dissident (2014) and Ilovethiscity (2011).
"I suppose Ninja hasn't been at a mile (a1600m) before but he doesn't give me any indication he won't run it,'' Freedman said.
"He was pretty strong through the line in the Hobartville even though he had not had a run for a few weeks after the Magic Millions Guineas.
"Decorum is a nice horse who I think will enjoy getting over further.''
Naadra, a well-bred filly by Tassort out of Najmah, was very competitive on debut when a close second to Wolf Gap at Warwick Farm, and Freedman believes she deserves her chance in the Reisling Stakes.
"Naadra has come on well from her first run and she's drawn well on Saturday (barrier two),'' he said. "I'd be surprised if she doesn't run a very good race.''
Breeders Plate winner Incognito has been unplaced in two starts this campaign but Freedman said there was merit in his colt's fourth to Stretan Ruler in the Silver Slipper.
"I worked Incognito with a set of blinkers during the week, I was pleased with his work and he will wear them on Saturday,'' Freedman confirmed.
"His Silver Slipper run I thought was very good under the circumstances. He was a touch slow out and we didn't intend to be back two lengths last over the Rosehill 1100m but he still made up a nice amount of ground.
"Outspan is in the Todman but we are also having a look at the Black Opal on Sunday.''
THE SPRINT TRIPLE CROWN
Tentyris took the first leg with his brilliant last-to-first surge in the Lightning Stakes over 1000m at Flemington before stablemate Tropicus won the Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield.
Anthony Freedman was working with his brother, Hall of Fame trainer Lee, in 1992 during an era before training partnerships were introduced in Australian racing, when their champion sprinter Schillaci won the Melbourne sprint treble.
PRIDE'S RICH LIST
Joe Pride is the first trainer to have three $10 million-plus prizemoney earners in his stable at the same time.
The Pride-trained Mazu, raced by Chris Ward's Triple Crown Syndications, resumes in the Challenge Stakes where he is out to improve on his career earnings of $10,215,950.
Pride also trains Private Eye who has amassed $12,828,955 and Ceolwulf, winner of $10,940,795.
One of Mazu's Challenge Stakes rivals, Giga Kick ($14,909,345) can move past Triple Crown's dual Everest winner Redzel ($16,444,000) into sixth on the all-time prizemoney list if he wins the Randwick sprint.