3 minute read

We review a magnificent day of racing across Flemington and Rosehill.

Australian Cup – Light Infantry Man (121)

Light Infantry Man went back-to-back in the Australian Cup, running to the same RAS rating as last year, coming in at 121 in what was one of the more extraordinary races.

Pride Of Jenni has smashed through every conceivable pain barrier in a brutal, gruelling, punishing 2000m on genuinely wet ground, barely picking her feet up late but still forcing the others to out tough her.

Her finishing speed percentage is 94% which is insanely slow late – in fact, nothing ran their race anything near efficiently – the winner was just slowing slightly less than the others.

Look back at last year – where Pride Of Jenni was beaten 16 lengths – and her finishing speed percentage was still 93.6%, nearly identical to Saturday, yet she's gone down a nose this year.

She is what makes racing great – most having written her off, especially at 2000m, and while she didn't win, it was simply awesome to watch.

Light Infantry Man clearly relished the test again – his fresh win was off a very strong tempo, struggling in a slow race second up but out-staying them all on Saturday.

The overall time figure is nothing remarkable because they've simply fallen in a hole late, but they get a strong markup given how inefficiently they ran.

Who knows what to do with this race – it's on an island, it could've completely flattened all of them for the preparation, and it is possible they all spell.

If Pride Of Jenni goes to a Queen Elizabeth and runs like this it really could be set up for something special to emerge – does Autumn Glow have the right platform to do so? Does Aeliana (more on her soon) come back from 2400m with the stamina in her legs?

What a sport.

Vinery Stud Stakes – Belle Cheval (108)

From a brutal 2000m to a leisurely one, and that's putting it lightly. The fillies walked in the Vinery which is evidenced by the margins, only 1.1 lengths covering the first six, which probably suited the winner given she was racing beyond a mile for the first time.

Belle Cheval didn't even need to run up to her previous start in The Kiwi, having gone 110 at Racing & Sports behind Well Written on that occasion, dipping to 108 here, which still has After Summer running a new peak in second.

Looking at Vinery Stud Stakes winners this century, Belle Chavel at 108 is the lowest on record, one pound below Mirjulsia Lass at 109 in 2011, and a mile off Special Harmony (117), Miss Finland (116), Fangirl (116), Norzita (116) and Serenade Rose (116).

Other recent winners include Treasurethe Moment (115), Verry Elleegant (114), Hungry Heart (113), Orchestral (112) and Prowess (111).

While they were all finishing fast and that suited the winner best, I'm not certain any of the others can claim 'best horse on the day'.

Ohope Wins was back from 2400m of the NZ Oaks and coming back to a slow 2000m here can't have helped, but she's only finished negligibly quicker than the winner. That may have been completely different in a proper test, and she'll be well favoured to turn the tables in the Oaks, but this form could turn on its head very quickly.

Tancred Stakes – Aeliana (123)

In a fantastic hour for racing fans all round, Aeliana and Dubai Honour evoked the old Verry Elleegant v Addeybb 'toe to toe, blow for blow' but it was the Waller mare who proved too tough for the Haggas raider as Aeliana won her second Group 1 in a week.

Marquand looked to pinch it after getting a soft time in front. To the eye, it looked like a genuine 2400m test from the outset but the splits say somewhat differently.

They were finishing fast here over the final 600m off an even tempo, Aeliana just getting the upper hand late.

She's run to a RAS rating of 123, the same as last week in the Ranvet Stakes which was a few pounds faster on the clock but has firmly established herself as a top mare, going 118-122-123-123 in four runs this time in.

It will be interesting to see if they do press on to a Queen Elizabeth Stakes. If Pride Of Jenni fronted up, this would be such a good platform to absorb her pressure and run to a new peak, but my guess would be they put their faith in Autumn Glow.

Dubai Honour at 122 has only one run pound lower than his 123 win last year, albeit he was finishing powerfully last year, not quite so much this time (while still going well on the clock).

A RAS rating of 123 in a Tancred Stakes is good going. Since the turn of the century, only Manighar (125), Makybe Diva (125), Eremein (124), Hartnell (124) and Jameka (124) have posted a better number.

123 sits alongside Grand Zulu, Verry Elleegant, Silent Achiever and Dubai Honour, and puts her among some very handy mares to have won the race, as seen below.