Fortuna has two runners this Saturday – both in the same race and both resuming from a spell

VIVACIOUS contests the R75 1200m event – Race 5 @ 1.40pm with Stable apprentice, Sage Duric, claiming 3 kgs, to ride from Barrier 2 – this 4 time winning mare is very consistent – she was super last prep and is ready to push on to better things – strong each way chance  – TAB says “Vivacious resumes from a spell over a trip that is probably short of her best, but she has been tuned up with a recent trial here and should hold her place early on from the pole position. She benefits from a 3kg claim and should be hitting the line strongly. Can win.” – Showing $13 /$ 3.80  Fixed odds

PORCIA CATONIS also contests the R75 1200m event – Race 5 @ 1.40pm with Tina Comignaghi to ride from Barrier 9 – 2 wins and four placings from six starts to date – both wins have been on the Poly  – did run 4th this track and trip on the Turf in April – hard to get a line on her in this company, but is in good order and ready to race well – watch the tote  – TAB says “Has claims if presented on song ” – Showing $ 14 /$4  Fixed odds

======================================================================================

Other News

Everest/Caulfield Cup saga – Whats the fuss!!!

Last Saturday those racing fans watching Tran Tasman racing from the comfort of their homes witnessed the magnificent spectacle of two great race days across the Tasman, featuring “the new kid on the block” the Everest and the “time honoured” staying event, the Caulfield Cup. Last Saturday’s Everest of course was just it’s ninth running, whereas the Caulfield Sup is much more traditional with its first running back in 1879 and is a major lead up race for the equally time honoured Melbourne Cup

It’s interesting to look back to when the Everest concept was first mooted and the resulting shock and horror of the Victorian racing authorities. The upstart Sydneysiders were planning a $20 million sprinting race on, heaven forbid, Caulfield Cup Day. The protests were strong, barbs were fired from either side and while it would be fair to say that, in subsequent years the fuss has died down a bit as the Everest has propelled itself to now the second most important race in terms of wagering in the Australian racing scene, the antagonism has still not completely disappeared with the Sydneysiders now boasting that “their race” now surpasses the Caulfield cup in terms of wagering turnover.

And yet for those of us sitting home what did we see? First of all we saw a sellout crowd at Randwick of 50,000 and we also saw a sellout crowd at Caulfield of 28,000 and presumably, if Caulfield had more capacity, such as Flemington does, then the crowd could have been bigger. Moreover these two great racing occasions were effectively, certainly as this writer sees it, complementary to each other with the crowds at either venue easily able to watch the big race at the other venue on the big screens and presumably put their parochialism aside and have a bet on the big race at the other venue – all good for wagering turnover.

Further, neither race lost any mana in terms of the quality of the respective fields as the Everest is a sprint race over 1200m for elite sprinters and the Caulfield Cup is a handicap race run over 2400m for stayers. Yes there is no doubt that if the Everest had never taken off then the elite Sydney riders would be riding at Caulfield, however to me that is of little consequence as the riding ranks depths in both jurisdictions is deep.

And from a marketing perspective, the product, i.e. Throughbred Racing was able to project itself not only just to it’s Trans Tasman audience, but to a global audience (including the very important US market) as well, so yes, while we should certainly honour our traditions, I think what the initiation and development of the Everest has shown us is that we should never be afraid to come up with new ideas and concepts. What the saga has shown us is that it’s perfectly possible to have two “premier events” go head to head and with sellout crowds at both venues and with complementary wagering turnover over both venues, it was a “win win” across the board for all parties.

And even little old New Zealand was able to join the party, not just with our own Group One feature, the Livamol Classic, won impressively by Waitak, but also with the Everest winner Ka Ying Rising, already the highest rated Sprinter in the world, bringing additional attention to our impressive record of breeding high quality thoroughbreds – and with the NZ Bloodstock Ready To Run Sales just around the corner the timing was exquisite, and having the first three home, Ceowulf, Mr Brightside and Pier in the other feature race on the day at Randwick, the King Charles Stakes, did not do our cause any harm either

And in case you missed it click HERE to see the crowd of 50,000, reputedly with 60% of the crowd under the age of 26, singing Sweet Caroline – as the commentator says, “this race has brought people back to the track”

============================================================

Leaderboard back in training

Yes “Tiger” is back in training – given a two month paddock spell after his 25 lengths win victory in Australia’s richest jumping race, the Grand National Steeples, he has now returned to Cranbourne. He has spelled beautifully during his time off and is a very happy horse now that he is back in the stables – click HERE to see some footage of him enjoying one of his favourite activities,  a good roll in the sandbox – looking at this footage you would hardly credit that he is an 11 year-old and clearly still has a lot of zest for life

The winner of five Jumps races in Victoria from 13 starts and only once finishing out of the first three (when he fell) Leaderboard’s major initial target from here will be the Warrnambool Carnival in early May where he will seek redemption in the Brierly Steeplechase over 3450m (this was the race he fell in this year when looking as if he was taking the race by the scruff of the neck) and then back up two days later into the Grand Annual Steeplechase over 5500m –  he will need to get a lot of miles into his legs to prepare for those two events, so he will have a steady training build up during November, December and January, possibly then contest a flat race or two during February/March and then an early Steeplechase target for him could be the Open Steeplechase over 3450m  at  Warrnambool 26th March as he builds toward the May Carnival

This will be his last season of jumping before heading to a well earned retirement following a racing career in which he delivered some exemplary winning performances on the flat, (NZ St Leger, Wellington Cup) and the Grand National Steeplechase in Victoria and who knows what else he may be able to collect before heading to retirement.

LEADERBOARD on his way to Victory 2025 Grand National Steeples
Ballarat 17th August – Will Gordon aboard

==============================================================