WEEKEND RACING RECAP – SATURDAY 28TH MARCH
It was the weekend of the prize-fighters in Group 1 racing in Sydney and Melbourne in what turned out to be two of the most gruelling races seen in recent history.
First we take you to Flemington racecourse for the time honoured Australian Cup that was first run in 1863. A race that has been steeped in history with horses such as Dulcify, Bonecrusher, Let’s Elope and Makybe Diva having been successful. As they turned for home the tearaway leader Pride Of Jenni had come back to the field and she looked like she was going to be swamped, but as she has shown in her career she dug deep and rallied from the 200m for a titanic struggle to the line.
In the “blue corner” we had the defending Australian Cup Champion in Light Infantry Man ($21) with Caulfield Cup winning rider Harry Coffey aboard whilst in the “red corner” was the crowd favourite and the gallant mare Pride Of Jenni ($11) with her faithful hoop Declan Bates in her corner going into the final round of a heavyweight title fight over the last 200m of the famous Flemington straight.
Both horse and rider strained every sinew as they strived for Group 1 victory. As the two of them reached the line no-one on the racecourse, including the riders, could identify a winner. The judge went to the magnifying glass and with a deft eye declared Light Infantry Man had got his nose down at the right time to defend his title in what will be a race long remembered in Australian turf history.
The next bout took place up north in Sydney at Rosehill Gardens. The Group 1 Tancred saw a short priced favourite in the Chris Waller trained Aeliana ($1.70), who was backing up from a Group 1 success last Saturday in the Ranvet, trying to give her rider James McDonald another major race success. She was always going to find the William Haggis trained Dubai Honour (IRE) a worthy rival. The Irish bred gelding has been coming for a “working holiday” to Australia since 2023 when he won the Group 1 Ranvet and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. He missed a visit 2024 before returning to Rosehill and winning another Ranvet. He was sent out $3.60 today and rider Tom Marquand took luck out of the equation letting the gelding stride along at his own leisure before he turned it into a true staying test from the 600m and all rivals off the bit, including the favourite Aeliana who had a lot of work to do from the 200m but she showed her true class and kept “punching” at the leader and gradually wore him down before delivering the final stride a couple of strides from home and added a second Group 1 in two weeks.
It was two races you would go a long way to see in history and they were run an hour apart.
The other Group 1 race in Australia on Saturday also had it’s fair share of controversy. The Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes in run over the 2000m at Rosehill Gardens and was another success for Golden Slipper winning rider Zac Lloyd, although he had to defend his title in the Stewards room.
When his mount the Kiwi filly Belle Cheval dashed to the front soon after straightening, she looked set for a clear win. But as she was placed under intense pressure at 200m she wandered about and was touch unbalanced for Lloyd, chasing her intently was After Summer with Billy Egan getting everything out of her late but she failed to reel in Belle Cheval and lost by barest possible margin.
Billy Egan and trainer Dominic Sutton watched the head on and fired in a protest against the winner but Stewards determined there was not enough interference to reverse the placings and the protest was dismissed.
It was a day of action to finish the Rosehill Golden Slipper Carnival with Group 1 racing moving to Royal Randwick for The Championships.