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The Randwick Timeform Wrap: 2019 Spring Champion Stakes Day

by Alex Steedman , 4 years ago

3 minute read

The Randwick Timeform recap featuring a race by race overview of key performers and ones to watch from the Spring Champion Stakes meeting at Randwick on October 12.

Shadow Hero became the fifth three-year-old in eight years to claim the Gloaming Stakes - Spring Champion Stakes double.

SHADOW HERO winning the Moet Spring Champion Stakes.
SHADOW HERO winning the Moet Spring Champion Stakes. Picture: Steve Hart

Pocket dynamo The Inevitable was the winner of the inaugural Silver Eagle to confirm a place in the $7.5million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill on November 2.

Cosmic Force booked his ticket south for the Coolmore Stud Stakes after dominating the Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) while Team Hawkes kicked off their day with an early double courtesy of Master Of Wine and Greyworm.

 

Race 1: Emanuela - Class 3 Highway Handicap (1600m)

Emanuela is very much a mare in form with Saturday’s Highway Handicap success her third straight win. 

The daughter of Animal Kingdom was forced to do it the hard way as well, crossing from a wide draw and landing three wide on the pace early. Despite that, the mare still had a big kick that last furlong.

Saturday was Emanuela’s fourth win so she’s graduated from Highway Handicaps now.

The Ross Stitt-trained But I Know is seemingly the horse with the most relevance for Saturday punters moving forward out of this race.

There is an 1800m Class 3 Handicap at Randwick in two weeks with his name all over it.

 

Race 2: Master Of Wine - Benchmark 88 3YO+ Handicap (2000m)

This was an easy watch for favourite punters. Third up, out to 2000m with Blinkers on first time was perfect.

The history of the Team Hawkes stable with stayers around this time of year creates added interest regarding where Master Of Wine heads for his next start.

The son of Maxios still holds a nomination for the Melbourne Cup. 

A Benchmark 88 at Randwick to a Melbourne Cup in just over three weeks is no doubt incredibly ambitious. That said, seeing Team Hawkes try and sneak him into the Melbourne Cup field via the Lexus Stakes (2500m) on Derby Day would come as no surprise.

They’ve done that twice in the past decade with better performed horses such as Maluckyday and Niwot.

Maluckyday won the 2010 Tattersalls Club Cup as a lightweight hope off a no metro win success at Canterbury.

The Lexus Stakes victory resulted in Maluckyday gaining a start in the 2010 Melbourne Cup where he finished second behind Americain with So You Think in third.

Master Of Wine winning the Harrolds (Bm88)
Master Of Wine winning the Harrolds (Bm88) Picture: Racing and Sports
 

Race 3: Greyworm - Benchmark 88 3YO+ Handicap (1400m)

Greyworm gave Team Hawkes a race to race double early in the program. With five wins and four placings for Greyworm now through ten starts - the son of Master Of Design is a horse you would love to have a stable full of. 

The five-year-old is a push button type who jumps, lands on speed and makes his own luck.

He’s improved with each run this campaign and ran to a new career peak on Saturday.

The grey has a Benchmark of 89 after Saturday now and even the calendar is falling perfectly for him. There is an Open Handicap over the same track and trip in a fortnight he can progress to.

Sure Knee in fourth resumed well. She’ll be fitter second up and wouldn’t look out of place at Fillies and Mares Listed/Group 3 level next start.

 

Race 4: Colada - Group 2 Stan Fox Stakes (1500m)

Colada on Saturday went straight to the front and kept kicking. He’s run to a Timeform rating of 107 which represents a massive spike on his previous best form.

He’s off to a million dollar race next start with the Bondi Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on October 26 his next target.

Bottega, Brandenburg and even Kooweerup along the fence should all head there as well.

They were each flying home in an oddly run race. The upside Bottega has after what we’ve seen through just three starts is enormous. He ran home in 33.23.

Two weeks after the Caulfield Guineas, it will be interesting to see if the Bondi Stakes lures Caulfield Guineas runners from Saturday up the Highway.

Considering Caulfield Guineas runner up Alligator Blood will be returning north to the Sunshine Coast for David Vandyke, a short stopover in the Harbour City for the Bondi could prove profitable.

The son of All Too Hard has the edge on numbers over Saturday's Stan Fox Stakes field, not just on his slender Caulfield Guineas defeat assessed at 117, but even his Caulfield Guineas Prelude success which returned a Timeform rating of 113+. 

 

Race 5: Cosmic Force - Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m)

Cosmic Force was fantastic on Saturday. The Deep Field colt jumped beautifully and jockey Tim Clark gave him a nice breather from the 800m to the 600m.

With added fitness and a weight swing he’s turned the tables on Standout in second off their Heritage Stakes clash.

He has run to a Timeform rating of 116 which is equal to a peak figure originally reached winning the Pago Pago Stakes (1200m) last autumn.

The Team Snowden-trained colt is off to the Coolmore Stud Stakes now. Brazen Beau in 2014 claimed the Roman Consul Stakes - Coolmore Stud Stakes double.

Microphone was solid to the line in third. He’ll be fitter for the run and is likely headed to the Coolmore Stud Stakes as well.

COSMIC FORCE winning the Polytrack Roman Consul Stakes.
COSMIC FORCE winning the Polytrack Roman Consul Stakes. Picture: Steve Hart
 

Race 6: Nettoyer - Group 3 Angst Stakes (1600m)

Nettoyer has been running some great races against the boys so far this prep so Saturday was a much deserved win.

She’s run to a Timeform rating for 107 which is a shade below the average for an Angst Stakes.

Melbourne should be next for her and the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on Derby Day looks perfect for her next start. She’s twice won over ten furlongs in the past and the long straight would assist her get back racing style. 

The Empire Rose Stakes over the mile is the other option. It is however always the tougher race of the two.

Delectation Girl is starting to find some form while third placegetter Amangiri  has her first black type now. 

A race such as the Group 3 Tesio Stakes at Moonee Valley in two weeks could be a nice option for her third run from a spell. 

Nettoyer winning the Bentley Angst Stakes
Nettoyer winning the Bentley Angst Stakes Picture: Racing and Sports
 

Race 7: Shadow Hero - Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m)

Shadow Hero settled a lot closer than his usual pattern on Saturday. It was arguably a winning move by Josh Parr even if it may of taken away from his sprint a little bit late.

The son of Pierro on Saturday ran to a Timeform rating of 117. It’s the same figure he returned when winning the Gloaming Stakes in convincing fashion. Mark Newnham’s latest stable star is the fifth horse in eight years to claim the Gloaming Stakes - Spring Champion Stakes double, joining the likes of Dundeel (2012), Complacent (2013), Vanbrugh (2015) and Ace High (2017).

117 represents a high winning figure for a Spring Champion Stakes. Shadow Hero was of course very good in his own right but the performance is bolstered thanks to Champagne Stakes winner Castelvecchio charging home into second.

Shadow Hero will head to the VRC Derby now. Ace High claimed the Gloaming, Spring Champion, VRC Derby treble in 2017.

Castelvecchio meanwhile is likely headed to the Cox Plate on October 26. 

The last horse to win a Cox Plate coming out of a Spring Champion Stakes was Savabeel in 2004 so there’s certainly some history against Castelvecchio in that regard.

Quick mention to Battenberg in third. The Reliable Man gelding has improved lengths on his prior peak rating. He won’t look out of place in the VRC Derby on November 2.

 

Race 8: The Inevitable - Silver Eagle (1300m)

It is easy to have a soft spot for this bloke. The Inevitable is a pony in stature looking barely 15 hands high.

The Dundeel gelding has improved with each run this prep and on Saturday ran to a Timeform rating of 119.

Obviously it’s the first running of the Silver Eagle so there is no history to look back on. It attracted a nice field though filled with plenty of Group form and the winner has moved into fifth favouritism for the Golden Eagle. 

Arcadia Queen, Brutal and Kolding are ahead of him and all proven Group 1 types. Ten Sovereigns is at $13 and could be a cracking Golden Eagle bet off his peak figures in England.

Fasika was strong in second and she will be timed to the minute in the Golden Eagle third up in three weeks time.

Even though the first two across the line on Saturday were good, those with a Group 1 win beside their name seemingly have the Golden Eagle safely between them.

The Inevitable winning the Silver Eagle
The Inevitable winning the Silver Eagle Picture: Racing and Sports

Race 9: Agent Pippa - Benchmark 78 3YO+ Handicap (1100m)

Agent Pippa got back on track in the last on Saturday and produced a new master Timeform rating of 105.

The daughter of Demerit is a Group winner but she was safely beaten in an Open Handicap at Coffs Harbour as a $1.50 favourite three starts ago albeit under a big weight.

There is a mares Group 3 down the Flemington straight on Derby Day and it’s probably worth taking her to Melbourne for a run over carnival week.

Ronstar in fourth was finding the line late between runners first up. The back end of his last prep was a bit disappointing however looks to be right on track again after a spell.

 


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