The Spring carnival officially wraps up in the next couple of weeks at Sandown, but really, it ended on Saturday at Flemington. So, what were the highs and the lows? I’ve gone through the 10 key topics from the Spring:
10. The Internationals
At the start of the Spring, I was very keen to take on the Internationals. I thought the 2014 crop of overseas raiders were no good, but looking back on the main three of the Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup, each were won by an International, and quite arrogantly. Our horses were good, but not good enough, and clearly.
9. Australian Breeding
The carnival proved that we certainly have the best sprinters in the world by a fair way, but when it comes to stayers, we as an industry got our pants pulled down. If we want to win our big three, something needs to change. Chris Waller could have perhaps given the industry an idea.
Preferment, the Derby winner, was purchased from New Zealand…people seem to have forgotten that the kiwis still breed stayers. The reason why Australia isn’t interested in the kiwi breds is because they take time to mature, and Australia is all about immediate success hence why they look for proven racehorses in Europe. Waller has shown that with patience, you can have an above average stayer and not pay a ridiculous sum of money.
8. Shannon Noll and his national anthem on Cox Plate Day
If you’re patriotic, you’d say it was a disgrace. If you want a laugh, I encourage you to look it up on YouTube. Daryl Braithwaite please!
7. Chris Waller on Derby Day
Prior to Derby Day, it had been a quiet Melbourne Spring for Chris Waller, but he showed Australia and the world why he is the best in this part of the world with three winners, a Group l double, a Group l quinella and another two Group l placings…so far in his career, that’s his best day on the racetrack.
6. Damien Oliver’s Cup Carnival
Ollie had a howler of a Caulfield Carnival, but when the caravan moved to Flemington, the champion hope was at his brilliant best, winning six races, to equal his effort of the 1994 Cup Carnival. He won a couple of majors, and produced absolute peach steers throughout the four days.
5. Set Square winning the Oaks
She might not have beaten much on Thursday, but given that it was only Set Squares fourth career start and her first preparation, and the manner in which she won…gee it was outstanding, and again showed that Hugh Bowman is fast becoming the best rider of stayers in Australia. Horses just seem to run for him over the longer distances and they power to the line.
4. Admire Rakti’s Caulfield Cup triumph
He may no longer be with us, but it’s best we remember the good times, and his Caulfield Cup win was certainly a memorable time. He had no right to win given he was wide all the way, carried top weight and was carted near the centre of the track on the turn, but he let down with an amazing finish and ended up recording a soft win. It’s sad what happened on Tuesday at Flemington, but remember that unbelievable Caulfield Cup triumph.
3. Coolmore finally win down under
Aidan O’Brien had come to Australia on a couple of occasions and failed dismally, but come Cox Plate day, he showed us why he is one of the best in the world when his star colt, Adelaide, scored a stunning win in the weight for age championship, coming right around the field in a brilliant ride by Ryan Moore. That win will start the wave of international stars to tackle our great race.
2. Coalition for the Protection of…
Most would know them as the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses (CPR). Most would know my thoughts on this dysfunctional organisation with clueless and uneducated supporters. They only seem to raise their pathetic heads when a horse dies or when it’s jumps racing season…any chance to get publicity, even stooping to the level of video taping the Melbourne Cup runner dying. So, I suggest you support something more worthwhile, like the Coalition for the Protection of Racecallers, or the Coalition for the Protection of Mice.
1. Protectionist-Most dominant Cup winner?
I’ve only been alive since 1991, and can only properly remember Melbourne Cups since Saintly in 96, so my visual memory of the race isn’t as good as others, but with the ones I’ve seen…I cannot remember a more dominant Cup winner. Protectionist ran sub 12 for his final furlong at the end of 3200m…not even the sprinters on the same day could reel off sectionals like that. You can’t declare him for the 2015 Cup, but whatever he runs in, he will be awfully hard to beat.
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