The Sydney Autumn Carnival has arrived with a pair of Group 1s and the Group 2 Proven Thoroughbreds Guy Walter Stakes taking centre stage at Randwick on Saturday.
The Chipping Norton Stakes and Surround Stakes will be the first Group 1 races held in NSW this year while Proven is delighted to extend its sponsorship of the Guy Walter Stakes for another year which has assembled a small but competitive field of mares over the 1400m.
Another sure sign the Autumn Carnival has begun is the release of weights for the $4 million Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m). The April 4 showpiece is the primary target for THINK ABOUT IT this preparation and on Tuesday he was allocated a weight of 57kg. MR BRIGHTSIDE will be asked to carry 59kg should he attempt to win an unprecedented third Doncaster Mile. The full list of weights can be viewed HERE.
High profile stablemate PRIVATE EYE is on weather watch before his next start is confirmed. Trainer Joe Pride’s preference is the Group 2 Challenge Stakes (1000m) at Randwick on March 9 though wet weather may see the $10.4 million earner return to Flemington for the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) on the same day.
Our runners this week include a strong hand at Eagle Farm’s Saturday fixture comprising NAVAL TRADER (pictured), OCEAN ZAR, FETCH and RED RUBI.
Meanwhile, Proven is currently in Melbourne inspecting drafts for the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale which gets underway on Sunday. The Premier Sale is of course where we sourced THINK ABOUT IT for just $70,000 in 2020.
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SIRE ON FIRE
WRITTEN TYCOON bagged his 9th individual stakes winner for the season at Caulfield on Saturday courtesy of 3YO gelding RAIKOKE who leapt straight from maiden company to a Group 3 triumph in the Zeditave Stakes. Then in the main event of the meeting, the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes, WRITTEN TYCOON’s two runners LADY OF CAMELOT and KUROYANAGI finished 2nd and 3rd respectively. With still five months until the end of 2023-24, WRITTEN TYCOON only needs four more stakes winners to equal his best ever season (2021-22).
BLACK BOOKER
TRAVIATA was never going to be suited at Ipswich last start but a lack of options and a need to keep her fitness levels up more or less forced us to run in the 1350m maiden from barrier 13. She came from back in the field to finish 5th while the winner and runner-up controlled the race from in front. She’s worth another chance on a bigger track from a kinder barrier.
Upcoming Proven Thoroughbreds runners
Bathurst Thursday February 29
Maiden Plate 1400m
HOOD RIVER
Joe Pride/Mitchell Bell
Comment: Produced the fastest 600m – 400m split of the race first-up at Goulburn before condition gave out. She’s a big mare that will derive huge benefit from the run and we feel this is a marginally easier target.
Eagle Farm Saturday March 2
Maiden Plate 1300m
FETCH
Steve O’Dea & Matt Hoysted/Kyle Wilson-Taylor
Comment: Travelled wide throughout in the $1million Magic Million 1100m race two back and before that was unsuited on heavy ground. Looking for a change of luck and the last time she ran over this track and distance she clocked 57.32. A repeat of that would make her highly competitive here.
RED RUBI
Steve O’Dea & Matt Hoysted/Nikita Beriman
Comment: Resumes here and is a two-time first-up winner plus she comes off a brilliant 5.5L trial win. Her two career peak ratings have come over this track and distance. Likely to be saved for one last crack at them and if the gap comes, lookout!
BM78 Handicap 1400m
NAVAL TRADER
Steve O’Dea & Matt Hoysted/Boris Thornton
Comment: Copped a nasty check at the start of the race when resuming and did a decent job to finish 2.2L off the winner over 1200m. Has won second-up last preparation and is yet to miss a place in four runs at Eagle Farm including a win. Improver.
BM68 Handicap 1600m
OCEAN ZAR
Steve O’Dea & Matt Hoysted/Boris Thornton
Comment: Produced an eye-catching run first-up over 1200m before justifying her $1.50 quote when bolting in by 3.1L out to 1400m last time. She finished a close second at her only run over 1600m recording a slick 11.68 for her final 200m, ranking 5th for the day.
