3 minute read

A host of stakes races were conducted over the weekend in Melbourne before their carnival gets into full swing from next month.

Six stakes races were held across Moonee Valley and Sandown on Saturday and Monday respectively.

The Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m) and the Group 3 Manfred Stakes (1300m) were key features along with the Blue Diamond Previews for the colts and fillies divisions.

Mourinho was a surprise victor in the Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m).

Better known for his ability over further, Mourinho was one of the rank outsiders in a race Dissident was largely expected to dominate.

While the favourite could only manage third, Mourinho caused the boilover of the day.

Settled third on the fence, Mourinho crept up along the fence past early leaders Hard Stride and Audino into the straight.

He then held off It Is Written late and survived a protest from the runner up to take out the Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m).

The surprise victory returned Mourinho a Timeform rating of 113, three pounds shy of his current master rating recorded when finishing second to The Cleaner in the Group 2 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley during the spring.

His winning effort comes in below the prior five year winning average of the event which is largely held up courtesy of Black Caviar claiming the 2012 renewal with a performance assessed at 128+.

The Australian Cup is Mourinho’s main goal this preparation.

Java continued on his winning ways at Sandown’s Australia Day meeting in the Group 3 Manfred Stakes (1300m).

In his first tilt at Group company Java didn’t put a foot wrong.

Settled outside leader Fast Cash, Java rolled by the Wendy Kelly-trained gelding inside the 200m and went away for a 1.3 length success.

The win yielded Java a new master Timeform rating of 100, eight pounds clear of his prior peak figure.

100 comes in well below the prior five year winning average of the event however his continued improvement with each run this preparation is still encouraging for connections heading into the autumn.

The Lee and Anthony Freedman stable have been flying since their partnership commenced with Java’s rise through the grades since resuming in December a reflection of this.

His maiden success at Kilmore in December was the first for the partnership which was officially formed a fortnight earlier.

The Medaglia D’Oro gelding may find himself in a position to provide the partnership with their first Group 1 success with the Australian Guineas on March 7 the goal.

The Freedman’s enjoyed a race to race double with Reparations narrowly taking out the Listed John Dillon Stakes (1400m).

The colts and fillies divisions for the Blue Diamond Previews were conducted at Sandown on Monday.

Fontiton chalked up some valuable black type and confirmed favouritism for the Group 1 Blue Diamond in taking out the fillies preview.

Asked to settle midfield, Fontiton reeled her main rivals in down the straight for a slender success.

The performance returned a Timeform rating of 109, four pounds shy of her master figure achieved on debut when scorching around the 1000m at Moonee Valley last October.

A Blue Diamond Preview – Blue Diamond Stakes double is one which is regularly achieved.

It should be noted however Miracles Of Life in 2013 is the lone filly to have achieved the double.

The boys possess a far stronger history in taking out the double with five having done so.

This augers well for Burnstone who dominated the colts and geldings preview with a performance returning a Timeform rating of 108p.

The Robbie Griffiths-trained Burnstone was settled back in the field by jockey Damian Lane who rode the colt for luck along the fence upon straightening.

Clear running room emerged and the pair capitalised from the 250m before racing away inside the final furlong to post a 3.5 length success.

The Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) on February 14 will follow for Burnstone before the main event later that month.

The first black type race held at Sandown on Monday was the W.J Adams Stakes (1000m) won by the Robert Smerdon-trained Shamal Wind.