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The Randwick Wrap: Spring Champion Day

3 minute read

The fillies drought in the Spring Champion Stakes is well and truly over after Maid Of Heaven took out the three-year-old feature at Randwick on Saturday.

The Spring Champion Stakes was first held in 1971 and Yankee Rose for David Vandyke was the first filly to claim the event in 2016.

It appears the floodgates have opened now after Maid Of Heaven became the second filly in three years to beat the boys.

Maid Of Heaven
Maid Of Heaven Picture: Racing and Sports

Maid Of Heaven was backing up in the Spring Champion Stakes after a luckless sixth in the Flight Stakes (1600m) a week prior.

Luck was no issue for the daughter of Smart Missile on Saturday as King settled the filly midfield and one off the fence.


The pair peeled off heels into the straight and let down strongly.

Godolphin colt Aramayo provided staunch resistance along the inside however Maid Of Heaven still prevailed by a Long Head.

The run returned Maid Of Heaven a new master Timeform rating of 112 and provided maiden Group 1’s for both Mark Newnham and jockey Rachel King.

Mark Newnham and Rachel King
Mark Newnham and Rachel King Picture: Racing and Sports

It’s unlikely Maid Of Heaven will head to Melbourne for the VRC Oaks and instead be saved for the Sydney version during the autumn.

This means the Spring Champion form will have to be franked in Melbourne courtesy of placegetters Aramayo and Thinkin’ Big.

Both colts impressed for different reasons.

Aramayo was strong late while Thinkin’ Big stuck on despite a tough run early.

Five of the last nine Spring Champion Stakes renewals have played host to the subsequent Victoria Derby winner.

Monaco Consul (2009) and Ace High (2017) each claimed the Spring Champion Stakes/Victoria Derby double.

Sangster (2011) and Prized Icon (2016) each ran third in the Spring Champion Stakes of that year and improved to win the Victoria Derby (2500m) during the Flemington Carnival.

The three-year-old sprinters stepped out prior to the feature for the Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) which was won by Queensland Raider Sesar.

Sesar
Sesar Picture: (Mark Evans/Getty Images)

The Sebring colt was resuming after a strong late season two-year-old prep where he won the Ken Russell Memorial and mixed it with the likes of The Autumn Sun, Zousain and Lean Mean Machine.

There was the sense that Steve O’Dea had him set for a first up strike with Blinkers applied for the first time and it proved to be correct.

Dropped from the main field through the early stages, it took until the 600m for the Queenslander to tack onto the tail of the field.

The early pace up front began to take its toll from the 300m and Sesar capitalised, powering along the fence for a 1.3 length victory over Sandbar with a further 4 ¼ lengths back to Spin in third.

His performance returned a Timeform rating of 120, a figure equal to the prior five-year-winning average which has been skewed courtesy of Exosphere’s romp in a strong renewal of the Roman Consul in 2015.

The Roman Consul played host to a number of subsequent Group 1 winning sprinters during that five year span with Zoustar, Brazen Beau, Japonisme and Russian Revolution all going on to deliver at the top level.

O’Dea has already suggested 1200m is generally too sharp for Sesar and is already looking for longer distances for his next run in Melbourne.

The remaining Group event of the day was the Angst Stakes (G3, 1600m) won by the Chris Waller-trained I Am Serious.

I Am Serious
I Am Serious Picture: (Mark Evans/Getty Images)

The Choisir mare appeared well placed on Saturday after placing to the classy import Avilius in her two prior starts.

Dropping back from 2000m to a testing Randwick Mile was perfect as was returning to her own sex.

I Am Serious was backed like it was a case of the planet’s aligning and performed accordingly, running to a Timeform rating of 106.

To highlight how well Chris Waller had placed the mare on Saturday, I Am Serious actually ran a figure below what she’d been producing behind Avilius.

Yulong January
Yulong January Picture: Racing and Sports

Outside of stakes level, Yulong January produced a winning display which indicates he is well above average when taking out a Benchmark 74 3YO Handicap (1400m).

Still green and wayward in the straight, Yulong January was able to lead throughout in the opening event at Randwick.

The King Of Prussia colt’s two length win returned a Timeform rating of 102 and will likely have his next start in the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on November 3.


Racing and Sports

Randwick

Saturday, 06th October 2018

7
16:00
(local)

Spring Champion (G1)

Age: 3yo Type: OPEN
AUD $505,000
2000m TURF SOFT
7
16:00
(local)
AUD $505,000
2000m SOFT

Spring Champion (G1)

Age: 3yo Type: OPEN

Mark Newnham-trained/Arrowfield-raced filly Maid Of Heaven staged a very solid staying performance in winning here, appreciating the step up to 2000m for her second win in five starts. She settled back in eighth place, improved (deep) rounding the home turn, put in a strong run to challenged coming to the 200m and then finished best to grab a narrow but impressive victory. Godolphin-raced colt Aramayo raced seventh place on the rails, got along the inner on turning for home, hit the front approaching the 200m and battled gamely for second, beaten a long head. The favourite Thinkin' Big was fourth early on and worked in the early stages before racing outside the leader (Irukandji). He went to the front on straightening and then battled on soundly for third after his early efforts. Tarka enjoyed a good trip in third place on the rails, got into clear running at the 300m and then battled on quite well for (4.2 lengths) fourth after appearing to have had every chance.



FP Horse, Age & Sex
Sire & Dam
Jockey
Trainer
SP
WT
1st 11. MAID OF HEAVEN (AUS) 3yo F
SMART MISSILE (AUS) - ST. THERESE (AUS)
RACHEL KING
MARK NEWNHAM
$13
54.5kg
Arrowfield Pastoral Pty Ltd (Mgr: J M Messara)

Sales Information

2nd 4. ARAMAYO (AUS) 3yo C
POET'S VOICE (GB) - PERUVIAN (GB)
TYE ANGLAND
JAMES CUMMINGS
$4.25
56.5kg
Ms K A Fawcett, Mrs J A Canceri, R S Canceri, Mrs C J Sewell, Thoroughbred Girls , G W Chesher, T Bui, Alpe d'Huez Racing , The Combine , A J Curran, Burkes , Aramayo , C P Hrones, R D Houston, S Wright, D P West, J L Mannix, L Szancer, R J Haidle & Ms S Johnson

Sales Information

3rd 1. THINKIN' BIG (AUS) 3yo C
HIGH CHAPARRAL (IRE) - NOTHIN' LEICA CAT (NZ)
TIM CLARK
G WATERHOUSE & A BOTT
$3.5
56.5kg
Leung Lun Ping
4th 2. TARKA (AUS) 3yo C
ALL TOO HARD (AUS) - GAYIKA (AUS)
JAMES MCDONALD
DAVID PAYNE
$10
56.5kg

Sales Information

5th 6. MICKEY BLUE EYES (AUS) 3yo C
MEDAGLIA D'ORO (USA) - CAROLINA BELLA (AUS)
REGAN BAYLISS
D & B HAYES & T DABERNIG
$12
56.5kg

Sales Information

6th 5. DEALMAKER (AUS) 3yo C
DUNDEEL (NZ) - SPORT CHIC (AUS)
DAMIEN OLIVER
CHRIS WALLER
$11
56.5kg

Sales Information

7th 12. FRANKELY AWESOME (AUS) 3yo F
FRANKEL (GB) - STREET SECRET (USA)
COREY BROWN
KRIS LEES
$10
54.5kg
8th 9. HOME GROUND (AUS) 3yo G
HIGH CHAPARRAL (IRE) - FIRST LOOK (AUS)
JAY FORD
J G SARGENT
$101
56.5kg

Sales Information

9th 13. PANZERFAUST (AUS) 3yo F
REDOUTE'S CHOICE (AUS) - DESERT FIGHT (CHI)
ANDREW ADKINS
PAUL MESSARA
$101
54.5kg
10th 8. VISAO (AUS) 3yo C
HIGH CHAPARRAL (IRE) - VILLA MOURA (NZ)
JASON COLLETT
CIARON MAHER & DAVID EUSTACE
$31
56.5kg

Sales Information

11th 3. IRUKANDJI (AUS) 3yo C
DUNDEEL (NZ) - CERBERUS GAL (AUS)
TOMMY BERRY
M, W & J HAWKES
$17
56.5kg

Sales Information

12th 10. PURPLE SECTOR (NZ) 3yo C
PINS (AUS) - EDEN VALLEY (NZ)
SAM WEATHERLEY
JOHN P THOMPSON
$13
56.5kg

Sales Information

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