NSW trainers have carved up the Melbourne Cup carnival and they are set to play a major role at the Emirates Stakes meeting which closes out the week long thoroughbred feast at Flemington.
The sporting extravaganza opened up four Saturday’s ago when the Hawkes team won the Caulfield Guineas courtesy of Black Caviar’s half brother All Too Hard.
Fellow Rosehill based trainer Gerald Ryan had opened the account earlier in the day when Snitzerland and Calvary Rose scored.
Following Thursday’s VRC Oaks, which went to John Singleton’s luckless filly Dear Demi, which is prepared at Warwick Farm by superb horseman Clarry Conners, horses prepared in NSW have won 19 of 65 races and collected $4,718 million in prizemoney for their connections.
Throw in Sea Siren’s win in the Manikato Stakes which was run under lights at Moonee Valley for the first time on a Friday before the Cox Plate and the tally stands at 20 victories for the Blues.
Sea Siren, All Too Hard and Dear Demi added to a collection of six group 1 races. The others were snared last Saturday on Victoria Derby day at Flemington.
Considered the show-piece day in Australasian racing derby day provided a feast for NSW trainers. They dominated winning six of the 10 races. Randwick trainer Anthony Cummings had Fiveandahalfstar primed to win the derby via two wins in this state.
Fontelina provided a derby day double for Cummings whose father, the legendary Bart Cummings, opened the day via Lunar Rise winning the Carbine Club Stakes.
Sydney’s premier trainer Chris Waller opened the 2012 account down south when Kelinni carted off the Lexus Stakes and then proceeded to finish fourth in the Melbourne Cup on the Tuesday.
While Cummings won the derby rival trainer John Thompson and the filly Nechita snapped up the Coolmore Stakes while Guy Walter produced the outsider Appearance to win the Myer Classic ensuring Harbour City trainers won three of derby days four group 1s.
Newcastle trainer and Royal Ascot pioneer Paul Perry had Hidden Warrior humming to win at Moonee Valley on Cox Plate day. Paul Messara, who has enjoyed UK success this year, scored on Melbourne Cup day via Mahisara while Paul Snowden produced Genteel to win on the same day.
Snowden, Walter and Anthony Cummings all won two races over the past four weeks while Ryan picked up three via Mrs Onassis winning on Caulfield Cup day.
The Rosehill based Con Karakatsanis, whose Caulfield Cup day winner Howmuchdoyouloveme is out for redemption in the Patinack Farm Classic, after flopping in controversial circumstances at Flemington last Saturday.
And don’t worry the domination may well continue on Emirates Day. Gai Waterhouse, whose team has under-performed down south, has Fat Al in the Emirates. Snowden has Ambidexter, Grahame Begg (Secret Admirer), Walter (Streama), team Hawkes (Happy Zero), while Thompson has Pear Tart.
O’Shea has Sea Siren in the Patinack Farm Classic and she is out to win back-to-back group 1s. Also in the race is Fontelina, Waterhouse has Hallowell Belle, the Warwick Farm based Joe Pride will start Tiger Tees, Conners (Satin Shoes), Ryan (Snitzerland) and Snowden (Mental).
NSW trainers are represented in all nine races on Emirates Stakes day and the new arrival being Ron Quinton’s last start winner Crafty Irna which runs in the Matriarch Stakes.
By Craig Young
