Saturday’s Coolmore Stud Stakes (G1, 1200m) looms as the likely highlight of the six race simulcast card from Flemington, including four Group 1 races, and will determine who is the fastest of what looks to be an outstanding crop of three-year-old sprinters.
“It promises to be one of the best, if not the best, races of the Melbourne spring carnival,” said trainer Peter Snowden who may be represented by two of the six most fancied runners, the unbeaten Russian Revolution and the G1 Golden Slipper (1200m) winner Capitalist.
The key challengers to Snowden’s duo are two runners from the Mick Price stable - Extreme Choice and Flying Artie along with Godolphin’s Astern and the Hawkes’ family-trained Star Turn.
Snowden said there was little between his two runners. “They’re two very good colts but they are also different types of horses. Russian Revolution, overall, probably hasn’t met the calibre of horse that Capitalist has competed against but he did beat Astern and Capitalist last time and he has the winning form behind him. If you twisted my arm I’d have a slight leaning to Russian Revolution,” he said.
Mick Price has also split his two runners with a preference for Extreme Choice but is mindful of the potential improvement in the stablemate Flying Artie. Extreme Choice beat older horses in the G1 Moir Stakes (1000m) on 30 September at his first run this season while Flying Artie won the G3 Blue Sapphire Stakes (1200m), against his own age, on his return on 12 October.
“On that (performance) Extreme Choice would have beaten him,” Price said of Flying Artie’s win, “and you’d lean to Extreme Choice but there’s plenty of improvement in Flying Artie who will come on well for his first run this time in.”
Star Turn progresses to the race via his win in the G2 Schillaci Stakes (1100m) on 8 October when he, like Extreme Choice, beat the older horses. Astern won narrowly from Star Turn at Rosehill in late August before winning the G1 Golden Rose at 1400m and finishing a head second to Russian Revolution in the G2 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) on 1 October.
Saturday’s card also features three other Group 1 events: the Victoria Derby (2500m); the Cantala Stakes (1600m) and the Myer Classic (1600m).
The John Thompson-trained First Seal, who twice beat Australia’s champion mare Winx as a three-year-old, may well be the most clear-cut favourite in the Myer Classic.
“She’s had her problems,” Thompson said, “and it’s been a bit of a roller-coaster ride with her but she’s back in fine health and it was great to see her back winning in the Tristarc Stakes (G2, 1400m). She had a blow after that race and I think she has improved that little bit again off the run. She worked well this morning (Tuesday) and she’s in good shape. I’m very happy with her.”
Final fields for Saturday’s meeting are declared on Wednesday. The track is likely to be good with minimal rain forecast for the rest of the week in Melbourne.
