THE TALKING POINT

All eyes were on Dubai Honour v Anamoe in the lead up to Day 2 of The Championships at Randwick, but there was only one horse left standing at the end of the race as Dubai Honour raced away to an impressive victory.

The way Dubai Honour won the Ranvet Stakes by a widening four and a half lengths was enough to see him jump a firm favourite in the Queen Elizabeth, and he justified the market expectation.

The disappointment was that Anamoe didn’t really give him much of a race, and in fact appeared a length or two off his best. This was franked by Mo’unga, proven to be an inferior horse, just nosing him out for second.

Mo’unga has been in good form all season – he’s a good horse that just isn’t quite talented enough to win these sort of races. But Anamoe has beaten him home four times this season, by an average of 1.9 lengths. If Anamoe could have found that sort of form on the day, he could have pushed Dubai Honour.

The international form was expected to take home the Queen Elizabeth with Dubai Honour, but also the Sydney Cup via Cleveland and the Queen of the Turf with Alcohol Free. The latter two were profoundly disappointing, although Cleveland did pull up with a pulmonary haemorrhage which must have been an excuse for his performance.

The rule of thumb is to follow the internationals at 2000m and beyond once they land in Australia, and risk them at 1600m and below.

WIN OF THE DAY

There were a few contenders here – every winner had something to recommend it, either through margins or style of victory.

The Queen of the Turf had assembled one of the deepest fields we’ve seen for it, even if it was diluted slightly by the scratching of Fangirl.

Alcohol Free came with impeccable world-class formlines. Levante has four Group 1 wins in New Zealand and has been within a length of the likes of Anamoe, Nature Strip and Giga Kick in her Australian runs. Hope in Your Heart has been running mighty races against the boys in the Golden Eagle and the Doncaster. Plus several other well credentialed mares in form were presenting to win.

Atishu blew them all away, in her fifth crack at Group 1 level. She has always had talent, but was erratic in performance and racing manners. Like he is with so many of these horses, Chris Waller was ever-patient, ironing out her kinks and producing a mature mare to peak on grand final day.

Of the four Group 1 wins on the day, Atishu was “home” the earliest of any of them – exploding clear by the 300m mark. Given she was only second-up, there could be a promising Brisbane campaign in front of her – she has won Group races between 1400m-2000m, so could be set for a Doomben Cup or even freshened for the Stradbroke and Tatt’s Tiara double.

RIDE OF THE DAY

There were plenty of contenders, and a special mention must go out to Tim Clark on Knight’s Order who gave a masterclass of a front-running ride in a staying race, to give his mount every possible chance, but let’s give it to apprentice Dylan Gibbons in the same race.

Explosive Jack was not well fancied in the Sydney Cup. There were nine horses ahead of him in the market due to the fact that he hadn’t won in two years, when he went on hot streak taking out the Tasmania, ATC and South Australian Derbies in the autumn of 2021.

The horse had shown a glimpse of form when running second in the Canberra Cup behind Arapaho, a run that was franked when that horse then went onto win the Tancred Stakes.

Gibbons was having his first ride on Explosive Jack, and while he did get the use of a kind draw in jumping from barrier three, he gave the Maher/Eustace gelding an inch-perfect ride. He was one off the fence for the entire circuit, keeping the favourite Cleveland three wide on his outside, and was no doubt planning to follow that strong stayer into the race.

Then, when it came time for the race to be won, Gibbons hooked Explosive Jack out at the perfect time to give himself clear running while others were floundering, and his first Group 1 win was secured. Surely we will see plenty more.

MONEY MUNCHERS

Cleveland had been a strong Sydney Cup favourite for two weeks, and continued to be well supported but didn’t fire a shot. He did pull up with an excuse, so we have to forgive him.

Alcohol Free was almost the best horse to come to Australia, to hear some tell it in the lead-up to the Queen of the Turf. She was also the first one beaten after having every chance in the run, and did little to justify the hype.

Favourite punters did have a few friends on the Randwick card though, with the Godolphin duo of Aft Cabin and Zapateo getting their respective jobs done in fine style.

And let’s not forget the undefeated White Marlin in the Easter Cup, justifying his even-money quote with a big win over the in-form Right You Are. Great things could be in store for the Waterhouse & Bott grey.