Super Saturday is a term that’s often bandied around in racing circles and with the fare on offer at Flemington and Rosehill it is certainly justified.
But in global terms, this might just be the most super of all Saturdays given the races that are also being staged on the other side of the world.
Leopardstown hosts the first day of the two day Irish Champions meeting, where the Irish Champion Stakes is the feature in the early hours of Sunday morning our time. The Curragh takes centre stage the following day, with the Irish St Leger, so often a good Cups guide, the main event.
While in England Doncaster in Yorkshire will stage the last of the season’s five Classic races when Aidan O’Brien seeks to add the St Leger to his lengthy list of English Classics, his yard having already won the Derby with his stable star City of Troy.
At Flemington all eyes will be on the rematch between Via Sistina and the front running Pride of Jenni in the Makybe Diva Stakes, a race for which the legendary Melbourne Cup winner will lead out the field.
The Ciaron Maher trained Pride of Jenni blitzed Via Sistina in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes during The Championships during the Sydney Autumn Carnival when she took an unassailable lead and never looked like stopping before coasting to an easy win over 2000 metres.
There were plenty there prepared to suggest that Jenni’s jockey Declan Bates stole that race from the front and that all the other riders were caught napping, so the 1600 metres at Flemington, a distance that should suit both mares, will help prove that view one way or another.
Via Sistina made an excellent return to action last month in Sydney when she landed the Winx Stakes, beating better fancied stablemates Zougotcha and Fan Girl.
Pride of Jenni, in contrast, disappointed when unplaced in the group 1 Memsie Stakes at Caulfield behind two of Saturday’s rivals, Pinstriped and Mr Brightside. She was said to be not quite right after that under par performance but is now reported to be back on song for this test: if she is, then it should be a real thriller of a contest.
The Caulfield protagonists cannot be written off either given their consistency and the fact that they are fit and in form, while Via Sistina’s stablemate Atishu, although a much longer price, is no mug herself.
The support card at Flemington is full of fascinating races which will all have a significant bearing on the upcoming spring.
There will be much attention paid to another from the Ciaron Maher stable, Growing Empire, who won plenty of admirers with his victory in the McNeil Stakes at that same Caulfield meeting two weeks ago.
The Yulong owned colt has only been beaten once (on debut) in his four starts and will look to continue his progress with victory in the Winning Edge Poseidon Stakes. The sky is the limit for the son of Zoustar, who is an odds on shot here.
Yet another from the Maher yard looking to further his spring claims is Berkshire Breeze, a grey son of Mastercraftsman, who is aiming to win his way into the Melbourne Cup field later in the carnival.
He is pre-post favourite for the Archer Stakes but it is a competitive heat, as might be expected of a race for which the winner gets a ballot exemption into the Cup field.
Berkshire Breeze is reopposed by Horrifying, who gave him weight and a beating at Flemington last month and two who carry the Lloyd Williams colours – always to be feared in staying races _ Point King and another Maher contender Interpretation.
Up in Sydney Jolie Star, who made such a favourable impression on her resumption, will be a short order for the Sheraco Stakes although last year’s winner Sunshine in Paris could make a bold show as she is fresh from a five month lay off.
Storm Boy is likely to be very short in the market for the Run To The Rose but it will be interesting to see how the former WA galloper Bustling, now with Mick Price and Michael Kent, performs for his new stable in his first run for the yard. Bustling was the leading two year old in the west having won the Karakkata Plate and the Sires Produce Stakes in Perth before shifting east.
Kerrin McEvoy rides Joliestar, and he could be in for a terrific afternoon as he partners Celestial Legend, the Doncaster winner, in another hugely competitive Theo Marks Stakes.
At Doncaster in Yorkshire Aidan O’Brien saddles three of the seven runners including the first two favourites, Illinois and the unbeaten Jan Brueghel while Melbourne Cup contender Gosvenor Square, a huge margin winner at the Curragh last start, is also strongly fancied. The best of the home defenders might be the Ralph Beckett trained filly You Got To Me, who won the Irish Oaks at her penultimate start.
O’Brien will be focussed on Leopardstown where he will be aiming to land the prestigious Irish Champion Stakes where he saddles four of the eight runners.
Ryan Moore has opted for Auguste Rodin, who disappointed in Ascot’s King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes behind French raider Goliath, while Dylan Browne McMonagle partners Irish Derby hero Las Vegas.
The fly in the ointment for all of O’Brien’s runners could well be the English trained Economics, to be ridden by regular partner Tom Marquand. The three year old was an easy winner of the Dante Stakes earlier in the year but trainer William Haggas did not run him in the Derby, considering him too backward.
His patience was rewarded when he reappeared in mid August to win a group 2 race at Deauville in France impressively. This, however, will be his litmus test: not only will he have to contend with the O’Brien battalion, but consistent English three year old Ghostwriter, who has twice finished behind City of Troy this summer, will give a line on how good Economics is.
In addition there is a rare Japanese raider in Shin Emperor, who was a last start third back in May in the Japanese Derby.