Outrageous heads into a career-defining Group 1 Caulfield Guineas assignment this Saturday with every chance of springing a surprise in the stallion-making classic.
His sire All Too Hard was trained by Team Hawkes to win the 2012 Caulfield Guineas which cemented a spot on the roster at Vinery. And co-trainer Wayne Hawkes was upbeat when discussing the chances of Outrageous earlier this week despite the presence of odds-on favourite The Autumn Sun.
“I would be more than happy to knock off The Autumn Sun and you will hear me from 100 yards away if he does just that,” Hawkes said. “He’s drawn well, his last run was very good and he’s trained on well since The Valley.”
Outrageous was Group 1 placed in the Inglis Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Randwick in April and he has been fitted for the testing mile this prep with fourths in the Spring Stakes Gr.3 at Newcastle and Stutt Stakes Gr.2 at Moonee Valley. “It won’t be easy because The Autumn Sun is the benchmark,” Hawkes added. “But he’s racing in Melbourne for the first time and Caulfield has brought many a good horse undone before.”
The Autumn Sun’s only loss to date was behind All Too Hard colt Tarka in the Stan Fox Stakes Gr.2 last month. Tarka has been sent for a spell but there are plenty of others by All Too Hard set to support Outrageous.
His fillies Illuminaire (Thoroughbred Club Stakes Gr.3) and Dawn Dawn (Northwood Plume Stakes Gr.3) will also be in action at Caulfield while All Too Huiying (Randwick) and Domination (Morphettville) can return to winning form this Saturday.
In New Zealand, Demonetization continues his spring campaign second-up in the Matamata Cup LR. He won the Auckland Guineas Gr.2 earlier this year and is being set for the Coupland’s Bakeries Mile Gr.2 at Riccarton on November 14.
Randwick’s support-card for the $10 million The Everest includes the $1.30 million The Kosciuszko (1200m) and Port Macquarie trainer Jenny Graham received a late call-up for Awesome Pluck in the latter.
The Pluck (USA) gelding replaces pre-post favourite Care To Think who has been ruled out with an elevated temperature. Former Australian Rugby League rep David Barnhill, who heads the syndicate which won the slot to race Care To Think, negotiated to run Awesome Pluck on Wednesday.
Graham said Awesome Pluck has had the right preparation into the big race for country-trained horses. “I’ve been planning all along that he might get in,” she said. “This race is not an afterthought. I’ve done the work with him and he won a barrier trial at home by 8 lengths last Sunday.”
Testa Rossa, fresh from siring his 64th stakes winner in Perth last weekend, can go one better with Mica Lil in the Durbridge Stakes LR at Morphettville on Saturday. She was Group 1 placed in the Robert Sangster Stakes in May and will be all the better for a pipe-opener last month.
Perth owner-breeder Bob Peters reports his unbeaten Testa Rossa mare Enticing Star pulled up well from her brilliant win in last Saturday’s Birthday Stakes LR. “I’m still thinking the (G1) Winterbottom but I could be wrong,” he said. “It’s still a long way away (December 1) so we don’t have to make any decisions just yet.”
More Than Ready has two debutantes in the Bartons Bayside QTIS 2YO Hcp (1050m) at Doomben this Saturday although local trainers are keeping an eye on the weather before committing to a start.
Ready To Party (Matt Dunn) and Kandanga Miss (Tony Gollan) were both in single-figures when pre-post markets were released on Thursday. Dunn bought his colt for $140,000 from Vinery (as agent) at this year’s Gold Coast Magic Millions while Gollan’s filly made $210,000 at the same sale from Willow Park.
In North America, More Than Ready filly Rushing Fall returns to action in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Gr.1 at Keeneland. “She’s 2-for-2 at Keeneland and is working with some of the best horses in the country,” owner Bob Edwards said of the 7-5 morning-line favourite. “Every time she breezes, it’s like a play race.”
Rushing Fall won the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Gr.1 but Edwards confirmed she has not been entered for the BC Championships at Churchill Downs next month.
Lady Alexandra has been cross-entered for the Nearctic Stakes Gr.2 at Woodbine and Floral Park Stakes LR at Belmont on Saturday. Trainer Graham Motion shipped the More Than Ready filly to Canada in June when she was beaten a neck in the Highlander Stakes Gr.1.
OUTRAGEOUS