Highlights from Summer racing at Flemington

Big Sky surges into Diamond calculations

Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr now have the first and second favourite for the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m), courtesy of Big Sky’s debut win at Flemington.

The colt by Bivouac proved far too good for his rivals in the TAB We’re On (1000m) under jockey Jordan Childs, who was a late call up after leading hoop Mark Zahra fractured his tibia during the week.

Slightly easy in betting to jump a $2.90 equal favourite, Big Sky drew widest down the straight but pushed forward under Childs, who got the colt to settle and sprint away for a 2-3/4 length victory over Mirador ($2.90 equal fav), with ¾ of a length further back to Boridi ($5) in third.

Sitting at $15 in some Blue Diamond markets before the win, Big Sky was quickly wound in and now sits on the second line of betting at $6 behind stablemate Guest House, with Michael Kent Jnr full of praise after the win.

“It worked out pretty well, really,” Kent Jnr said.

“He got across relatively easily, the horse has got natural speed, and I suppose the impressive part was the way he travelled deep into the race and then the acceleration was instant when he went for it and he really ran right past the line.”

While the stable aren’t in the habit of ranking their Blue Diamond contenders, it appears likely that Big Sky and Guest House could clash in the Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) on February 7^th.

Our Chief relishes rise to 2000m

The Danny O’Brien stable brought two horses to Flemington on the seven-day backup, and it proved a winning formula as three-year-old gelding Our Chief ran out a strong victor.

Having hit the line well last week over 1600m, Our Chief was backed into $2.25 favouritism in the Australian Guineas Day, February 28, a three-year-old handicap over 2000m.

Michael Dee landed in a great spot aboard the son of Tagaloa and while Johnich ($19) tried hard, Our Chief ultimately came away to score by a long neck, with The Mean Fiddler ($4) battling on for third.

Stable representative Jack Howard said the decision to geld Our Chief had made all the difference for a big group of owners.

“It's probably 12 months nearly to the day that we decided to geld him and the owners backing our decision to do that has really made this horse,” Howard said.

“He's a really tough gelding for a great group of owners down from Bendigo. Glad he got the win, it's going to make the bus trip back to Bendigo a lot nicer.

The likes of Bold Soul and Dunkel have used this race as a successful lead in to the Listed Tasmanian Derby (2200m), but no plans have been made by O’Brien stable for Our Chief.

“He'll probably have a couple of weeks and we'll plot him through,” Howard said.

“Just exciting to have people at the races that are up and about and they've got a nice horse and they can have some fun going forward.”

Mile no issue for Merrigold

John Sadler joked that ‘trainer stubbornness’ was the reason Merrigold hadn’t been tested over 1600m prior to winning at Flemington on Saturday.

The five-year-old mare had previously been kept between 1000 and 1400 metre races, but proved the extra furlong was right up her alley, winning the Vobis Gold Distaff (1600m) impressively.

While winless in six runs this preparation, Merrigold had been close up her past two, including running fourth at 100-1 in the Vobis Gold Bullion (1400m) behind Persian Spirit at Pakenham two starts ago.

Sadler admitted he was surprised with how strongly $10 chance Merrigold ran out the trip, settling off the speed under Jye McNeil and coming clear to score by two lengths over Make It Sweet ($11), with Jimmy The Bear ($5.5) running an improved race in third.

“I really wanted to run her a mile race,” Sadler said.

“Everybody was keen to see how she would go over a mile, including myself, but I really doubted that she'd run it. 

“She was given a beautiful ride and every chance to run it, but I was surprised how strong she was at the end of it. 

“She ran right through the line and that's probably her best win.

With the proven ability to run a strong mile now under her belt, Sadler will look for potential black type opportunities to enhance Merrigold’s value even further.

“That's what you've got to look for now. That would be the icing on the cake with her to win a black-type race,” Sadler said.

Saint George delivers for punters

Saint George was heavily supported and proved the superior stayer in the Tab Australian Cup Race Day (2000m) at benchmark 100 level.

Having started $26 in the 2024 Melbourne Cup, Saint George always had the class but an extended break into this campaign just saw the Ciaron Maher trained galloper build his fitness, now notching up back-to-back victories over 2000m.

Once again ridden by Irish jockey Robert Whearty, Saint George was backed strongly to start a $2.40 favourite and Whearty rode the grey a treat, landing just off the pace with cover.

The closers came late but Saint George was tough to the line, holding off Jenni’s Meadow ($12) by a long headwith one-time favourite Darkbonee ($3.30) running on strongly for a third a further long neck away.

Assistant trainer Jack Turnbull said it was good to see Saint George string a couple of wins together, and hinted at ultimate Flemington targets, both in this Autumn and the Spring as the horse looks for more ground.

“That's what we'll do, step him up in trip,” Turnbull said.

“14th of February, there's a 2500 (metre) open handicap, which then leads on to the Higgins.

“So that's his program, and ultimately the Melbourne Cup would be the dream.”

The Listed Roy Higgins Quality (2600m) will be run on March 28^th, and offers the winner ballot free exemption into the Melbourne Cup.

This was win number four in Australia for Whearty, who echoed the thoughts of the stable in that Saint George would benefit from a step up in trip next start.

“I actually jumped and landed in the position I wanted to be in,” Whearty said.

“Got rolling just after the turn in and I hope he grinded away well. He's a tough horse.

“That's probably his minimum trip now, he travels really well, but when you let him down, he just stays galloping and finds plenty. 

“I'm sure there'll be something there for him to go up and trip anyway, and he should improve for it.”