Australia: Raf Attack faces Tom Kitten in Spring Champion Stakes

A pair of US$1.27 million races heads another high-quality program of racing at Randwick this Friday night. Apart from sharing top billing in purse money, the Grade 1 Spring Champion Stakes and the Invitation have the common denominators of a Godolphin-owned horse and a Chris Waller-trained horse among the top three in wagering.

A trio of supporting stakes embellishes Royal Randwick’s ten-race card, which attracted an average of 12 horses per race. The wagering value and exciting spectacle of Sydney racing commences with a first post of 9:35 p.m. EDT and will be broadcast live by FanDuel TV and Sky Racing World.

Tom Kitten wasn’t purring from the half-mile mark to the quarter pole of the Gloaming Stakes on the undercard of the Everest two weeks ago. After checking then racing in tight quarters, the Godolphin colt bumped heavily and was unbalanced straightening for home. A furious rally came up a neck short of Raf Attack, who made his own luck on the lead.

The Gloaming (G3), at 1 1/8 miles, is the traditional prep for Friday night’s Spring Champion Stakes, as early (southern hemisphere) season 3-year-olds stretch out in distance. Raf Attack, who was 8-1 when upsetting Tom Kitten, can be expected to lead again but might have to be used early from post position 11.

Meanwhile, Tom Kitten will have an extra furlong to claw back the margin. The Gloaming Stakes result was Tom Kitten’s third straight defeat as favorite, but there has been merit in each of those beaten performances. He will again carry the weight of public support (6-5), with Raf Attack quoted 6-1 to repeat.

While six other runners exit the Gloaming Stakes, trainer Chris Waller provides an intriguing alternative form line with the field’s only filly. Tutta La Vita (6-1) finished third in the Flight Stakes (G1), at a mile against her own sex, giving every indication that she’ll relish the additional real estate. Waller trained her sire, The Autumn Sun, to become champion 3-year-old colt during a season that included a Group 1 win at 1-1/4 miles.

The Spring Champion Stakes (race 7) will be immediately followed by the Invitation (race 8), a seven-furlong race for fillies and mares being run for just the third time. Global powerhouse Godolphin and Sydney’s perennial leading trainer Chris Waller again clash near the top of the market. Waller’s 5-year-old mare Espiona exits a very creditable midpack finish in the Everest (six furlongs), when never totally clear in the stretch of the world’s richest turf race.

On Friday night, Espiona (3-1) steps back up to her pet distance: she boasts a 4-for-7 career record at seven furlongs. The Godolphin blue will be carried by Parisal (6-1), a consistent 4-year-old with a 9:4-4-0 career record. However, she must reverse two exacta results (including last start) versus Magic Time, who heads wagering for the Invitation at 5-2.  

Countdown to the $10 Million Golden Eagle

Australia’s second-richest race, restricted to 4-year-olds, is just a week away on Friday night, November 3 (U.S. time). An already strong prospective field has been bolstered by the addition of brilliant Perth mare Amelia’s Jewel. A shock last-start failure had blotted a previous 11:9-2-0 career record and thrown plans into disarray, but trainer Simon Miller was overflowing with superlatives in describing her recovery from a suspected “low-grade bug” (virus) and the mare’s subsequent workout.

The news that Amelia’s Jewel is “totally back on board” saw her immediately take over favoritism in future book wagering at 7-2. The Chris Waller-trained Kovalica, who is bursting to win a race this campaign, has firmed to 4-1. New Zealand mare Legarto has drifted to 5-1, the same odds as Hawaii Five Oh.        

The Randwick card will be broadcast live on FanDuel TV this Friday night, with first post scheduled for 9:30 p.m. EDT alongside cards from Doomben, Kembla Grange and Ascot.

About Michael Wrona

A native of Brisbane, Australia, Michael Wrona has called races in six countries. Michael’s vast U.S. experience includes; race calling at Los Alamitos, Hollywood Park, Arlington and Santa Anita, calling the 2000 Preakness on a national radio network and the 2016 Breeders’ Cup on the International simulcast network. Michael also performed a race call voiceover for a Seinfeld episode called The Subway.

Coverage of Randwick for Horse Racing Nation is made possible through a sponsorship by Sky Racing World.