By ROY ASPINALL
THE collective eyes of the world’s thoroughbred racing industry are focusing on Melbourne as this Saturday (October 12) heralds the start of 2013 BMW Caulfield Cup Carnival which opens the greatest thoroughbred racing festival in the world.
The Victorian Spring Racing Carnival covers eight consecutive weekends of elite Group 1 racing in Melbourne starting at Caulfield on September 21 and concluding at Ballarat on November 24. This year is even more special as it celebrates 20 years of international participation in the Spring Carnival.
It will feature another big influx of overseas contenders, with the first nine international raiders having already arrived.
Hong Kong visitor Lucky Nine, here on a sprinters mission, was the first to arrive and eight others landed from Europe on September 28. The final batch arrives in mid-October.
To make this an even more special year British, European and sporting royalty will be represented.
Melbourne Cup entries include Carlton House, owned by Queen Elizabeth II, who has been here for several months under the care of Sydney trainer, Gai Waterhouse.
The Aga Khan is sending the lightly raced five-year-old mare, Verema, winner of the Group 1 Prix de Kergolay, in August, the same race that Americain won on his way to the 2010 Melbourne Cup.
Joining those is Brown Panther, part-owned and bred by former England, Liverpool, Manchester United and Real Madrid soccer star, Michael Owen – who is concentrating on his racing interests since retiring at the end of last season.
Major interest, however, commences this Saturday with the Beck Caulfield Guineas Day and extends through until Sportingbet Sandown Guineas Day, to be run this year at Caulfield, on Saturday, November 16. Sportingbet Park, Sandown is undergoing a $3.2 million upgrade with racing resuming there in late January.
The major event on Saturday is the 133rd running of the Group 1 $1,008,000 Beck Caulfield Guineas (1600 metres). Traditionally the Beck Caulfield Guineas, first run in 1881, is one of the most exciting events of the spring as, for the first time, it brings together the nation’s best three-year-olds over a competitive distance. Many trainers consider it the nation’s major event for three-year-olds and victory ensures a big future as a stallion. As would be expected it is again looking a most competitive event with the Peter Snowden-trained Long John a major contender. The winner of four of his six starts with two thirds, he was impressive when third to Eclair Big Bang and El Roca in the Beck Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400 metres) at Caulfield on September 29. Interestingly nine of the last 13 Beck Caulfield Guineas winners have come from that event.
Prince Harada had no luck when fifth to Zoustar in the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400 metres) at Rosehill in Sydney on September 14 and will be better suited back on his home track at Caulfield and, like Long John, seems to be looking for the 1600 metres. Zoustar will also be a major contender.
In a day of great racing on Saturday there is also the $402,000 Group 1 Cathay Pacific Caulfield Stakes (2000 metres) and the $402,000 David Jones NBCF Toorak Handicap (1600 metres).
The Beck Caulfield Guineas Day is one of the great race days of the spring and a wonderful entrée for what is to come.
