Australia: Shinzo on a March victory roll

Wins on consecutive Saturdays this month have made a star of the Australian 2-year-old Shinzo.

After winning the Group 3 Pago Pago Stakes at Rosehill Gardens in Sydney on March 11 for his first win in his third start, Shinzo confirmed that form with a late rally in Saturday’s Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes for Southern Hemisphere juveniles.

Ridden by world-renowned jockey Ryan Moore for the first time, Shinzo ($20.80) closed from seventh in a field of 15 to win by slightly more than a length over Cylinder, the 8-5 favorite who led in the final furlong.

“He’s a very talented colt,” Moore told Australian media. “He’s got a super attitude, lovely big strong long-striding horse.

“I’m sure he’s going to be better when he goes up in trip. We were lucky we got a nice draw, was able to follow Cylinder through and it all just went beautifully for us.”

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Moore replaced top Australian jockey James McDonald on Shinzo. McDonald rode Cylinder.

By Snitzel, Shinzo is trained by Chris Waller and is co-owned by the powerful Coolmore syndicate. Moore is closely allied with Coolmore.

The $3.32 million Golden Slipper is the world’s richest race for 2-year-olds.

There were four other Group 1 races on a strong program at Rosehill Gardens.

Anamoe, the leading contender for Australian Horse of the Year, won his sixth Group 1 race since the season began on Aug. 1 in the $665,600 George Ryder Stakes at 7 1/2 furlongs. Anamoe ($3.60) finished slightly less than a half-length in front of the 4-year-old filly Fangirl, a 10-1 chance.

The English shipper Dubai Honour ($7.30) won the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes at 1 1/4 miles in his Australian debut by a convincing 4 1/2 lengths over 7-2 Montefilia, a 5-year-old mare who won the 2022 Ranvet. Gold Trip, the winner of the Group 1 Melbourne Cup last November, finished fifth of seven, beaten 7 1/4 lengths.

Anamoe and Dubai Honour are scheduled to meet in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes, a $3.34 million race at 1 1/4 miles at Royal Randwick Racecourse on April 8.

Lindermann ($13.80) won his first Group 1 in his second appearance in a race at that level in the Rosehill Guineas for 3-year-olds at 1 1/4 miles, finishing a nose in front of 4-5 favorite Pericles. Lindermann, ridden by Nash Rawiller for Waller, was second in the Group 1 Randwick Guineas at a mile at Randwick on March 4.

Mariamia, a 6-year-old mare, won for the third time in her last four starts in the Group 1 Galaxy Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs. Ridden by the apprentice jockey Tyler Schiller, Mariamia closed from fifth to finish slightly less than a length in front of 3-2 favorite Uncommon James in a field of 12.

MR BRIGHTSIDE WINS ALL-STAR MILE

Mr Brightside won the richest race of his accomplished career with a minor upset in Saturday’s $3.32 million All-Star Mile at Moonee Valley Racecourse in Melbourne.

Mr Brightside ($15.40) closed from sixth through the short stretch at Moonee Valley to win by a half-length over 22-1 Cascadian. The Inevitable (20-1) finished third, followed by 8-5 favorite Alligator Blood, who was beaten 1 1/4 lengths in the field of 15.

The All-Star Mile is not a group-level race, with a field determined by a fan ballot.

Prior to the All-Star Mile, Mr Brightside was best known for winning the Group 1 Doncaster Mile at Randwick last April. He was fourth in the 2022 All-Star Mile.

SUNDAY AUSTRALIA PREVIEW

An eight-race program at Scone Racecourse was postponed a day to Sunday evening across American time zones because of a forecast of temperatures in excess of 100 degrees earlier this weekend.

Australia is in the final days of its summer.

The rearranged program has a first post time of 10:25 p.m. Eastern or 7:25 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

The main race is a $99,300 trial race for a $330,500 stakes at Randwick on April 1 restricted to horses based with stables in the countryside of New South Wales.

Trabalgar, a winner of four of five career starts at distances ranging from five to 5 1/2 furlongs, will start for the first time at seven furlongs.

Trabalgar won a five-furlong handicap at Tamworth Racecourse as the 7-10 favorite on March 6, his first start since a 10th place of 14 in the Kosciuszko Stakes at six furlongs at Randwick on Oct. 15. The $1.23 Kosciuszko is restricted to horses trained at countryside stable in New South Wales.

Trabalgar won his debut in October 2021 and handicaps in March and August of 2022 before the loss in the Kosciuszko.

Trabalgar, trained by Cody Morgan, is part of a full field of 16 and was the 9-2 second choice in early betting on Saturday.

Lisztomania, a winner of 2 of 9 starts, was the 7-2 favorite on the strength of a win in a six-furlong handicap at Port Macquarie on Feb. 5, the 4-year-old gelding’s second start following a layoff of more than five months that ended in December.

Lisztomania runs from off the pace, making a clean trip vital in a large field at Scone. Ash Morgan, who rode briefly at Santa Anita last fall, has the mount on Lisztomania.

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