All Too Hard, a 4-year-old Australian-bred colt who is a half-brother to the unbeaten star sprinter Black Caviar, can win his third Group 1 of 2013 in Saturday’s $515,000 Australian Guineas at Flemington Racecourse.
To learn about the UAE Oaks one really only needs to look closely at the UAE 1000 Guineas. The nine fillies entered in the Group 3, $250,000 UAE Oaks, the Thursday feature at Meydan, raced in the 1000 Guineas on Feb. 7.
All Too Hard, a half-brother to the undefeated sprint star Black Caviar, won his second Group 1 race in February in Saturday’s $515,000 Futurity Stakes at Caulfield Racecourse in Australia.
Sajjhaa, the winner of the Group 2 Cape Verdi Stakes in January, scored an upset victory in Thursday’s $200,000 Balanchine Stakes at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, spoiling the 2013 debut of South Africa’s 2011-2012 Horse of the Year, Igugu.
Green Moon, winner of the Melbourne Cup over two miles last November, makes his 2013 debut in Saturday’s $515,000 Futurity Stakes for sprinters at Caulfield Racecourse in Australia.
Igugu, a 6-year-old Australian-bred who was the South Africa Horse of the Year in 2011-12, will be a heavy favorite to win her first start in Dubai in Thursday’s $200,000 Balanchine Stakes at Meydan Racecourse.
Stretching her unbeaten streak to 23 races, Black Caviar won her first start since June in Saturday’s Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes at Flemington Racecourse, running 1,000 meters, or about five furlongs, in course record time of 55.42 seconds.
Defending champion Testa Matta can end a five-race losing streak in Sunday’s $2.45 million February Stakes over a mile on dirt at Tokyo Racecourse, the first Grade 1 of 2013 in Japan.
Soft Falling Rain gave trainer Mike de Kock his fifth victory in the Group 3 UAE 2000 Guineas on Thursday night at Meydan in Dubai. The win for de Kock was somewhat overshadowed by a powerhouse performance from Godolphin, which won four of the six races on the card.
Black Caviar, the famous unbeaten sprinter who has captured worldwide attention with her 22 victories, returns to racing at Flemington Racecourse in Australia on Saturday for her first start since an historic win in England last June.
