A significant class drop could not come at a better time for Twice On Sunday, the 5-year-old Australian mare who starts in a handicap at 1 1/4 miles at Hawkesbury Racecourse near Sydney on Wednesday evening across American time zones.
Twice On Sunday is winless in her last 13 starts since December, but three of those races since mid-September were against higher classes of handicap runners than she will face at Hawkesbury.
Interpretation was a minor stakes winner in Ireland in 2021 for trainer Aidan O’Brien, a fine accomplishment but not enough so far to secure a spot in a field of 24 for the Group 1 Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse in Australia on Nov. 1.
Interpretation, now trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, needs a win in the Group 3 Geelong Cup at 1 1/2 miles at Geelong Racecourse near Melbourne on Tuesday to help his chances for a start in the Melbourne Cup at two miles.
Stunning Rose played the spoiler’s role in Sunday’s Grade 1 Shuka Sho Stakes at Hanshin Racecourse in Japan, winning the $1.45 million race for 3-year-old fillies and denying Stars on Earth a potential sweep of the Triple Crown.
Stars on Earth had won the Grade 1 Japanese 1000 Guineas in April and the Grade 1 Japanese Oaks in May, the first two races in the Triple Crown.
Stunning Rose ($12.90) won the Shuka Sho by a half-length over 5-2 Namur, who finished a nose in front of 8-5 favorite Stars on Earth.
Grand Shanghai was winless in 23 starts in Australia last month when the 6-year-old gelding was transferred from trainer Lindsay Gough to Dwayne Schmidt.
Days later, Grand Shanghai won his debut for Schmidt in a handicap at 1 3/8 miles at Grafton Racecourse on Sept. 27. Schmidt is based at Grafton, and is keeping Grand Shanghai at that track for his next start in a handicap at 1 3/8 miles on Monday evening across American time zones.
The 3-year-old Giga Kick rallied from 10th in a field of 12 to record an upset win in Saturday’s $9.3 million Everest Stakes at six furlongs at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia, overtaking 3-5 favorite Nature Strip in deep stretch.
Ridden by Craig Williams, Giga Kick ($38.20) appeared beaten when Nature Strip took a lead of about a length with a furlong remaining. But Nature Strip could not sustain the effort and faded to finish fourth, beaten slightly less than a length in the world’s richest sprint.
Baaeed has run his last race and goes off to a stallion career. He’ll be remembered as a great horse – just not an undefeated one.
After winning his first 10 starts, Baaeed lost his last one, finishing fourth as Bay Bridge held off Adayar to win the Group 1, $1.46 million Champion Stakes on Saturday at Ascot.
Paul Lally:
Race1 2-5-6-1
Race2 2-1-6-7
Race3 3-2-1-6
Race4 6-5-4-1
Race5 7-9-10-14
Race6 2-7-1-14
Race7 2-1-14-10
Race8 3-14-5-7
Race9 9-7-10-13
Race10 1-2-5-12
Best Bet Race 9 9 Eternal Bloom
Longshot Race6 2 Champion Dragon
Play Race10 QQP 1-2-5
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Mark McNamara:
R1 - 5.2.6.1
Shock winner Bayside Boy outkicked pacesetting Jadoomi and Modern Games to land the Group 1, $1.23 million Queen Elizabeth II Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths Saturday at Ascot.
Three-year-old filly Inspiral was the odds-on favorite in the QE II but badly blew the start, raced from last, and failed to muster a real rally under Frankie Dettori, checking in sixth.
