Bart's Racing News

Wednesday, 13 November 2019

‘How good is Queensland!”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison was shouting that message after his upset Federal election win in May but there are many good racing judges repeating the same words after the spring carnivals in Sydney and Melbourne.

The icing on the cake was Vow And Declare’s Melbourne Cup victory.

A horse bred by a Queenslander, retained to race in partnership with fellow Queenslanders, a successful competitor at Queensland’s winter carnival earlier in the year.

How good is that! But wait, there’s more. Lots more.

Refer to the table below which lists all the winter carnival contenders and the list of feature race successes in the spring. That is 17 big race wins including seven Group 1s.

Vow And Declare won the Tattersall’s Cup, run at 3000 metres for the first time, at Eagle Farm in June.

Trainer Danny O’Brien possibly has changed the way Australian horses prepare for the Melbourne Cup. Vow And Declare had five starts in April, May and June in his home state Victoria and then Queensland.

O’Brien opted not to give Vow And Declare a full break from training after Brisbane. He kept the four-year-old ticking over and was happy to have just two lead-up runs going into the Melbourne Cup.

It’s a very European approach to training genuine stayers.

This year’s stunning spring results for the winter carnival are part of a long standing blueprint. Twelve Melbourne Cup winners have now raced or at least started their Cup preparation in the Queensland winter.

The BRC has reached out to interstate and New Zealand trainers for many years to come north, enjoy our balmy weather, hospitality and compete in our feature races.

The horses flourish in a warmer climate and the residual fitness has them poised for a big spring campaign.

Vow And Declare (Melbourne Cup) 
Fierce Impact (Toorak Hcp, Kennedy Cantala)
Nature Strip (Moir Stakes, VRC Sprint)
Shadow Hero (Spring Champion Stakes)
Kolding (Epsom Hcp and Golden Eagle) 
Trekking (Schillaci)
Savatiano (Tristarc)
California Zimbol (Thoroughbred Club)
Princess Jenni (Stocks)
Madam Rouge (Nivison)
Diamond Thunder (Brian Crowley)
Tactical Advantage (MSS Security Sprint)
Kubrick (Bondi Stakes)
Tally (Rosehill Gold Cup)