Ray Thomas column: Briasa can seal slot in The Everest with TJ Smith-All Stakes Group 1 double
A slot in The Everest could be the reward if Briasa can secure a rare Group 1 Randwick sprint double on Saturday.
Horse Racing
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Briasa, racing’s new “grey flash”, can take a significant step towards securing a start in the $20m The TAB Everest if he can add to his Group 1 tally at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
The Team Hawkes-trained Briasa is the $3.60 favourite for the final Sydney major of the season, the $1.5m All Aged Stakes (1400m).
• PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet’s team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW!
The talented four-year-old goes to the All Aged off his outstanding win in the TJ Smith Stakes on Day 1 of The Championships two weeks ago.
If Briasa can complete the TJ Smith-All Stakes Group 1 Randwick sprint double, he will become only the fourth to achieve the feat after Trapeze Artist (2018), Bentley Biscuit (2007) and Shamekha (2005).
There is also speculation a deal will be negotiated soon to secure Briasa his place in the field for The Everest in October.
But Hall of Fame trainer John Hawkes was reluctant to buy into the Everest “talk”, focusing instead on Briasa’s bid to win the All Aged.
Briasa has not raced over 1400m before but his win in The Hunter over 1300m last spring was exceptional as he endured a wide run without cover.
“You never really know until you run them over the trip, Briasa still has to do it but I think he will,’’ said Hawkes, who trains in partnership with his sons Michael and Wayne.
“He’s only third-up so it’s a good time to try him. If he runs it out, terrific, if he doesn’t it’s not the end of the world.’’
• Ray and Duff: All Aged tip ‘should be closer in the market’
Despite Briasa’s relatively light autumn campaign, Hawkes said the boom sprinter’s preparation won’t be extended to include either the Adelaide or Brisbane carnivals.
“Briasa is going to the (spelling) paddock win, lose or draw after Saturday,’’ he said.
Team Hawkes has a real opportunity to claim the Group 1 double with Nepotism ($4.20 favourite) and Federalist ($21) contesting the $1m Champagne Stakes (1600m).
Hawkes, who prepared Paratroopers and Mentality to win the All Aged Stakes-Champagne Stakes double respectively in 2006, admitted Nepotism (barrier 11) and Federalist (nine) haven’t fared well at the barrier draw.
Nepotism, a close relation to all-time great Black Caviar, has only had two starts and won the Baillieu Quality impressively earlier this month to earn Champagne Stakes favouritism.
“Nepotism is a nice colt but the barrier doesn’t help as he will probably have to get back further than you want to be,’’ Hawkes said.
“But that is the way it goes, we can’t do much about it and it’s up to the horse now. He’s going well and I think he will run the trip.’’
Federalist is also superbly bred by I Am Invincible out of Arcadia Queen but has been unplaced in his two starts after luckless runs in each, including his seventh in the Inglis Sires two weeks ago.
“He ran a competitive race last start and I think he will run the mile,’’ Hawkes said.
“He’s in the mix because some of those two-year-olds won’t run the mile.’’
The champion trainer is hopeful Swiftfalcon ($1.90 favourite) is rewarded for his consistency in the Group 3 $250,000 Frank Packer Plate (2000m).
Swiftfalcon has recorded four successive minor placings this autumn including minor placings in the Randwick and Rosehill Guineas before his last start second to Evaporate in the Carbine Club Stakes two weeks ago.
“This horse never draws a barrier and he’s coming out of seven so that won’t make it any easier with the rail out 5m but he’s going well,’’ Hawkes said of Swiftfalcon.
The Hawkes stable has less than 40 horses in work at their Rosehill base and it is some achievement to be represented by three feature race favourites on the final day of the Sydney autumn carnival.
If Briasa, Nepotism, Federalist and Swiftfalcon can race up to expectations on Saturday, it will be the crowning glory on what has already been a successful autumn for Team Hawkes with the Group 1 wins of Briasa (TJ Smith Stakes) and Devil Night (Blue Diamond).
“It will be difficult to win them all, it doesn’t work that way, so if we are lucky enough to win one, it will be good,’’ Hawkes said.
ALL QUALITY STAKES
The All Aged Stakes is shaping as one of the highlight races of the autumn carnival and boasts an outstanding field that includes 12 individual Group 1 winners.
My Oberon and Osipenko are the only starters that haven’t won at the highest level but both horses are multiple Group 1 placegetters.
• Baker happy to take Group 1 risk with smart filly
J-MAC LINES UP MORE GROUP 1 GLORY
Champion jockey James McDonald has two more chances at Royal Randwick on Saturday to edge closer to Malcolm Johnston’s all-time record for most Group 1 wins in a season.
Sydney’s leading rider partners the promising State Visit in the Champagne Stakes and Broadsiding in the All Aged Stakes.
McDonald is hoping to add to his tally of 13 Group 1 wins in Australia this season as he closes in on Johnston’s Australian record of 16 Group 1 wins in a season that has stood since 1979-80.
The Ciaron Maher-trained State Visit is on the third line of Champagne betting at $6.50 and Godolphin’s gifted colt Broadsiding is also third favourite at $6.50 for the All Aged Stakes.
McDonald has ridden another five international Group 1 wins this season and needs only one more major to equal his personal best of 19 Group 1 wins set in 2023-24.
CRISP REVEALS HIS STATE OF PLAY
Form guru Gary Crispe believes McDonald can add to his Group 1 record when he rides State Visit in the Champagne Stakes.
“This is a tricky race,’’ Crispe said.
“If you look at the history of the race 16 of the last 20 winners have come through the Sires.
“So, this is why I have landed on State Visit after his good run for second in the Sires’.
“He got back in the field but ran on very strongly and in another 50m he wins the Sires’. I think he is the way to go in the Champagne.’’
But Crispe revealed that Champagne Stakes favourite Nepotism returned a Timeform rating of 113 with his win in the Baillieu Quality last start, the same figure State Visit earned with his Sires second.
“Nepotism was very good in the Baillieu and the form has held up through Savvy Hallie who ran well last week,’’ Crispe said.
“They both ran to a 113 Timeform rating at their last starts so there is nothing between them going into the Champagne Stakes.’’
Originally published as Ray Thomas column: Briasa can seal slot in The Everest with TJ Smith-All Stakes Group 1 double
American Wolf on Group 1 hunt after St Leger win
The bar could be raised again for American Wolf after his win in the VRC St Leger winner with a tilt at next week’s Group 1 SA Derby.
Filly’s progress has trainers upbeat after maiden romp
Michael Kent Jr has been pleased with the progress of exciting filly All Pink heading to The Valley on Saturday since her dominant maiden win when so much went wrong.