Contributer aims to star on Day Two of Sydney's Championships

Contributer aims to star on Day Two of Sydney's

Championships

Godolphin's Contributer (High Chaparral) is widely expected to

record a fourth consecutive victory and third at the highest level when he faces

the starter in Saturday's Queen Elizabeth II S. (Aus-G1) at Royal Randwick.

The handsome bay, who was a

dual listed winner in the United Kingdom, has magnificently adapted to his new surroundings

and was most impressive when taking the Ranvet S. (Aus-G1) March 21 courtesy of a

devastating turn of foot. However, the blossoming import finds himself up

against the stiffest opposition since relocating Down Under, with nine other

Group 1 winners lining up for the feature event on day two of The Championships.

The rating of the 2000-meter Queen Elizabeth S. has progressed steadily since

2008, and the race's appeal received an additional boost last year with the

creation of The Championships, which saw its purse jumping from A$500,000 to a

whopping A$4 million, the richest prize money in the world for a turf race over

the distance.

Chris Waller, who saddles three runners in this year's renewal,

has described the Queen Elizabeth as the "new Cox Plate."

The trio of Waller trainees is precisely led by Coolmore's Cox Plate (Aus-G1) hero

Adelaide (Galileo), who will be making his second and final start in

Australia before embarking on a return flight to Ballydoyle. The globetrotting

four-year-old won the Secretariat S. (G1) last term and made a major impression when storming from last

to first despite a wide trip in the Spring Carnival's leading weight-for-age

contest. Waller has however expressed doubts about his charge's ability to cope

with soft ground, with showers expected over Sydney Friday and Saturday.

"(Ballyoyle

trainer) Aidan (O'Brien) said he needs the ground to be vibrating under him to

be at his best," the trainer told Racenet.

The Japanese pair Tosen Stardom (Deep Impact) and To The World (King Kamehameha)

both bumped into Godolphin imports on their Australian debut -- Contributer in the Ranvet and Hartnell (Authorized) in the BMW S.

(Aus-G1), respectively -- and will be bidding to emulate their compatriot Real

Impact (Deep Impact) who struck gold in the George Ryder S. (Aus-G1).

To The World

was the subject of a jockey controversy this week after connections expressed

discontent about Nick Hall's ride in the BMW and opted to call upon Hong Kong

ace Zac Purton for Saturday's race. Hall brought the case before Racing New

South Wales stewards, arguing that he had been engaged to partner the horse in

both Group 1 contests, and has been entitled to a winning or losing riding fee,

which could amount to A$118,800 in case of victory by To The World.

More international flavor comes courtesy of Ed Dunlop's Red Cadeaux (Cadeaux

Genereux), who eventually opted for this race instead of the two-mile

Sydney Cup (Aus-G1).

"We came to the conclusion that two miles on a soft track might be

hard on him," said Dunlop who landed in Sydney Thursday.

"I went to see him as

soon as I got here and he is bright and happy and looks well," the trainer

continued.

Worse than the likelihood of soft ground, Dunlop's main worry is his

former charge Contributer.

"We had Contributer in the stable and I thought he

would be a Melbourne Cup (Aus-G1) horse, but he was sold to Sheikh Mohammed and now we

are racing against him," he said. "That's the way it goes. The amount of money

that is on offer for our stayers to race in Australia is too much to turn down."

David Hayes and Tom Dabernig send out a pair of live chances in Spillway (Rail Link),

the narrow winner of the Australian Cup (Aus-G1) last time out, and Criterion (Sebring), who found only Real Impact too good in the

George Ryder.

Godolphin could be in line for a Group 1 double on day two of The Championships

as the "Boys In Blue" send out a pair of British imports carrying odds-on

favorite status.

Some 40 minutes before Contributer's bid in the Queen Elizabeth S., Hartnell will attempt

to score a second consecutive victory at the highest level in the Sydney Cup,

following his dominant performance in the BMW at Rosehill March 28. The

four-year-old hasn't put a foot wrong since shipping from the Middleham stable of

Mark Johnston -- he would actually be unbeaten in three starts if he hadn't run

against his aforementioned stablemate on his Australian debut in the Chipping

Norton S. (Aus-G1) February 28.

Saturday's line-up, however, appears stronger than in previous renewals of the

staying contest, a fact probably helped by the extra A$600,000 that has been

added to the overall prizemoney since The Offer (Montjeu) won it last year.

Protectionist (Monsun) returns to the trip that saw him

win the Melbourne Cup but faces a stiff task as he gives weight to the entire

field, including a massive six kilos (13 pounds) to the favorite. The former

German-trained galloper failed to make the switch to middle distances, running

sixth in the 1800-meter Peter Young S. (Aus-G2) and eighth in the 10-furlong

Australian Cup, but showed some marked improvement in the 2400-meter BMW,

where he rallied on strongly to finish fifth behind Hartnell. The Kris Lees

trainee bids to become the first horse since Makybe Diva to register the Melbourne Cup-Sydney Cup double -- Australia's only two

Group 1 races run over two miles.

Waller's Who Shot Thebarman (Yamanin Vital), third in Protectionist's

Melbourne Cup, was two lengths ahead of this rival in the BMW and appears well

handicapped. Waller has been upbeat about his charge, who won the Auckland Cup

(NZ-G1) over the same trip in 2014.

"There is no better form than

the Melbourne Cup for a two-mile race," he said. "Who Shot Thebarman has really

matured. He is a much stronger horse and has had the perfect preparation."

Hong Kong raider Dominant (Cacique) is an interesting candidate as

he tackles the trip for the first time. His last victory came in the 2400-meter

Hong Kong Vase (HK-G1) in 2013, a race in which he ran fourth last season, and he was

fifth to Contributer in the 2000-meter Ranvet on his first start in

Australia. Joao Moreira takes over in the saddle from Damien Oliver.

A deep field of 13 fillies goes to post for the Australian Oaks (Aus-G1) at Royal Randwick Saturday, with Savaria

(Savabeel) an interesting challenger from New Zealand. The Roydon Bergerson trainee

filly brings classic form to the table, having won the New Zealand Oaks (NZ-G1) at Trentham on her last start March 14.

However, a race that would appear to hold

the key to finding the winner of Saturday's race is the March 28 Vinery Stud S.

(Aus-G1) run at Rosehill. Four of the first five finishers from that race renew their

rivalry in the Oaks, headed by the victorious Fenway (High Chaparral). That score, which was her first since winning her maiden at first asking

at Bendigo in October, represented a career best for the A$700,000 Inglis Easter

yearling purchase and she should appreciate the step-up to 2400 meters.

Despite only finishing fifth in the Vinery Stud, the Waller-trained Winx (Street Cry) looks like starting favorite for the race, based

partly on her penultimate outing in which she beat Hauraki (Reset)

in the Phar Lap S. (Aus-G2) at Rosehill March 14. This piece of form looks even better

now following the classy effort of Hauraki in claiming second behind Mongolian

Khan (Holy Roman Emperor) in the Australian Derby (Aus-G1) Monday. Moreira takes over in the saddle from Tommy Berry on Saturday, with the

latter set to steer her stablemate Wine Tales (Tale of the Cat).

Further intrigue is added to the race with the presence of Vinery Stud third and

fourth Thunder Lady (Mastercraftsman) and Ballet Suite (High

Chaparral). Thunder Lady, trained by John Sargent at Randwick, was a

high-class runner last year, winning the Wakeful S. (Aus-G2) at Flemington November 1 and

following up with a second in the Crown Oaks (Aus-G1) five days later. She has taken a

few runs to recapture her form this year, but seems to be peaking at the right

time. Coolmore and partners' Ballet Suite gives Waller a strong

hand in the race, has the added benefit of having Ryan Moore in the saddle and

is another that should appreciate the stiffer distance test.

The most recent form in the race is represented by Candelara (Real Saga),

with trainer Bjorn Baker obviously happy to turn out last Monday's Adrian Knox S.

(Aus-G3) winner right back.

Also on Saturday at Royal Randwick, just three trainers are responsible for

better than half of the field in the Queen of the Turf S. (Aus-G1).

Noble Protector (Haafhd) is a fascinating contender and is bidding for

a hat trick of wins since being exported to Australia from England for the

Melbourne Spring Carnival. Running in the Qatar Bloodstock colors of Sheikh Fahad and trained by Robert Smerdon, the filly is climbing the ladder step by

step having won the Matron S. (Aus-G3) at Flemington March 14 and the Sunline S.

(Aus-G2) at Moonee Valley March

27 in her two starts this preparation. A solid listed class performer last

summer in England when trained by Stuart Kittow, Noble Protector has kept

improving all year and will be hard to beat on her first attempt in Group 1

company.

Waller saddles a quartet of runners with Catkins (Dubawi) probably the pick of the group. She is also bidding for her first Group 1

success but brings high class form to the table. Conqueror of next-out Group 1

winner Plucky Belle (Mossman) in the Millie Fox S. (Aus-G2) February 21, she

was runner-up in the Canterbury S. (Aus-G1) at this venue March 7 and her recent win in

the Emancipation S. (Aus-G2) at Rosehill March 28 sees her arrive in top form. Moreira jets back into Sydney to ride.

First Seal (Fastnet Rock) bids to make amends for a narrow defeats

in the Coolmore Stud S. (Aus-G1) March 14 and in the Vinery Stud S. at Rosehill a

fortnight later and takes her chance despite a recent scare. Having finished

with blood in her nostril after Rosehill, First Seal was subsequently cleared to

race after an inspection by Racing NSW vet Craig Suann.

Her trainer John

Thompson told ANZ Bloodstock News on Wednesday, "She worked over 1200 metres

with a mate this morning. I think once they saw the cuts on her head it was

obvious something had happened but the stewards are just doing their due

diligence and all is good."

Fresh from landing his third Australian Derby on Monday, New Zealand trainer

Murray Baker fields two fillies in the 1600-meter event. Diademe (Savabeel), winner of the Thoroughbred Breeders S.

(NZ-G1) at Te Aroha April 4 has the

valuable assistance of Ryan Moore, while Sports Illustrated (Fast N' Famous), reopposes her stablemate having been denied by just a neck in the same

race last week.

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