RACING TO WIN UNDEFEATED OVER RANDWICK MILE - WILL RUN ODDS-ON
The 64th running of the AJC Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday sees the past two winners of the race, Mentality (2008) and Racing to Win (2006) lock horns with this year’s Group 1 Doncaster Handicap quinella in Vision and Power and Black Piranha, the latter going on to collect the Group 1 QTC Stradbroke Handicap in June.
Racing to Win is undefeated over the famous Royal Randwick mile with all three successes notched at Group 1 level.
John O’Shea’s grey gelding collected the “big three” in 2006 – the Doncaster, George Main and Epsom.He became the first horse since Imposing in 1979 to take the George Main-Epsom double and the first horse since Emancipation in 1983 to win the George Main and Doncaster in the same year.
Racing to Win took his second Theo Marks (under 60kg) a fortnight ago, and seeks to collect a second George Main, no mean feat when the last horse to notch multiple wins in the race was Kingston Town in 1981 and 1982.
Just three other horses boast multiple George Main wins, Shannon (1946/47), Count Radiant (1964/65) and Regal Rhythm (1967/68).
Starting odds-on favourite two years ago, Racing to Win is sure to start the punters elect on Saturday but beware – just four favourites from the past twenty have saluted in the George Main.
Also attempting a dual win in the race is Mentality, the 6 year old (like Racing to Win) a triple Group 1 winner over the Randwick “mile”, his 2008 George Main victory (over subsequent Epsom winner Theseo) providing the Hawkes training partnership with its first Group 1.
John Hawkes won this race with Lonhro (2003), Viscount (2001) and Dracula (1998) when training for the Woodlands operation.
Vision and Power nosed out Black Piranha in both the Group 1 Doncaster and Group 1 George Ryder in the autumn, Black Piranha coming off a last start second (carrying 60kg) in the Group 3 Cameron Handicap at Newcastle.
He’s also out to create history with Imposing (1979) the only horse to ever snare the Stradbroke-George Main in the same year.
Similarly, Vision and Power has history to overcome with just three horses capturing the Doncaster-George Main double in the same year – Racing to Win (2006), Emancipation (1983) and Oversight (1951).
Patinack Farm’s Onemorenomore adds considerable interest, the three year old is a super impressive winner of the AJC Group 1 Champagne Stakes over this route at two.
Three year olds boast an imposing recent record in the George Main over the past twenty runnings with seven winners and four placings (from a total of twenty five runners).
Worth noting that four of the past five three year olds to score also claimed the Champagne Stakes at two – Viscount, Dracula, Encounter and March Hare.
The Gai Waterhouse stable boasts three wins in the race (Mr Celebrity, Grand Armee, Juggler) and invariably target the George Main en route to the Epsom, Rock Kingdom their 2009 representative.
The stable provided runner-up Theseo in 2008, the horse claiming the Epsom seven days later, the George Main contested by a total of ten Epsom winners since 1988.
First conducted in 1945, the George Main Stakes honour roll contains Hall of Fame members Kingston Town, Shannon and Wenona Girl with Tulloch, Sunline, Flight and Super Impose other Hall of Fame inductees placing in the George Main.
Other notable George Main winners include Emancipation (1983), Baguette (1971), Vo Rogue (1989), Lonhro (2003), Martello Towers (1961), Campaign King (1987), Shaftesbury Avenue (1990), Purple Patch (1976) and Shogun Lodge (1999).
Note: The AFL Grand Final between Geelong and St Kilda will be broadcast live on a 9m by 9m screen on the Rose Garden Lawn and on television screens throughout the race course.
AUSTRALIAN JOCKEY CLUB MEDIA RELEASE
Contact:Rod Allen 0419 692 856.