TWO of Sydney racing’s feature events, the Doncaster Handicap and the AJC Australian Derby, will be run on a blockbuster first day of this year’s autumn carnival.
The Australian Jockey Club yesterday finally announced the dates for this year’s carnival after pressure from trainers keen to time the preparations of their star thoroughbreds.
The opening Saturday of the carnival on April 26 will also feature the sprint classic, the TJ Smith Stakes.
The AJC Oaks will be held on Wednesday, April 30, before the Sydney Cup, Queen Elizabeth Stakes, All Aged Stakes and Champagne Stakes round out the carnival the following Saturday (May 3).
"We have managed to square the circle," said AJC chief executive Norman Gillespie.
"All our sponsors are happy and I believe all the trainers will be happy with the program.
"We now have two pillars scheduled for each Saturday with four Group One races on both of those dates."
The AJC has struggled to put in place its carnival, scheduled later this year due to the effects of the EI epidemic.
And the lack of scheduled lead-up races is still a concern for John O’Shea – trainer of the exciting 2006 Doncaster handicap winner Racing To Win.
O’Shea wants to have full details of the lead-up races before he’ll make decisions on where his topline gallopers will race this autumn.
"I can’t tell you where or when Racing To Win and Reigning To Win will start their campaigns until they tell us what lead-up races are on," O’Shea said.
"It’s January. How much more time do they need?"
As details of the carnival were released yesterday, news also broke that O’Shea’s star mare Rosecutter had come down with a mystery allergic reaction and would not start in the $75,000 Listed Carrington Stakes (1100m) at Randwick today.
"She’s been scratched because of an allergic reaction she sometimes gets," O’Shea said.
"We don’t really know what it is, but it isn’t too severe."
Rosecutter will instead line up this Saturday in the $60,000 Fillies and Mares Handicap (1200m) at Randwick.
* DAMIEN Oliver has returned to the west to bring in the New Year — and to ride the favourite in the $430,000 Group Two BMW Perth Cup today.
Oliver piloted Cats Fun to win the Group Two CB Cox Stakes (2400m) at Ascot two weeks ago and is confident his charge can double up and claim another Group win.
"I think he’ll be hard to beat," Oliver said. "He should run out a strong 3200m and he has the runs on the board."
Oliver nominated Westerly Breeze as the biggest danger after the mare produced a late burst to place just under a length second to his mount last start.
Punters have rallied behind the gelding, installing him $2.70 favourite for the New Year’s Day feature.
Source: Super Saturday to start carnival
