2022 – a year in review
My favourite moment of 2022 was…..
Steve Moran: Nature Strip is my immediate thought, given his Royal Ascot romp, but that same week State Of Rest won the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes in great fashion. In a run of three excellent performances at 2000-2100 metres, he beat Bay Bridge who would round out his year with victory in the Champions Stakes (with the previously unbeaten Baaeed in his wake). Thus, the Anamoe form was absolutely franked from an international perspective.
Trevor Marshallsea: Anamoe winning the Cox Plate. It was awe-inspiring to see the rise of this champion entire in winning five Group 1s through the year, and on this day, Australasia’s finest race was won by its finest horse. With Anamoe superbly ridden by another figure who took the breath away in 2022 – the world’s best jockey James McDonald – and prepared to perfection by a trainer who also seems to only grow better each year in James Cummings, all went according to plan as the stallion atoned for his luckless defeat via unsuccessful protest in 2021, to take his rightful place among some of the greats of our sport.
Lloyd Jackson: “Sam, we’ve got a runner in an Australian Group 1, one of us has to go”. Those were the words of Catriona Williams to husband Sam (owners of Little Avondale Stud) at acceptance time for last March’s the time-honoured Newmarket Handicap, won in a boil-over by their Roch ‘N’ Horse. And it was wheelchair-bound Catriona who made the trip, solo, as Sam was wrapping up the last day of the Karaka yearling sales. The mare’s win was no fluke, returning on Champions Day to complete a fabulous double in the Champions Sprint, defeating Nature Strip. Both Catriona and Sam were on site for the second feature.
Andrew Hawkins: Durston winning the Caulfield Cup has to be top for me. Having been closely associated with his journey since arriving in Australia, seeing him overcome all of those issues to take one of the country’s greatest races was an incredible thrill.
Alex Wiltshire: Racing and breeding is about unbridled emotion and there is nothing quite like the theatre of a sale ring for bringing drama to the fore. For me, the highlight of the Inglis Easter sale was the raw emotion displayed by Tyreel Stud’s Linda Monds in the aftermath of her filly by I Am Invincible out of Pinocchio selling for $2 million on what was an extraordinary, record-breaking day of trade at Riverside. Monds has sold million-dollar yearlings before, but there was something special about this moment, as the half-sister to Classique Legend was eventually knocked down to Mitchell Bloodstock on behalf of the Yellow Brick Road Company. Monds, who revealed she required some persuasion to offer the filly at public auction and relinquish part of the family, is certainly one of the friendliest faces in the business and it was terrific to witness this success.
Tim Rowe: In a similar vein to Alex Wiltshire’s, as someone who is at the sales and is lucky enough to witness the unbridled joy when people’s blood, sweat and tears pay off, it has to be Neil and Denise Osborne selling their Extreme Choice colt for an Inglis Classic-topping price of $825,000 in February. There’s not many challenges the husband-and-wife team, under their Mane Lodge banner at Sutton near Canberra, haven’t taken up in the racing and breeding industry and Denise has just completed another breeding season foaling down mares. After decades of dedication to the industry, Neil and Denise’s inhibited emotion in the moments after the gavel came down at Riverside were a privilege to see, as was having the honour of celebrating the achievement with them that night. Mane Lodge is a family run business, Neil trains horses, runs a horse transport business and spells many of the region’s thoroughbreds for other trainers. He and Denise are an example of what hard work can achieve. They also have a homebred Extreme Choice filly selling at the Magic Millions (Lot 914), so there could be another chapter to write in the decades-long Mane Lodge story.
The best race of 2022 was….
Steve Moran: Japanese Derby runner-up Equinox picking up the tearaway leader Panthalassa in the last couple of bounds of a thrilling Tenno Sho Autumn. Yes, Panthalassa then disappointed in Hong Kong but visually it was a genuinely exciting race, run at a ferocious speed, and the form otherwise held up to some degree in the Japan Cup.
Trevor Marshallsea: Dead heat. Caulfield (Might And Power) Stakes: it was only an eight-runner field, but it held some of Australasia’s finest. The tactical and physical battle between I’m Thunderstruck, who trailed the leaders before setting after them on straightening, and Anamoe, who sat on his outside, crabbed around the turn, then knuckled down to narrowly beat off his arch rival, was a joy to behold. And the Doncaster Mile, Craig Williams’ ride on Mr Brightside was one of the best of the year. He scrubbed him up to move into the leading pack around the turn, kept him there while biding his time from the 300 to the 150 (metres), then unleashed those saved-up fuel tickets to produce a winning finish. Kudos also to young trainers Ben and JD Hayes for their first Group 1 together.
Lloyd Jackson: Caulfield’s Might And Power Stakes provided the best finish with little between the first three, the race setting up another classic field for the Cox Plate. Anamoe and I’m Thunderstruck provided the quinella in both. In the US, the last two races by Flightline. The Del Mar win in the Pacific Classic Stakes by 19 lengths in under two minutes was jaw-dropping. The cut-throat tactics in the Breeders’ Cup Classic followed by a runaway victory, was equally stunning. In Europe, Nature Strip’s pulverising win in the King’s Stand Stakes proved to the world that Australian sprinters are always a force to be reckoned with.
Andrew Hawkins: Locally, the Might And Power Stakes at Caulfield was probably the most thrilling race with Anamoe’s last-gasp victory over I’m Thunderstruck. Abroad, it’s hard to go past Flightline’s impossible Pacific Classic romp in a performance for the ages.
Alex Wiltshire: The ‘wow’ moment of 2022, despite some other compelling contenders, belongs to Nature Strip and his explosive destruction of the King’s Stand Stakes field. Horses just don’t win five-furlong sprint races at Royal Ascot by four and a half lengths, unless it is something extremely special – and we witnessed something special here, as Nature Strip became the first Australian-trained Royal Ascot winner since Black Caviar, all of a decade ago. His triumph was not just aesthetically impressive, but equally as significant for Australian racing, which has consistently blown the trumpet of its sprinters being the best in the world. There’s little doubt about that now.
Tim Rowe: Godolphin’s In Secret was managed carefully as a two-year-old, but her talent was clearly evident in her two-start cameo as a juvenile but she returned at three to win two of her four starts and she saved the best to last. James Cummings and the Godolphin hierarchy resisted the temptation to run In Secret in The Everest, instead focusing on the Coolmore Stud Stakes on Derby Day at Flemington and she exploded when jockey James McDonald asked her to extend down the straight six. There’s no reason why she can’t go on with it in the autumn, having only raced six times so far.
What I’m most looking forward to in 2023….
Steve Moran: The possible clash of Romantic Warrior, Golden Sixty and California Spangle which could happen as early as January or a meeting of the first two named at 2000 metres.
Trevor Marshallsea: The continued journey of Alligator Blood. This was an exceptionally talented younger horse who appeared to be a spent force for the best part of 18 months. But after back surgery and a meticulous rehab program, led by highly skilled vets and a caring team of owners, the son of All Too Hard bounced back with three Group 1 wins in 2022. Having been tried in the best 2000-metre races last spring before reverting to 1600 metres to take the Cantala Stakes, he’ll be a major threat in the All-Star Mile.
Lloyd Jackson: Ellerslie’s racetrack upgrade with the Strathair system combined with Auckland Thoroughbred Racing’s bold effort to substantially increase stake money after the sale of valuable land adjacent to the track. New Zealand owners need this innovative change in approach to succeed in order to grow the domestic racing industry. The breeding industry will similarly benefit.
Alex Wiltshire: We might have to wait until the latter part of 2023 to see them come to fruition on the track, but the first two-year-olds of shuttle stallions Blue Point, Too Darn Hot and Magna Grecia make for some of the most exciting maiden crops by northern hemisphere stallions in recent years. And these are just the starting trio of what could be a conveyor belt of successful sires from the northern hemisphere over the next few years. We’ll get a first glimpse of some of their yearlings from January, but it’s a sign of serious intent from the breeding goliaths of Darley and Coolmore to send these champion racehorses south, with more to come through the likes of Pinatubo, Palace Pier and Magna Grecia’s strapping half-brother, St Mark’s Basilica.
Tim Rowe: Racing in Western Australia appears somewhat revitalised; the local breeders are reinvesting in stock and the local trainers back their home sale, the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale in February. I am looking forward to experiencing that first-hand in 2023 after the borders being closed to interstate and internationals in recent years.
One horse to watch in 2023…..
Steve Moran: Blue Rose Cen to win the French 1,000 Guineas.
Trevor Marshallsea: Amelia’s Jewel. We’ve had several boom horses come from Western Australia to the east, with varying levels of success. But this daughter of Siyouni – a sire with exceptional results in Australia amidst limited exposure – looks something special.
Lloyd Jackson: Kiwi three-year-olds Wild Night and Legarto both look way above average and have exciting futures. If one or both can take their form to Group 1 success in Australia, their young sires will benefit and give Australian buyers more reasons to be at Karaka
Andrew Hawkins: King’s Gambit has the makings of a potential star. Hopefully, he lives up to his potential in the year ahead.
Alex Wiltshire: Poseidon Stakes winner Buenos Noches produced some gallant runs in defeat this spring, going down a nose to Giga Kick in the Danehill, when another stride would have done it, before producing the run of the race in finishing third in the Coolmore to In Secret. With Giga Kick having won this year’s Everest, this three-year-old crop of sprinters could be the ones to overhaul the old guard.
Tim Rowe: The Newgate-China Horse Club’s crop of two-year-olds have dominated the early season so far; King’s Gambit, Empire Of Japan, Snapback, Sovereign Fund and Royal Entrance already making a big impression, but one horse we’ve only seen fleetingly could be the best of the lot. Don Corleone, a son of Extreme Choice, won his barrier trial on Randwick on September 19 but was spelled after a minor setback. He looked a natural at the trials and the extra time he’s been given by trainers Peter and Paul Snowden can see him become the real deal and a major player in the big Sydney two-year-old races in the autumn.
If I could change one thing for 2023, it would be….
Steve Moran: A compromise between Racing Victoria and Racing New South Wales to ensure a better sequence of major races and to allow the replay vision of all races regardless of the borders.
Trevor Marshallsea: An end to the tedious Sydney-led cross-border wars; cooperation to ensure a more sensible spread and sequence of major races – so our sport’s top equine and human competitors aren’t split between two cities on our major race days; let Sydney have its new lucrative events without attempts to denigrate Melbourne’s; and rather than throwing increasingly meaningless amounts of cash at a few top end races, how about more money spent on a more critical issue – attracting staff to our industry?
Lloyd Jackson: Along with the anticipated stakes increases planned by Auckland Thoroughbred Racing, a rejigging of their March meeting employing some of the ideas that have proved enormously successful at Flemington on Champions’ Day and at Sha Tin earlier this month. This could include a program of feature races over 1200, 1600, 2000 and 2400 metres plus a two-year-old championship.
Andrew Hawkins: Racing Victoria’s veterinary protocols. While they exist for a very good reason and need to operate in some capacity, there is an issue when they rule out perfectly sound horses from their target races. Changes will hopefully be incoming in 2023 to avoid these same issues.
Alex Wiltshire: There are already signs of it happening, but a revival of the middle-distance-bred horse in Australia. A correction to the breeding landscape, which has zeroed in on an early-running sprinter, is long overdue.
Tim Rowe: I’d like to see a moratorium on prize-money increases in the principal racing states of Victoria and NSW, particularly at the top end, and a greater focus placed on infrastructure improvements and on racecourses, particularly in NSW. The floods have ravaged many racecourses throughout the state and many of them, which rely heavily on volunteer labour, need industry money invested in the tracks and the people to undertake the improvements.
A prediction for 2023….
Steve Moran: Either Frankie Dettori or Joao Moreira will change their mind on retirement.
Trevor Marshallsea: Maurice to continue surging as a sire.
Lloyd Jackson: If Legarto bests Wild Night in the Karaka Million Three-Year-old Classic, that might be enough for Proisir to halt the eight-year reign by Savabeel for the New Zealand Sire Championship.
Andrew Hawkins: For the first time in nine years, Savabeel will not be New Zealand champion sire and will be eclipsed by Proisir. However, as a “consolation”, Savabeel will land his first Australian champion sire title, joining his sire Zabeel as one of the few stallions to have landed titles on both sides of the Tasman.
Alex Wiltshire: A horse trained outside of New South Wales or Victoria to win the Golden Slipper for the first time since Queensland’s Phelan Ready in 2009. The breeding industries in Queensland and Western Australia are thriving and, with the gap narrowing to their more powerful neighbours, it won’t be long before we see a third Queensland winner or a very first from WA of this iconic race.
Tim Rowe: Disappointingly, the eroding confidence of participants in the Canberra racing industry will continue next year with more trainers choosing to leave the ACT and follow the lead of the likes of Matt Dale (Goulburn), Luke Pepper (Scone) and Nick Olive (Queanbeyan) and open stables in NSW.