Coffeefields Likely To Have Off Track

The major race going off this weekend in Victoria is the Grade 1 Coffeefields Cup. The prestigious $3,000,000 race is run over the turf at a distance of a mile and a half and is sure to draw some of the best horses from all over the world. The race is open to all horses, three years of age and older. But this years running of the Coffeefields Cup may prove to be an interesting one. Early weather forecasts have indicated heavy thunderstorms coming into the area midweek and possibly into the weekend. This results up to a forecasted 80% chance of an off track on race day for the prestigious Coffeefields. Potentially expect no better than a good turf track on Saturday. Despite the likelihood for an off track in the Coffeefields, the field looks as though it will be full for the running of the prestigious Grade I race. Lets take a brief look at the horses entered for this years Coffeefields Cup.

Drawing the rail is Astromomer’s Quest (IRE) (Galileo (IRE) x Kris S. x Bold Ruler) and is owned and trained by elite6, owner of Elite Stables. The Irish-bred chestnut three year old has been relatively lightly raced with a total of fourteen career starts, five of these have been wins. The colt has never raced on the dirt, so all of these wins have come over the turf. His most recent start came here in Victoria during the eleven furlong listed Kangaroo Minstrel (IRE) Bonanza, where the colt trailed the majority of the field back in eleventh, but made a bold move in the early stretch and went on to win the race with a speed figure of one hundred seven by two and a half lengths. The colts most recent graded stakes start came in early June during the Derby de English (G1) where he finished twenty-one and a half lengths back in eighth.

In the second slot will be Freeze (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ) x Barathea (IRE) x Saint Ballado), and is owned by aggots, owner of Braint Breeding & Racing Empire. The four year old brown colt has been lightly raced with a total of nineteen career starts, a total of five, all on the turf, of which have been wins. In addition to the colts multitude of wins, he also boasts a lifetime earnings of just over one million dollars. His most recent start came over the twelve furlong Wold Cup Turf Marathon Restricted (G1) where the colt was held back towards the rear of the field in eleventh and maintained that position until the stretch where the colt rallied but only crossed the wire sixth with a speed figure of one hundred one. His most recent win came in New York during the twelve furlong Sword Swallower Stakes (G1) where he was held up much closer to the pace in second and took control of the race in the late stretch to win by half a length.

Longshot X Commandments (IRE) (Desert King (IRE) x Modern Day Moses x Bold Secretariat), who is owned and trained by randwick1, owner of Bmr005 Stables is next in the field. The bay four year old has had a total of twenty career starts, of which five of these races have been wins. The colt has never had a start over an off track to date. His most recent start came over the thirteen furlong Big City Handicap (G2) in New South Wales where the colt was sent out of the starting gate fourth in the pack, but faltered in the stretch and finished fifth in the five horse field, thirty-three lengths off the pace of the winner with a speed figure of eighty-two. The colts most recent win however, came in just the start before, during a ten furlong allowance caliber start in Japan. Here the colt ws held further back in eighth position and made his move up into third just before the stretch. The colt battled tiring front runners in the stretch and went on to win the race by one and three-fourth lengths with a speed figure of one hundred seven, a lifetime best.

At 15/1 is the oldest horse in the field, six year old Swingshift Sal (Night Shift x Roberto x Fappiano), who is owned by click, owner of Topicount Stables. The bay horse is also one of the most experienced horses in the field with a total of fifty-five lifetime starts, of which fourteen of these starts have resulted in wins. All of this horses fourteen wins have come on the turf. His most recent start came overseas in Michigan during the ungraded I Stay Forever Memorial where the horse finished second with a speed figure of one hundred two after stalking the main pace in fourth for the majority of the race. His most recent win came in February of this year during an eleven furlong allowance caliber race where the horse held back in third, challenged in the stretch and won by two and one-fourth lengths. His most recent graded race came last month in the Winchester Park Cup (G3) where the horse finished eighth.

Next is K’s Okkasion (Seeking The Gold x Nijinsky II x Secretariat), and is trained and owned by pompeya, owner of Pompeya Thoroughbred Racing Corporation. The impressively bred five year old bay horse has been lightly raced with a total of twenty-nine lifetime starts and a lucky thirteen career wins, all but two of these coming on the turf. The horses most recent start came in Texas over the nine furlong World Cup Turf Nine Restricted (G1) where the colt broke out of the gate in fifth, faded back in the field before the stretch, but challenged gamely and crossed the wire eight lengths back in fourth with a speed figure of one hundred six. His most recent win came in the listed Shaboo Shabah Bonanza where he was held up slightly closer to the pace in fourth and went on to win the race by an impressive five and one-fourth lengths.

Following will be F Speed (ENG) (Sakhee x Storm Boot x Northern Prospect), who is out of the stakes starting dam She’s The One, and is owned by jsimpson, owner of Mv4ever Stables. The three year old chestnut colt has been lightly raced with a total of twelve lifetime starts, with a total of five wins. His most recent start came here in Victoria during the Coalminer Cup (G1) over twelve furlongs where the colt broke out of the gate in seventh and made a move in the stretch, crossing the wire sixteen and a half lengths back in fourth with a speed figure of one hundred. His most recent win came in Denmark during the Derby de Danish (G3) where the colt broke closer the pace in third and made the lead before the stretch, going on to win the twelve furlong race by two lengths.

In the seventh post is Rainband (AUS) (Spinning World x Rainbow Quest x Dixieland Band), and is owned and trained by wulf, owner of B4rca Stables. The three year old Australian-bred bay colt has been lightly raced with a total of eighteen lifetime starts including seven wins, all of which have come on the turf for this colt. The colt has not started on dirt. His most recent start came earlier this month in the Grade I Ark De Triumph in Longchamp where the colt broke out of the gate in seventh and went on to challenge front runners in the stretch, crossing the wire second, back by four lengths with a speed figure of one hundred six. His most recent win came just the month before in the Early Months Stakes (G2) where the colt once again was held back towards the rear of the field and went on to challenge in the late stretch, winning the ten furlong race by half a length.

Race favorite Otto Oh No (Minesaft x Irish River (FR) x Kris S.), and is trained by freeky, owner of Pierchinski Stables is next. The four year old bay colt has been lightly raced with a total of only sixteen career starts, of which eight have resulted in wins. Of the colts eight wins, six have come over the turf surface. His most recent start came in Texas during September in the World Cup Turf Classic Restricted (G1) where the colt hung back at the back of the field in tenth until the stretch, however, only crossing the wire in seventh, back by sixteen and three-fourth lengths with a speed figure recorded of ninety-nine. His most recent win came in July during the ten furlong Turf Lounge (G1) in which the colt ran mid-pack and made a challenge to the leaders coming into the stretch, and going on to win the race by one and three-fourth lengths.

Following is Creepshow (IRE) (Rock Of Gibraltar (IRE) x Deputy Minister x Seeking The Gold), who is out of the stakes starting dam Deputy Flanders, and is trained by lenny28, owner of The Evil Empire. The four year old striking brown colt has been lightly raced with a lifetime start total of twenty-two. Of these twenty-two starts, ten have resulted in wins, including one which came on an off track. The colts most recent start came in the nine furlong Brown Fields Handicap (G3). The brown colt broke out of the starting gate towards the back of the field in twelfth but started to gain steadily on the field in front of him, finding himself in fifth before the stretch. At the stretch the brown colt gave it is all and came thundering towards the wire, just barely pulling off the win by a nose over his closest rival with a speed figure of one hundred thirteen. This speed figure in the Brown Fields Handicap was the colts lifetime best speed figure to date.

Next is Warwick (IRE) (High Chaparral (IRE) x Dehere x Marscay (AUS), who is trained and owned by cuprunners, owner of Tulloch Stables. The four year old chestnut colt has been very lightly raced throughout his career with a total of only twelve lifetime starts. Of these twelve starts the colt has had five wins, all of which with the exception of one has come on the turf track surface. The colts most recent start came in Ostend during the nine and a half furlong listed Light Magazine Special where the colt set out of the gate in the lead by one-fourth of a length and appeared to be going to run a wire to wire victory when he was caught in the stretch of the race and finished second, back by two and a half lengths with a speed figure of one hundred one. The colts most recent victory came in the ten furlong listed Blaze Soaring Challenge where the colt did manage to go wire to wire and win by four and a half lengths. The colts most recent graded start came in the mile long Maudlin Cup (G1) where he finished seventh.

In at 13/1 is S R Awareness (IRE) (Tirol (IRE) x Hard Work x Pharly (FR)), and is trained by lordpye2, owner of The Big Oil Conglomerate. The four year old bay colt has been lightly raced with a lucky thirteen lifetime starts, of which three have resulted in wins for the colt, all on the turf. The colts most recent start came here in Victoria during the twelve furlong Grade I Coalminer Cup where the the colt broke out of the gate sharply and went straight to the lead by a head over his nearest competition, but faded in the latter part of the race to finish nine lengths back in third with a speed figure of one hundred six. His most recent victory came in May during the ungraded Swiss Waffle Handicap over nine and a half furlongs in Connecticut where the colt won the race easily by a length going wire to wire.

In the twelve slot is Blazing Lights (Sadler’s Wells x Nashua x Round Table), and is trained by kjracing, owner of Topicount Stables. The four year old colt has been lightly raced with a total of fifteen lifetime starts. Of these fifteen starts, four have resulted in wins for the bay colt, three of which were wins on the turf. His most recent start came over twelve furlongs during the Bluegrass Cup Turf (G2) where the colt broke out of the gate uncharateristally late, but managed to rally for fourth at the wire with a speed figure of one hundred two. His most recent victory came in Mississippi during the sixteen furlong ungraded R.I.P Saddie (AUS) Stakes where the colt was held up in fourth stalking the pace and began to make his move before the field came into the stretch, eventually going on to win impressively by four lengths.

Next is Balerion (Mineshaft x Unbridled x Secretariat), who is owned by khalasar, owner of Given Stables. The five year old bay horse is impeccably bred and has been relatively lightly raced throughout his career with a total of thirty-two lifetime starts. Of the horses thirty-two starts, a total of fourteen of these have resulted in wins, with all but one of these wins occurring on the turf. The horses most recent start came in September during the twelve furlong Bluegrass Cup Turf (G2) where the horse shot out of the gate to a three-fourths length lead over the rest of the field and by the time he reached the stretch he was leading by four and three-fourth lengths. However, the horse was caught by a late challenge and finished the race second with a speed figure of one hundred five. The horses most recent win came in Queensland in late April where he ran in the Long Legged Handicap (G3) where he stalked the front running pace in second and then went on to take the race by a length and a half.

Drawing the far outside will be Western Sculpture (Statue Of Liberty x Gone West x Unfuwain), and is trained by dorrin, owner of Euroalien Stables. The five year old bay hued colt has had a total of forty lifetime starts, with twelve of these starts resulting in wins for the colt. His most recent start came here in Victoria during the twelve furlong Coalminer Cup (G1) where the horse broke out of the starting gate following front runners in fourth, but faded in the late stretch to finish sixth, eighteen and one-fourth lengths back with a speed figure of ninety-nine. His most recent win came in just the start prior, and also took place here in Victoria during the listed thirteen furlong Surrepititious Stakes where the horse broke out of the gate following the pace in second and took control of the lead in the stretch, going on to win the race convincingly by six and one-fourth lengths.