ATC’s 2018 Sydney Racing Carnival concludes with Gr.1 A$600,000 All Aged Stakes and the Gr. 1 $500,000 Champagne Stakes on the All Aged Stakes Day at Royal Randwick. And what a fantastic season it has been!

 

Godolphin’s Hartnell can smash the A$5 million prizemoney barrier on Saturday if he can claim a fourth career major in the All Aged Stakes. When James Cummings took over the training of Hartnell this season, he decided to avoid futile clashes with Winx, sending the big bay to Melbourne to race — and getting rewarded. In eight starts, Hartnell, has won the Group 2 Lawrence Stakes last spring and the Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes earlier this year.

 

Hartnell trainer James Cummings said. “Hartnell has shown he is very effective when trained for 1400m races.”

 

“He’s in good shape and it would be satisfying to see him get back into the form that he was in when he beat Brave Smash in the Orr Stakes.’’ He added.

 

Hartnell is on the third favourite in the All Aged Stakes behind crack colt Trapeze Artist and old foe Brave Smash.

 

Trapeze Artist and Brave Smash will be striving to boost their chances of securing a slot in The Everest when they clash in the All Aged Stakes. Trapeze Artist vaulted into Everest contention when he ran down Redzel in an epic TJ Smith Stakes showdown. Jockey Angland hopes his performance in the All Aged Stakes will demonstrate his sprinting talents again and impress his Everest claims.

 

Although Hartnell is not going up against his nemesis Winx, her owner Peter Tighe shares in the ownership of former Japanese galloper Satono Rasen, who makes his Australian debut in the 1400m All Aged Stakes.

 

The soft spoken and polished Tighe also races Unforgotten, who won the Australian Oaks last week on the same day champion galloper Winx won her 25th consecutive race, in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

 

“I’m not sure what to expect from this horse but it will be interesting to see how he goes at his first start in Australia,’’ Tighe said.

 

The Chris Waller-trained Satono Rasen is a six-year-old stallion, by Japanese superhorse Deep Impact, who has had 21 starts for three wins and 10 placings. He is a Group 2 winner and ran second in the Japan Derby.

 

Le Romain is usually a genuine Group 1 contender but ran arguably the worst race of his career when 15th in the Doncaster Mile two weeks ago.

 

The other feature of the day is the Champagne Stakes which is highlighted by the El Dorado Dreaming, who caused a boilover when winning the Sires' Produce Stakes on the same course two weeks ago. She defeated a host of the same rivals on that occasion who she faces again here. The Sires' Produce Stakes - Champagne Stakes double is a commonly achieved feat with this filly capable of becoming the 41st 2YO to record it.

 

Although there is no clear favourite for the Champagne Stakes’ win, Irukandji is bred to relish the step up to the mile and should come up as a strong contender to El Dorado Dreaming. Another horse who could challenge her claim is Not A Single Cent. Although he did not contest the Sires' he did win the VRC Sires' Produce win the start prior with great aplomb.

 

Both the All Aged Stakes and the Champaign Stakes, which is considered the penultimate race for two-year-olds this Autumn should be interesting to watch with a good track this year.