At Caulfield on Saturday 23 February 2013 there were two very special occasions.  One I have already written about, where the tiny filly from Adelaide, Miracles of Life, or "Barbie" as she's affectionately known, and her 29 year old apprentice jockey Lauren Stojakovic combined to win the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes. The other special race and performance took place just 40 mins before Barbie's great triumph.  And it was the $25million colt, All Too Hard, half brother to the Famous Pony Black Caviar, winning the G1 Futurity Stakes.  This was the colt's 3rd Group 1 victory, adding to his Caulfield Guineas and CF Orr Stakes wins, along with a close 2nd to Ocean Park in the WS Cox Plate.  The handsome bay colt looked glossy and strong, and he's beginning to get his head around what's required of him.  There's a good friend of mine who believes the colt is as good as his Famous Sister.  I have enduring and strong loyalty to the Famous Pony though, ...

More Joyous.  The Mighty Mare.  She came to Caulfield on Saturday 26th February, and took the G1 Futurity Stakes.  Need I say more!!!!

I spent last Saturday at Caulfield Racecourse.  It was Blue Diamond Stakes Day, and it is a race meeting that I photograph each year because of the wonderful fields it usually draws, and the fact that I love being at Caulfield so much.   This year a colt, sired by Elusive Quality (the sire in America of superstar Smarty Jones) and out of the Danehill mare Watchful started a raging favourite.  His name was Sepoy, and he was bred and owned by Darley Australia.  I do a lot of work for Darley.  They are a valued client of mine, and I like the team very much.   It was therefore with great pleasure that I watched Sepoy absolutely run away with the Blue Diamond Stakes.  It is rare to see a 2 year old remain unbeaten, and even rarer to see them dominate their races so completely.  He'd done this in his lead up races, but we've seen this before, and many come with huge reputations to the Group 1 race and fall apart.  Sepoy is the ex...