Blake Spriggs has been trying not to think about the Melbourne Cup for the past couple of weeks because he did want to get "too far ahead" of himself. But his belief in Sir John Hawkwood was finally matched by performance in Saturday's Metropolitan at Randwick.
Godolphin's jockey James McDonald admitted he "missed a couple of beats", but the trainer John O'Shea's heart "was like machine gun" as Hauraki scored an improbable last to first Epsom victory at Randwick on Saturday.
Newgate Farm and China Horse Club might have the two best colts in the country if the last 48 hours is any indication.
It could be said that Tulloch Lodge owns the Flight Stakes. Tommy Smith won 13, Gai Waterhouse eight and now the partnership of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott has its first courtesy of Global Glamour leading all-the-way at Randwick on Saturday.
Anyone looking for the strongest guide to the Caulfield Cup should head to Flemington on Sunday where the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes will surely provide all the evidence they need.
The kings – Chautauqua and Buffering – may not be quite dead, certainly not on the evidence of one run.
Godolphin trainer John O'Shea was hoping for the usual weather pattern heading into a major Randwick meeting for his Metropolitan hopes Allergic and defending champion Magic Hurricane.
David Vandyke has learnt his lesson with Yankee Rose and she will be back "to following a back" and charging to the line in Saturday's Flight Stakes at Randwick.
Adrian Bott's name sits next to Gai Waterhouse in the Randwick racebook for the first time on a day that she has made her own for the past 20 years. So there would be some symmetry if the partnership can bank its first big one at Randwick on Saturday.
James McDonald has two brilliant books of rides on grand final weekend.
For the first time in more than 50 years I'll miss Saturday's Epsom at Royal Randwick, anticipating a Hauraki goal, seeking another Malceski moment.
The Turnbull Stakes meeting at Flemington on Sunday should reveal plenty of contenders for spring riches as the Melbourne carnival gets into full swing.
Winx had the perfect season in 2015-16. Being unbeaten in seven starts earned her the Australian horse of the year title on Thursday night, but she couldn't poll all 60 top votes for the award.
There is group 1 racing but the highlight of the Randwick meeting on Saturday may well be the clash between superstar colts Astern and Capitalist in the Roman Consul Stakes.
Robert Heathcote, the Queensland-based trainer of sprint sensation Buffering, jokes that if he didn't look at the old galloper's ID card he would think he was only a four-year-old.
Glyn Schofield likes what Skylight Glow has shown him leading into a wide-open Flight Stakes on Saturday at Randwick.
Gerald Ryan is known to keep sales books for years, curiously glancing back at his notes when one emerges as a budding superstar on the track. He didn't take long to glance at his scribbling for the boom colt heading into the two-year-old season when Sun Bloodstock were seeking a trainer.
The crowd at the prestigious Goffs Orby Sales in Ireland this week had to wait until one of the last lots for the seven-figure mark to be smashed.
Chris Waller and Antonio Giuseppe's owner Tony Muollo are mates, first of all, but they share dreams. But sometimes it takes one a little longer to catch up to other's dream.
Godolphin jockey James McDonald still rues the Golden Slipper that might have got away with Golden Rose winner Astern, but that is in the past.
Trainer Kris Lees had to make an uncomfortable call for the Epsom but hopes it can result in victory for Le Romain.
Chris Waller has designed four separate programs to get Saturday's Epsom, each with its own merits and each has worked before, but he leans towards Mackintosh, which has had the Winx preparation.
A shock move by investigators is set to rock Victoria's spring racing carnival, with champion jockey Mark Zahra summoned to publicly testify about a notorious race fixing scandal.
Barriers aren't really going to make or break your chances over the mile at Randwick but jockeys and trainers always have preferences.
Trainer Tim Martin was airlifted out of Heritage Park, near Picton, on Monday after a horse flipped over on him.
Western Bulldogs team doctor Gary Zimmerman has plenty on his mind this week - and its not all about football.
Chelsea Macfarlane topped the honours at the Queanbeyan Race Club on Monday with two winners.
Astern clashes with Capitalist on Saturday at Randwick before heading south for the spring carnival.
The weather in Europe over the next few days will have a key bearing on the participation – or otherwise – of two of Coolmore's flagship horses in Australia's major races this spring.
Kalgoorlie builder Kim Renner is lately a little less indignant at how his small group of life-long friends shunned him at their regular drinking session at a hotel back in 2012.
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