October
SeptemberOver the Hill
Congratulations to the connections of Attrition and Land Legend, but if last Saturday taught us anything it’s that we don’t have the depth of high-quality middle-distance horses in Australia to justify a $1 million Group 1 over 2000 metres and a $2 million Group 2 over 1900 metres, both at weight-for-age, on the same day in mid-October.
As it transpired, this year’s Might And Power was a classic — thanks mainly to the sporting decision of Peter Moody, Katherine Coleman and Fred Noffke to run Sheza Alibi in it.
Let’s hope the gutbusting run hasn’t ruined her campaign.
But six runners this year and four last year (in a much duller race) is far from an ideal situation.
As for the Hill Stakes, Attrition’s win is a great story and well done to all concerned, but surely this is the weakest $2 million race on the calendar.
Attrition was beaten 16 times between winning it in 2024 and winning it last Saturday. And his only quinella finish in that period was in the Hill Stakes of 2025!
So weak was last Saturday’s field that Lindermann — good horse, no champion — started the $1.70 favourite after getting beaten nine lengths by Birdman.
So weak was it that Militarize, one of the greatest non-winners in Australian racing and coming off 25 straight defeats, started second favourite.
It would literally be more interesting next year if they scrapped it and put on a $2 million match race between Lindermann and Attrition.
Castlemaine (Vic)