The real Commanding Jewel stood up at Flemington yesterday in winning the Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes, honouring the 1991 Melbourne Cup winner.

Moonee Valley was not her spot when she opened her spring campaign this time in, after being off the scene since her Thousand Guineas win back in October.

She has developed into a magnificent quality mare with a pretty high price tag attached to her, she didn’t like being locked in on the fence last time, she sounded that message loud and clear.

Yesterday she was in her comfort zone on the outside for most of the trip at a distance she enjoys racing centre field, until it was time to get serious about the issue.

Those that received the $9 odds can enjoy it now; it is not likely to be repeated again in a race restricted to mares.

Commanding Jewel in full flight

It was quite a wide betting race, with A Time For Julia the preferred favourite ahead of Thy, both being out of the Peter Moody yard.

Trainer Leon Corstens has been patient with Commanding Jewel, as have her group of owners, headed by successful syndicator Brad Spicer, he selected the mare out of the Magic Millions Sales as a yearling.

The immediate mission for Commanding Jewel is likely to be the Toorak Handicap; she has won over the distance of 1600 metres and is adaptable around Caulfield.

Much would depend on that run whether she presses on to the final day at Flemington, with the Emirates Stakes the most likely option.  

Amy-Lee Shadbolt shows off Commanding Jewel 

Fast ‘N’Rocking cast the shackles aside as a maiden when he powered home to win the H D F McNeil Stakes at Caulfield.

While David Hayes is weighing up his options which direction he will take, at this stage he was pleased to shake off the maiden tag.

The Golden Rose in Sydney is a strong possibility with it’s prizemoney of $1 million, that would have to be given serious consideration.

Fast ‘N’ Rocking was drawing away at the conclusion of the McNeil, suggesting the Fastnet Rock colt is going to get much further.

The favourite, Miracles Of Life, was not on her best behaviour, fortunately she started from the outside, otherwise there could have been mayhem, she did race erratically throwing her head about and fighting with her rider, Lauren Stojakovic.

She finally reached the lead at the top of the straight, however, it was short lived, she was swamped by the colts, Fast ‘N’ Rocking and Prince Harada, with the early pacemaker, Divine Calling, hanging on for third.

Miracles Of Life was dominant in the autumn, she wiped the floor with her opposition in the Blue Diamond Stakes, she was an early maturing filly, the colts have now caught up, it will be much harder from here in and we have a strong group of fillies as well

 Fast 'N' Rocking could be Sydney bound.

Vain Queen kept her winning record intact winning the Sportingbet Sprint Series Heat 1 Handicap, but only just, after giving those that supported her a few anxious moments in running.

After beginning well she was clearly beaten for pace by Holder Sunset, then she began to race ungainly as if something was amiss with her, it was most unusual, completely out character for a filly that recorded two impressive wins at Flemington.

Her rider, Glen Boss, had to straighten her on quite a few occasions, particularly at the top of the straight when it looked as if she might throw the race away.

Troy Corstens, from Malua Racing, deputising for John Sadler, said “ she is still learning, she is doing it on raw ability, there is a lot of potential there, it is just taking time to come through.”

“On the corner Boss had to niggle to get her to put her mind on the job at hand, she could go to the paddock after this,” he added.

She is not a big robust filly, she needs to thicken out quite a bit and will if she gets the best of the spring grass.

Once she returns there are a number of good races about for her, the Oakleigh Plate would have to be considered.

Vain Queen keeps her record in tact

The benefit of wintering in sunny Queensland paid dividends for Ibicenco, who surged home to get up in the last couple of strides to defeat Mr O’Ceirin in the Slickpix Stakes.

Formerly known as the Heatherlie Stakes, trainers often used the race as the beginning of a Caulfield Cup preparation.

Whether the Caulfield Cup winner was smothered away in that field is somewhat doubtful, as most have little chance of qualifying.

The winner would have blown most punters out of the water; he was a noticeable drifter, paying $51.

Now that he has found form he is more that capable of winning further races, Peter Moody grades his horses well, now the gelding has found form he will be placed to advantage.

Ibicenco is bred to get much further than Saturday’s Slickpix Stakes; he won the Sandown Cup last spring and could be heading in that direction again.

His dam, Iberi, by the English Derby winner Rainbow Quest, was a useful staying mare in Germany, where each of her seven foals won races.

The short priced favourite, Palak, after drawing an outside gate was forced to cover a lot of ground, yet was racing like a winner, but failed to run on as expected.

Ibicenco was a second leg of a winning double for Peter Moody, two races earlier on the program when he trained the trifecta.

Ibicenco returns to form

Samaready made a brilliant return to racing, after a break of 12 months, when she won The Shark .Com.Au Stakes Group 3 at Caulfield.

The mare had all the credentials, winning the Blue Diamond Stakes and placed third behind Pierro, and Snitzerland, in the Golden Slipper Stakes.

After running fourth in the Quezette Stakes last August she suffered a torn hamstring, forcing her to miss her all important three year old season.

A long break recuperating in the lush paddocks of Vinery, where she was bred, it has been a long process but time has proved the essence of the contract.

There she was at Caulfield on Saturday, punters pinning their faith in her as they had previously and she delivered.

She was well served at the gate, running third on settling down she was going to be the one to beat a long way out, she was travelling sweetly on the turn.

Managing part owner, Peter Orton gave, her the seal of approval, she is a pretty good mare as her record portrays, five wins from seven starts.

Samaready is by Vinery’s star act More Than Ready; he sired another winner earlier in the day when Sweet Talkin Woman scored a nice win at Rosehill.

Samaready - A brilliant winner