Classic Criteria

CLASSIC CRITERIA 
The A$1 million G1 Mackinnon S. was dealt a blow yesterday when defending winner Side Glance (GB) (Passing Glance {GB}) was withdrawn due to a fetlock injury, but the weight-for-age showpiece–which grants the winner an automatic berth into the G1 Melbourne Cup next Tuesday–nonetheless boasts a strong lineup of reliable gallopers. Rogan Josh (Aus) (Old Spice {Aus}) was the last horse to complete that big-race double in 1999, and other high-profile winners of this event include So You Think (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}) and Lonhro (Aus) (Octagonal {NZ}). Jointly favored at $5.50 to join that list is last season's dual Classic winner Criterion (NZ) (Sebring {Aus}) and G1 Australian Oaks winnerRising Romance (NZ) (Ekraar). Criterion wrapped up his sophomore campaign earlier this year with a sweep of the G1 Rosehill Guineas and G1 Australian Derby, and while he has not won in five outings this season, he has proven he has retained his class. The chestnut was a flashy runner-up to Fawkner (Aus) (Reset {Aus}) in the G1 Caulfield S. Oct. 11, and checked in seventh, beaten just 1 1/2 lengths, in the G1 Cox Plate six days ago. Rising Romance proved herself a rising force in Australia when she won last season's Oaks in her second domestic start after relocating from New Zealand, and she has proven up to the challenge of dealing with her elders this season, having finished a narrow second in the G1 Caulfield Cup Oct. 18. 

Those Classic winners are followed closely in the betting by Chris Waller's French import He's Your Man (Fr) (Cape Cross {Ire}), who has really come into his own this season as a 5-year-old and recently recorded a big-race double, taking the 2000 meter G3 Kingston Town S. Sept. 13 before wheeling back to a mile to add the G1 Epsom H. Oct. 4. He's Your Man once again gets the services of Joao Moreira, who partnered him in the Epsom. The reliable 7-year-old gelding Happy Trails (Aus) (Good Journey) is nearly always to be found at the finish line of these big events, and thus cannot be discounted for a spot on the board. The chestnut recorded a career highlight when winning the G1 Turnbull S. over this track and trip a little more than a year ago prior to finishing second in the Cox Plate. Happy Trails was most recently sixth, beaten less than a length, trying that weight-for-age championship again six days ago.