Sir Owen Glenn's Criterion (NZ) (Sebring {Aus}) commences his farewell tour in Saturday's G1 Canterbury S. at Randwick, the first of a three-race preparation designed to conclude in a defense of his title in the A$4-million G1 Queen Elizabeth S. at The Championships Apr. 9, the final start of what has become a remarkable career.
The 2014 G1 Australian Derby winner when under the care of trainer David Payne, the handsome chestnut was third in the G1 QE II Cup in Hong Kong last April and subsequently turned in a pair of hard-trying efforts in Europe, but did not make a significant impact in the G1 Prince of Wales's S. and G1 Juddmonte International S. Despite the heavy travel, he made three impressive appearances in Melbourne last spring, winning the G1 Caulfield S. before finishing second in the G1 Cox Plate and a creditable third in the G1 Melbourne Cup in the space of 24 days. He was most recently a head-scratching ninth in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup Dec. 13. He is set to begin stud duties at Newgate Farm later this year.
Our Boy Malachi (Aus) (Top Echelon {Aus}) has won a remarkable 18 of his 22 career starts and padded his gaudy first-up record (8-7-1-0) with a three-length success in the G2 Expressway S. at Rosehill Jan. 30. His record second off the layoff is almost as impressive, with four wins and a third from six outings and is in search of a maiden Group 1 tally Saturday afternoon.
First Seal (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) will try to get the afternoon off on a positive note for the China Horse Club and partners as she looks for her first top-level victory since taking out the G1 Coolmore Flight S. in October 2014. The popular winner of the G2 Surround S. last February, the bay was upset in the G1 Coolmore Classic, did not run out the 2000 meters when second in the G1 Vinery Stud S. and was spelled off a sixth in the G1 Queen of the Turf S. in April. She regrouped with a facile win over 1400 meters in the G2 Millie Fox S. at Rosehill Feb. 20.
Kermadec (NZ) (Teofilo {Ire}), winner of the G1 George Main S. last September, was fourth to Criterion in the Caulfield S. and has his first run since beating just one home in the Cox Plate. He holds entries in three races at The Championships, including the Doncaster H. and the Queen Elizabeth S.
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