Helmet wins the Group 1 Inglis Sires Produce Stakes

Helmet won the 2011 Sires’ Produce Stakes by half a length ahead of Uate, who finished in second and Pane In The Glass, who passed the post in third.

The two-year-old Exceed And Excel colt has now won his last three starts and has not once finished outside the placings.

Race favourite Elite Falls produced a disappointing run after not being held up for a run down the home straight.

Peter Snowden was overjoyed with Helmet’s winning performance in the 2011 Sires’ Produce Stakes.

“That’s a huge effort. He’s had a really stop start preparation,” Snowden said.

“He presented well and he behaved himself really well and Kerrin (McEvoy) rode him well.

“To his credit he hung in there and held out on the line and I’m very happy with his efforts.”

Helmet will now be sent to the Group 1 Champagne Stakes at Randwick Racecourse on April 23, 2011.

“If he gets a mile in the Champagne (AJC Champagne Stakes) you’d have to think he’s a Caulfield Guineas horse,” Snowden said.

Kerrin McEvoy, who rode Helmet to victory in the race, feels that the best of Helmet is still to come.

“He’s got good ability, he’s just a larrikin,” McEvoy said.

“He’s got lots of potential there and he’s only half trying.”

Asked why Helmet hasn’t yet reached his full potential, McEvoy put it down to his state of mind.

“I think because he does it so easily he switches off a little bit,” he said.

“He’s a nice horse that’s going to go further.”

Included in the exciting AJC Australian Derby Day program is the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes, where superstar Black Caviar will attempt to claim her 12^th unbeaten victory.

The eyes of a nation will be on Black Caviar as she takes to the track in Race 5 at 2.20pm.

Also featuring in the thrilling nine-card race day is the 150^th running of the AJC Australian Derby.

The 2011 AJC Australian Derby will run as race 7 today and is due to jump at 3.40pm (AEST).

Below you will find the LIVE race results for all nine races as they are run.

AJC Australian Derby Day Race Results

Randwick Race 1 – McGrath Estate Agents Kindergarten Stakes (1100m) – Jumps at 11.50am (AEST)

• #7 Anise from #4 Queenian, #1 Hot Snitzel and #8 Fox

Randwick Race 2 – Jim Bean Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) – Jumps at 12.30pm (AEST)

• #7 Needs Further from #3 Divorces, #2 Shadows In The Sun and #4 Happy Trails

Randwick Race 3 – Schweppes Chairman’s Handicap (2600m) – Jumps at 1.10pm (AEST)

• #3 Once Were Wild from #14 Anudjawin, #2 C’est La Guerre and #10 Count Encosta/#8 Older Than Time (Dead Heat For Fourth)

Randwick Race 4 – Emirates Doncaster Mile Prelude (1600m) – Jumps at 1.45pm (AEST)

• #9 My Kingdom Of Fife from #10 Hidden Wonder, #5 Bold Glance and #11 Altered Boy

Randwick Race 5 – Darley TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) – Jumps at 2.20pm (AEST)

• #7 Black Caviar from #1 Hay List, #4 Triple Honour and #8 Alverta

Randwick Race 6 – Inglis Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) – Jumps at 3.00pm (AEST)

• #2 Helmet from #3 Uate, #9 Pane In The Glass and #10 Shared Reflections

Randwick Race 7 – David Jones 150^th AJC Australian Derby (2400m) – Jumps at 3.40pm (AEST)

• #14 Shamrocker from #3 Retrieve, #2 Anacheeva and #4 Praecido

Randwick Race 8 – Yellowglen Sapphire Stakes (1200m) – Jumps at 4.20pm (AEST)

• #11 Hurtle Myrtle from #13 Kimillsy, #3 Marquardt and #2 Zingaling

Randwick Race 9 – Patinack farm Adrian Knox Stakes (1100m) – Jumps at 5.00pm (AEST)

• #12 Crafty Irna from #5 Raspberries, #4 Becerra and #9 Honor Net

The most high profile scratching of the day is Smart Missile, who was withdrawn from the Group 1 Sires’ Produce Stakes field earlier in the week due to a minor injury.

Trainer Anthony Cummings decided it would be sensible to send Smart Missile to the paddock and bring him back in time for a three-year-old campaign in the spring.

“Just when we pulled him out this morning, he wasn’t quite right in his action in behind so I spoke to the connections and made the decision to put the horse out and place the interests of the horse first,” Cummings said.

Cummings was adamant that the scratching in the Sires’ Produce Stakes had nothing to do with Smart Missile’s shock scratching in the Golden Slipper, where he cast his leg on the barrier stalls.

“He hasn’t been receiving any treatment since then,” Cummings said.

“He had a gallop on Sunday and came through that really well and also jumped out on Monday as well.”

The 2011 Sires’ Produce Stakes field is now reduced to 11 runners.

There have been no scratching as yet for the other two Group 1 races due to be run today, including the AJC Australian Derby and the TJ Smith Stakes.

Randwick Race Day Scratchings – AJC Australian Derby Day

Randwick Race 1 – McGrath Estate Agents Kindergarten Stakes (1100m) – Jumps at 11.50am (AEST)

#2 Boys On Tour

Randwick Race 2 – Jim Beam Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) – Jumps at 12.30pm (AEST)

#12 Money Tree

Randwick Race 3 – Schweppes Chairman’s Handicap (2600m) – Jumps at 1.10pm (AEST)

#11 Galizani

Randwick Race 4 – Emirates Doncaster Mile Prelude (1600m) – Jumps at 1.45pm (AEST)

#8 Mr Clangtastic

Randwick Race 5 – Darley TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) – Jumps at 2.20pm (AEST)

No Scratchings

Randwick Race 6 – Inglis Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) – Jumps at 3.00pm (AEST)

#1 Smart Missile

Randwick Race 7 – David Jones 150^th AJC Australian Derby (2400m) – Jumps at 3.40pm (AEST)

No Scratchings

Randwick Race 8 – Yellowglen Sapphire Stakes (1200m) – Jumps at 4.20pm (AEST)

No Scratchings

Randwick Race 9 – Patinack farm Adrian Knox Stakes (1100m) – Jumps at 5.00pm (AEST)

#17 Vin De Vie

Anthony Cummings was forced to withdraw his talented young colt after he sustained a minor injury during this morning’s trackwork.

The two-year-old pulled up scratchy from his morning run and will now miss the remainder of the autumn campaign.

“I spoke with the connections and we have decided to look after him and we’ll bring him back for the spring,” Cummings said.

This is the second scratching for Smart Missile in less than a week, after the Fastnet Rocket colt was a shock late scratching from last weekend’s $3.5 million Golden Slipper after he acted fractious in the stalls.

Smart Missile has won both of his previous two starts, including the Listed NSW Breeders Plate and the Group 2 Todman Stakes.

The juvenile is also the only horse to have upstaged eventual Golden Slipper winner, Sepoy, in any of his six starts.

Smart Missile has been the $2.80 favourite to win the 2011 Sires’ Produce Stakes at Luxbet before his unexpected scratching.

There will be three Group 1 feature races on the day, including the 2011 Sires’ Produce Stakes, 2011 TJ Smith Stakes and the 150^th running of the AJC Australian Derby.

Group racing will begin in Race 5 with the running of the $1 million TJ Smith Stakes, where Black Caviar is tipped to win her 12^th unbeaten race start.

While speculation surrounds the super mare’s ability to handle her first clockwise race start and the predicted wet track, Peter Moody is confident that neither of those two things will be enough to cause Black Caviar any problems.

“I have no fears about a wet track,” Moody said.

“She has worked on it competently at home and trialled on the equivalent of a Heavy 10 at Cranbourne.”

Moody feels that Saturday’s TJ Smith Stakes is a one horse race.

“Facts and figures tell you the opposition can’t beat her without something going amiss – that is just plain and simple,” Moody said.

“I don’t want to sound bullish about it (but) all these horses, or the majority of them, she has met and beat comprehensively.”

Racing at Randwick will begin at 11.50am with the running of the Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes.

Randwick Race Day Tips – 2011 AJC Australian Derby Day

Randwick Race 1 Tips – McGrath Estate Agents Kindergarten Stakes (1100m)

Favourite Tip: #7 Anise

Best Place Picks: #9 Aubazine and #1 Hot Snitzel

Randwick Race 2 Tips – Jim Bean Carbine Club Stakes (1600m)

Favourite Tip: #1 Kudakulari

Best Place Picks: #3 Divorces and #7 Needs Further

Randwick Race 3 Tips – Schweppes Chairman’s Handicap (2600m)

Favourite Tip: #2 Once Were Wild

Best Place Picks: #4 Showcase and #5 Tinseltown

Randwick Race 4 Tips – Emirates Doncaster Mile Prelude (1600m)

Favourite Tip: #11 Altered Boy

Best Place Picks: #15 Glintz and #3 Brilliant Light

Randwick Race 5 Tips – Darley TJ Smith Stakes (1200m)

Favourite Tip: #7 Black Caviar

Best Place Picks: #1 Hay List and #2 Shoot Out

Randwick Race 6 Tips – Inglis Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m)

Favourite Tip: #10 Shared Reflections

Best Place Picks: #8 Elite Falls and #2 Helmet

Randwick Race 7 Tips – David Jones 150^th AJC Australian Derby (2400m)

Favourite Tip: #1 Jimmy Choux

Best Place Picks: #9 I Think I Do and #12 King Gladiator

Randwick Race 8 Tips – Yellowglen Sapphire Stakes (1200m)

Favourite Tip: #1 Graceful Anna

Best Place Picks: #4 Trim and #8 Ofcourseican

Randwick Race 9 Tips – Patinack farm Adrian Knox Stakes (1100m)

Favourite Tip: #10 Kim Heaven

Best Place Picks: #2 Willow Creek and #3 Placement