Going Global, 8-time U.S. graded winner, makes Australian debut

Going Global lives up to her name as the eight-time US Graded Stakes winner makes her Australian debut this Friday night at Rosehill.

A record number of international horses traveled to Sydney for the AU$40 million (about $26.5 million US) Autumn Racing Carnival. Two horses prepared by Joseph O’Brien (one favored against Going Global) also feature on a 10-race program that includes eight Group races. The card will be broadcast live on FanDuel TV and is available to stream on the Sky Racing World app, with the first post scheduled for 9:10 PM EDT.

After Going Global’s victorious American swan song in October, trainer Phil D’Amato described her as “the epitome of a champion in my heart. She just has all the qualities, the heart, the will and an incredible turn of foot.”

The 2021 Del Mar Oaks (G1) winner sold for $2.5 million at Fasig-Tipton’s November sale, then crossed the Pacific Ocean to join the barn of champion Sydney fixer Chris Waller. Going Global (15-1) drew an extremely wide gate for Friday night’s Emancipation Stakes (G2), at 7 1/2 furlongs for fillies and mares, carded as the day’s sixth race. She will also face the demand of a wet surface, having enjoyed California’s firm footing.

Her competition includes the O’Brien-trained favorite Statement (7-2), who is also making her Aussie debut and comes from a similar layoff to Going Global. Statement, who fared much better in the post position draw, was last seen winning the Concorde (G3) over this distance in Ireland. Both mares will have an even bigger target in their sights: the Queen of the Turf (G1) on April 7, part of the championships at Randwick. The championships are a Breeders’ Cup-style event, boasting eight Group 1 races over two Friday nights: 31 March and 7 April.

Joseph O’Brien, who has sent five horses to chase Sydney’s riches, also has Cleveland set for an Australian debut in Friday night’s Tancred (G1, Race 8) at 1 1/2 miles. After Cleveland finished second at Royal Ascot going 1 3/4 miles (in just his sixth career start), he was bought by a prominent Australian owner as a prospect for elite marathon races Down Under. O’Brien has already trained two Melbourne Cup winners for the father-son team of Lloyd and Nick Williams: Rekindling (2017) and Twilight Payment (2020).

In Friday night’s Tancred, Cleveland (8-1) will rub shoulders with a pair of Melbourne Cup-winning horses: 2019 winner Vow And Declare (12-1), and last November’s winner Gold Trip (7-2). Gold Trip also started its career in Europe.

While the Melbourne Cup remains the “holy grail” for the world’s best marathon horses, the Tancred is a proven stepping stone to a lucrative short-term goal, the Sydney Cup (G1) on 7 April. The Tancred field also includes a son of Frankel named King Frankel (12-1), who had a three-race win, started last favorite but has the ability to bounce back.

On a program of incredible depth and intrigue, numerous other races feature Australian debuts of highly regarded horses. Full Sincere, a last-start third in the New Zealand Derby, is 5-2 favorite for the Tulloch (G2), carded as the day’s third race.

The Neville Sellwood (G3), the fourth race, features a quartet of fresh faces, each with new Australian trainers: Gear Up (9-1) is a Group 1 winner in France who defeated Cleveland in Ireland last summer; Fancy Man (14-1) has six Group 3 placings in England; Magical Lagoon (40-1) won last year’s Group 1 Irish Oaks; and Third Realm (9-1) has the lightest credentials, but has trained a lot going forward.

Meanwhile, New Zealand’s star 3-year-old filly, Prowess, brings a six-for-eight career record to the Vinery Stud (G1), the seventh race of the day. Prowess, who last beat older males at G1 level, is the 8-5 favorite as she returns to her own age and gender; 2-1 second betting choice, Pavitra, is a highly promising Australian daughter of American Pharoah.

Times Square, Group 1-placed at Longchamp as a 2- and 3-year-old filly, takes part in the Doncaster Prelude (G3), the ninth race. Times Square (15-1) landed in the shed of the powerful Australian training team Ciaron Maher and David Eustace (who also trains Gold Trip). The reigning champion trainers from Melbourne, who lead the country in races won this season, recently increased their stall award in Sydney. Citing “the unprecedented growth of Sydney racing,” Maher identified the Harbor City as “obviously where we want to expand our presence … it’s a real growth area for our business.”

From Dubai to Sydney, top-flight horse racing is indeed “global” this weekend. Ironically, a horse called Dubai Honor competed on the World Cup card last year but is currently in Sydney. The William Haggas trainee made a huge impression when he won his Australian debut last week, less than an hour before Australia’s best horse, Anamoe, won his ninth Group 1. The pair will clash on April 7 in the $3.32 million Queen Elizabeth (G1), the marquee race at Randwick.

The Rosehill card will air live on FanDuel TV this Friday night, with the first post scheduled for 9:10 PM EDT, along with cards from Wyong, Eagle Farm and Ascot.

About Michael Wrona

A native of Brisbane, Australia, Wrona has called races in six countries. Michael’s vast American experience includes; racing at Los Alamitos, Hollywood Park, Arlington and Santa Anita, calling the 2000 Preakness on a national radio network and the 2016 Breeders’ Cup on the International simulcast network. Michael also performed a voiceover for a Seinfeld episode called The Subway.

Coverage of Randwick for Horse Racing Nation is made possible by a sponsorship by Sky Racing World.