Sportsbet Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (Group 1)

WARWICK Farm trainer Gary Portelli made a successful southern raid to Victoria on Saturday, landing the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield with the Brave Smash filly Kimochi.

Racing in Yulong Farm’s familiar green colours, Kimochi was more than impressive, having to make a sustained run from the back of the field under Craig Williams to surge past the short-priced favourite Another Will and win by a half-length over the Street Boss gelding. Third went to the Artie Schiller gelding Steparty.

“At the top of the straight, she was just marking time and then, all of a sudden, she just really showed her tenacity and to run down a horse like Another Will was great,” said Williams.

Sold as a weanling for A$21,000 at the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale, Kimochi was offered again last May as a Group 2 winner, who placed three times at Group 1 level.

Choice vindicated

Led through the ring at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale, Yulong was pushed to $2.2 million to land the Brave Smash filly. Their choice vindicated as she became their fourth Group 1 winner of the Spring behind Deny Knowledge, Treasurethe Moment and Via Sistina.

“There was a bit of pressure on us, Yulong have been on fire with their famous colours in the last few weeks,” said Gary Portelli.

“Back (in distance) to the 1,400m, no weight on her back (52.5kg), champion ride. She was a long way back at one stage, but it was a brilliant ride from barrier 13 to get one off (the rail).

We’re only a small stable and most of our owners are just mums and dads, who want to get involved in racing. So for us to get a Group 1 gives them confidence that any horse that comes through our stable, we can get them to win at this level.”

Schweppes Thousand Guineas (Group 1)

ANOTHER Prophet, a 30/1 outsider, has defied the fast-finishing race favourite Aeliana to claim her maiden Group 1 win in the 1000 Guineas at Caulfield.

Trained by the ubiquitous Ciaron Maher, the Brazen Beau filly took up a forward position and had only a pair of horses ahead of her at the top of the straight. Unfurled by Ethan Brown with 300m remaining, she burst clear of her nearest rivals, opening up a gap too great for the Castelvecchio filly Aeliana to overhaul, as the Too Darn Hot filly Too Darn Lizzie held on for third, having led at the top of the straight.

“We knew she was on the right trajectory and thought there was a little bit of improvement in her coming out of her last run,” said Maher. “She ran a peak last start, so that gave us the confidence going forward. It was obviously a bit of a roll at the stumps, but that was the science behind it. She has thrived and, as I said to Brownie going out, I think we can win this.”

Second in the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes on Victoria Derby Day at her previous start, Another Prophet is a home-bred by Bell River Thoroughbreds, with this her second win in seven starts.

New Zealand

LETTERKENNY’S Dylan Browne McMonagle rode his first group winner in Australia on the weekend, guiding the Ciaron Maher-trained filly Snitzanova to a narrow victory in the Group 3 Spring Stakes over 1,600m at Newcastle.

“It’s a massive thanks to Ciaron and (assistant) Johann (Gerard-Dubord) for giving me the chance to come over here,” said Browne McMonagle. “I am delighted to get a result like this. I will be here until Christmas and probably be back in the New Year as well for a bit, so we will see how we go and keep rolling as long as we can.”

Based in Sydney at present, Browne McMonagle rode 11 winners in Melbourne last year, when also aligned with Ciaron Maher.

He returned for the final day of this year’s Melbourne Cup carnival at Flemington, his best result from five rides, fourth in the Group 1 Champions Stakes (2,000 metres) aboard Future History.

“He is a hard worker and a very good jockey,” said Maher’s assistant trainer Johann Gerard-Dubord. “He is very strong. I don’t think we would have many stronger jockeys here today. It’s great and now she (Snitzanova) is a stakes winner.”

Madden winner

There was also a nice winner for Tom Madden in the Donald Cup on Sunday, when he partnered the Matt Laurie-trained Chartres to a four-length success.

THE 22-year-old UK jockey Saffie Osbourne has taken up a three-month position with Ciaron Maher’s Cranbourne stable. She had her first Australian race-ride at Geelong on Sunday.

“Their season is finished and Ciaron obviously got Dylan (Browne McMonagle) to come over last year and he tries to get the best jockeys he can to come over,” said Jockey manager Reece Murphy, who is organising Osbourne’s rides.

“She was the champion apprentice a couple of years ago and she’s ridden 100 winners last year, so she’s ready to go.”

KEITH Ballard, Australia’s oldest jockey, retired with a winner in his final race at Mount Isa in outback Queensland on Saturday.

“It had the perfect ending really, didn’t it?” said Ballard. The 71-year-old won his first race in 1969 and stops his career at 1779 winners from 9,578 starts. He will continue to ride track work for his wife Denise Ballard, with another jockey in the family, their son Dan.

“We’re hopping on a plane and going to Hong Kong for the international meeting, which will be fantastic. There’s six of us going from here, we’re all golden oldies so we’ll have a good time.

“It will be different, not race riding. I love it, my mind’s as good as gold, but it’s my old body that couldn’t keep up!”

New Zealand 1000 Guineas (Group 1)

THE Australian-bred Written Tycoon filly Captured By Love has provided Te Akau Racing with their seventh winner of the New Zealand 1000 Guineas.

The Riccarton Group 1 was dominated by the winner and the second placed Alabama Lass. The Alabama Express filly having relegated Captured By Love to second on the two occasions they had met.

Trained by Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, the Te Akau team brought in the Australian jockey Josh Parr for the ride.

“That was a great win,” said Walker. “Well done to our racing manager Reece Trumper for getting the services of Josh Parr. At the top of the straight it could have got ugly, but Group 1 jockeys make Group 1 decisions and Josh got a lovely run through on the inside. She’s only going to improve heading into the autumn, so very exciting times ahead for Captured By Love.”

In the ‘soft 7’ conditions, Captured By Love had a lot of ground to make up, as Alabama Lass led the field.

Better races

Hitting the front 100m from the line, the style of the win suggested better races are ahead, as she improved her record to five wins from 10 starts, having been purchased for A$525,000 from the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale last year. Third was the Staphanos filly Movin Out, who was making ground fast on those ahead.

“It feels great to win a Group 1 race in New Zealand,” said Parr. “Two years ago, I came to ride for Te Akau at this carnival, and this day didn’t go well with the races being cancelled.

“Middle to three-quarters of the way out on the track is the place to be, but it opened up on the inside, so I took the shortcut.

“We idled up alongside the favourite and she was the stronger filly. The Te Akau team has been great to me in the past and they’re huge contributors, both here and in Australia.”