IN conditions rated slow, but looking more akin to heavy, the Irish-bred Mugatoo prevailed in the $5 million All Star Mile at Moonee Valley on Saturday. Settled midfield by Hugh Bowman, the Henrythenavigator gelding looked to be in strife on the bend with a wall of four blocking the path forward.
A sidewise look by Bowman offered no options, before half a gap was enough for him to urge Mugatoo forward with Russian Camelot looming on the outside. With a clear passage hard won, Mugatoo and Russian Camelot went stride-for-stride, with the Group 1 Metropolitan (2,400 metres) runner-up’s stamina key to the result.
The Camelot horse Russian Camelot finished half a length in arrears, the pair finishing four lengths ahead of the All Too Hard gelding Behemoth.
“Kris Lees gave him one run in Sydney to prep for it. We all know his best distance is a bit further, but he’s come here in the right order and delivered on the big day,” said Bowman who was pleased to see the rain arrive, playing to the advantage of the former David Simcock-trained runner.
Race concept
Newcastle-based Kris Lees, training Mugatoo for the Australian Bloodstock-led syndicate, was equally pleased with the conditions and delighted with the race concept.
“It’s great,” said Lees. “It’s been well received still with a restricted crowd but the roar went up when the gates opened. It’s putting its footprint on racing now.”
With starters based on public voting, the race takes its inspiration from Japan’s Arima Kinen with the editions rotated between Flemington, Caulfield and Moonee Valley.
Coolmore Classic (Group 1 Handicap)
BRISBANE’S leading trainer Tony Gollan has ventured south, landing his second major win in as many starts with Krone, his five-year-old mare by Eurozone. Sent out at $14 in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic at Rosehill, despite winning the Group 2 Guy Walter two weeks earlier, Tim Clark’s patient ride provided the springboard for a decisive win.
“I really thought it would be hard for her on the firm ground, but I always had barrier one up my sleeve,” said Gollan. “You could see her getting the favours in the run, and I knew she has a really sharp sprint when she is held up like that. It was just a great ride. He cut the corner beautifully and, once the run presented, she was really just too good.”
Sprinting clear over the final stages of the 1,500 metres, the margin was a length and half to the Zoustar mare Mizzy and the I Am Invincible filly Dame Giselle, the win also breaking a seven-year Group 1 drought for Gollan.
TRALEE’S Michael O’Callaghan can look forward to an early morning watching Australian racing on April 3rd following Saturday’s win by I Am Superman which ensures a start in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile worth A$3 million.
Having left the Footstepsinthesand horse in Australia after the Golden Eagle in 2019, this was I Am Superman’s third win in nine starts and his second Group 2, winning Saturday’s Ajax Stakes over 1,500 metres.
“He’s one of these Europeans that actually like fast going,” said co-trainer Paul Snowden. “Once he gets on that soft six or seven range his wheels start to spin, but full credit to Kerrin (McEvoy), he hung tough and competed early and got into that good spot. That gets him into the Doncaster now, so we’re very, very happy.”
IN far from a straightforward ride, Tom Sherry has weaved a passage through traffic to line-up the Redoute’s Choice filly Miravalle for a smart win in the Group 3 Kembla Grange Classic Friday week ago at Kembla Grange.
The win was Sherry’s first group success as well as consigning his countryman Robbie Dolan to second aboard the race favourite Elizabeel.
Sherry, who rode Miravalle for trainer Mark Newnham, said: “It’s a great thrill to ride it for my boss and especially big owners like Arrowfield.” A half-sister the dual Group 1 winner Yankee Rose, Miravalle, fourth in the VRC Oaks in the spring looks set to follow a path to the Australian Oaks on April 10th.