Sportsbet Oakleigh Plate (Group 1)
SETTLED last from a wide gate in the 1,100 metre Group 1 Oakleigh Plate, Ethan Brown on Jimmysstar displayed icy nerves to bide his time.
Still last on the bend and waiting on the split as the leading trio began to flag, the gap came with 200 metres remaining. Pouncing on the opportunity, Jimmysstar wound up hitting the front in the final 40 metres to win by just over a length.
Second to the Ciaron Maher-trained Per Incanto gelding was the Shooting To Win filly She’s Bulletproof, ahead of the Magnus gelding Rey Magnerio.
“I haven’t had a horse probably go as quick, ever, I’d love to see his sectionals, he flew late,” said Ethan Brown, after the pair had ran 21.82 seconds for the final 400 metres.
“What a training performance to have a 1,400 metre horse fresh up in an Oakleigh Plate and run like that. It’s quite amazing. Words can’t describe how much I value it, he’s been nothing but good to me Ciaron.”
Jimmysstar, with his first Group 1 win, improved his record to eight wins from 15 starts, having begun his career with Guy Lowry in New Zealand.
“There’s a plethora of options for him, but maybe a (Group 1) William Reid, 1,200 metres (March 22nd) around The Valley?” opined Maher. “He is in really good order.”
Sportsbet Blue Diamond Stakes (Group 1)
THE now familiar green colours of Yulong Stud filled first and third in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes, as Devil Night took the A$2 million 1,200 metre sprint.
Trained by the Hawkes family of Michael, John and Wayne, their colt emulated his sire Extreme Choice, who in 2016 also won Victoria’s richest juvenile race.
“They certainly pay a lot of money for their horses,” said Wayne Hawkes of Yulong. “They paid a lot of money ($1.4 million) for this horse at the Magic Millions and to come out and win a Blue Diamond – wow. I’ve got to thank Yulong. They’ve only got five horses with us.
“It’s a great effort, and you know what, I just love doing that with the big colts. Mr Zhang is not going backwards in going forwards, so to be fair, he deserves every bit of success he gets, because no one’s putting any more money into the game than him. He’s feeding a lot of families, including mine.”
Ridden by Micheal Dee, Devil Night, a $16 chance in only his second race start, jumped swiftly from gate two in the 15-horse field to take up second, one off the rail. Surging forward on straightening, the colt got a break on his pursuers.
At his top over the closing stakes, Godolphin’s Street Boss colt Tentyris closed late to fall a short half-head second, as Yulong’s other runner, the Written Tycoon colt Tycoon Star, made up an enormous amount of ground from the rear to claim third.
The win was the first Group 1 for the Hawkes family for over three years, whose father John was the long-time trainer for the Ingham family’s Woodlands operation, before its sale to Godolphin.
Although Wayne Hawkes was non-commital, it would be expected that Devil Night will press on to the Golden Slipper. The last horse to complete the Blue Diamond/Golden Slipper double was Sepoy in 2011.
Lamaro’s Hotel Futurity Stakes (Group 1)
THE evergreen Mr Brightside added a ninth Group 1 to his impressive record, taking out Saturday’s Futurity Stakes over Caulfield’s 1,400 metres in a thrilling finish with Tom Kitten.
Taking control of the race at the top of the straight, Mr Brightside seemed to have his nine rivals covered with a two-length break and 100 metres remaining. Closing quickly though was the Savabeel gelding I Wish I Win and the Harry Angel gelding Tom Kitten.
Less than a neck separated all three, as Tom Kitten failed by the narrowest of margins to add a second Group 1 to his 2023 Spring Champion Stakes victory.
“He is just so tough,” said Will Hayes, who trains the Bullbars seven-year-old with his brothers, Ben and JD.
“To do what he did today cannot be underrated. He really dug deep and found that inch to win.” The stable later confirmed the Group 1 All-Star Mile (March 22nd) over 1,600 metres would be the target for Mr Brightside before a trip to Hong Kong for the Champions Mile on April 27th.
THE James Cummings-trained Bivouac colt Beiwacht sprung a surprise in the Group 2 Silver Slipper for two-year-olds over 1,100 metres at Rosehill on Saturday, upsetting the nominal Golden Slipper favourite Wodeton to win his first race at his third attempt at $17.
“He’s got speed to burn and we just needed to calm him down, get him to do it right and that’s what you get with a colt by Bivouac, who’s a fast horse out of a Street Cry mare, who’s already thrown a group winner,” said James Cummings. “This is a class animal and a month out from the Golden Slipper, that’s a huge result.”
Sitting one off the leader, Beiwacht had the run of the race to defeat a pair of Wootton Bassett colts, West Of Swindon and Wodeton.
Kerrin McEvoy was not perturbed with the run of the Coolmore-owned Wodeton, who is still a clear favourite for the Golden Slipper.
“He got a little bit competitive, having to be a bit closer on the corner having done it the hard way. I liked the way he was quickening through the last furlong.
“Everything points to him being one hundred percent ready to go in a few weeks’ time. A little bit further will suit him as well,” said McEvoy.
New Zealand
Sport Nation Otaki-Maori WFA Classic (Group 1)
EL Vencedor completed consecutive Group 1s after he added Saturday’s Otaki-Maori WFA Classic to his Herbie Dyke Stakes win two weeks earlier.
Coming back two furlongs in distance to 1,600 metres, the Stephen Marsh-trained Shocking gelding was given a copybook ride by Wiremu Pinn, who was replacing Rory Hutchins.
On the rail, two pairs off the pace, El Vencedor was angled into the clear on straightening and grinded his way to the front before kicking clear in the final 150 metres to win by a widening three-lengths. Second was the Almanzor filly Qali Al Farrasha, ahead of the Savabeel filly Orchestral.
“I said to Wiremu to ride him where he is happy, get him into a rhythm and ride him like the best horse,” said Marsh.
Raising the bar
“I thought he rode him perfectly, as he started to get him to travel coming to the top of the straight. He just keeps raising the bar and he is just a phenomenal horse.” The six-year-old has now won three Group 1 races since November, with the stable aiming higher.
“It is the (Group 1) Bonecrusher in two weeks’ time and then get the passport ready for Hong Kong,” added Marsh.
“You just can’t dent him at the moment, so that’s why we came here before the Bonecrusher. He is becoming the people’s horse as the big EV, and we just love that. He is a stable favourite and it may have just been another day at the office for him.”
TRAINERS Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, now based at Cranbourne, south-west of Melbourne, sent their So You Think gelding Thedoctoroflove to their home country New Zealand to tackle the Group 2 Avondale Guineas over the weekend. Thedoctoroflove, ridden by Daniel Moor, finished strongly over the 2,100 metres to win well and suggest the 2,400 metres of the New Zealand Derby will not be beyond him.
As a consequence, Thedoctoroflove sits on the second line of betting for the March 8th Group 1 behind Willydoit and alongside Oceana Dream.
“He is a pretty cool customer, although he was a little on edge, but he raced forward and was impressive at the end,” said Moor after the race.