Yulong Newmarket Handicap (Group 1)
THE Chris Waller-trained filly Joliestar took cover in the bunched field of 15 in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap before finding the right gap 200 metres from home to put the race to bed.
Sent out a well-backed favourite, despite her impost of 56kg, Joliestar, ridden by Damien Lane sprinted clear, to win by nearly two lengths, adding a second Group 1 to her record, following her 2023 Thousand Guineas. Second was the Dream Ahead gelding Headwall, with the Harry Angel filly Stretan Angel third.
“We had faith about this horse being the best horse in the race. That is what we thought going out there,” said stable foreman Charlie Duckworth of the Zoustar filly. “It made the watch a little less stressful, knowing that she does have that electric turn-of-foot, because when she is at her best, she is amazing. Massive credit to Chris and the team at home. Also the owners, Cambridge Stud, they pump a lot of cash into the game.”
Asked about the path forward, Duckworth added: “The TJ Smith is next and Chris mentioned Royal Ascot during the week. If she could go to Royal Ascot, it would be amazing.” Joliestar was a A$950,000 Inglis yearling purchase for Brendan and Jo Lindsay of Cambridge Stud.
All-Star Mile (Group 1)
THE James Cummings-trained Tom Kitten turned the tables on Mr Brightside to claim victory in the $2.5 million Group 1 All-Star Mile at Flemington on Saturday. Beaten a nose by Mr Brightside two weeks earlier in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes, this time the Harry Angel gelding was able to run down Mr Brightside and reverse the result, winning by the same margin. Third was the French-bred Fast Company gelding Light Infantry Man.
“He came back really good, this horse. His second prep as a gelding for James Cummings and Godolphin, they’re such good conditioners of this calibre of horse heading to these big races,” said jockey Ben Melham. “I was confident he could come here and beat Brightside today, but he just has a few antics on the barriers and stepped a bit ordinary, but it worked out really well for us.” Tom Kitten will now progress to the Group 1 Australian Cup on March 29th over 2,000 metres at Flemington, with Cummings not ruling out a trip to Hong Kong.
Randwick Guineas (Group 1)
JOHN O’Shea and Tom Charlton won their first Group 1 as a training partnership at Randwick on Saturday, saddling up the Super Seth gelding Linebacker to a half-length win in the Group 1 Randwick Guineas.
“I know the tally of crossbar hits we’ve had in Group 1s over the last few years, so it’s great,” said Charlton. “This horse has pleased us all the way since we gelded him. You could see a long way out that he was in a really good rhythm today. They were going at a high speed, but he looked comfortable. Last run, I just was convinced it wasn’t his true running. He just got in a better position today and it worked out well.”
Ridden by Zac Lloyd, Linebacker withstood the challenge of the odds-on favourite Broadsiding, who chased him all the way, but couldn’t improve upon his second position. “His asset is his big long stride, and he sustained his gallop nicely,” said Lloyd.
Canterbury Stakes (Group 1)
WHILE Wootton Bassett’s oldest Australian-bred progeny are two-year-olds this season, the Iffraaj stallion chalked up a maiden Group 1 win in Australia with the victory of the French-bred horse Royal Patronage in Saturday’s Canterbury Stakes over 1,300 metres at Randwick.
Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Royal Patronage toughed out a strong win over the Shocking gelding Here To Shock. A Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes winner at Newmarket in 2021, he raced in the US in 2023, this was a maiden Group 1 win for Royal Patronage.
“He’s an incredible horse. To do what he did first start in Australia and first preparation, I thought he was one of the most forward Europeans we’ve had over,” said Adrian Bott, in reference to his Group 2 Tramway Stakes win on debut in Australia.
“We always had a big circle around the (A$4 million) Doncaster (April 5th) for him. We felt kicking off here and through the George Ryder (Stakes) would be a nice style of preparation. We were open-minded how far to stretch him last time in, but I feel the mile is his real sweet spot.”
NEW Zealand’s richest-ever horse race, the NZB Kiwi, a NZ$3.5 million slot race at set-weights for three-year-olds over 1,500 metres at Ellerslie, has gone the way of Te Akau Racing’s Savabeel filly, Damask Rose.
Settled last in the 14-horse field Blake Shinn rode a patient race to execute one of the best rides you could hope for at New Zealand’s premier venue.
Without going around a horse, Shinn guided Damask Rose through on the rail, as the field fanned on the bend. Saving countless lengths, Damask Rose was able to sprint clear in the closing stages to win by two-lengths in her first start since her Karaka Millions 3YO victory in January.
“I was contemplating coming wide, but the way the race set up, I had to look for inside runs, which came and she was good enough to capitalise on them,” said Shinn.
“She is a really good horse. We won the Karaka Millions 3YO, and it is really special to win the inaugural running of this race for Te Akau. I’m just delighted. I have struck up a great relationship with Te Akau Racing, they are a big family unit and this is what it is all about for them.”
A NZ$200,000 yearling from book 1 of New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2023 Karaka yearling sale, Damask Rose defeated the Per Incanto gelding, Evaporate and the Mongolian Khan gelding, Checkmate.
The win also completed a Group 1 double for Te Akau trainers, Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, and jockey, Blake Shinn, who earlier in the day had saddled up the Snitzel colt, Return To Conquer to win the Sistema Stakes for juveniles over 1,200 metres.
The A$1.3 million Magic Millions yearling is now unbeaten in four starts and registered the 100th Group 1 winner for Te Akau since its inception by David Ellis. “He’s got a great temperament. He’s bomb-proof and unbeaten for a reason, he’s got that will to win,” said Walker of Return To Conquer, who is open to the idea of a Golden Slipper start.
HKJC World Pool New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (Group 1)
WITH New Zealand racing enjoying a resurgence since Entain took over the operational running of the New Zealand TAB on June 1st, 2023, Saturday’s Champions Day at Ellerslie encapsulated New Zealand’s brighter outlook.
Promoted as Champions Day, the inaugural running of the NZ$3.5 million Kiwi, alongside four Group 1 races, provided a fresh take on the tradition of New Zealand Derby Day.
Earlier on the card, crowd favourite El Vencedor with Wiremu Pinn up, took out the Group 1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes over 2,000 metres to make it a treble of Group 1 victories since February with a narrow, nail-biter over the Vadamos mare La Crique to round a perfect preparation for Champions Day in Hong Kong.
“I’m so proud, as he is just amazing,” said trainer Stephen Marsh of the Shocking gelding.
“I thought we had been beaten on the line again as La Crique was so tough, tried her hardest and it was just a great spectacle. What can I say, as I’m a bit overwhelmed, as the last half an hour has been the best in racing you could ask for.”
Marsh was referring to the win of Provence in the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes in the previous race to set up the Group 1 double for his stable. The Group 1 Thorndon Mile winner won by a nose in a blanket finish that gave the five-year-old mare a sixth win in 16 starts.
By Savabeel and out of the Flying Spur mare Sombreuil, Provence is a full-sister to Damask Rose, who won the NZB Kiwi just two hours later in a triumph for breeder Tony Rider of Milan Park.
“It was amazing and very, very special. It seems so unbelievable, but it happened,” reflected Rider of the full-siblings’ feature-race double.
New Zealand Derby (Group 1)
WILLYDOIT, Shaun Clotworthy’s NZ$75,000 bargain buy from New Zealand Bloodstock’s Karaka Yearling sale, delivered his family and the horse’s “2,500 to 3,000 shareholders” of micro-share ownership group MyRacehorse victory in Saturday’s Group 1 New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie.
“It’s my first Group 1,” said Shaun Clotworthy, “It’s a dream come true. I just keep on shaking people’s hands, there’s so many owners here (from micro-share syndicator MyRacehorse). It’s a huge thrill and is just massive for everyone.” Willydoit will now join the Ciaron Maher stable.