SUCCESSFUL with Zaaki last year in the inaugural running of the A$1.2 million Q22 over 2,200 metre at Eagle Farm, trainer Annabel Neasham has repeated that success with the Irish-bred Numerian.

The former Joseph O’Brien-trained Holy Roman Emperor gelding was sent to Neasham by his owners, Teme Valley who got a taste of Australian prize money via State Of Rest’s Cox Plate win.

Leading from the jump in the Group 2, Numerian held all at bay as Tommy Berry squeezed the last of the juice to prevail by a length from the inaugural (2019) winner of the $7.5 million Golden Eagle, Kolding, by Ocean Park, with the Medaglia D’Oro gelding Yonkers in third.

“Our plan was to dictate the race as there didn’t look to be a lot of speed in it,” said Berry. “He got into a lovely rhythm for me and from the 600 (metre mark) I really put the foot to the floor and got him into his work.

“He was always going to be hard to run down. He probably didn’t get the credit he deserved going into the race.”

First wins

From six Australian starts, Numerian has now won his last two, his first wins since defeating Sir Dragonet in the Devoy Stakes at Naas in March 2020.

“Richard Ryan very kindly sent me the horse on behalf of Teme Valley. He does a great job, and obviously I was very excited when he sent him over here,” said Neasham.

“The whole idea was to try and chase the good prize money and the good racing that we’ve got here. He’s run well every time this preparation and he’s just kept on improving.

“I’ll obviously talk to the connections and we’ll work out where we go with him now, but I think after the performance he put in here today he deserves to be set for something nice now.”

Treasury Brisbane J.J. Atkins (Group 1)

SHEEZA Belter, by the Sebring horse Gold Standard, has won that horse’s first Group 1 as a sire, taking out the J.J. Atkins for juveniles over 1,600 metres at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Trained by Peter and Paul Snowden, the filly emerged from the middle of the pack to defy her challengers, as four horses finished within a length of her.

Second was the Coolmore-owned So You Think colt Political Debate, a nose ahead of the Snitzel colt Brosnan.

“She’s always been tough and resilient at home, she cops the work. Everything about her suggested she is going to get to that really good level and here we are today,” said Paul Snowden.

“We’ll get her out and give her a break on Monday, but she’s got a really good spring ahead of her now.”

Bought-in for A$50,000 at the Perth Magic Millions, the filly came to the Snowdens following her Perth 2YO Magic Millions win.

Channel 7 Queensland Oaks (Group 1)

SETTLED two-thirds back in the field with the Queensland Oaks being run at a solid tempo, Gypsy Goddess swept into the race on the final bend to blow past her rivals to win the 2,400 metre Group 1 at Eagle Farm in Brisbane on June 4th.

Trained on the Sunshine Coast by David Vandyke with William Pike up, only El Patroness had denied Gypsy Goddess in the Australian Oaks at Randwick in April so it was no surprise to see the Tarzino filly sent out as favourite despite drawing the widest barrier in the 18-horse field.

“I guess barriers aren’t too big of an issue when you have a horse with gears like her,” said Pike. “She had a bit on this field today. I rode her accordingly but I still got there a bit early. That was ‘Plan B’ for sure.”

Finishing off in style, Gypsy Goddess defeated the Rebel Raider filly Barb Raider with the Puccini filly Le Villi third.

Love and care

“That was just amazing,” said Vandyke. “The love and care that has gone into her over the last seven and a half months, ever since she won her maiden, to keep her up, it’s just been an amazing period of time.

“We were just focused on getting this girl to the best possible place, and to finish that with a Group 1 is a career highlight. To see her wrap up a field of quality fillies like that, at Group 1 level in our home state, that’ll do me.”

Offered by Curraghmore in book 2 of the 2020 Karaka yearling sales, Gypsy Goddess, out of the Redoute’s Choice mare Invisible Coin, was bought in for NZ$20,000 and retained to race by her breeders and their syndicate to race.