Group 1 The Goodwood
Race Summary:
Former barrier rogue Despatch (Written Tycoon) showed impeccable barrier manners and was quickly into stride.
He made all the running and gave a strong kick on straightening and held a strong gallop to claim a Group 1 title at his 12th appearance.
The 3-year-old Behemoth (All Too Hard) found the line strongly to take the runner-up cheque from the well-fancied Spright (Hinchinbrook) who made ground well along the fence.
Pedigree Notes :
Despatch was originally purchased for $40,000 at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale and then bought by McEvoy Mitchell Racing as a yearling for $195,000.
His dam Zoccoletta (Fasliyev {USA}) was successful three times up to 1100 metres and is a daughter of the G3 Fernhill H. winner Vita (Thunder Gulch {USA}).
There is an international flavour to the pedigree with Vita out of the Argentinian Group 1 winner Penita (Arg) (Pepenador {Arg}).
Group 3 SA Fillies Classic
Race Summary:
Moor Gait (Fiorente {Ire}) pulled a huge upset at Morphettville on Saturday when providing her sire with his third Group winner as the longest shot in the race.
As the field settled in for the 2500 metre race, Moor Gait was content to sit in midpack, a few paths off the rail and watch the race unfold in front of her as Miss France (NZ) (Savabeel) set the pace.
Running down the straight, Moor Gait weaved in and out of horses to work her way steadily toward the front of the field as Miss Moana (NZ) (Uncle Mo {USA}) built up a comfortable lead. Once Moor Gait was in the clear, she set down to the real task and reached the lead with 100 metres left.
Miss Moana was less than half a length behind the winner at the line with Skyway Star (Americain {USA}) nearly taking second in a late dash. The rest of the field was a length and a half or more behind Moor Gait, who had been first emergency for the race.
Pedigree Notes:
Moor Gait is from two-time winner L’Inquisitor (Blackfriars), whose half-sister has produced two stakes horses.
Moor Gait is the first stakes winner under her first three dams with fourth dam Double Amber (Subsidize) producing Group 2 winner Amber’s Double (Elland Road {Ire}) and two other stakes winners. Another daughter from that dam produced three stakes horses including the Group 3 winning Amber’s Halo (Don’t Say Halo {USA}), who in turn produced Group 3 winner Taiyoo (Haradasun)
L’Inquisitor’s only other foal of racing age is a three-time winner with the mare also having an Americain (USA) weanling colt. She returned to Fiorente in 2018.
Group 3 RA Lee S.
Race Summary:
An Irish-bred son of Fastnet Rock, Fastnet Tempest (Ire) made easy work of the field in the Group 3 R A Lees Stakes for his first Group win.
Fastnet Tempest was near the back of midpack as Balf’s Choice (Written Tycoon) and All Too Huiying (All Too Hard) battled on the front end. He slowly picked off horses to move closer to the pace in the middle of the race as the field tightened on the leaders. Fastnet Tempest was angled to the outside by Andrew Mallyon as the field entered the straight, giving him a clear path to the line.
Once Fastnet Tempest straightened, the race was over after he showed a big turn of foot to take over the lead from Waging War (Rebel Raider) in the last 100 metres. The gelding pulled away to win by 1.6 lengths with Waging War holding off the fast closing Brown Ben (Big Brown {USA}), who finished less than half a length behind the second placed horse.
Pedigree Notes:
Fastnet Tempest is from Irish-bred Dame Blanche (Be My Guest {USA}). Who is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Luas Line (Ire) (Danehill {USA}) and Group 2 winner Lost In the Moment (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) with a third half-sister producing Group 3 winner Panama Hat (GB) (Medicean {GB}).
The mare’s family gets better under her second dam with that mare the granddam of Group 1 winner Prince Arch (USA) (Arch {USA}) and Kingsfort (USA) (War Chant {USA}) among 11 stakes winners not from Dame Blanche’s branch of the family.
Also the dam of Group 3 placed Excellent Girl (Ire) (Exceed And Excel), who produced Group 3 winner Sweety Dream (Ire) (Dream Ahead {USA}), the mare’s 2-year-old full brother to Fastnet Tempest sold at Tattersalls last October for 450,000gns.
Group 3 Proud Miss S.
Race Summary:
Western Australian visitor Lady Cosmology (Universal Ruler) bounced back from a fifth in her first Morphettville run two weeks ago when winning his first Group race here.
Lady Cosmology broke well and battled for the lead, running just outside of Golden Lustre (Written Tycoon) before putting her away with 350 metres left to go.
Lady Cosmology comfortably pulled away in mid-straight and though the field closed her margin down to a length in the closing metres, it was an easy victory for the mare. Miss Vixen (Foxwedge) was the horse able to get closest to her with Lady Of Crebilly (Choisir) half a length behind that mare.
It was jockey Luke Currie’s third stakes placing of the day, but his first win on the card.
Pedigree Notes:
Lady Cosmology is out of Galileo (Ire) mare Out Spoken Lady, who has two winners from four to race, with those other two placed in their starts.
There are multiple listed winners under Lady Cosmology’s first four dams but she is one of only two Group winners, joining South African champion Entissar (More Than Ready {USA}) with Lady Cosmology’s second dam also the dam of Listed winner and Group 2 placed Stormy Summers (Desert Style {Ire}).
Out Spoken Lady has a yearling Blackfriars colt who sold for $100,000 at this year’s Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale and the mare produced an Awesome Rock son in 2018. She returned to that stallion last season on a 29 October cover.
Group 3 National S.
Race Summary:
The ultra-tough 2-year-old Li’l Kontra (Krupt) showed up in a big way when earning her first Group victory at Morphettville in the opener.
Breaking badly, Li’l Kontra had to settle in the rear of the field after giving a length to the leaders at the start. It was a new place for the filly as she watched Absolute Flirt (Stratum) set the pace. It looked as if Absolute Flirt would have clear sailing to the win but Li'l Kontra took advantage of clear running room on the rail to close quickly.
Her victory was still in doubt with 100 metres to go but with 50 metres to run she was at the leader’s hip and closed quickly to first pass her then build her margin of victory to nearly half a length. It was a length back to Xilong (Deep Field) in third.
The victory was Li’l Kontra’s second at stakes level and the ninth time in nine career starts she has hit the board.
Pedigree Notes:
From nine-time winner Li’l Cashy (Keltrice), Li’l Kontra was sold for $110,000 at the 2018 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale and is a full-sister to Group 2 placed Cashed.
Li’l Cashy is a half-sister to Listed placed Cashkalani (Ashkalani {Ire}) and is the dam of four winners from four to race with Li’l Kontra her sole stakes winner.
The mare has a yearling Shamus Award colt and returned to that stallion for a 2018 colt. She was served by Toronado (Ire) last season.
Group 3 Dominant Queens Cup
Race Summary:
It was a European-bred double early on in the Morphettville card when Valac (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) won one race after Clearly (GB).
The 2500 metres of the Queen’s Cup proved to be just right for the Lindsay Park-trained gelding, who was happy to run just a few lengths behind the leading Sopressa (So You Think {NZ}).
The grey gelding was easy to watch as he dropped back to midfield about 1000 metres into the race, galloping comfortably a few paths off the rail with Craig Williams aboard. As the field turned into the straight, Valac was asked to eat into the sizeable lead Sopressa had built and he easily complied.
With 150 metres left, he was nearly to the leader and at the 50 metre mark he headed her to take the win with only Sopressa within 2 ½ lengths of him and Meli Melo (Authorized {Ire}) finishing third.
Pedigree Notes:
The well-bred Valac is from the winning mare Polished Gem (Ire) (Danehill {USA}), who has proved to be a better broodmare than racehorse.
With his victory, Valac becomes the fourth stakes winner for the mare, who is also the dam of Irish champions Sapphire (Ire) (Medicean {GB}) Custom Cut (Ire) (Notnowcato {GB}), and Free Eagle (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}). The mare’s 4-year-old Falcon Eight (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is also stakes placed in a Group 3 with her only other foal to race a winner.
From Irish One Thousand Guineas winner Trusted Partner (USA) (Affirmed {USA}), Polished Gem is also a full sister to Group 1 winner Dress To Thrill (Ire) with eight stakes horses under her dam other than her own runners.
Polished Gem has a 3-year-old full-sister to Falcon Eight named Search For A Song (Ire) who is unraced, a 2-year-old filly by the same sire named Amma Grace (Ire), and a yearling colt by the stallion as well.
Listed Centaurea S.
Race Summary:
A half-brother to Australian Group 1 winner Polarisation (GB) (Echo Of Light {GB}), Clearly (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) added an important stakes win to her resume here.
Running 2024 metres, Clearly was in fourth two paths off the track, galloping comfortably behind the leading Intrabeel (NZ) (Savabeel). Clearly galloped closer to the leaders around the bend and pulled even inside the final 300 metres.
Clearly had the lead with 200 metres to go with Snogging (I Am Invincible) looking to be her only threat. Snogging (I Am Invincible) made a late charge to close the margin to half a length but the line came just in time to make sure she wasn’t a serious threat.
Indrabeel, who had set the pace had enough left in the tank to finish third over Remember the Name (Lope de Vega {Ire}), who had been right behind her in the early stages of the race.
Pedigree Notes:
The third foal from the winning Concordia (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), Clearly is the eighth stakes winner for sire Invincible Spirit in Australasia.
Also the dam of Group 1 Sydney Cup winner Polarisation and a half-sister to Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Lammtarra (USA) (Nijinsky {Can}). From Group 1 Epsom Oaks winner Snow Bride (USA) (Blushing Groom {Fr}) there are 16 stakes horses under just her first dam, including Group 1 winner Aesop’s Gables (USA) (Distorted Humor {USA}).
The mare has a 2-year-old Golden Horn (GB) colt, a yearling Teofilo (Ire) colt, and had a Frankel (GB) colt earlier this year.
