Written by Richard Edmunds
The Darby Racing colours were to the fore in Australia’s first 2-year-old stakes race of the season on Saturday, with Every Rose (Choisir) scoring a slick victory in the G3 Keeneland Gimcrack S. at Randwick.
Bought for $160,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Every Rose had shown promise with a comfortable trial win on the Kensington track on September 23.
Drawn gate two in Saturday’s 1000-metre fillies’ feature, Every Rose worked forward to take the lead within the first 200 metres of the race.
Every Rose as a yearling
With Josh Parr in the saddle, Every Rose produced another burst of speed at the top of the straight to scoot clear of her 11 rivals.
Stellar Pauline (Not A Single Doubt) and Ticket To Ride (Vancouver) closed strongly through the last 150 metres, but they were still more than a length adrift of Every Rose at the finish.
“I am one of many that loves the Gimcrack and the Breeders’ Plate,” Parr said. “It’s so exciting, this is the first time that the public has seen all of these horses on raceday, and I’m very pleased to have got on the fastest one today.
“I had to urge her slightly to find the front, but once I found the fence she was very tractable, she travelled really well.
“She is well beyond her years as far as maturity is concerned. Her acceleration just as we topped the hill was very good, and she toughed it right out. God love her.”
“She is well beyond her years as far as maturity is concerned. Her acceleration just as we topped the hill was very good, and she toughed it right out. God love her.” - Josh Parr
Every Rose is trained by Mark Newnham, who already has one eye on the Magic Millions 2YO Classic at the Gold Coast in January.
“We have a big bunch of happy ladies, as she is a ladies’ syndicate Magic Millions horse,” Newnham said. “Hopefully we are celebrating like this on Magic Millions day.
“She’s a really nice filly, very straightforward, good manners, and when she was able to control the race in front we knew she was going to be hard to beat.”
The win continued a strong run of form for Newnham, who won last weekend’s G3 Gloaming S. with a brilliant performance by Shadow Hero (Pierro).
Shadow Hero as a yearling
“It goes to show we are versatile,” he said. “I don’t want to get pigeon-holed as a staying trainer. She is a very straightforward 2-year-old. What you see here is what she can do at home. She has shown that for quite a while. Hopefully we give her a little month off now and then head to the Magic Millions.”
Every Rose was bred by Wallings Bloodstock and is out of the winning mare Couredge (Show A Heart), who is a half-sister to stakes winners Vintedge (Flying Spur) and Youths Edge (Jeune). Every Rose is the third foal to race out of Couredge, and all three have won. Every Rose is the first stakes winner.
Placegetters impress
Kerrin McEvoy and Tommy Berry were delighted with the placed performances by Stellar Pauline and Ticket To Ride respectively.
That pair had previously clashed in a Kensington trial, where Ticket To Ride finished first and Stellar Pauline was second.
Kerrin McEvoy is delighted with the performance by Stellar Pauline
“Stellar Pauline has come on well from the trial,” McEvoy said. “There was a little bit of buffeting on the corner which didn’t help her, but she balanced up again and hit the line nicely.”
Berry was similarly enthusiastic about Ticket To Ride, who finished a neck behind Stellar Pauline.
“She’s very eye-catching,” he said. “She’s a beautiful filly, gave me a lovely ride. I was very wide from the barrier, so I had to relinquish that spot and set her a bit of a task. She went well.”
