Written by Richard Edmunds
A strong victory in Saturday’s G3 New Zealand Bloodstock Ethereal S. has thrust Gamay (Pierro) right into contention for the G1 Kennedy Oaks at Flemington on November 7.
An unlucky last-start second in the Oaks Trial over 1800 metres at Flemington, the Archie Alexander-trained filly relished the extra 200 metres of Saturday’s race and a strong pace.
Carrying the colours of Coolmore, Gamay landed at the front of the field in the first few strides out of the gate. But jockey Declan Bates eased her out of the frenetic early charge, where half a dozen fillies were spearing forward in search of the lead.
Bates was happy to bide his time until the last 400 metres, when Gamay’s stamina shone through. She swept past the front-running favourite Celestial Falls (Hinchinbrook), then turned back the late challenge of the fast-finishing Vegas Jewel (NZ) (Shocking) in a tight finish.
The win continued a memorable Melbourne spring carnival for Bates, headed by Group 1 glory on Begood Toya Mother (Myboycharlie {Ire}) in the Sir Rupert Clarke S.
“Normally I’d be at Avoca on a day like this and hoping to ride a few winners there,” he said. “I’m very happy to be here and getting this big win today.
“There was a bit of pressure early. She normally begins very well, and with a horse like that you usually have to go forward. But I wanted to take a sit today and have someone take me into the race. She was always travelling like the winner.
"She was always travelling like the winner. " - Declan Bates
“I think she can take the next step up to a race like the Oaks. With each race this preparation, she’s lifted.
"With these 3-year-old fillies, you don't know for sure until you go and do it, but she's showing all the signs that it won't be an issue.
"I thought when Vegas Jewel came up beside me it was going to go by me, but I think when she got to my girth she picked up and went again. She still had plenty in the tank on the line."
Gamay has now won two of her five starts, finishing second in two of the other three and earning $157,550 in stakes. She was a $110,000 purchase at the New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale.
The last two Ethereal S. winners have each gone on to bigger and better things later in their 3-year-old seasons – Pinot (Pierro) in the VRC Oaks, and Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) in the Vinery Stud S. and Australian Oaks.
Alexander’s racing manager Jeremy Rogers believes Gamay can follow suit.
“She’s always been a really nice filly,” he said. “Back in February, before she’d even had a start, Archie said to me that he reckoned she was an Oaks filly. So that’s the path she has been on all along.
“Today was a bit of a fork in the road. At Flemington recently she ran a super race and had no luck. We thought that if she ran in the top four today, we should push on to the Oaks.”
“She’s always been a really nice filly." - Jeremy Rogers
If Gamay was to follow in Pinot’s footsteps at Flemington, she would be the second VRC Oaks winner in three years for Pierro, who has also sired Australian Derby winner Levendi and this year’s Victoria Derby favourite Shadow Hero.
“It just shows what an amazing sire Pierro is,” Rogers said. “He was a Golden Slipper winner himself, but he’s throwing all these Oaks and Derby horses. Who knows what might have happened if he’d raced over further than 2000 metres?”
