Bought by Kerri Radcliffe Bloodstock for $425,000 out of Mill Park Stud’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft, Away Game has won three of her six starts and amassed more than $2.3 million in stakes.
She won the Listed Calaway Gal in Brisbane in December, then landed the Magic Millions 2YO Classic on the Gold Coast in early January. She added the G3 Widden S. at Randwick on February 1, then finished fourth in the G1 Blue Diamond and a superb last-start second in the G1 Golden Slipper.
Away Game
“She’s had a terrific campaign,” said David Eustace, who trains Away Game in partnership with Ciaron Maher.
“She ran a massive race in the Slipper and we were so proud of her there. You’d have to say that if she’s able to carry on in the same sort of form, she should be very hard to beat in this race.
“She’s had three weeks since the Slipper to get in the right shape for this race and we’re very happy with her. She’s freshened up nicely and seems to be right on track.”
“She’s freshened up nicely and seems to be right on track.” – David Eustace
Away Game will be ridden by Glen Boss and will jump from gate six in a 14-horse field.
Her 13 rivals include her stablemate Muntaseera (I Am Invincible), who Eustace suggests could be a significant improver in Saturday’s $500,000 race.
Muntaseera placed in the G2 Blue Diamond Prelude before a close fifth in the G1 Blue Diamond S., then ran a strong second in the G3 Thoroughbred Breeders’ S. at Flemington. She was never a factor in the Golden Slipper, finishing 11th.
Muntaseera
“We thought she was really good at Flemington two starts back and things just didn’t really go her way in the Slipper,” Eustace said. “She got a long way back and wasn’t really able to run on.
“We still think she has a couple of lengths of improvement in her, so we can take her into a race like this with a little bit more confidence.”
Racing in the colours of Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, Muntaseera will be ridden by in-form jockey Tom Marquand.
Cup prospects please
Maher and Eustace are also set to be major players in Saturday’s G1 Schweppes Sydney Cup, lining up Azuro (Fr) (Myboycharlie {Ire}), Yogi (NZ) (Raise The Flag {GB}) and Etah James (NZ) (Raise The Flag {GB}).
“We’re happy with all of our horses and really looking forward to the race,” Eustace said. “Azuro is probably our best chance. We’re hoping he’ll get the run and he’ll be able to track into the race at the right time.”
Azuro compiled an impressive 3200-metre record during 2019, with three starts at the distance producing victories in the Stayers’ Cup at Rosehill, the Listed Queensland Cup and the Listed Sandown Cup.
Azuro (Fr)
His last start was in the G1 Auckland Cup at Ellerslie, where he was the favourite, but finished seventh, 4.4l behind longshot winner Roger That (NZ) (Shinko King {Ire}).
Yogi cost only NZ$1000 at New Zealand Bloodstock’s South Island Sale in 2014, but he has won eight races and more than $660,000 in stakes. His wins include the Listed Port Adelaide Cup over 2500 metres and Sandown Cup over 3200 metres.
Etah James is a recent recruit for the stable, having previously been trained by owner-breeder Mark Lupton in New Zealand and Matt Cumani in Victoria. The mare won the Listed Pakenham Cup in December and was a last-start fourth in the Auckland Cup.
