Cover image courtesy of Dan Himbrechts for AAP Photos
Bred and raced by Godolphin and trained by James Cummings, Colette is the first top flight winner for sire Hallowed Crown, who began his stud career at Darley and will reside at Olly and Amber Tait’s Twin Hills Stud in 2020.
She is from the first crop of the son of Street Sense (USA), who won the G1 Rosehill Guineas and the G1 Golden Rose S. and an excellent advertisement for Twin Hills when they launch the next phase of the stallion’s career later this year.
The Oaks has crowned a meteoric rise for Colette, who shed her novice tag in February and in subsequent starts was successful at Kembla Grange and in the G3 Adrian Knox S.
“She’s a beauty and a few runs ago someone said to me she must be a pretty good horse if you’re sending Darren Beadman all the way to Newcastle to saddle up a maiden on a Saturday. A few people might have been on the money then,” said Cummings of his first Australian Oaks winner.
Hallowed Crown | Standing at Twin Hills Stud
“She’s a special filly for us and from the first season of Hallowed Crown and for us it’s a big result. She’s a classic filly from his first crop and a shout out to Gooree, who bred him.
“If he keeps getting fillies and 3-year-olds like her then he’s going to be an interesting one to follow. Olly Tait was on the ball there and a smart move for him to acquire that horse.
"Olly Tait was on the ball there and a smart move for him to acquire that horse.” – James Cummings
“Colette’s from a really good Northern Hemisphere family out of a Singspiel mare and she lapped up the staying journey today.”
Her dam Libretto (Ire) has also left the stakes-winner Metastasio (Street Cry {Ire}) and is a half-sister to the European Group 2 winners Wareed (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells {USA}) and Truly A Dream (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}).
Colette won impressively in the G1 The Star Australian Oaks | Image courtesy of Dan Himbrechts for AAP Photos
“She’s got a wonderful future and a great example of coming through our system. She did all her early work and education at Crown Lodge and we had her in work at Flemington,” Cummings said.
“Reg Fleming and I were on the phone and she galloped one morning at Flemington and he said, James have you got this filly nominated for the Oaks, this is a pretty good horse.
“She came up to Osborne Park and extended her campaign beautifully. It’s an excellent plan that has come to fruition, storming away with an Oaks.”
Quartet of Oaks
Colette was ridden by Glen Boss, now with four Oaks, who had the filly going comfortably in behind the leaders.
He made his move soon after straightening and they bolted clear to win easing down by 2.5l from Toffee Tongue (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) and Quintessa (Pierro) to replicate the Adrian Knox trifecta.
The G1 Vinery Stud S. winner Shout The Bar (Not A Single Doubt) was on the pace, but petered out to run sixth while the well-backed Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel) was under the whip on the turn and finished eighth.
Jockey Glen Boss won his fourth Oaks | Image courtesy of Dan Himbrechts for AAP Photos
“She was better than she was seven days ago and her appearance was amazing so credit to James and his staff, she turned up looking amazing,” Boss said.
“She’s not big, but she doesn’t ride a little horse. She’s got a big action,” Boss said. “They walked for the first 1000 metres, but that didn’t bother me because I knew she had a better turn of speed than most of them.
“They walked for the first 1000 metres, but that didn’t bother me because I knew she had a better turn of speed than most of them. " - Glen Boss
“I was quite happy and when one took over at the 1400 they rolled along and that was pretty simple. It was relatively easy, just point and shoot stuff really.
“When you look through her progression, you just had to look at her win at Newcastle, it’s a rare thing to see a horse win so easily in any company. The turn of speed wasn’t going to be dulled at a mile and a-half.”
