Following lengthy and understandable deliberations, the judge couldn’t find a margin between the Western Australian visitor Celebrity Queen and the 3-year-old Portland Sky and a particularly happy outcome for the former’s rider William Pike.
He had earlier finished runner-up aboard Arcadia Queen (Pierro) in the G1 Lamaro’s Sth Melbourne Futurity S. and again in the G1 Neds Blue Diamond S. with Ingratiating (Frosted {USA}).
“I’m pretty happy to get one after the seconds so I’ll take this. It was a good effort and I tried to steer away from the inside, but I couldn’t find my way to the middle of the track so I went where I had to,” Pike said.
“She was very brave through the line and attacked all the way. It’s great to be back here and I had to eat a bit of humble pie earlier, but I’ll take what I can get.”
“She (Celebrity Queen) was very brave through the line and attacked all the way. It’s great to be back here and I had to eat a bit of humble pie earlier, but I’ll take what I can get.” – William Pike
Trained by Grant and Alana Williams, who also prepare Arcadia Queen (Pierro), Celebrity Queen was spelled after seconds in both the G1 Winterbottom S. and the G3 Scahill S. and finished off well in her return with a performance that augurs well for her immediate future.
Portland Sky had won the G3 Manfred S. at his previous outing and he looked set for outright victory when he skipped clear under his light weight with 250 metres to run before Pike, dubbed the Wizard of the West, launched his run with Celebrity Queen.
“It was a long way from the post when I heard the Wizard bearing down on me. My horse took me a long way into it and full credit to Matt Laurie and the team for bringing the horse here,” Portland Sky’s youthful jockey, Teo Nugent, said.
“It’s a first Group 1 and a big thank you to everyone. Four years ago I started with this crew and I’ve got a big team behind me. It’s a dead-heat, but at the end of the day it is a Group 1 and I’m thrilled.
“It’s a dead-heat, but at the end of the day it is a Group 1 and I’m thrilled.” – Teo Nugent
“He had a great turn of foot when I asked him, especially back from 1200 to 1100 metres and that was my only query. He’s got an abundance of form with Aysar and Tagaloa and he stripped 8.5kg to 50kg and he took me a long way to the line.”
Trainer Matt Laurie made a bold call to send the inexperienced Portland Sky up against hardened older opposition and his faith in his colt was handsomely rewarded. It was his second Group 1-training success after landing the South Australian Derby with Escado (Casino Prince).
“I’m more than happy to share the result. I wasn’t sure on the line and the horse has gone terrific,” he said.
Kemalpasa (Magnus) continued his consistent run of form to finish third with Brooklyn Hustle (Starspangledbanner) producing a sterling late finish for fourth. The other 3-year-old Hanseatic (Street Boss {USA}) was sadly never a factor in the race and tailed the field home.
