The Jamie Richards-trained Probabeel had resumed on the course in a blaze of glory in the G3 Bellmaine S. last month and went to another impressive level in Saturday’s Lamaro’s Sth Melbourne Futurity S.
The Matamata mare laid down a marker for the $5 million The All-Star Mile in the process and is a now a market leader in futures betting for the feature to be run at Moonee Valley on March 13.
Probabeel sat three-wide during the Futurity, but the 4-year-old travelled easily and when rider Damian Lane asked her to lengthen stride the response was electric to easily put her rivals to the sword.
“She was super, she’s just so good and versatile and I put her in the race early and not many horses can sustain a sprint like she can,” he said.
Probabeel had the race in safe keeping as soon as Lane asked her for a serious effort and they powered home to beat Arcadia Queen (Pierro), who she will take on again in The All-Star Mile, by 0.5l.
“She is just so classy and a pleasure to ride. She is really tough as well and they’ve all done a great job with her,” said Lane, who has now ridden 23 Group 1 winners.
“She (Probabeel) is just so classy and a pleasure to ride. She is really tough as well and they’ve all done a great job with her.” – Damian Lane
Richards said it was another stunning performance from a mare who was up with the best he had trained.
“It was absolutely incredible. She was caught wide from an awkward draw. We thought we might be a chance to get one off the fence, but Frosty (Damian Lane) wasn’t able to find that spot and she sat deep and when she quickened, she really let go.
“I’d like to give a big thank you to Ashley Handley who is over there (Australia) and has spent much of the last 12 months travelling around Australia with her and it is a real team effort,” said Richards.
“I am so thrilled for Brendan and Jo Lindsay, who have been such big supporters of the New Zealand thoroughbred industry and buying Cambridge Stud.
"They go to the yearling sales and buy nice fillies to add to their broodmare band and I have become really close with Henry Plumptre (Cambridge Stud Chief Executive Officer), who has got a world of knowledge."
Richards said the mare had significantly improved since her G3 Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes outings and now full steam ahead to The All-Star Mile.
“Three weeks now into The All-Star Mile has always been the plan. She got a lot of confidence from that win a fortnight ago and I am big believer in that.
“Three weeks now into The All-Star Mile has always been the plan. She got a lot of confidence from that win a fortnight ago and I am big believer in that." - Jamie Richards
“The best thing about her is she is getting better as she gets older and I think that is a really good trait in New Zealand-bred horses. She is by our champion sire Savabeel from a really good Waikato Stud family, bred by Mark Chittick and sold at Karaka to David Ellis.
“She is right up there with the best that we have trained. She is a wonderful mare.”
Probabeel (NZ) and Damian Lane cruise to victory in the G1 Futurity S.
Probabeel is raced by Cambridge Stud's Brendan and Jo Lindsay and took ownership of the mare after she was purchased for NZ$380,000 from Waikato Stud’s New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale draft by Te Akau chief David Ellis.
Her dam Far Fetched (NZ) (Pins) won three races and placed in the G3 Lowland S. and is from the family of the G2 Thousand Guineas winner Legless Veuve (NZ) (Pins), whose sister Tootsie (NZ) won the G3 Mannerism S. and produced the multiple Group 2 winner and sire Ocean Emperor (NZ).
All-Star candidates
Futurity runner-up Arcadia Queen will no doubt benefit from her first-up performance and is likely to have to if she is to turn the tables on Probabeel in The All-Star Mile.
“We haven’t had any issues with her this time. She’s a happy mare and she will improve,” co-trainer Grant Williams said. “I expected her to go really well as she normally races well fresh.”
Mr Quickie (Shamus Award) also turned in a strong resuming effort to run into third ahead of Behemoth (All Too Hard), who was 2.9l from the winner and looked to have his chance.
3-year-olds Ole Kirk (Written Tycoon) and the early pacemaker Crosshaven (Smart Missile) didn’t fire in running. The former was tardily away and was never in the hunt while Crosshaven dropped out after making the pace and they tailed the field home.
