The race contains three colts each from two of the world's biggest thoroughbred operations, Godolphin and Coolmore, two owned by emerging powerhouse Newgate and its partners SF Bloodstock and China Horse Club, one each from Aquis/Tony Fung Racing and Rosemont, and one from New Zealand leviathan Cambridge Stud.
With the scratching of filly Gimme Par (Not A Single Doubt), a colt is guaranteed to win the race and command enormous respect as a stallion prospect.
James Cummings, Godolphin Head Trainer | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Godolphin Head Trainer James Cummings commented this week on the importance of the Coolmore Stud S., the only Group 1 race for 3-year-olds of both sexes over 1200 metres in the country, and he has backed up his words with action, running three colts, all contending for potential stud futures.
“Any colt that wins this race has a bright future as a stallion prospect, let me tell you that right now,” Cummings said.
“This is just about going to be the race of the carnival, it nearly is every year and yet again it’s a wonderful edition of the Coolmore. I just hope the VRC know what they’ve got with this race.”
"This is just about going to be the race of the carnival, it nearly is every year and yet again it’s a wonderful edition of the Coolmore. I just hope the VRC know what they’ve got with this race." - James Cummings
The Coolmore Stud S., upgraded to Group 1 status in 2006, has been a pre-eminent stallion-making race for the past decade with influential sires such as Northern Meteor, Star Witness, Sepoy, Zoustar and Brazen Beau on the honour board along with emerging star sires Flying Artie, Merchant Navy and Exceedance.
Godolphin hasn't won the race since Sepoy did it in the Darley colours in 2011. Cummings has tried with five different horses in the famous Godolphin blue since 2017, coming closest in 2019 with Bivouac, who was run down late by Exceedance in a memorable renewal.
It is clearly a race he has a great respect for, and even though Godolphin's G1 Caulfield Guineas winner Anamoe (Street Boss {USA}) has set a high bar for the spring's leading 3-year-old, Cummings still sees the opportunity to make another stallion at Flemington on Saturday.
“I just think that it should have every bit the relevance that the Golden Slipper does, it’s essentially the Golden Slipper for the spring 3-year-olds,” he said.
“I just think that it should have every bit the relevance that the Golden Slipper does, it’s essentially the Golden Slipper for the spring 3-year-olds." - James Cummings
“Whilst we’re lucky to have Anamoe safely back in his box at the stable, he’s done for the spring and he’s going to be back next autumn, he’s got to be one of most attractive stallion propositions of all the 3-year-olds in the country right now.
“The only thing that might topple that is some brilliant performance in the Coolmore here, that’s how important this race is and we’re so grateful to be a part of it.”
A triple threat
Godolphin's contingent includes the tremendously consistent colt Ingratiating, by Darley's emerging shuttle sire Frosted (USA) out of a mare by Darley's Champion sire Lonhro. He is coming off a third in the G1 Manikato S.
“We like the fact the horse is back on track with that positive effort at Moonee Valley. He’s backed-up once before for a narrow loss in the (G1) Blue Diamond, so there’s a lot to like about the way he sets up,” Cummings said.
Kallos, by the former Darley shuttler Medaglia D'Oro (USA) out of a mare by another local Darley Champion Exceed And Excel, is a last-start winner of the G2 Danehill S. over the same track and distance.
"He won a Danehill which is traditionally the best lead-up to the Coolmore,” Cummings said.
“He just looked like a Coolmore type winning the Danehill so stylishly. He pulled up well and we’ve been able to freshen him up again since then.
“He (Kallos) just looked like a Coolmore type winning the Danehill so stylishly. He pulled up well and we’ve been able to freshen him up again since then." - James Cummings
“He’s got a big pedigree behind him, so if he can accomplish that his future on the (Darley) roster is guaranteed.”
Paulele (Dawn Approach {Ire}) shapes as the colt with the best sprinting formlines of the trio, defeating subsequent G1 Golden Rose S. winner In The Congo (Snitzel) in the Listed The Rosebud and recording a very comfortable win in the G2 Roman Consul S. last time out.
"The horse is flying, he’s done nothing wrong. He has form around all the right horses - In The Congo and Home Affairs,” Cummings said.
“He’s coming into this coming off the best trial you could get, winning the Roman Consul.
“These three colts have different form lines but all three have credentials to be worthy victors.”
Gallery: The three Godolphin colts entered in the G1 Coolmore Stud S.
An elite field
Coolmore, which sourced Merchant Navy as a future stallion out of this race, has three representatives in its ownership, Home Affairs (I Am Invincible), Ranch Hand (Fastnet Rock) and Minsk Moment (I Am Invincible). All of them on pedigree, performance and type would not be out of place on the roster at Jerrys Plains in years to come should they win.
Newgate will already have spots reserved in its bursting stallion barns for Group 1 winners Artorius (Flying Artie) and In The Congo (Snitzel), who can frank their stud value enormously with a win on Saturday.
Rosemont Stud confirmed this week that Extreme Warrior (Extreme Choice) potential stud future had been locked away by the Victorian operation, while G1 Sistema S. winner Sword Of State (Snitzel) looks set to bring a dose of Australian speed from his pedigree to Cambridge Stud when his racing days are done.
Gallery: Some of the Sires now at stud after winning The Coolmore Stud S.
Another son of Snitzel, Bruckner, could book himself a spot on Aquis roster next to his three-quarter brother Jukebox, should he prevail, although Tony Fung Racing has shown a recent willingness to deal on stud prospects.
Should any of the other colts not mentioned above win, they too will find themselves in the crosshairs of Australia's top studmasters.
