Cover image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
Race-Day Recap
It was Pike, Peters and Williams again in Perth as Graceful Girl (Nicconi) soared from last to first in the G1 Crown Perth Winterbottom S.
The G2 Zipping Classic moved from Sandown to Caulfield this year, but the result was the same as Sound (Ger) (Lando {Ger}) went back-to-back.
There was no fairytale farewell for retiring jockey Glen Boss, who finished fourth aboard Zipping Classic favourite Spanish Mission (USA) (Noble Mission {GB}) in the final ride of his glittering career.
In only his third career start, Blue Army (NZ) (Savabeel) scored an upset win in the G2 Neds Sandown Guineas.
Emirates Park celebrated a black-type double at Caulfield as owner-breeders of Ebhaar (I Am Invincible) and Enthaar (Written Tycoon).
An outstanding spring for Trelawney Stud’s Brent and Cherry Taylor rolled on with another stakes win – this time with undefeated 3-year-old Pareanui Bay (NZ) (Lonhro).
I Am Invincible was a recurring theme through a string of impressive 2-year-old winners as the sire of Ebhaar and I Choose You who made winning starts to their career, and his first season sire son Overshare produced Laguna Lady to monster the field at Rosehill.
Graceful Girl brilliant in Winterbottom
Just like last week with the breathtaking Western Empire (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) in the Railway S., Ascot's Group 1 stage again belongs to Bob and Sandra Peters, Grant and Alana Williams, and William Pike.
Perth’s all-conquering owner-trainer-jockey combination starred again in Saturday’s G1 Crown Perth Winterbottom S. as Graceful Girl (Nicconi) flew home from last to score a spectacular win by 2.75l.
The Peters' colours were also carried into second place by the Adam Durrant-trained Stageman (Written Tycoon), while defending champion Elite Street (Street Boss {USA}) finished third.
Bred by her owners Peters Investments Ltd, Graceful Girl is out of stellar broodmare Avenida Madero (Metal Storm {Fr}), whose nine foals to race have all been winners. While Graceful Girl’s Group 1 heroics now put her at the top of that list, Respondent (Haradasun) won the G2 Western Australian Derby and State Solicitor (Nicconi) took out the G3 Colonel Reeves S.
Avenida Madero herself won 13 races including the G2 Lee Steere S., G3 AJ Scahill S., G3 Roma Cup and Colonel Reeves S.
From 11 starts, Graceful Girl has now had six wins and four placings. She had previously won the Listed Raconteur S. and placed in the G3 Colonel Reeves S.
Sound defends Classic crown
Whether it’s at Sandown or Caulfield, something about the G2 Zipping Classic brings the very best out of Sound (Ger) (Lando {Ger}).
Among a long line of creditable performances in major staying features on both sides of the Tasman, the well-travelled veteran has won only two races since his arrival in Australia in 2018. Both of those wins have been in the Zipping Classic, taking out the 2400-metre feature at Sandown last year and again at its new home of Caulfield on Saturday.
The 9-year-old defended his crown in style this time around, finishing over the top of Dr Drill (GB) (Dansili {GB}) and scoring a comfortable victory by 0.5l.
Sound has now won nine of his 45 starts and more than $1.7 million in stakes. A seven-time winner in Germany up to Group 2 level, he has placed in eight stakes races in Australasia including two editions of the G1 Auckland Cup. He also finished fourth in a G1 Tancred S. and has contested two Melbourne Cups, two Caulfield Cups and two Sydney Cups.
“He’s 9 years old and probably racing at his best,” trainer Mike Moroney said. “These staying-bred horses, German horses in particular, they’ve got longevity in their legs without any doubt, and he’s done a great job. He has been a bit maligned as being a bridesmaid, but he got it right today.
“He’s hopefully going to find a stud in New Zealand. It’s a good place to breed nice stayers, and they are renowned for doing it. He’d be the right sort of horse in the right home.
“He’ll probably go back to the Auckland Cup again in March. We might back him up in the Pakenham Cup next week. We’ll see how he pulls up.”
Sound capped a successful Saturday for Moroney, who earlier won the Listed Neds Sandown Cup with Dragon Storm (NZ) (Shocking). By Melbourne Cup winner Shocking out of two-time Auckland Cup winner Prize Lady (NZ) (Prized {USA}), Dragon Storm had previously won the G3 New Zealand Cup at Riccarton 12 months ago.
No fairy-tale farewell for Boss
Jockey Glen Boss brought his blockbuster career to a close at Caulfield on Saturday, finishing fourth aboard the Zipping Classic favourite Spanish Mission (USA) (Noble Mission {GB}) in his final ride.
“He gave me a wonderful ride throughout the race,” the 52-year-old said. “There was hardly a step in that race that I didn’t feel a winner. Once I got to the 500-metre mark, I asked him to come up underneath me and he wasn’t there. To his credit, he tried very hard.
“What a fitting way to go out – I gave that horse every possible hope. I got in the zone, I felt good. The result was not going to define my career. Just being here today, being in front of this Melbourne crowd, having my family here. I want to thank everybody. It’s been a wonderful journey. It’s been a tough time at times, the journey, but the good times far outweigh the bad times.
“I feel wonderful, honestly. I go out feeling good. I’ve given a good horse a good ride, and I couldn’t ask for any more.”
Boss hangs up his riding boots with a total of 90 Group 1 victories to his name, including three Melbourne Cups aboard the great Makybe Diva (GB) (Desert King {Ire}), along with four Cox Plates, two Golden Slippers and seven editions of the Doncaster H.
Blue Army upsets in Guineas
Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr landed a memorable upset as Blue Army (NZ) (Savabeel) upstaged his higher-rated rivals in Saturday’s G2 Neds Sandown Guineas at Caulfield.
Thrown in at the deep end after placing at Cranbourne and winning a Warrnambool maiden, Blue Army stepped up to the big time in style in only his third career start.
After enjoying a handy run in fourth along the rail, he quickened smartly for jockey Damian Lane and thrust his head in front with 100 metres to run. Blue Army edged ahead of Blazerro (Pierro) and Festival Dancer (Choisir) in the closing stages, scoring by 0.5l.
Notably, Blue Army became the first winner for Price and Kent Jnr since setting up a new stable at Cranbourne due to the closure of the Caulfield training centre.
“First winner from our new stable, and he’s a beautiful colt,” Kent Jnr said. “It was a big step, and we knew we had a good horse to do it. It is a massive result, because the owner has flown all the way from Singapore for the day, and to get a win with him here is huge.
“We always thought he’d be better in the autumn, to be honest. We didn’t know if he would be going out after this run, but we set him for the race and it has all worked out.”
Blue Army is raced by ARAMCO Racing, and he was a $220,000 purchase by Wattle Bloodstock and HBL Racing from Widden Stud’s draft at the 2020 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.
Big double for Emirates Park
Emirates Park celebrated a big-race double at Caulfield on Saturday as owner-breeders of classy fillies Ebhaar (I Am Invincible) and Enthaar (Written Tycoon).
Juvenile filly Ebhaar provided a perfect start to both the day and her racing career with a debut victory in the Listed Thoroughbred Club Merson Cooper S., and then talented 3-year-old Enthaar collected the third win of her five-start career with an impressive performance in the Listed Premier Signs Doveton S.
“Great to get a winner for Emirates Park – they’ve had a pretty good day today and I’m sure they’ll be chuffed,” said Ciaron Maher, who trains Enthaar in partnership with David Eustace.
“She’s always been a filly with oodles of ability. She took a while to come to hand. We were half thinking about kicking her off in the Moir at The Valley – she’s a real 1000-metre horse. But we waited for her and I thought it was a solid effort first-up after such a long break. Really rapt.
“The Oakleigh Plate could be a possibility. I’d love it if it was 1000 metres, but that handicap level, as a 3-year-old, might suit her.”
Trelawney's Taylors strike again
A remarkable spring just keeps getting better and better for Trelawney Stud’s Brent and Cherry Taylor.
The couple have celebrated a series of stakes successes on both sides of the Tasman this spring as owner-breeders of G2 Matriarch S. and Listed Ballarat Cup heroine Zayydani (NZ) (Savabeel), G3 Spring Sprint winner Two Illicit (NZ) (Jimmy Choux {NZ}) and G3 Thompson H. winner Cheaperthandivorce (NZ) (Savabeel).
The rising star of their racing team is the 3-year-old Pareanui Bay (NZ) (Lonhro), who is now unbeaten in three starts after taking out Saturday’s Listed Trevor & Corallie Memorial at Te Aroha. The Tony Pike-trained gelding had previously won two races at Te Rapa earlier in the spring, including the G2 Sarten Memorial in late October.
“He did the job we expected today, although each day gets a little bit harder because he is now expected to win,” Pike said. “He is still green, with plenty of learning to do.
“He is the type of horse that won’t generally win races by big margins, but he is also the sort that always seems to have something in reserve when you really need it.
“At the moment we are not too sure where we will go next. He’s being spruiked for the New Zealand Derby, but I still don’t know if he is a true Derby horse. I will have a good chat to Brent and Cherry Taylor and see what they think before we make any future plans.
“There is a lot of water to go under the bridge, but a race like the Rosehill Guineas in Sydney during the autumn is a possibility, as is the Doncaster Mile.”
Pareanui Bay is out of Okahu Bay (Flying Spur), who won the G3 South Australia Fillies’ Classic.
