Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
G3 Belle Of The Turf S., $200,000, 1600m
The Mark Newnham-trained Expat (NZ) (Makfi {GB}) secured a valuable first stakes success, prevailing a battle with Brookspire (Hinchinbrook) to win the G3 Belle Of The Turf on Wednesday.
The 4-year-old mare took her impressive record to seven wins from 12 starts, leading all the way under Tom Sherry to hold out the short-priced Brookspire, who is trained by Chris Waller, over the final stages, and win by 0.3l.
Amica (Rubick) finished third, some 3l adrift of the second placegetter.
It was Expat's third attempt at stakes company having finished fourth in the Listed Denise's Joy S. last May and been well-beaten last start in the Listed Just Now S. at Eagle Farm.
She has now won over $360,000 in prizemoney, a great return for her owner and breeder Tony McGrath.
McGrath also bred her stakes-placed half-brother Mental Telepathy (NZ) (Shocking) as well as the two other winning siblings, Queensland (NZ) (Shocking) and Abacus (NZ) (Postponed {USA}).
He raced her dam, Caution (Galileo {Ire}) in partnership in a short career. Also called Utmost Caution in New Zealand, she has a 2-year-old colt by Redwood (GB), a yearling filly by Akeed Mofeed (GB) and a colt foal by Ocean's Fourteen (NZ).
She becomes the 43rd stakes winner for Makfi (GB), who formerly stood at Westbury Stud but now stands at JBBA Stallion Station.
Listed Sneddon Bros Gosford Guineas, $150,000, 1200m
Godolphin gelding Bacchanalia (Exceed And Excel) continued on his winning ways, completing a hat-trick of recent victories with success in the Listed Gosford Guineas on Wednesday.
The James Cummings-trained 3-year-old, a recent winner at Canterbury and Randwick, continued on his upward trail, notching his first stakes victory, arriving after a well-timed ride from Chad Schofield marking his first black-type victory since returning from Hong Kong.
In a tight finish, he overpowered Authentic Jewel (I Am Invincible) in the final few strides, to win by 0.4l, with King Of Sparta (I Am Invincible) securing another stakes-placing, another 0.4l away in third.
Bacchanalia has now won four of his nine starts, and just short of $285,000 in prizemoney. He is Cummings' first winner of the race, and the first winner for Godolphin since Aichi (Strategic) was successful in the Darley colours in 2009.
Bacchanalia is a brother to the Listed winner Aquitaine and a three-quarter brother to both Group 3 winner Zethus (Exceed And Excel) and Group 2 winner Calliope (Exceed And Excel), who is the dam of G2 Danehill S. winner Kallos (Medaglia D'Oro {USA}). His dam, Thalia (Medaglia D'Oro {USA}), was placed at Group 3 level, and has not produced a live foal since Bacchanalia.
He is the 191st stakes winner for Exceed And Excel.
Runner-up Authentic Jewel and third placegetter King Of Sparta both have half-sisters by Zoustar offered at next month's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in Lot 82 (Yulong) and Lot 332 (Yarraman Park) respectively.
