Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Race-Day Recap
While all eyes were on the highly rated Great Barrier Reef (I Am Invincible) and Ebhaar (I Am Invincible), Saturday’s G3 Fujitsu General Canonbury S. and G3 Widden S. went off-script as a pair of impressive front-runners stole the show.
First-starter Best Of Bordeaux (Snitzel) blitzed his four rivals in the Canonbury S., setting up a potential first taste of the Golden Slipper for his rookie trainer Kacy Fogden.
The Widden S. was all about Queen Of The Ball (I Am Invincible), who led throughout and never looked in any danger of defeat.
The theme of all-the-way upset winners continued into the G2 XXXX Expressway S. as Overpass (Vancouver) held out the late challenges of Forbidden Love (All Too Hard) and star colt Anamoe (Street Boss {USA}).
Across the Tasman, multiple Group 1 placegetter The Chosen One (NZ) (Savabeel) broke through for a first win at the elite level in the Harcourts Thorndon Mile at Trentham.
Exciting sprinting mare Marabi (I Am Invincible) passed her toughest test to date with flying colours in the G2 MA Services Group Australia S. at The Valley.
Trainer Stephen Marsh celebrated a quinella in the time-honoured G3 Wellington Cup with Lincoln King (NZ) (Shocking) and Starrybeel (NZ) (Savabeel).
Blockbuster debut for Best Of Bordeaux
Less than three years into her career, Queensland trainer Kacy Fogden is counting down to a potential first shot at the G1 Golden Slipper after a spectacular performance by Best Of Bordeaux (Snitzel) in the G3 Fujitsu General Canonbury S. at Rosehill.
The Snitzel colt made his debut in Saturday’s juvenile feature, which includes subsequent Slipper heroes Sebring and Vancouver among its recent roll of honour, and he went into the race in the shadows of highly rated fellow first-starter Great Barrier Reef (I Am Invincible).
Best Of Bordeaux, winner of the 2022 G3 Canonbury S. at Rosehill | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
But Best Of Bordeaux made it a one-horse race from the moment the starting gates opened, dominating from the front and kicking away down the straight to score by 4.75l from Rakomelo (Lonhro) and Flashing Steel (Not A Single Doubt).
The Canonbury was the first black-type training success for Fogden, who has won a total of 78 races since saddling her first winner on the Sunshine Coast in July 2019.
“That was a bit exciting,” Fogden said on Saturday. “I was a little bit worried there for a little bit – I thought he might have been over-racing. But he kept true to the task and stuck on nicely.
Kacy Fogden | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“He travelled down to Gerald Ryan’s last week, and he has just settled in so well. He is quite a gentleman, really. I was very pleased with him today.
“I think we can look at the Golden Slipper now – he was full of running. It’s fantastic to get a winner like this for Aquis, and obviously this time of year helps too.”
Best Of Bordeaux also made a favourable impression on his jockey Sam Clipperton.
“He is a real gentleman to ride – first time at the races and he walked around like an old soldier,” he said. “He had a really good kick at the end. It was no fluke that he won, because he gave me a nice feel. He’s kicked off his career in fine style, and he will only keep improving.”
“He (Best Of Bordeaux) had a really good kick at the end. It was no fluke that he won, because he gave me a nice feel. He’s kicked off his career in fine style, and he will only keep improving.” - Sam Clipperton
Great Barrier Reef finished a well-beaten fourth, with jockey James McDonald suggesting the colt showed signs of immaturity.
Queen Of The Ball brilliant in Widden
Michael and Richard Freedman won last year’s Golden Slipper with Stay Inside (Extreme Choice), and on Saturday they unveiled a possible contender for a defence of that crown in 2022.
Queen Of The Ball (I Am Invincible) went into the G3 Widden S. at Rosehill with a second-placing to her name in the Kirkham Plate in October from her only previous appearance. She took a big step forward on Saturday with a bold front-running display in the hands of jockey Rachel King, winning by 3.75l from Revolutionary Miss (Russian Revolution) and Pantonario (Not A Single Doubt).
Queen Of The Ball, winner of the 2022 G3 Widden S. at Rosehill | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“I was thinking a couple of weeks ago we might be a little light for Golden Slipper horses,” Michael Freedman said. “But I’d say off the back of that, you’d have to be thinking she is somewhere in the mix.
“There’s not much of her, but she is as tough as old boots, as big an eater as we’ve got in the stable and just loves her racing.
“There’s not much of her (Queen Of The Ball), but she is as tough as old boots, as big an eater as we’ve got in the stable and just loves her racing." - Michael Freedman
“It’s a great result for Sir Owen Glenn (owner-breeder, Go Bloodstock) to get a Group 3 winner as well-bred as her.”
Queen Of The Ball is the first named foal out of Miss Debutante (Fastnet Rock), who herself won four races including the Listed Denise’s Joy S. at Scone. Second dam More Than Real (USA) (More Than Ready {USA}) won the G2 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies' Turf and placed in the G1 Garden City S.
Since producing Queen Of The Ball in 2019, Miss Debutante has had filly foals by Zoustar and Written Tycoon. The Zoustar filly sold for $600,000 to Gai Waterhouse, Adrian Bott and Kestrel Thoroughbreds at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Miss Debutante x Zoustar (filly) purchased for $600,000 by Gai Waterhouse, Adrian Bott and Kestrel Thoroughbreds at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Overpass all the way in Expressway
Just like in the juvenile features earlier in the afternoon, Saturday’s G2 XXXX Expressway S. saw an overlooked front-runner steal the thunder of their higher-rated opponents.
Most of the pre-race attention surrounded Godolphin's superb 3-year-old colt Anamoe (Street Boss {USA}), who was making his first start since a spring campaign that featured victories in the G1 Golden Rose and Caulfield Guineas and a desperately close second-placing in the Cox Plate.
But he had to settle for third in his comeback appearance on Saturday behind another 3-year-old, Overpass (Vancouver), who broke through to snare his first black-type win.
Overpass, winner of the 2022 G2 Expressway S. at Rosehill | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Ridden by Tim Clark, Overpass charged to the front and refused to surrender his advantage in the face of stern challenges down the Rosehill straight, winning by 0.5l and clocking a fast time of 1:08.96. Forbidden Love (All Too Hard) was second, just in front of Anamoe.
“We were positive today with the rail out,” Clark said. “He’d had the two trials to be well and truly wound up, and we used that to our advantage today. He’s come back in good order, and he looks like he’s in for a good preparation.”
Overpass is trained by Bjorn Baker for Darby Racing, who teamed up with Will Johnson Bloodstock to buy the colt for $75,000 from Corumbene Stud’s draft at the 2020 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. Overpass has now had 10 starts for four wins and $347,000 in stakes.
Bjorn Baker | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“It was a great ride by Tim today – he dominated and dictated,” Baker said. “You only have to look at the Roman Consul (fourth) and Coolmore (sixth) to know this is a top, top-class horse.
“He’s a fast horse, he has always shown speed. I will nominate him for the Newmarket on Monday. We will give it a bit of thought. There is plenty to think about. There is The Everest, the Golden Eagle – there are so many options.
“It was a great ride by Tim (Clark) today – he dominated and dictated. You only have to look at the Roman Consul (fourth) and Coolmore (sixth) to know this (Overpass) is a top, top-class horse." - Bjorn Baker
“Darby Racing have been my number-one supporters for a long time. They are great to train for.”
Jockey James McDonald felt Anamoe lost little in a narrow first-up defeat.
“He has come back enormous to make ground like he did,” he said.
The Chosen One breaks through
After three and a half seasons of consistent big-race performance on both sides of the Tasman, The Chosen One (NZ) (Savabeel) is finally a Group 1 winner.
The 6-year-old entire broke through for a richly deserved win in Saturday’s Harcourts Thorndon Mile at Trentham, where the set weights and penalties conditions – with penalties awarded based on Group-race wins over the last 18 months – saw him carry a luxurious 55 kilograms despite being the highest-rated runner in the field at 107.
The Chosen One (NZ), winner of the 2022 G1 Thorndon Mile at Trentham | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
Ridden by Matthew Cameron for trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, The Chosen One settled in fourth before powering out of the pack with a sparkling sprint in the straight. He crossed the finish line 2.25l ahead of Coventina Bay (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}), with Mali Ston (NZ) (El Roca) another 0.5l away in third.
“Sometimes these stallions only do what they have to until you ask them,” Cameron said. “I gave him one behind the saddle, and he really accelerated and showed that determination to win, which was just awesome.
“I’m lucky that Murray and Andrew support me, and when you get these big-race wins, it makes it all worthwhile.”
The Chosen One was bred in Southland by the Dennis brothers and was passed in at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale, where he failed to meet his reserve of NZ$150,000. He was retained by the Dennis brothers in a syndicate that also includes Janine Dunlop, who offered him at Karaka under her Phoenix Park banner.
The Chosen One (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
The quality performer has now earned more than NZ$2.3 million through a 37-start, seven-win career. His previous black-type wins came in the G2 Herbert Power S., G3 Manawatu Classic, G3 Frank Packer Plate and Listed Canterbury S., while his long line of stakes-placings includes the G1 Caulfield Cup, Sydney Cup, Herbie Dyke S. and WFA Classic. He has also finished fourth and fifth in the last two runnings of the Melbourne Cup.
Six in a row for Marabi
Undefeated mare Marabi (I Am Invincible) stepped up to Group 2 level and added another spectacular performance to her perfect record in Saturday’s MA Services Group Australia S. at The Valley.
Marabi, winner of the 2022 G2 Australia S. at Moonee Valley | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
Sent out as a $1.70 favourite with Ben Allen in the saddle, the electrifying 5-year-old outclassed her opposition with another dominant 2.75l victory over Sinawann (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) and Turaath (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). Marabi is now a dual black-type winner, having captured the Listed Christmas S. on Boxing Day in her previous start.
“She went at a nice gallop today, and that is her best asset,” Allen said. “She can go at that high speed and breaks their hearts, because she can keep it up while the others struggle.
“She just keeps stepping up to the plate, and hopefully the Oakleigh Plate is next for her. Hopefully she creeps up in the points and I can ride her.”
“She (Marabi) just keeps stepping up to the plate, and hopefully the Oakleigh Plate is next for her. Hopefully she creeps up in the points and I can ride her.” - Ben Allen
Marabi’s unblemished six-from-six record has so far earned $459,250 in stakes for owners Greenwich Stud Pty Ltd.
“We were very worried about the soft track,” said David Eustace, who trains in partnership with Ciaron Maher. “She’s trained on it quite a lot, or that style of ground, and she hasn’t performed all that well on it. But we needn’t have worried.
“Credit to her and credit to the team. She’s been up a little while and, yes, she’s had her runs spaced, but the team at Cranbourne have done a great job with her. I think she’s proved today at weight-for-age that she’s very smart.
David Eustace and Ben Allen | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
“You don’t think that you’re going to win races of this calibre by that far. She’s beaten a decent field, albeit a lot of horses kicking off their campaigns. She couldn’t have been any more impressive.”
Marsh saddles Cup quinella
Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh lined up two starters in Saturday’s time-honoured G3 Wellington Cup at Trentham, and he came away with a memorable quinella.
Lincoln King (NZ) (Shocking) and Starrybeel (NZ) (Savabeel) stood tall at the end of the gruelling 3200-metre test, with Lincoln King taking top honours by 0.3l from his gallant stablemate.
Lincoln King (NZ), winner of the 2022 G3 Wellington Cup at Trentham | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
“It doesn’t get much better than that,” Marsh said. “I own a little share in both of them, so that helps as well.
“Lincoln King has been pretty luckless in two New Zealand Cups, so it’s great to see him get that win.
“They've both raced out of their skins, and I’m just so pleased for everyone, including my staff – I can see that they have got a huge buzz out of this.
“It’s a big team effort and just great when you can pull it off.”
Stephen Marsh | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
Lincoln King became the latest in a series of two-mile feature winners for Rich Hill Stud stallion Shocking, who himself won the Melbourne Cup in 2009. He previously sired Adelaide Cup winners Surprise Baby (NZ) and Fanatic (NZ), along with New Zealand Cup winner Dragon Storm (NZ) and an earlier Wellington Cup winner in Soleseifei (NZ). But he is no one-trick pony, also siring star performers over shorter distances – notably this season's Golden Eagle and G1 Toorak H. hero I’m Thunderstruck (NZ).