Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Maximal, the three-quarter brother to Juddmonte Farms' undefeated superstar and now premier sire Frankel (GB) may have finished back in the field at his only start to date in Australia, but everything about the 4-year-old horse now points to a big and successful 2022 campaign.
Trainer John O’Shea made it clear that whatever Maximal puts on show at Royal Randwick on Saturday, his first start back in what is a planned extensive campaign, it will be only a glimpse of great stuff to come.
John O'Shea
“He’s first-up and we’ve had a little look at him now,’’ said O’Shea. “We’re happy with the way he’s going.’’
Maximal is a dual Listed placegetter in Europe who finished fourth in the G1 St James' Palace S. His only run in Australia to date, in the Golden Eagle, was for a respectable sixth after drawing the outside barrier for his introduction to Australian racing.
“I think he’ll improve on whatever he does on Saturday,’’ O’Shea said. “He’s got a long campaign ahead of him. He'll go to the Chipping Norton in a couple of weeks and then we’ll see where we fit in.
“He’s a horse of good quality. If with a bit of racing he can adapt to Australian ways, I think he’s got a bit to offer.’’
Bowman buoyant
Maximal’s jockey for the Apollo S. Hugh Bowman also thinks very highly of the son of Oasis Dream (GB) mare Joyeuse (GB), the half-sister to European Group 1 stars, the undefeated Frankel, Bowness Stud-standing Bullet Train (GB), and Noble Mission (GB), a stallion that last year was added to the Japan Bloodstock Breeders' Association stallion roster for the 2021 season, a new recruit from Lane’s End, Kentucky.
Hugh Bowman
Bowman rates the horse as potentially one of the sport’s next big things to be knocking on the door of Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) and Nature Strip (Nicconi) for number one rankings.
Sights set on sire status
And Gnarwarre-based Rosemont Stud, who shares an interest in Maximal with his breeder Juddmonte Farms, also the breeders of that star family of sires, are very excited on the eve of his run and big campaign.
Rosemont’s General Manager, Bloodstock, Ryan McEvoy, said Maximal was certainly bought with an end game of potentially being a stallion for the stud.
“He’s a horse that we did a lot of work and background with on his form and rating and we thought he would definitely measure up in Australia. His form is pretty undeniable from a European viewpoint,’’ McEvoy said.
“He’s (Maximal) a horse that we did a lot of work and background with on his form and rating and we thought he would definitely measure up in Australia. His form is pretty undeniable from a European viewpoint.’’ - Ryan McEvoy
“That form is certainly good enough to measure up here and clearly the pedigree is there. There’s some really appealing factors about him."
McEvoy said Maximal had continued to please the stable and getting him down to Australia for that first preparation was ultimately about acclimatising him.
“We had a shot at the Golden Eagle and he ran super I thought,’’ McEvoy said. “For a horse that was not long in the country and John had not had a lot of time to get to know the horse. He ran great and set up a great foundation for him to have a positive prep this time in.
“Expect to see a solid run (Saturday) and hopefully a run that is a bit of a flashing light for a second and third-up tilt at Group 1 level. He’s going to run really well but I think he’ll be really at his peak in the next four to six weeks. Once he gets to a mile I think we’ll see the best of him.’’
Ryan McEvoy
O’Shea said, so far, Maximal was doing everything right on that path to putting himself on a stallion roster and had a lovely demeanour to match his good looks.
“In terms of his strength and development, he is a magnificent specimen now whereas he was a bit wintery last season,” O’Shea said.
Maximal was up to 25kg heavier, had a real spring in his step and a glow to his coat. O’Shea said he would be best over a middle-distance and is likely to need a mile to be a winning chance at weight for age level.
The Apollo S. is his autumn launchpad rather than target race with the G1 Chipping Norton S. over 1600 metres in a fortnight the look to race for Maximal.
Lost And Running matures
Bowman also has talked up Per Incanto (USA) 5-year-old gelding Lost And Running (NZ) to be alongside Maximal at the door of Nature Strip and Verry Elleegant bidding to knock for the top spot in Australian racing. But O’Shea is not as confident that journey begins on Saturday in the G3 Southern Cross S. mainly due to carrying 61kg in the race.
“He’s first-up. He’s got 61kg but we’re happy enough with him,’’ said O’Shea. “He’s had a good foundation. We think he’s finally matured and we’re very happy with where he’s at.’’
Lost And Running (NZ) | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Lost And Running, from Danroad mare Dreamlife (NZ), will at very least get a good run on Saturday from barrier five and is expected to be significantly further forward than what he normally is, said O’Shea.
“He can be competitive. The impediment of the weight is probably going to be enough to make it difficult for him to win but we are really happy with where he’s at and he will run very well.”
The Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale graduate from the Blandford Lodge draft was purchased for $40,000 and has earnings of over $2.2 million, significantly bolstered by $1 million for his fourth placing in The Everest behind Nature Strip, and a win in the million-dollar The Hunter at his last start. He has trialled strongly twice in recent weeks.
Lost And Running has both a full sister and full brother, the colt being sold at the New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale in 2020 to Tartan Meadow Bloodstock for NZ$210,000.
Filly goes for four straight
Exciting 3-year-old filly Jal Lei (Sebring) steps up to stakes grade on Saturday in the G2 Light Fingers S. as she bids to extend her winning streak to four in a row.
The Segenhoe-bred filly out of Exceed And Excel mare Lesley’s Choice has impressed in her four starts to not be out of the placings and O’Shea rates her as a “nice filly’’.
“She has a good record and is stepping up to stakes grade on Saturday so it will be good to see how she fares,’’ he said.
Jal Lei | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Jal Lei, a $180,000 Inglis Easter graduate has a full sister, Vivid Fortress, now with Mitchell Bloodstock having been retired with two wins to her name, and a half-sister by Russian Revolution, Bochkareva, was bought last year by Edmonds Racing and Kestrel Thoroughbreds at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $200,000.
Chad Schofield, who with wife Hannah welcomed baby boy Archer into the world this week, has the ride on Jal Lei.
“I used him when he was just out of his time,’’ O’Shea said of Schofield. “He rode for me when I was at Godolphin and rode for us in Melbourne and I always found Chad to be a very competent rider. He’s doing a good job and working hard.’’
O’Shea was expecting to be competitive across the autumn and wasn’t at all drawn into comment about horses in other stables.
“We just keep rowing our own boat,’’ he said.
