Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
G1 Queen Elizabeth S., $4,000,000, 2000m
It wasn't the result most expected but the race still lived up to all the hype by being a fascinating contest - Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) giving a good kick half way down the straight as Nash Rawiller in a daring move steered Think It Over (So You Think {NZ}) out towards the outside fence.
And a winning move it was, the underrated galloper at big odds getting the better of his rival over the final stages - in doing so winning the 12th race of his 35-start career and taking his prizemoney past $7 million.
It was his second Group 1 victory on the back of last year's G1 George Ryder S., making him his in-form sire's first horse to win at the elite-level on more than one occasion.
Part of a great day for Coolmore's So You Think (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}) whose imported son Knights Order (Ire) won the G1 Sydney Cup, Think It Over is a homebred for Bylong Park out of the unraced Personal Service (Zabeel {NZ}) - half sister to Scenic's (Ire) (Saddler's Wells {USA}) Group 1 siblings Universal Prince and Universal Queen from the immediate family of fellow Scenic big race winner Blevic.
Last spring paying a return visit to So You Think, Personal Service was not served the previous spring having previously lost an Exosphere (Lonhro) colt. Also dam of the city winner Miss Royale (Stratum), her most recent foal is the Denis Pagan-trained 2-year-old colt Normie No Show (Exosphere) - a $55,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Yearling Sale graduate.
Think It Over boasts crosses of the influential mares Special (USA) (Forli {Arg}), Perfume II (GB) (Badruddin {Fr}) and Lalun (USA) (Djeddah {Fr}) and is also line-bred to the great stallions Northern Dancer (Can) (Nearctric {USA}), Mill Reef (USA) (Never Bend {USA}) and Round Table (USA) (Princequillo {Ire}). He is a descendant of Perfume II's prolific third dam Marchetta (GB) (Marco {GB}).
G1 Sydney Cup, $2,000,000, 3200m
It was an all the way victory for a gallant Knights Order (Ire) (So You Think {NZ}) who added a G1 Sydney Cup to his G1 Brisbane Cup victory last winter.
An eight-time winner from 26 starts, he began his career in the UK where he raced as Knight Errant, winning races at Yarmouth, Windsor and Sandown Park.
A 6,000 gns (AU$11,000) yearling purchased by William Jarvis at the 2016 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, he fetched considerably more when sold to McKeever Bloodstock and Gai Waterhouse Racing for 250,000 gns (AU$437,000) at the 2018 Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale.
Bred by Airlie Stud and that Kildare stud's Sonia Rogers, Knight's Order is one of the 38 stakes winners for his high-class, Coolmore Stud-based sire.
His winning dam Lamanka Lass (USA) (Woodman {USA}) has produced another eight winners including the G2 Santa Anita Oak Tree Derby winner Dark Islander (Ire) (Singspiel {Ire}). This is a family to have already fared well in Australia, Lamanka Lass being a half-sister to the G3 Carlton Draught S. winner Far Lane (USA) (Lear Fan {USA}) who also won at Group 3 level at Newmarket.
Listed SAJC Challenge S. winner Mutate (Octagonal {NZ}) also hails from this family as does the 2015 GB Champion Older Male Miler Arod (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}).
Knights Order is bred on a 5 X 6 cross of the aptly named matriarch Special (USA) (Forli {Arg}) via Northern Dancer's (Can) (Nearctic {Can}) three-quarter brothers Sadler's Wells (USA) (Northern Dancer {Can}) and Nureyev (USA) (Northern Dancer {Can}).
G1 Australian Oaks, $1,000,000, 2400m
El Patroness (Shamus Award) relished the conditions and the step up in distance as she raced away to this easy Classic victory.
One of the 18 stakes winners for her in-form Rosemont-based, G1 W.S Cox Plate-winning sire, she was bred and is raced by the Balmerino Racing Partnership Trust (who also raced her dam) and O'Brien Thoroughbreds (who trained her dam).
She is the first foal for the dual city winner Sure You Can (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}) whose five-time winning dam Not Sure (NZ) (Masterclass {USA}) also produced the dual Group 2 winner Surely Sacred (NZ) (Rock 'N' Pop) and the G3 Tasmanian Derby winner Betwixt (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}), in turn dam of the G1 Queensland Oaks winner Provocative (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}).
Not Sure is a daughter of the dual Listed winner Icelette (NZ) (Icelanding {Ire}), dam of the South African Group 1 winner Taupo Retreat (NZ) (Centaine).
Sure You Can was again served last spring by Shamus Award (Redoute's Choice) having foaled a Puissance De Lune (Ire) (Shamardal {USA}) colt in late October. Her previous two foals are fillies by Shamus Award and Star Witness (Starcraft {NZ}).
El Patroness boasts an exciting pedigree with a 7 X 7 X 6 cross of the Canadian Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Flaming Page (USA) (Bull Page {USA}) via her son Nijinsky II (Can) (Northern Dancer {Can}) and a 7 X 6 X 5 cross of Best In Show (USA) (Traffic Judge {USA}) via her descendant Redoute's Choice (Danehill {USA}) and her grandsons Try My Best (USA) (Northern Dancer {Can}) and Masterclass (USA) (The Mistress {Can}). Flaming Page and Best In Show are both descendants of the influential Torpenhow (GB).
G1 Queen of the Turf S., $1,000,000, 1600m
Nimalee (So You Think {NZ}) made it a massive day for her sire who is proving himself to be one of the best racehorse/stallion combinations of recent times.
Bred by Cressfield Stud and purchased by the Randwick Bloodstock Agency for $270,000 at the 2018 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, Nimalee added this big win to her already impressive record having won last year's G2 Emancipation S.
One of her sire's 38 stakes winners (and one of his three Saturday Randwick Group `1 winners), Nimalee is out of the unraced Dezign (Zabeel {NZ}) whose four named foals are all winners including the Group 3-placed The Chairman (by So You Think's sire High Chaparral {Ire}).
Served last spring by So You Think, Dezign had not had much luck at her two previous years at stud with her most recent foal being a yet to be named So You Think (NZ) (High Chapparal {Ire}) 2-year-old gelding.
Dezign is a daughter of the terrific mare Elegant Fashion (Danewin), winner of eight races including the G1 Hong Kong Derby and three Australian Group races - as well as finishing third in the memorable G1 Hong Kong Cup quinelled by Falbrav (Ire) (Fairy King {USA}) an Rakti (GB) (Polish Precedent {USA}).
Dam of the G3 Ladies Day Vase winner Star Fashion (Street Cry {Ire}), Elegant Fashion hails from the same branch of the great Feola (GB) (Friar Marcus {GB}) family as the G1 Epsom Derby hero Nashwan (USA) (Blushing Groom {Fr}).
Nimalee is line-bred to Feola - her seventh dam - also boasting crosses of the influential mares Special (USA) (Forli {Arg}), Natalma (USA) (Native Dancer {USA}) and Perfume II (GB) (Badruddin {Fr}).
G2 Sapphire S., $300,000, 1200m
Appreciating a drop in class having contested Group 1 races at her two previous outings, Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) was tough to the line recording her third success at Group level.
Bred by Saconi Thoroughbreds by Coolmore Stud's dual Group 1-winning Street Cry (Ire) stallion Pride Of Dubai (one of his 13 stakes winners), she is the first foal produced by the lightly raced Bella Orfana (Star Witness) - half-sister to the G2 sprinter Hallowell Belle (Starcraft {NZ}) and the Group 3 winner Fuddle Dee Duddle (dam of the G3 Maribyrnong Plate winner Brereton by Zoustar {Northern Meteor}).
A granddaughter of the lightly raced Bella Inez (Beautiful Crown {USA}) - full sister to the G1 Caulfield Guineas winner In Top Swing - Bella Nipotina is an $80,000 graduate of the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.
Bella Orfana was served late last year by Zoustar having had the previous season off - her most recent foal being a yearling colt by Trapeze Artist (Snitzel); a flashy colt who sold for $280,000 to O'Brien Thoroughbreds during the week.
G2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint S., $1,000,000, 1200m
Mazu (Maurice {Jpn}) became Australia's newest millionaire with this strong on pace victory, his fourth win in a row, his fourth at stakes level and his first in Group company.
Bred by Parsons Creek Pastoral Co and purchased by Triple Crown Syndications for $180,000 at the 2020 Inglis Classic, Mazu is one of the six stakes winners for his in-form, Arrowfield Stud-based sire (making it a rather apt victory considering the name of the race), a multiple Group 1 winner in Japan and Hong Kong.
Mazu's multiple stakes-placed, multiple city-winning dam Chatelaine (Flying Spur) is doing a great job at stud with all five of her foals to race being winners including the G1 Coolmore Stud S. winner Headway (Charge Forward) whilst one of her placed daughters has produced the Listed Redoute's Choice S. winner Let Me Sleep On It (Manhattan Rain).
Served last spring by King's Legacy (Redoute's Choice) having foaled a Toronado (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) colt in early November, Chatelaine had missed the two seasons after producing Mazu.
G2 Percy Sykes S., $1,000,000, 1200m
Paris Dior (Pierro) certainly showed plenty of heart as she was challenged over the final stages, recording the second win of her four-start career - one which has also seen her bolt in with a Canterbury maiden prior to a game R. Listed Inglis Millennium second.
Retained to race by Marquee Stud Pty Ltd, and B Hilton having been passed in with a reserve of $300,000 at the 2021 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, Paris Dior is the 28th stakes winner for her Coolmore Stud-based, five-time Group 1-winning sire.
She is the first foal for the good race mare Entrancing (Exceed And Excel), a dual city winner who was successful at five of her 17 starts. Her yearling full sister to Paris Dior fetched $330,000 (purchased by Trilogy Racing/CB Bloodstock) at this year's Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Served last spring by Graff (Star Witness) having foaled a three-quarter brother by Lonhro (Octagonal {NZ}) to Paris Dior in October, Entrancing is out of the stakes-placed Coast To The Post (Anabaa USA}), also dam of the stakes-placed Miss West Coast (Safeguard).
A descendant of the famed matriarch Eulogy (GB) (Cicero {GB}), Paris Dior is a great-granddaughter of the popular Group 1-placed, four times Listed winner Nanny Maroon (Alquoz {USA}) whose son De Lightning Ridge (Tale Of The Cat {USA}) won six races including the G2 Challenge S.
Listed South Pacific Classic, $150,000, 1400m
The Godolphin homebred Vilana (Hallowed Crown) showed plenty of heart rising in class. The fifth stakes winner for her Twin Hills-based dual Group 1-winning sire, she is the third stakes winner for the city-placed Retsina (Redoute's Choice), also dam of the multiple Group winner Savatiano (Street Cry {Ire}) and the dual Listed winner Athiri (Lonhro).
Listed Fernhill H., $150,000, 1600m
Williamsburg (Snitzel) relished another step up in distance winning his second in a row. Bred by Arrowfield Pastoral and GSA Bloodstock and purchased by Tony Fung Investments for $470,000 at 2021 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, the son of the G1 Vinery Stud S. winner Fenway (High Chaparral {Ire}) is one of the 120 stakes winners for his Arrowfield Stud-based Champion Sire.
