Saturday summary: So You Think, Rawiller and Oliver celebrate epic Championship moments

Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan

Nash of brilliance delivers Queen Elizabeth upset

Nash Rawiller delivered one of the most inspired moments in the history of The Championships, with an audacious move to track the outside fence with Think It Over (So You Think {NZ}) down the Randwick straight securing an upset victory in the G1 Queen Elizabeth S.

Think It Over may be a Group 1 winner, but the Heavy track saw him overlooked by the market, which was dominated by Australia's top weight-for-age horses, headed by Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}), Anamoe (Street Boss {USA}), Duais (Shamus Award), Montefilia (Kermadec {NZ}) and Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}).

In the end as Rawiller and Think It Over turned for home, the only one in front of them was Zaaki, ridden by Jamie Kah. At the 2300-metre mark, that pair had kicked 3l clear. Sensing he had nothing to lose and with Think It Over starting to flounder, along with the remaining rivals, on the Heavy ground, Rawiller made a bee-line for the outside fence.

Think It Over picked up momentum immediately on what was better ground and set about reeling in Zaaki, claiming the lead in the final few strides and delivering an upset but widely appreciated 0.6l victory. The rest of the field, headed by Mount Popa (Ire) (Maxios {GB}) some 3.8l further back, were all well beaten.

For Parker, it marks the high-water mark of his extraordinary run with Think It Over, who has now won $7.2 million in prizemoney.

“Our plan was to go forward and I didn’t care if he snuck away at the 1000 metres. But Nash had gone to the inside on one earlier and went ‘yeah it’s no good there.’ So we thought we’d go to the outside this time and what a thrill," Parker said.

The trainer said there had been no definite plan to get to the outside fence.

“Not so much to go to the outside, that was Nash on his own. But the plan was always to make sure this was genuinely run. My only option was to go out there positive and let the horse do the work and just rely on his guts and will to win,” he said.

Rawiller was keen to turn the attention on the Think It Over after the race.

"What a horse. So disappointing just with the autumn the way it’s panned out with all the wet tracks. You know those good ones can find a way to win can’t they? I trotted down the outside fence going to the barriers on one of them earlier in the day and thought, ‘I’ll keep this up my sleeve for later’,” he said.

“Even coming down the side there I was sitting off the fence. We just tried to keep him in clear ground. I thought he was going to run a good second, but when he hit that fresh patch of grass, away he went.”

Rawiller said Parker was the true mastermind of the success and deserved all the accolades.

"I don’t want to carry on about what I did, it’s all about Kerry Parker and his team down at Kembla Grange. To come around and win this big race, it’s one in a million and he’s pulled it off today. It was unreal," he said.

Bred and raced by Bylong Park, Think It Over was one of three Group 1 winners for So You Think (NZ) on the day in what was an extraordinary day for the dual G1 Cox Plate winner and Coolmore sire.

Oliver sets new record as Nimalee becomes a queen

On a day which saw brilliant horsemanship to the fore, Damien Oliver became Australia's most successful-ever Group 1 jockey with his 127th top-flight success aboard Nimalee (So You Think {NZ}) in the G1 Queen of the Turf S. at Randwick.

The Matthew Smith-trained mare went around as a $31 chance, but travelled beautifully in the run and she towed Oliver up alongside Annavisto (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) at the top of the straight and put paid to her, surging away to win by 2.3l. Icebath (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) was one of the few in the race to make ground from back in the field and finished third behind that pair, another 0.2l behind.

While the result completed an extraordinary Group 1 treble for So You Think as a sire, the spotlight post-race immediately fell upon Oliver, who, statistically at least, now holds the status of Australian best-ever Group 1 jockey, surpassing George Moore.

He had ridden Smith's first Group 1 winner in the 2011 Myer Classic and was delighted to link up with the Warwick Farm trainer for Smith's fifth top-flight win.

“It’s a been a good race for us. (Trainer) Matty Smith has been a good supporter, I won a big race for him at Flemington with Hyrtle Myrtle, so nice to win the big one at Randwick for him. He’s a great trainer and it's nice to get a good winner for him,” Oliver said.

“Coming to the turn I knew I was going pretty good. I was hoping it just transitioned into what I was feeling. The leader gave a good kick but I always felt I was going better than it.”

The historic nature of the moment initially didn't dawn on Oliver, who despite the fact he celebrates his 50th birthday this year, has no immediate plans to retire.

"I still enjoy it. As long as I’m feeling good and keep getting good rides I’ll keep going for a little bit longer yet,” he said.

It was Smith's first Group 1 winner in Sydney and a deserved first top-flight success for Nimalee, who was ninth in this race last year and fourth in the G1 Empire Rose S.

"We’ve had a few swings. I said to Damien in the paddock before the race, ‘I think it’s about time we won one in Sydney’ and he was confident. I knew the mare was right so just needed a bit of luck in running. It’s a tough race, but she’s a good mare," he said.

“She raced really well in Melbourne last prep, fourth in a Group 1 there and wasn’t beaten far. We knew she was right up with these mares just a matter of getting the conditions right and she handled the track well today. It’s a good win.

“You have a mare like this, as a trainer you want to be winning a Group 1 with her if you can, but sometimes they don’t. Today it just all went to plan, got the right run behind the speed and she was strong to the line.”

Nimalee was bred by Cressfield and purchased by Randwick Bloodstock (FBAA) for $270,000 through the Milford Thoroughbreds draft at the 2018 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.

Oaks glory for O'Brien, Shamus and El Patroness

An outstanding training performance from Danny O'Brien saw El Patroness (Shamus Award) deliver a shock success in the G1 Australian Oaks at Randwick, with the filly bouncing back to form in great style.

El Patroness tracked the early pace set by Gin Martini (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) and assumed control of the Group 1 race soon after turning into the straight. Gypsy Goddess (NZ) (Tarzino {NZ}) loomed briefly, but the O'Brien filly's staying prowess came to the fore late and she and Damian Lane had 2.55l to spare on the line, with Gin Martini fighting on well for third behind the aforementioned pair.

It was El Patroness' first win since her success in the Listed Super Impose S. last October. She had been third in two races at Caulfield in February but could only manage eighth in the G2 Alister Clark S. and hence she started at odds of $31 on Saturday.

But O'Brien, who was at Caulfield, said he never lost faith in El Patroness.

"She has returned really well this autumn. Her first two runs were excellent but then she had a very difficult run at Moonee Valley the other night when she over-raced and did everything upside down," he said.

"We had always been very confident in her once she got to 2400 (metres). It was really testing conditions but she was powering through the line.”

A homebred for the Balmerino Partnership and owned in partnership with O'Brien and several Hawthorn AFL premiership players, becomes the fifth Group 1 winner for her Rosemont Stud-based sire Shamus Award, and the first of his top-flight winner to be trained by his own trainer, O'Brien.

“Shamus Award is such an exceptional stallion and when his horses get to 2400 metres you are very confident with them. It’s a bit like how it used to be with the Zabeels at a mile and a half, they just grow a leg. I trained Shamus Award and I bred this filly,” O'Brien said.

“She is my first Group 1 winner by Shamus Award so to that respect it is really satisfying to train Shamus Award and to train this filly. We might look at the Queensland Oaks."

Knights' Cup win to Order

Knights Order (Ire) (So You Think {NZ}) and Rachel King delivered Gai Waterhouse a third G1 Sydney Cup success and a first in partnership with Adrian Bott, leading all the way to win the 3200-metre staying contest.

King set out her stall early, taking Knights Order to the front early and he was never headed from that point, surging clear as the field turned for home on the Heavy track and then holding off Sheraz (Fr) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) by 2l in the run to the line, with Daqiansweet Junior (NZ) (Sweet Orange {USA}) in third, another 2.5l adrift.

"It’s a fantastic feeling, we’ve got a great bunch of owners here involved with this horse, they really enjoyed that win. Very satisfying to be able to deliver for them,” Bott said.

“He loved the conditions, so I was really confident with him in regards to that. He’s had a great lead-up building towards this particular race. He’s had plenty of miles."

Bott praised King for her excellently timed ride on the 7-year-old.

"When Rachel (King) was able to dictate in the way that she did, it was a really calculated ride by her so she’s got to take a lot of credit for that. She was able to give him every chance and opportunity from there and he was too strong.”

“Over the years she has put so much hard work into the stables. Glad we were able to reward her with a Group 1 win.”

It was King's second Group 1 success and one which meant a great deal to her.

“He was the nicest horse ever to ride over 3200 metres and to get one for Gai (Waterhouse), it means a lot definitely. She’s been such a huge supporter of mine and being apprentice to her for so long, it’s just fantastic to get one for Gai and Adrian (Bott) and the team.”

Knights Order was purchased out of the 2018 Tattersalls Horses in Training Sale by McKeever bloodstock and Gai Waterhouse Racing for 250,000 gns (AU$460,000), having raced in Great Britain as Knights Errant. He won the G2 Brisbane Cup in impressive fashion last year and becomes the first horse to win both races since Just A Dancer (NZ) (Star Way {GB}) in 1991.

Snowdens at the double in Group 2s

Trainers Peter and Paul Snowden celebrated a feature Randwick double with the successes victories of Paris Dior (Pierro) in the G2 Percy Sykes S. and Mazu (Maurice {Jpn}) in the G2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint.

Paris Dior, having her first start since finishing second in the R. Listed Inglis Millennium, showed her true, tough qualities, with her and jockey James McDonald defying Willunga Beast (Snitzel) in the final stages to win the 1200-metre fillies' feature by 0.15l, with a big gap back to Lady Laguna (Overshare) in third.

It was a major moment for Marquee Stud and her breeders Steven Wilde and Bill Hilton, who retained her to race after she was passed in for $300,000 at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale 12 months ago.

Paul Snowden praised Paris Dior's quality after breaking through for her first stakes win at just her fourth start.

"She really deserved it. She has been quite dominant early on and knowing the fact we couldn't go to the well too many times leading up to the Slipper, we decided to give her that little break and come here today with fresh legs. She stood up today," he said.

Snowden said the future loomed bright for the 2-year-old Pierro filly.

"She's a Group 2 winner now, a little bit of pressure is off her. We just need to sit down with the owners and work out what want to do in the spring," he said.

"We don’t have to go to Brisbane. I’d really like to see her over seven furlongs. I think she has a little bit more to offer over that little bit further. She relaxes so well in her races."

Mazu follows suit

One race later the Snowdens were celebrating again, this time with owners Triple Crown Racing after Mazu's marvellous autumn continued with a dominant victory in the Arrowfield 3YO Sprint.

With the filed reduced to just four horses because of scratchings, Mazu rode outside the speed set by In The Congo (Snitzel), and out it to that horse in the straight, holding a comfortable 1.35l margin to the line with Paulele (Dawn Approach {Ire}) another 2.5l back in third.

Mazu, who had won the Listed Fireball S. and Listed Darby Munro S. at his previous two starts, has now established himself as one of the better 3-year-old sprinters in the land, especially on rain-affected ground.

"To go unbeaten in a preparation is really hard to do in this day and age. He has deserved his right to win a Group 2 and beat some handy horses in their own right. Obviously now, we can look forward to the spring with him and see what we do,” Snowden said.

“He can absorb the pressure and that is his biggest attribute. The horse can run seven furlongs any day of the week and possibly further but what he had a tendency to do was over-race a bit much in those early days and we spent so much time just trying to get this horse to back off. Just how he absorbed that pressure and then released off the back of that, that is certainly a special horse.”

Snowden said the versatility and toughness of Mazu put him in the mix for a spring target at a race like The Everest.

“He’s got that ability to absorb pressure and we all know how good an asset that can be at the top level, especially one race in particular (The Everest). When he can absorb pressure like that and kick off the back of it and respond, that’s a very good attribute to have.”

Bred by Parsons Creek, Mazu continues an excellent autumn for Arrowfield Stud stallion Maurice (Jpn), who last week sired the G1 Australian Derby winner Hitotsu.

Mazu's dam, Chatelaine (Flying Spur), has now produced a G1 Coolmore Stud S. winner, in Headway (Charge Forward), and now a Group 2 winner.

Champagne tastes for Fernhill winner Williamsburg

Williamsburg (Snitzel) is likely to back up in the G1 Champagne S. next Saturday after an impressive victory in the Listed Fernhill Mile at Randwick on Saturday.

Settling down last, the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-prepared Williamsburg picked his way through the field and impressively finished over the top of his rivals to defeat Moko (Impending) by 1.3l, with 3.8l back to Russian Roni (Russian Revolution) in third.

Only one horse this century has won the Champagne-Fernhill double, that being Prized Icon in 2016, but Ryan said he was keen to back-up should Williamsburg back-up from Saturday win on a slogging Randwick track.

"He likes Heavy ground and he likes the journey," Ryan said. "He cops his racing really, really well, so if he pulls up really well like he has the last two runs, he's a good chance to back-up in the Champagne.

"It is going to be hard taking on the two fillies in the race and Danny O'Brien's colt, they run 1-2-3 last week, but he's proven at a mile, he's proven on wet tracks and he is proven at Randwick."

Purchased by Tony Fung Investments for $470,000 at Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, Williamsburg is out of Group 1-winning mare Fenway (High Chaparral {Ire}) and continues a terrific autumn for his co-breeders Arrowfield Stud, who came together with GSA Bloodstock to breed this colt.

Cannonball delivers in Redoute's Choice

Smart 2-year-old colt Cannonball (Capitalist) put on a powerful speed display to lead all the way and break through for his first stakes win for trainer Anthony and Sam Freedman in the Listed Redoute's Choice S. at Caulfield.

Having his fourth start, the $975,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase for James Harron, took control of the race early on and held a comfortable margin all the way to the line, defeating John McArdle's debutant, Eye Of The Eagle (Alpine Eagle) by 0.75l, with 1.5l back to another first-starter Port Albert (Sooboog) in third.

"He was a high-priced yearling, he's shown plenty of ability from the start. His first campaign was full of promise, we took him up to Sydney for the Golden Gift but he probably overdid it a bit in the blinkers," Sam Freedman said.

"We had to give him a short break and it was probably the best thing that's happened to him, he's come back a lot stronger this time in. He's actually a full brother to Marine One who's improved from his late 2-year old into his 3-year old season and this colt gives us the impression his next campaign will be his best."

Bred by China Horse Club and sold by Newgate Farm, Cannonball looks a sprinter of considerable promise with jockey Brett Prebble also very impressed by him.

"I think he's going to be a better horse finding a backside and giving him one to run down. He gave a good kick but then he floated off the rail and he really needs a bunny himself. He's going to progress through the grades, he's already taken a big step today," he said.

"He just oozes class. He did it with ease, and I had so much in hand."