Saturday summary: Snapdancer runs her Sangster rivals ragged

Cover image courtesy of Bronwen Healy

Snapdancer trounces rivals in Sangster

Talented mare Snapdancer (Choisir) added a valuable first Group 1 to her record when she led from pillar-to-post to beat her admirable stablemate Away Game (Snitzel) in the G1 Saroa Robert Sangster S. at Morphettville on Saturday.

In winning the race, Snapdancer handed the formidable team of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace their first win in the time-honoured race, while the victory also provided 23-year-old Ethan Brown with his maiden Group 1 win in the saddle.

Snapdancer’s season got off to the best possible start when she landed the lucrative Magic Millions Fillies and Mares H. at the Gold Coast on January 15, before taking out the G3 Triscay S. at Randwick a month later.

However, the mare’s fine run was derailed when she finished 15th or 17 runners in the G1 Newmarket H. on March 12, a performance which left Maher scratching his head.

"I couldn't really make sense of what happened last start," Maher told Racing.com.

"Track bias or whether she didn't like the straight, but we freshened her up and pretty much like what we did at the Gold Coast and the main thing with her is the start.

"I said to Ethan, if you get the start, the rest is easy and I was very surprised how easily she got across.”

After breaking well from barrier 15, Brown urged the mare to take the lead and she set decent fractions at the front. As the field entered the business end of the contest, the young jockey asked Snapdancer for her effort and she responded in fine style to beat Away Game by 1.5l. Dual Group 1-winning mare September Run (Exceed And Excel) ultimaetly paid the price for her tardy start, but showed guts to rally late and finish a further 1.3l away in third.

"Away Game, she must be the best bridesmaid in the country," Maher said of the runner-up, who is due to go under the hammer at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale later this month.

Meanwhile, September Run’s jockey Craig Williams said the daughter of Exceed And Excel never recovered after slipping at the start.

Snapdancer was purchased by Seamus Mills Bloodstock for $60,000 at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale in 2017, before being snapped up by former trainer Darren Weir and Brad Spicer’s Spicer Thoroughbreds for $180,000 from the Sledmere Stud draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale the following year.

The daughter of late Coolmore Stud sire Choisir is out of Snapdragon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and she herself was purchased by The Mission Syndicate at the 2018 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for $60,000 in 2018.

Snapdragon has produced five other winners and Julian Blaxland’s Blue Sky Premium Consignment will offer her two-year-old filly by The Mission, making her a three-quarter-sister to Snapdancer, at the upcoming Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale and she is catalogued as Lot 524.

In winning the Group 1, Snapdancer handed her late Coolmore Stud sire Choisir with his 12th top-flight winner.

A dream come true for Brown

Understandibly, Brown was over the moon to snare his first Group 1 race on Saturday and said it was particularly satisfying to win the G1 Robert Sangster S. for Maher, Eustace and owner Brad Spicer.

"My head is spinning a bit, I can't really believe it," Brown said. "To get my first Group 1 here for Ciaron and especially Brad Spicer, it's just amazing."

"I left home at 15 years-of-age – Mum and Dad let me go, I was fortunate enough for that and it has been a lifelong dream. To get it at such a young age it is so surreal.

"I can't explain the feeling (as) I've been in that situation before and been run down.”

A dominant force

This latest Group 1 victory provided co-trainers Maher and Eustace a sixth top-flight win of the season, with the mare joining Hitotsu (Maurice {Jpn}), who has three elite level wins under his belt, while Lighthouse (USA) (Mizzen Mast {USA}) and Marabi (I Am Invincible) both have one apiece.

Away from their victory at Morphettville, Maher and Eustace, who are firing at a ridiculous strike-rate of 18 per cent for the season, also saddled a treble at Caulfield which was kicked off by Blaze A Trail’s (Criterion {NZ}) triumph in the Rod Fenwick H.

Two races later, the team were in the winners’ enclosure again when Mankayan (Ire) (Intello {Ger}) took out the Take It To Neds Level H. over 1600 metres with jockey Matthew Cartwright in the saddle.

The dynamic duo's fine day at the Victorian-track was rounded off by Elzamee’s (Deep Impact {Jpn}) victory in the Magic Millions National Sale race over 2000 metres.

Elzamee - who was winning for a second time - was purchased by his trainers for a cool $1.1 million from the Segenhoe Stud draft at the Inglis Easter Australian Yearling Sale in 2020.

The son of Deep Impact (Jpn) was outclassed on his most recent appearance in the G1 Australian Derby, finishing 16 of 18 runners, but Eustace said it was pleasing to see the colt get his career back on track.

Gallery: Ciaron Maher and David Eustace's other winners at Caulfield on Saturday

"He really deserved that," Eustace said. "He's been racing in some really good races throughout the thick of the autumn and he didn't handle the ground in the Derby.

"It's a really good effort from the team just to get him back and winning in a pretty short turnaround.

"He only had an easy few days after the Derby, came back here and went to the beach, and then a couple of nice gallops at Cranbourne."

Back-to-back Hollindale’s for Zaaki

The talented-import Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) made a triumphant return to where it all began 12 months ago when he added a second G2 Tab Hollindale S. to his record at the Gold Coast on Saturday.

Trained by Annabel Neasham, the 7-year-old gelding was last seen running an agonising second to Think It Over (So You Think {NZ}) in the G1 Queen Elizabeth S. on the final day of the Championships at Randwick, but he showed his usual fighting spirit to defeat the admirable Chris Waller-trained mare Polly Grey (NZ) (Azamour {Ire}) by 0.8l in Heavy 8 conditions.

"This is the freshest he has been. He had a bit of a bronc with James (McDonald) when he got out onto the track," Neasham told SKY Thoroughbred Central.

"Then my only worry was whether I'd left him too fresh and he was going to travel too strongly (in the race).

"James just knows him so well and he took luck out of the equation. For a moment I thought the placegetters (Polly Grey and Kukeracha) were coming thick and fast and credit to them, they kept him very honest all the way to the line, but he was too good.

"It's pretty testing ground out there, it's pretty pluggy, and again it's another unknown how he would go in that sort of ground, but I suppose we had a little bit of confidence after the Queen Elizabeth that he would handle it."

"He's such a star, this was his first win 12 months ago and he's won so much for us and given us so much pleasure. He doesn't seem to be getting any older, so we'll be back again next year.

Since his win in the race 12 months ago, Zaaki (GB) - who was purchased by Blandford Bloodstock’s Stuart Boman for 150,000 guineas at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses-In-Training Sale in 2020 - has taken Australian middle distance racing by storm, winning three Group 1 races and he will now attempt to add a second G1 Doomben Cup to his CV.

"The forecast is absolutely treacherous, but we'll go there and he'll be cherry ripe," Neasham said.

Bred by Lanwades Stud owner Kirsten Rausing, Zaaki (GB) is out dual-winning mare Kesara (Sadler’s Wells {USA}) and is therefore a half-brother to Listed-placed Kirks Ryker (Selkirk {USA}) and the dam of stakes winner Kawida (GB) (Sir Percy {GB}).

Neasham, who like her stable star has come a long way since joining the Australian ranks in 2020, enjoyed an across-state stakes double on Saturday when Zaaki’s stablemate and fellow European import Numerian (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) took out the Listed Gosford Gold Cup and he will now join Zaaki in Queensland.

I Am Invincible keeps So You Think in his sights

I Am Invincible is currently sitting in second in the race to become Australia’s Champion sire and he made up some ground on the current leader So You Think (NZ) by siring a stakes double on Saturday, which saw his total stakes tally climb to 77.

The first leg of the important double was kicked off by talented colt Nettuno (I Am Invincible) who retained his unbeaten record when narrowly landing the G3 Tab Ken Russell Memorial Classic at the Gold Coast on Saturday, meanwhile Blondeau (I Am Invincible) took out the Listed De Bortoli Takeover Target S. at Gosford to hand the sire his second black-type winner of the day.

Gallery: I Am Invincible's stakes winning progeny on Saturday

Trained by Tony Gollan, Nettuno did not have it all his own way in the race, having to dig deep to repel the advances of Kacy Fogden-trained $31 outsider Midnight In Tokyo (Kobayashi), but eventually beat her by 0.2l. The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Sheeze Belter (Gold Standard) was a further length away in third.

Nettuno went into the race having landed his first two starts at the Sunshine Coast and Doomben and his trainer confirmed the colt would now head to the paddock for a spell.

“He wasn’t the best version of himself today,” Gollan told Racenet. “He wasn’t as good as what he had been.

“I just was very concerned off the corner when he (jockey, Ryan Maloney) had to ask him to come into the race because usually he would just go through his gears nice and he didn’t today.

“But there’s a lot to look forward to in the spring with him now.”

Bred by Yarraman Park Stud, where his stallion I Am Invincible resides, the colt was purchased for $500,000 at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and he is one of five winners out of Group 3-winning Saint Minerva (Galileo {Ire}).

Saint Minerva’s colt by I Am Invincible’s son and barnmate Hellbent was purchased by Dullingham for $210,000 at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale in Melbourne earlier this year.

Meanwhile, the Chris Waller-trained Blondeau was having his 24th start of his career and he bounced back into form with a fine 0.2l victory over Gospodin (NZ) (Proisir).

Wallers Racing Manager Charlie Duckworth said he was concerned about the draw for the 4-year-old gelding, but was happy to see him prevail.

“We were a little bit worried that he was going to have to come up the rail because everyone said the rail was off before the race, but it certainly wasn’t off for him,” Duckworth said.

“He has always promised a lot. Even early days, we thought he was going to be our Slipper horse as a 2-year-old, so he has taken plenty of time to realise his potential.

“When conditions suit, like they did today, and when he can get ridden with just one crack at them is when you see him at his best.

“Obviously this is his career-highlight to date and hopefully he can take some confidence from it and we can try to keep him fresh so he races to his best.”

Blondeau was purchased by his trainer and Guy Mulcaster for $360,000 from the Baramul Stud draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2019 and he is out of dual-winning mare Bit Of Cheek (More Than Ready {USA}) and she is herself a daughter of Group 1 winner Cheeky Choice (Redoute’s Choice).

I Am Invincible was also represented by a winner at Morphettville when the Andrew filly I Am Bene (I Ai Invincible) took her unbeaten record to two with a victory over 1050 metres.

Based at Yarraman Park in the Hunter Valley, I Am Invincible will stand for an increased fee of $247,500 (inc GST) in 2022, having last season for a fee of $220,000 (inc GST).

However, while not being represented by a stakes winner on Saturday, So You Think (NZ) chalked up two winners on Saturday when Indelible Spirit (So You Think {NZ}) landed a race at Donald, while So You Knew (So You Think {NZ}) was successful at Ipswich.

Kavanagh’s Tobin Bronze Stakes dominance continues

Trainer Mark Kavanagh landed his fifth G2 Tobin Bronze S. when his talented filly Seradess (Astern) produced an impressive performance to win the Group 2 at Morphettville on Saturday.

The daughter of Astern has been somewhat of a flagbearer for the stable in the last few years, having taken out the Listed Cinderella S. as a 2-year-old in 2021, while she landed the G3 Scarborough S. first-up this season and Saturday’s G2 Tobin Bronze win was the first since her victory in that Group 3.

Jockey Criag Williams sent the filly straight to front and did not see another rival, dashing 2.8l clear of General Beau (Brazen Beau), while Manhattan Times (Manhattan Rain) and Bacchanalia (Exceed And Excel) dead-heated for third.

Kavanagh - who won trains with his son Levi - has won the Group 2 race for three-year-olds, formerly known as the Euclase Classic, five times in the past two decades, with Seradess joining Danabaa (Anabaa {USA}) (2004), Honalee (Hurricane Sky) (2005), Champagne Harmony (Choisir) (2009) and most recently Shrapnel (Charge Forward) (2011).

"They keep changing the name, I don't know," Kavanagh joked on Racing.com. "She is owned in Adelaide and was bought here, so we come back here occasionally and have a bit of fun."

Williams added: "She's always been competing against the top horses in her age group and today we saw how dominant she was," Williams said.

"She had it soft (in the lead), a little too soft and then I trusted her with the way she felt with the blinkers on (first time) that if she kicks, she thinks she's in the world of her own, and she was.

"She's only lightly raced and she hasn't been able to hold through long preparations. Mark and Levi had the right balance of having her fit enough, sharp enough and effective enough and that's what we saw today."

Purchased by her trainer for $50,000 at the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale in 2020, Seradess has been richly rewarded her connections on the track having earned $371,325 in career prizemoney throughout her career.

Seradess is one of two winners out of stakes-placed Hidden Dragon mare Obsidian Dragon and she is herself a half-sister to fellow Listed winner Danedina (Danehill Dancer {Ire}).

Aitch Two Oh returns to winning ways

Last seen surrendering her unbeaten record in the Listed Dequetteville S., the Richard and Chantelle Jolly-trained Aitch Two Oh (Headwater) added a first stakes win to her record when she prevailed in the Listed Without Fear Stakes at Morphettville on Saturday.

Ridden by Jake Toeroek, the 2-year-old filly stayed on strongly to come out on top of a close finish to beat Winning Revolution (Winning Rupert) by 0.2l, while Prairie Flower (Star Turn) was a further length away in third.

The filly was purchased by her trainers for $65,000 at the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale and she is out of winning mare Very Dogmatic (NZ) (Swiss Ace) and hails from the same family as Group 1-winning pair Assertive Lad (Zeditave) and Assertive Lass (Zeditave).

Assertive Lass herself proved to be a high-class broodmare, producing dual Group 1 winner and sire Reset as well as Group 3-winning pair Stage Presence (Elusive Quality {USA}) and So Assertive (Zabeel {NZ}).

“It’s great to have these fillies winning these races. It really puts value on them at the end of the day,” Richard Jolly said. “That was her race for the keeping today. She just didn’t really know how to put that horse inside her away.

“She got the better of her, but it was a nail-biting finish. She’s just an athletic filly. Now she’s won that she’s a valuable filly – she’s got a good pedigree.”

With the victory, Aitch Two Oh became the fifth stakes winner for Vinery Stud resident Headwater and he will stand the 2022 season for an unchanged fee of $16,500 (inc GST).

Resonator books his ticket to Queensland

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Resonator (Brazen Beau) will now head north for the Brisbane winter carnival, with connections now eyeing a tilt in the G2 BRC Sires' Produce S. and the G1 J J Atkins Stakes, following the gelding's win in the Vital Hospitality Group H. at Gosford on Saturday.

The 2-year-old kicked off his career with an eighth place finish in the Listed Breeders’ Plate on October 2, before breaking his maiden on his next start in over 1200 metres at Canterbury on April 22. On Saturday, the gelding built on his maiden victory when beating Zou Tiger (Zoustar) by 0.2l.

"I think a good Queensland campaign beckons for him now (after) two promising wins," said winning jockey Tim Clark said.

"We could have gone another furlong there and the second horse was never going to get past him. He was always going to hold it.

"He just feels terrific in himself at the moment too. He's in a really good space at the moment so onwards and upwards."

Purchased by China Horse Club and Newgate Farm for $360,000 from the KBL Thoroughbreds draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale last year, Resonator is out of dual-winning

Dejavu Rock (Fastnet Rock) and she has most recently been served by Newgate Farm resident Capitalist.

Walker has high hopes for Lord Cosmos

Te Akau gelding Lord Cosmos (Pierro) announced himself as a possible contender for next year’s Classics when he took out the Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre 2YO S. at Te Rapa on Saturday.

The son of Pierro has taken a bit of time to come to hand since breaking his maiden on the second attempt on December 22, but he fulfilled that early promise with a 0.5l defeat over Mazzolino (NZ) (Savabeel) in the Listed contest.

Walker, who is in Queensland campaigning a team for Te Akau Racing over the moon to see the 2-year-old gelding finally snare a stakes victory.

“He is a horse we have a lot of time for and he has just needed a little time to mature,” Walker said.

“I thought the Te Rapa track was superbly presented today as it was fair for all horses and he was able to run his race from the back and be too good over the closing stages.

“He is a horse who is going to keep getting better with age as he is a real athlete and just needs to strengthen even further.

“We may pop him out for a month or so now while the weather is warm and if he comes back like I think he will then he could well be a Classic contender next season.”

Purchased by David Ellis for NZ$190,000 from Hallmark Stud at Book 1 of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling at Karaka last year, Lord Cosmos has now won two of his five starts for the Te Akau Galactic Racing Partnership.

Lord Cosmos is the only winner out of Not A Single Doubt mare Cosmic Powers and once again this exemplifies Pierro’s potency when mated to Danehill (USA)-line mares, with 19 of the stallion’s 29 stakes winners being provided by horses bred on this cross.