Saturday summary: Zaaki defends Tramway crown at rain-sodden Randwick

Cover image courtesy of Bronwen Healy

Zaaki returns to winning ways

The multiple Group 1 winner was having his first start since his third-place finish in the G1 Doomben Cup on May 28 and he ended with a flourish to beat prolific stakes-placegetter Icebath (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) by 1.8l, while G1 Queen of the Turf S. winner Nimalee (So You Think {NZ}) was another 0.6l away in third.

In winning the race, Zaaki joins Dreamforce (Fastnet Rock), Grenoble (Bois De Rose {GB}), Lough Neagh (Bachelor's Persse (Ire) and Gigandra (Ibex) as a back-to-back winner of the G2 Tramway S.

Having failed to fire in wet conditions in the G1 Queen Elizabeth S. last season, Neasham said she had thought about scratching the gelding when the rain began to fall in Sydney.

“It (scratching) was going through my mind right until the gates opened. But he’s very forward, I know he’s first-up and he’s obviously going to improve from this, but he’s a strong traveller and horses who travel strongly on the bridle like he does, it does help them get through the ground. So good job done - onwards and upwards,” said Neasham.

“The forecast didn’t look too bad, we had him in the Feehan S. just in case. He had to start somewhere and I said to James (McDonald, jockey), just look after him and the way the race slightly fell away in terms of numbers, it probably took a bit of pressure out of the race,” said Neasham.

With three Group 1s already under his belt, Zaaki will likely get the opportunity to add another top-flight race to his CV with Neasham earmarking the G1 George Main S. as the gelding’s next target.

“I’d like to run him in the George Main but that’s a tough run first-up on that track so we’ll see how he comes through and work it out next week,” she said.

Bred by Lanwades Stud owner Kirsten Rausing, Zaaki was purchased by Blandford Bloodstock’s Stuart Boman for 150,000gns (AU$253,600) at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale in 2020 and he is out dual-winning mare Kesara (GB) (Sadler’s Wells {USA}) and is therefore a half-brother to Listed-placed Kirks Ryker (GB) (Selkirk {USA}) and the dam of stakes winner Kawida (GB) (Sir Percy {GB}).

Zoustar again as North Star Lass toughs it out

The G2 Silver Shadow S. winner Zougotcha (Zoustar) may have swerved the G2 Furious S., the second leg of the Darley Princess series, but North Star Lass (Zoustar), another daughter of the Widden Stud’s star stallion, produced a tenacious performance in the Randwick Group 2 to hand her star sire his 32nd stakes winner.

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained North Star Lass kicked off her 3-year-old season with a promising third-place finish behind Zougotcha and In Secret (I Am Invincible) in the G2 Furious S. and with the former choosing to stay at home and the latter being scratched due to the state of the track, it looked the perfect opportunity for the filly to add valuable black type to her record.

However, after racing up at the front, the filly looked set to run another agonising place in a stakes race as Willinga Beast (Snitzel) loomed up on her flanks with 200 metres left to run.

But North Star Lass was not going down without a fight and she battled back impressively to beat the Kris Lees-trained filly by 0.2l. Last season’s G1 Champagne S. winner, She’s Extreme (Extreme Choice), finished another 3.5l away in third.

Waterhouse watched North Star Lass’ heroics on Saturday and the trainer, who was adding a fourth G2 Furious S. win to her CV, said the filly would now be set on a path towards the G1 Flight S.

“She is a typical Waterhouse-Bott horse. She was bought inexpensively, works her way through the classes and gets towards Group 1 races. We see it time and time again with our horses,” said Waterhouse.

“This filly is on the Flight S. path, that’s where she is headed, she is such a good filly.

“We were confident with the going today (Saturday). They have to learn to run in the wet. What happens if you have an Oaks or a Group 1 coming up and they can’t run because they scratch their horses all the time.

“With this win, her value is $1 million. Before she was perhaps worth $300,000 but with this Group 2 win she is a $1 million filly.”

Bred by Rosemont Stud and Fern Vale Farm, the filly was purchased by her trainers and Bruce Slade’s Kestrel Thoroughbreds for $260,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2021 and she is out of G3 Frances Tressaday S. placegetter Sheila's Star (Snitzel), who has produced another winner.

Sheila’s Star herself is out of Group 3 winner Northeast Sheila (Keltrice), making her a half-sister to stakes winner Jacqueline Rouge (Ne Coupez Pas {USA}).

In 2020, Sheila's Star produced a colt by Capitalist and he was purchased by Mick Price Racing and Breeding for $460,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale earlier this year and in 2021 the mare foaled a sister to North Star Lass.

Melbourne Cup aspirations for Knights Order

Waterhouse and Bott’s day got better at Randwick, as North Star Lass’ stablemate Knights Order (Ire) (So You Think {NZ}) returned to the scene of his greatest triumph, the G1 Sydney Cup, and win the G2 Chelmsford S.

Showing his usual enthusiasm in his favourite wet conditions, the son of So You Think (NZ) put his rivals to the sword, setting a generous pace and one ultimately none of them could live with, eventually drawing clear to post a 1.26l win over Numerian (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}).

Waterhouse said the 8-year-old gelding would now be aimed at the G1 Melbourne Cup at Flemington on November 1.

“Knights Order has stamped himself well and truly as a weight-for-age horse. But only a good horse wins the Chelmsford,” Waterhouse said. “It was like a longer race being wet and they didn’t take him on early so it gave him the chance to get into his rhythm. What a versatile horse.

“We have been thinking about Knights Orders’ preparation but we have one race in mind for him and that’s the Melbourne Cup. We will let the dust settle and decide which races he goes to next. He wasn’t bought for much money at the Tattersalls’s Sale. Rob (Waterhouse) found him on form.”

Knights Order is a product of So You Think’s four years shuttling to Ireland and he began his career under the care of William Jarvis in Newmarket, before being purchased by Johnny McKeever and Gai Waterhouse Racing for 250,000gns (AU$422,600) at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale in 2018.

Eduardo gets his The Everest campaign off to the perfect start

In the lead up to Saturday’s G3 Concorde S., trainer Joe Pride was confident his evergreen, ever popular 9-year-old Eduardo (Host {Chi}) was as good as ever and the gelding proved his trainer was not just guilty of pre-race fighting talk, as he sluiced through the wet conditions to land the Group 3 in impressive fashion.

With last year’s winner Nature Strip (Nicconi) being saved for another week and Masked Crusader (Toronado {Ire}) scratched due to the wet weather, the son of Host (Chi) was the only The Everest contender to line up in the 1000-metre contest.

In the past, the G2 Concorde S. has proved the perfect lead up to the $15 million race since its induction in 2017, with Redzel (Snitzel) winning it in 2017 and 2018 before going on to taste The Everest glory in the same years, while Nature Strip won it en route to last year’s victory.

Jockey Nash Rawiller placed Eduardo in second behind free-running Malkovich (Choisir) and as the field straightened up, Pride’s gelding swooped past the leader in a matter of strides, going away to beat Athelric (Exceed And Excel) in 2.5l. Handle The Truth (Star Witness) finished another 1.8l away in third.

“His age is irrelevant, it’s the amount of starts he’s had. Malkovich is a 5-year-old, he’s had 24 starts and my horse has had 27. Forget the age, he is an amazing athlete and you saw it again there today,” said Pride.

Eduardo will represent Yulong Investments in The Everest on October 15 and he will attempt to defend his crown in G2 The Shorts on September 17, before lining up in the $15 million race for the third time, having finished 11th in 2020 and third a little over 12 months ago.

“We will be here for The Shorts in a couple of weeks time and then we’ll give him the month into The Everest. He has come back in terrific order, he’s heavier than he has ever been and you’ll see that reflected in his race performances.

“I don’t bet at that sort of price but I was a bit surprised. I did hear he was the lay of the day with the TAB which was a bit surprising but good luck to the punters who got on him, his loyal followers.”

Mr Brightside shines at The Valley

The Lindsay Park team were hoping to see the best of their stable star Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) in the G2 Feehan S. at Moonee Valley and they were not disappointed as the 5-year-old gelding flew home in the Group 2, which holds a ballot exemption for the G1 Cox Plate.

Having taken out the G1 Doncaster H. on his final start last season, the gelding looked in good shape when landing the G2 PB Lawrence S. first-up at Caulfield on August 13.

And Mr Brightside had no issues on Saturday, impressively pulling away from the field to beat Inspirational Girl (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) by 4.5l. Last year’s G1 Melbourne Cup placegetter Spanish Mission (USA) (Noble Mission {GB}) was a further 0.7l away in third.

“He's been such a special horse for Lindsay Park and Ben and I,” JD Hayes said. “He's come at the right time and that was such a perfect ride. It all fell into place and he showed a nice turn of foot and thankfully it turned out how it looked on paper.

“There is still the option of the Caulfield Cup. We'll sit down with the team and work it out, but the good thing about having a horse like him is that we can point him at these options.”

JD’s brother Ben said Mr Brightside will likely be prepared for the G1 Cox Plate, adding the gelding will only continue to improve while at the same time is looking for more ground.

“As we know the further he gets into the preparation the better he gets,” Ben said. “He'll put his hand up for the Cox Plate.”

Idiosyncratic Aysar returns to the winning groove

A few races later, Mr Brightside’s mercurial stablemate, Aysar (Deep Field), broke a losing streak that stretched back to his victory a BM64 at Sandown-Hillside when he snared the Listed Chautauqua S. at Moonee Valley.

While his winning record only tells half the story, with the 5-year-old entire having run places in some top-class events including the G1 Caulfield Guineas, G3 Carbine Club S., G3 Manfred S. and G3 CS Hayes S., but there was no getting round the fact up until now the son of Deep Field’s career had not hit the heights, both his trainers or owners had hoped for.

However on Saturday, Aysar showed glimpses of brilliance, finding daylight in the straight to canter away to a 1l victory over Enchanted Heart (Shamus Award), who ran well for her new connections Yulong, with the Victorian powerhouse having purchased her for $295,000 via the Inglis Digital Online platform last month.

Aysar was raced by Shadwell Stud at the beginning of his career, with the operation having paid Torryburn $260,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2019 for the 5-year-old. He was then privately purchased by his new owners, which includes Leneva Park Bloodstock, when Shadwell decided to sell their Australian holdings in 2021.

Being out of the three time-winning Flying Spur mare Miss Interiors, Aysar is the older half-brother to dual Group 1 winner Home Affairs, who has just begun covering his first book of mares at Coolmore Stud.

It is a pedigree that packs a punch right the way down, with Miss Interiors a daughter of Ballet D’Amour (Stravinsky {USA}), the dam of reigning Champion First Season Sire Russian Revolution and Group 3 scorer Turbo Miss (Sebring).

Miss Interiors was purchased by Damon Gabbedy’s Belmont Bloodstock Agency (FBAA) on behalf of Torryburn for $625,000 at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale in 2017 and in 2021 her colt by Capitalist, now named Wilbury, was purchased by James Harron for $1.05 million at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

Earlier this year, Phil Cataldo Bloodstock paid $540,000 for her colt by Dundeel (NZ) at the Inglis Easter Sale in Sydney, while last season she foaled a sister to that colt and is due to produce a foal by I Am Invincible in the coming months, which will of course be a sibling to the brilliant Home Affairs.

A fairytale win for Rothfire and Heathcote

Racing has the ability to create wonderful stories befitting any bestselling novel or blockbuster movie and on Saturday at Moonee Valley racing fans were witness to one of those narratives as the injury plagued Rothfire (Rothesay) put some tough years behind with a victory in the G2 McEwen S.

Trained by Robert Heathcote, Rothfire looked to have the world at his feet as a 2-year-old, winning all but one of his seven starts, culminating with victories in the G2 Champagne Classic and G1 JJ Atkins S. Then as a 3-year-old he came back and won the G2 The Run to the Rose, which, before Saturday, was his last victory as injuries began to take their toll.

After finishing fourth in the G1 Golden Rose S. in 2020, he was forced off the track for 12 months, returning with a fourth-place finish in G2 The Shorts last year and he continued to perform admirably during the Queensland winter carnival last season, signalling he was back to something like his best when finishing third in the G1 Stradbroke H.

Racing on the shoulder of the leaders, Rothfire swooped down the outside to run away with a famous victory, eventually beating fellow Queenslander Zoustyle (Zoustar) by 0.75l, while Coolangatta (Written Tycoon) finished another 1.3l back in third.

Heathcote had not run a horse at Moonee Valley since the great Buffering’s (Mossman) swansong in the 2016 edition of the G1 Manikato S., with the gelding having landed that Group 1 in 2012.

Heathcote is now hoping Rothfire can hand him another win in the top-flight sprint later this season, while The G1 AJ Moir S., which Buffering also landed in 2012, is also on the cards for Rothfire.

“Gee, I love this racetrack,” Heathcote told Racing.com. “I've had some good times here. It was back in 2016 we farewelled the great Buffering and I've come back here today with a horse that I thought might have been as good but then he suffered a bad injury.

“That's his first win back since he suffered that injury and a lot of the owners are here today and I'm one very, very proud trainer.

“I said it would be a miracle if he ever got back to the races and he did. It would be a miracle if he could be competitive at this level and it's a miracle he's come back and won.”

Troach shines in Atlantic Jewel

After Troach’s (Epaulette) victory at Rosehill on the final Saturday of last season, the filly looked a stakes winner in the making and she proved that was certainly the case as she galloped to an impressive victory in the Listed Atlantic Jewel S. at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

Raced by Godolphin and trained by James Cummings, the 3-year-old filly came into Saturday’s contest having finished first-up third in Listed The Rosebud at Rosehill and she took improvement from that run, scooting clear to beat Lady Laguna (Overshare) by a facile 1l. I’mlovin’ya (Capitalist) was a further 0.5l away in third.

Sean Keogh, the stable foreman for the Cummings team in Melbourne, said it was good to see the filly back up her last start performance and he added the G1 Thousand Guineas could be on the agenda for the 3-year-old.

"It looked like it was a strong form race going forward and while she had a good run in the race on the rail in The Rosebud, it was good to see her back it up again today," Keogh said.

"She's a lovely, lovely style of filly. She's got plenty of scope, but she's got plenty of pace too, so we're really delighted to be able to take out a Black Type, Listed race like this.

"I'm sure the team will consider things like the Thousand Guineas going forward."

Bred by Godolphin, Troach is one of three winners out of the G3 Kindergarten S. winner Anise (General Nediym), while further back this is the same family as Hong Kong Champion Fairy King Prawn (Danehill {USA}).

Having not been served in 2020, Anise produced a filly by Darley shuttler Blue Point (Ire) in 2021.

Epaulette is the sire of 17 winners, headed by three Group 1 winners including last season’s G1 Blue Diamond S. scorer Daumier and he now stands in Turkey.

Shalaman bounces back

Having tired in the closing stages when looking the winner in the Listed McKenzie S., the Matt Laurie-trained Shalaman (Shalaa {Ire}) bounced back to win Saturday’s Inglis Ready2Race Sale October 11 Plate at Moonee Valley.

The son of Arrowfield Stud inmate Shalaa (Ire) stayed on bravely, just doing enough to beat Meridus (Extreme Choice) by 0.1l, with stakes winner Millane (Zoustar) finishing 1.5l further adrift in third.

While Laurie is keen to add a stakes race to the colt’s CV, the trainer does not think he is a G1 Coolmore Stud S. candidate and will look elsewhere for valuable black type.

“He kind of looks as if he's kind of going to deliver and put them away,” Laurie told Racing.com. “I think he has that extra length up his sleeve, but it's just not coming at this stage.

“I'm not quite sure he's a Coolmore (Stud S.) product, but we can dream and see how he pulls up.”

Shalaman was purchased by his trainer and Justin Bahen for $700,000 at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale in 2021 from the draft of his breeder Yulong, who retained an interest in the colt.

The 3-year-old is out of three time-winning Commands mare Our Daisy and hails from the same family as New Zealand Group 1 winner Emerald Dream (Danehill {USA) - the grandam of Listed winner Listen Here (Elusive Quality {USA})

Listen Here is better known as the dam of Group 1 winner and now Darley inmate Shooting To Win and Group 2-winning Newgate Farm resident Deep Field.

Shalaa is standing at Arrowfield Stud for a fee of $33,000 (inc GST).