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Zaaki goes back-to-back in Champions Stakes

Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) silenced a few of his doubters on Saturday when he wreaked his revenge on old foe Anamoe (Street Boss {USA}) with a brilliant front-running performance to land back-to-back editions of the G1 Champions S. at Flemington.

Despite barely putting a foot wrong all season, opening up his preparation with a win in the G2 Tramway, before finishing third in both the G1 Underwood S. and G1 Might And Power S. and was last seen running a never-nearer fourth in the G1 Cox Plate, Zaaki’s critics had began to pile up. However, his trainer Annabel Neasham has never lost faith in the gelding and he rewarded her unwavering support on Saturday when he added an impressive fourth top-flight win to his record.

Given a masterclass ride by Jamie Kah, who allowed the 8-year-old to bowl along in front, while Anamoe, who was attempting to win the fifth Group 1 in succession, raced in midfield in the early stages.

As the field approached the turn, McDonald began to ask Anamoe for his effort, but he did not respond with his usual vigour and the writing looked on the wall as Zaaki began to pick up again under Kah’s instructions, eventually sailing away to a 0.4l victory over Hezashocka (NZ) (Shocking), who passed the post in second.

The winner’s stablemate Mo’unga (NZ) (Savabeel) officially finished in third, but was promoted to second in the stewards’ room after it was deemed Hezashocka had caused interference, handing Neasham a quinella in the $3 million race.

With Zaaki’s win came a little slice of history as he became only the second horse to win two editions of the G1 Champions S. (formerly known as G1 MacKinnon S.), with Belmura Lad (NZ) (Belmura {GB}) in 1980 and 1981 the first horse to complete the feat.

Biggest moment

The popular Zaaki is owned by VRC Chairman Neil Wilson and other members of the VRC committee and an emotional Neasham was quick to pay tribute to the horse, saying she was grateful to him for ‘kick-starting’ her career, with this latest victory providing the young trainer with her seventh elite triumph.

“That's the way to ride him (Zaaki),” Neasham said amid euphoric scenes at Flemington. “I thought we're not going to die wondering, roll along and just repeat last year. She (Kah) gave him an absolute peach.

“All of his wins, he's gone quick and that's his greatest asset, his big cruising speed. I said, ‘Put your foot down’. She did exactly that and he's just so tough.

“Yeah, I think it is (my biggest day at the races).

“This time last year it was relief because he'd had that temperature before the Cox Plate and I was thinking, 'Was I doing the right thing running him here'? And so, when he won, it was a feeling of relief.

“But this year, I have been able to enjoy it, he was third in the market and I've just been able to enjoy the day.”

Kah was equally emphatic in her praise for the horse and also applauded Neasham for her handling of the gelding.

“Isn't he just a superstar?” she said. “It was a hot race and he's been running against them every second week and just things haven't gone our way.”

Like Mark Zahra, Kah was among the jockeys forced to watch the spring carnival from the sidelines last year, after being caught up amongst the Airbnb COVID breach and she hailed Saturday’s win as one of the biggest of her career.

“The day has just made it so much more special, I've got my beautiful parents here. Not to be riding during the carnival last year to winning a Group 1 on one of the biggest days of racing is just an unbelievable feeling,” she said.

“It's been a tough week really, I've had some nice rides but nothing's really hit the mark. I had a lovely horse in the Oaks (Pavitra) that just missed out and I was just hoping, 'C'mon, do I just get a little bit of luck this week?’

“I was expecting him to run well but how can you be confident against Anamoe and I'm Thunderstruck?”

Of Neasham, Kah said, “She's a beautiful woman, she's a fantastic lady to ride for. She doesn't fill your head with too many instructions.

“What she's been able to do with her stable, to build it up to a dynasty, she's got so many classy horses, so much faith in her team, it's hard not to have faith in her horses, they're flying at the moment, she deserves it all, she's fantastic.”

Neasham proud of Mo'unga

Two of Neashams seven elite-level triumphs, including her first, were provided by Mo’unga and like Zaaki, he occupies a special place in the trainer’s heart, so she was naturally delighted to see him storm back into the sort of form that saw him win the G1 Rosehill Guineas and G1 Winx S. last year.

“I am just so proud of Mo'unga as well,” Neasham said. “He really toughed it out, He's a phenomenal horse as well.

“He had a wide draw, but he'll certainly have his day in the sun. After that performance he definitely has a Group 1 in him.

“That was a proper horse race.

“To have started my career with a horse (Zaaki) like this (and) as an 8-year-old he has beaten a horse like Anamoe in emphatic style.”

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}).

Cummings hails star Anamoe

As for Anamoe, he went down fighting to finish a valiant fourth and James McDonald, who incidentally rode Zaaki to victory in last year’s race, said he didn’t have his usual turn of speed, while his trainer James Cummings was more keen to look back on what has been a wonderful spring for the 4-year-old.

“He's tried hard,” Cummings told Racing.com. “He's had a massive campaign, so it'd be easy to conclude that maybe he was over the top, but if you had've told me that he'd beat I'm Thunderstruck home comfortably in the race this morning, then I'd have been bullish.

“It just unfolded that way and he bumped into a very good horse in Zaaki, who's gone so well on the day.

“He's got the Cox Plate, it's the jewel in his crown and we're all thrilled to have succeeded in that.

“It didn't go his way on the final day, but he bumped into a very good horse who he might not be done with clashing against yet, but he's done himself proud.”

Cummings said that future plans for the entire had yet to be made.

‘See you later Alligator'

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) produced yet another sparkling front-running display to win the $3 million G1 Champions Mile at Flemington on Saturday.

The son of All Too Hard has been in brilliant form all season, having taken out the G1 Underwood S. in September and he was last seen dead heating for fifth in the G1 Cox Plate.

Ridden by Tim Clark, the 6-year-old gelding was sprightly out of the gates and took up his usual spot at the front of affairs, quickly putting daylight between himself and his rivals. As he surged past the clock tower, he began to come back to the field and the G1 Toorak H. winner Tuvalu (Kermadec {NZ}) began to mount a serious challenge.

However, all the hard work Alligator Blood had done early on paid off and he crossed the line 0.5l in front of Tuvalu. Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) ran another gallant race in defeat, finishing 0.75l away in third.

Waterhouse said it was a relief to see Alligator Blood back and was quick to heap the plaudits on her training partner, Bott, who was keen to see the horse tackle the 1600 metres again on Saturday.

“Absolute relief,” Waterhouse said. “He won at Sandown beating so many of the horses that he was up against today (Saturday) and Adrian was adamant about the mile and so was (part-owner) Gerry (Harvey).

“I bow to their superior knowledge because they were completely right.

“Tim was able to use his speed from the gates, and it was 'see you later Alligator'.”

Run for the first time at weight for age as part of ‘Champions Day’, Waterhouse said the change had proven its worth with a high-class race on Saturday.

“It's certainly proven for those horses who have gone through the handicap and come into open class,” Waterhouse said. “He has raced in the best weight-for-age race which is of course the Cox Plate, now to this which is probably his better distance.

“It was fabulous.”

Waterhouse said the connections would now weigh up options for the gelding, but she wouldn't rule out a trip to Royal Ascot, with the trainer earmarking the G1 Queen Anne S. or G1 Platinum Jubilee as potential targets for Alligator Blood.

“We'll talk to the owners, but I think he could be well suited over there,” said Waterhouse, who trains in partnership with Adrian Bott. “He showed there today (Saturday) what a good, tough horse he is,” she said.

Clark was full of praise for the Waterhouse and Bott stable and said he was delighted to see the horse add another Group 1 to his CV.

“He is at the back end of a really tough campaign and full credit to Gai and Adrian and Bec and Dave, the staff down here,” Clark said. “They've kept him up that extra couple of weeks and looked after him.

“It's great to see him get another Group 1 on the board. He wears his heart on his sleeve, he's as tough as they come and obviously didn't have Zaaki on speed with him, but he still was able to flow nicely and importantly he relaxed really well to give a good, strong kick.

“What a wonderful job and I can't thank Gai and Adrian enough.”

Purchased by Ezybonds No 1 Syndicate for $55,000 at the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from his current part-owner, Gerry Harvey’s Baramul Stud draft, Alligator Blood is out of the unraced Encosta De Lago mare Lake Superior and she is herself a half-sister to Listed winner Cantonese (Redoute’s Choice) as well as stakes-placed duo Chateau Margaux (Redoute’s Choice) and Monteux (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}).

Further back, this is the same family as Group 1-winning mare Typhoon Tracy (Red Ransom {USA}) and Listed winner Red Element (Red Ransom {USA}).

Roch ‘N’ Horse spoils the party…again

All the talk in the lead up to the G1 Darley Champions Sprint was about another mouth-watering clash between The Everest hero Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) and sprint champion Nature Strip (Nicconi). However, Roch ‘N’ Horse (Per Incanto {USA}) had clearly not read that version of the script, as she produced yet another memorable performance up the Flemington straight to land the second Group 1 of her career.

It was the second time the Mike Moroney-trained daughter of Per Incanto (USA) had trounced her rivals, having been a $101 shock winner of the G1 Newmarket H. in the autumn.

However, this time round the 6-year-old mare had signalled she might be back to something like her best form, having warmed up for the Group 1 with second-place finishes in both the G2 Bobbie Lewis H. and G2 Gilgai S.

Bred and raced by Sam and Catriona Williams of Little Avondale Stud, the mare sliced through her rivals to just get up in the shades of the winning post to beat Nature Strip by 0.2l, while Queensland raider Baller (High Chaparral {Ire}) was the same distance away in third.

Reigning The Everest Champion, Giga Kick, surrendered his unbeaten record by running fifth in the race, with his jockey Craig Williams reporting the gelding had a tendency to lean in up the straight.

'Best track in the world'

Moroney came close to winning Tuesday’s G1 Melbourne Cup with Emissary (GB) (Kingman {GB}) running a fast-finishing second behind Gold Trip (Fr) (Outstrip {GB}) and he was delighted to add another Group 1 to his CV at his ‘favourite’ track, Flemington.

“This has been a great track to me,” Moroney said. “I've won a couple of Derbies, an Oaks, the Melbourne Cup, a couple of Newmarkets down the straight. We've won most of the Group 1s here.

“I think it is the best track in the world.”

Moroney said the stable made the wise call to scratch Roch 'N' Horse from the G1 Manikato S. at Moonee Valley on Cox Plate Day.

He said the mare became 'frazzled' by the lightning and thunder the previous night which resulted in the race being held over for almost 24 hours.

“It was a great performance by all my staff and my vets because she's not the easiest at times,” Moroney said. “But she's a very good mare and we knew it was no fluke, the Newmarket, and we were happy to take them on today (Saturday).

“We scratched out of the Manikato. I was with her when the lightning came and she really got a bit frazzled with the lightning above her, and she didn't eat.

“So, I got her there (the following day) and when they didn't upgrade the track, we pulled her out and that was the best decision.”

For jockey Jamie Mott, the win aboard the bonny mare was his second elite-level victory of the Melbourne Spring Carnival having ridden Callsign Mav (NZ) (Atlante) to victory in the G1 Sir Rupert Clarke S. at Caulfield in September.

“Unbelievable. This is truly what dreams are made of,” Mott said. “I was lucky enough to get my first Group 1 only a month ago and to think I'm here on the final day going past Nature Strip, I can't believe it.

“Callsign Mav was a special feeling, but this just takes it to a whole new level.

“I must say, I feel sorry for Patrick Moloney. He's done all the work on this mare, and he's won a Group 1 on her himself, but he got suspended during the week. It's unfortunate for him but that's racing, and I was lucky enough that Mike and the connections gave me the opportunity and what a wonderful mare she is.”

The Williams’ retained the mare to race after she failed to meet her NZ$40,000 reserve at the 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale in 2018 and she is out of the unraced Cecconi mare Rochfort (NZ), who is herself a half-sister to Group 3 winner Weissmuller (NZ) (Handsome Ransom) and stakes winner Travolta (NZ) (Handsome Ransom).

Roch ‘N’ Horse is one of seven stakes winners for the Little Avondale resident, Per Incanto (USA) and he is standing for a fee of NZ$50,000 plus GST.

Waller 'proud' of Nature Strip

Meanwhile, despite Nature Strip failing to defend his title in the Group 1, his trainer Chris Waller said he could not be more proud of all the gelding’s achievements.

“If you come to the races thinking you are going to win on a racecourse, it's a pretty lonely life when you come home because it doesn't work like that,” Waller said.

“Group 1 racing is Group 1 for a reason. It's the pinnacle. It's bringing a lot of horses together on the same day.

“Honestly, I am very proud of him and I am not just saying that.

“It was a different set-up today (Saturday). They never really let him get away and do his thing. They were on his hammer the whole way, so he kept them in the race.

“He respected the 1200 metre and that's why he was so strong over the last 200. James (McDonald) held him together and he was really brave over that last 50 metres. That's normally when he's running on empty.

“It was a good field of quality horses. Respecting the field and the 1200 metres straight (course). We don't want to be five in front and falling in a heap and just win. We want to do it stylishly. I wouldn't change a thing.”

Waller said Nature Strip will now spell to be readied for next year, where he is likely to return to Flemington first-up for a third run in the G1 Black Caviar Lightning S.

Giga Kick’s trainer, Clayton Douglas, was equally philosophical after the gelding tasted defeat for the first time.

“He's going to keep developing as a physical type, he's still immature, it's well noted that he is,” Douglas said. “To be doing what he's doing at three, it's going to be scary to think what he's doing at four.

Of the defeat, Douglas continued, “I just cop it on the chin. It's one of those things, it's racing. The horse, he began well, it is a horse race, so not everything can go to plan all the time. Just with him wanting to go hard left, it made it very difficult for Craig, even when he did find the gap, he didn't lengthen straight and true.

“He's a lovely horse, he hasn't been beaten far in Group 1 company. I'm very pleased with his efforts.”

Pier takes the New Zealand 2000 Guineas

The Darryn and Briar Weatherley-trained Pier (NZ) proved he was one of the very best 3-year-olds in New Zealand as he prevailed in a blanket finish to win the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas at Riccarton and in doing so handed Rich Hill Stud-based sire Proisir his third Group 1 winner.

The 3-year-old son of Rich Hill Stud resident Proisir went into the race off the back of a stylish victory in the G2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas and was having his first run over 1600 metres on Saturday.

He gave his supporters some worrying moments when he was headed by Desert Lightning (Pride Of Dubai) in the straight. But to his credit, Pier kept battling on, regaining the lead to defeat the son of Pride Of Dubai by a mere 0.1l. Prowess, who like the winner is also by Proisir, finished another 0.3l away in third.

Darryn Weatherley was incredibly emotional after the race and explained how much the triumph meant to him.

“That’s everything to me,” Weatherley said. “I never won a Group 1 as a jockey and that is something that irked me.

“It has played on my mind for a long time, so to get one with my whole family here is a huge result and definitely the highlight of my career.”

Weatherley bred the gelding alongside Barry Wright and he said the victory was even more sweeter, having had a long association with the family.

“We bred him (along with Barry Wright) and his grandam (Naturo) ran fifth in the 1000 Guineas, so for her grandson to come out and win this one is quite special,” he said.

“He is a real character and I said during the week he would be quite happy with me at the pub. He is a beautiful horse and we are lucky to have him.

“My fingernails are gone as we were three-wide, facing the breeze in a slowly run race and I was a bit worried, but he just fought it out so well.”

He is out of the winning Darci Brahma (NZ) mare La Vitesse (NZ) and she is also the dam of Marina Farina (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}) who finished runner-up earlier on the Riccarton card. La Vitesse is a daughter of multiple Group winner Naturo (NZ) (Postponed {USA}) who was injured and retired when finishing close-up in fifth in the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas.

Pier joins Levante (NZ), who finished a brilliant fourth in the G1 Darley Champions Sprint at Flemington, and Dark Destroyer (NZ) as individual Group 1 winners for his sire Proisir, who stands at Rich Hill Stud for a fee of NZ$17,500 plus GST.

Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan

Barber: another star for Godolpin?

The global appeal of Darley’s Exceed And Excel was on full show in the early hours of Saturday morning, as he chalked up his 17th top-flight winner when his 2-year-old son Mischief Magic (Ire) landed the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Keeneland and the stallion looks to have another brilliant juvenile on the opposite side of planet in the shape of Barber, who ran out an impressive winner of the $1 million Golden Gift at Rosehill.

A winner of the Kirkham Plate last month, Barber was slow out of the barriers jumping wide from barrier 13, giving his rivals a 2l headstart. However, despite the tardy start, Hugh Bowman nursed the colt back into contention and with the early pace a furious one, it was only a matter of time before the field came back to him.

As the pace began to collapse up front, Barber began to pick off his rivals, coming from last to first up the straight, eventually beating Infatuation (I Am Invincible) by 0.14l, while the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained filly, Summer Loving, another by Exceed And Excel, finished 1l further adrift in third.

“The plan was taken out of my hands at that point, so I just rode him where he was and the pace was extreme from the outset.

“Mid-race you could feel I was detached from the pack, but the horse was happy. I was going to trust him to run his race late.

“He had to dig deep today and he produced, and I would suggest he is one of the top 2-year-olds in the country.”

Godolphin stable representative Darren Beadman was full of praise for both the horse and jockey.

“As soon as he jumped we went, 'Oh, plan B'. Fortunately, you've got a jockey of Hughie's calibre, he's a very cool customer and doesn't get overawed in those occasions,” Beadman said.

“He's a very push-button horse, he's like a horse that's had five or six starts. Worked his way through the pack and come out and hit the line with a lot of purpose and determination. He's class with a capital C.”

After winning his first start at Randwick Barber had to display a different race pattern, a fact not lost on Beadman.

“He drew (barrier) one the other day in the Kirkham and had all the favours, but today he had to overcome adversity,” Beadman said.

“The way that he let down and once he put his sights on the horse in front of him, he really knuckled down. So it's a sign of a good horse.”

Bred by Godolphin, the colt is out of the Group 3-winning Lonhro mare Trim, who sadly died 15 days after foaling Barber in 2020, and her progeny is lead by his sister Manicure, whose four victories were headlined by a win in the G3 How Now S.

When Exceed And Excel is mated to daughters of his barnmate Lonhro it has proved a successful nick, producing 32 winners from 44 runners and they are headed by five stakes winners.

Time produces Magic to hand Hellbent his first stakes winner

Yarraman Park Stud’s resident second-season sire Hellbent chalked up his first stakes winner when his daughter Magic Time retained her unbeaten record in the Listed The Amanda Elliott at Flemington on Saturday.

Trained by Grahame Begg, the 3-year-old filly opened her winning account when she won at Pakenham on debut and she stayed on strongly to beat the James Cummings-trained Atmosphere (Lonhro) by 0.75l, while Get Up Girl (No Nay Never {USA}) was another 1l further adrift in third.

It was also a nice consolation win for Begg, who endured another dramatic morning with Lunar Flare (Fiorente {Ire}), who was scratched on raceday morning for the second time in a week with the vets deeming her unfit to contest the G3 Queen’s Cup, having been scratched on the morning of the G1 Melbourne Cup on Tuesday.

Magic Time’s debut form was well and truly franked at Pakenham-Synthetic last night with Marxist (Capitalist), who finished second behind the filly earlier in the month, winning her second start by an extraordinary 10l.

“She’s a very nice filly. I know she’s only come off a synthetic maiden win that she won by five (lengths) and the filly that ran second to her won by 10 (lengths) last night (Friday) so it kind of franked the form a little bit,” Begg said.

“Very understated and we’ve given her plenty of time to mature. John Muir and Trish Muir, they’ll be over the moon. John is in Kentucky at the Broodmare Sale. He rang me this morning and said that it’ll be about 12:50am over there so he might have a nice little message on his phone when he wakes up.

“We just rode her like the best horse in the race at Pakenham. The smaller field, but we didn’t want any bad luck, so we decided to take luck out of the equation today.

“We drew a bit of a tricky gate, so we had to roll the dice and go forward. As it worked out, he was able to go three wide with no cover. Bloody good effort, second start in a race to be able to beat the colts and now she’s Listed winner.

“She might have a break because she’s only lightly raced, and we’ll let things work out.”

Bred by Milburn Creek’s John Muir, Magic Time was retained to race by Muir after she failed to make her $150,000 reserve at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2021.

The filly is out of Group 3-winning Nicconi mare Time Awaits, who was purchased by Damon Gabbedy’s Belmont Bloodstock (FBAA) for $300,000 at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale in 2018.

Hellbent has sired 24 individual winners in total and this was a much-deserved stakes scorer with the stallion having sired seven black-type placegetters previously. The sire stands alongside his father, I Am Invincible, at Yarraman Park Stud for a fee of $22,000 (inc GST).

Atishu bounces back

Having finished a brave fifth in the G1 Empire Rose S. last Saturday, Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel) bounced back in the G2 Matriarch S. at Flemington and in the process provided James McDonald with his eighth winner of the meeting.

The daughter of Savabeel was tasting success for the first time since her victory in the G3 Bill Ritchie H. in September 2021, but she got back in the winning groove when surging 2l clear of Steniem (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Tokorangi (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) was another 1.25l back in third.

The 5-year-old mare was purchased by Go Racing for NZ$260,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale in 2019 and she is a daughter of dual-winning No Excuse Needed (GB) mare Posy (NZ), making her a sister to stakes-placed Mazzolino (NZ).

Posy herself is a sister to multiple Group 1-winning New Zealand Champion mare Daffodil (NZ).

Earlier in the card, Waller saddled his first winner of the afternoon when Atishu’s stablemate Soulcombe (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who was ridden by Craig Williams, made a big impression on his first Australian start in the G3 Queen’s Cup, which saw him surge to the top of the ante-post betting for next year’s G1 Melbourne Cup.

The son of Frankel (GB) began his career with William Haggas in Newmarket, winning three times in his native England and he added a fourth win to his record, and first at stakes level, when he galloped to a facile 2.25l victory over Luncies (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}).

When asked about future plans for the gelding, Waller said, “It's all about seeing how he recovers today. Most importantly he knows how to win at Flemington.

“It was a great experience (for the horse) and that's what it's all about with horses especially, when you're coming from a different hemisphere.

“It is a different style of racing, but there's no better place than Flemington, the bigger tracks, and that will give the horse a lot of confidence.”

Soulcombe is from one of the most popular families in the European Stud Book, being out of the Group 1-winning mare Ribbons (GB) (Manduro {Ger}) and she is herself out of winning Marju (Ire) mare Sister Act (GB), who is herself a sister to multiple Group 1-winning Champion mare Soviet Song (Ire).

In winning the race Soulcombe becomes the 106th stakes winner for Frankel and 12th in Australia. His progeny Down Under is headed by three Group 1 winners; Hungry Heart, Converge and Mirage Dancer

With his progeny running with great credit in a series of stakes races during a busy and high-profile week, Harry and Arthur Mitchell must have been wondering just how much longer they’d have to wait.

Conjuring up the desired result on Saturday was the 3-year-old filly Magic Time, who chased down Atmosphere (Lonhro) to claim the Listed Amanda Elliott at Flemington.

“It was very pleasing,” Harry Mitchell told TDN AusNZ. “He’s had a lot of horses running in stakes races over the last 10 days and they’ve all run fantastically well.”

It’s certainly been a busy time for the progeny of Hellbent. Melbourne Cup Day saw his juvenile daughter Awestruck post a bold showing for third place in the G3 Maribyrnong Plate. Then two days later on Oaks Day, another of his 2-year-old daughters, Hell Queen, ran to the same effect in the G3 Ottawa S.

After his 3-year-old daughter Hell Hath No Fury ran a tight fourth place just two races later in the Listed Desirable S., you could forgive Mitchell for tearing his hair out.

“It was nice to get the monkey off the back today (Saturday),” Mitchell admitted. “He’s been knocking on the door and we’re very excited. We’re very confident that he’s going to make a very good sire, but it’s nice to get that first one out of the way.”

And that first one might well continue to be a flag-bearer for her sire as the season rolls on. Trained by Grahame Begg, Magic Time was having just her second start on Saturday, having graduated from her debut win at Pakenham on the Synthetic surface in the middle of last month.

“She was a slightly immature yearling that her breeder, John Muir, couldn’t sell. They kept her and put her with Grahame Begg. He’s been patient and I know he’s got a very high opinion of her - it’s very unusual to go from Pakenham-Synthetic to a Group race at Flemington. It’s hard to do, but she did it really well as she got no favours in the run either.”

Mitchell will draw confidence from Magic Time’s pedigree too, as she is the first named foal out of three-time juvenile winner Time Awaits (Nicconi), whose victories included the G3 SAJC Sires’ Produce S.

Though Magic Time didn’t make it to the track as a juvenile she is now two-from-two in her Classic season and, as Mitchell predicts, should continue to improve.

A late run

Second by winners in last season’s first-season sire table, and fourth by earnings, Hellbent rose to those positions with a late run, as his progeny began to emerge in force through the winter. That said, he proved himself well capable of siring precocious types too.

His leading runner from that first crop was Miss Hellfire, whose performance in the R. Listed Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic in December last year wasn’t even the first knock on the stakes success door for Hellbent.

That accolade went to Bohemian Daisy, who achieved the same third place in last year’s G3 Ottawa S. as Hell Queen managed last week.

So, it’s been a long crescendo for the sire, from those performers, via the G3 Black Opal S. second of Warby last March, to the beginning of this season, which he started with a bang, siring seven winners in August alone.

Having rewarded his supporters at the sales (his 35 lots to sell at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale averaged close to $170,000) from a first-year fee of $27,500 (inc GST), Mitchell says he should continue to do the same for their trainers as this season rolls on.

“He had a big run late in the season, and I think they’re going to continue to improve as they get older. The nice thing is that they really want to find the line, all of them. The best part of their races is the end of their races, and that’s exciting for us going forward.”

With Yarraman Park home to a true rags to riches story in Hellbent’s own sire, last season’s Champion I Am Invincible, the comparisons are inevitable. But, will Hellbent follow a similar trajectory of producing more and more stakes winners as the years go by?

“We’re very confident he will,” asserted Mitchell. “We’ve got a good syndicate behind him and we’ve kept supporting him every year. It’s not like he’s going to drop off like some horses do when they don’t get the support. Yarraman itself has sent about 20 to 25 mares to him again this year.

“We’re believers and we’re going to keep believing - what we’re seeing, we like. They’ve got good attitudes and they try, and I think he could be a very, very good sire.”

His father’s mould

Having had the experience of finding out which type of mares work best with I Am Invincible, Yarraman Park are at an advantage, according to Mitchell, as they map out the early stages of Hellbent’s own career at stud. It’s also given them the confidence to send him top mares from the start.

“What we’ve done a lot is send mares who have had a couple of I Am Invincibles, bring them back to Hellbent for a year and it helps Hellbent and we can wait to see how the first progeny go,” Mitchell explained.

“So, we’ve sent some extremely good mares to him this year and we’ve got some very nice yearlings. There’s lots of well-bred foals of his on the farm, like the half to Shades Of Rose, we’ve got some nice stock around by Hellbent.”

Aside from his runners providing increasing vindication of their confidence in Hellbent, Mitchell also noted that he’s stamping his stock like his own father too.

“I Am Invincible is the best type-getter I’ve ever seen and Hellbent runs second on our farm, as far as all the different stallions we have foals by. They’re very like him, they’re just lovely horses and they’re not too heavy and they’re very sound-looking.

“We’ve always kept his book at 150, and we’ve tried to only take good-quality mares. He deals with that number really well, so we’ve kept him at that number every year and he’s had a full book each time.

“He’s going to continue. This year’s 2-year-olds have already started really well, the 3-year-olds are going really well, he’s got a nice crop of yearlings and a lovely crop of foals.”

Cover image courtesy of Keeneland Racing

Exceed And Excel's Mischief Magic rallies to win the BC Turf Sprint for Godolphin

Godolphin's Mischief Magic (Ire) (Exceed and Excel) started off the Breeders' Cup action on an unseasonably warm and picture perfect day at Keeneland on Friday (local) in style with a late-rallying victory in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

Dramatised held second with Private Creed (USA) (Jimmy Creed {USA}) in third.

“I have to say I knew they were going to go hard,” winning trainer Charlie Appleby said. “From the gate, William (Buick) is riding in such great form and has so much confidence in his horses. I can see what he was doing. He was just going to get him on his lead.

“But he made a lovely run (up the back straight) and he was trying to angle out and just got pushed back (inside). He didn't do the horse any harm as I said to William, the one thing he wants is to give him gaps. Give him daylight and the old bugger just might have a second chance. Fantastic ride by William and great effort by all the team. Great to be back.

“I expected to him to be outpaced early,” Buick said. “He's a comfortable closer at six furlongs (1200 metres) at home. I knew the 5.5 furlongs (1100 metres) here with the speed in the race would catch him out early. I knew if I got behind a horse that would take me into the straight, he would finish off real good. He felt super.”

Mischief Magic represents Sheikh Moahmmed's operation from top to bottom. The colt is the 17th Group 1 winner for Darley Australia's Exceed And Excel and his second Breeders' Cup winner, following 2013 G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Outstrip (GB).

He is also the 11th top-level scorer out of a daughter of Elusive Quality (USA), who is now the broodmare sire of a whopping four Breeders' Cup winners. Mischief Magic is bred on the same Exceed and Excel/Elusive Quality cross as Guelph, Australia’s Champion 3-Year-Old Filly in 2013/14.

Victoria Road bobs to a win in BC Juvenile Turf

Coolmore's Victoria Road (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) just got his nose to the wire in front of Silver Knott (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) to give the Irish raiders their second victory of the afternoon and deny Godolphin a double of its own in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf S. on Friday at Keeneland.

“Ryan had him in a lovely spot today,” said winning trainer Aidan O'Brien. “He said he was going to produce him late. I just didn't know he was going to produce him that late. But we're delighted, really.”

O'Brien admitted the team was disappointed when Victoria Road failed to win in his early starts sprinting.

“We thought he'd be precocious,” O'Brien said. “He's a nice size horse, a very fast horse. We ran him over five and six (furlongs, 1000 and 1200 metres) early and we were disappointed he was getting beat. He's very fast on the dam side. And obviously the class and the stamina is coming from Saxon Warrior.”

It was the fifth time O'Brien and Moore had teamed up to win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. The two captured the race with Wrote (Ire) in 2011, George Vancouver (USA) in 2012, Hit It A Bomb (USA) in 2015 and Mendelssohn (USA) in 2017.

Victoria Road is one of three first-crop Group winners for Saxon Warrior (Jpn) and is the stallion's first winner at the top level. The Coolmore stallion, who has also been represented this season by French Group winner Moon Ray (Fr) and Irish Group winner Lumiere Rock (Ire), won the 2018 G1 English 2000 Guineas. Saxon Warrior shuttles to Coolmore Australia, where he stands this season for $19,250 (inc GST), as his first crop of 2-year-olds debut in Australia this season.

No Nay Never's Meditate dominates BC Juvenile Fillies Turf

Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}) scored the first of two victories for the Coolmore team, Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore on Friday (local), charging home to a decisive score in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

“We had a reason (she didn't win) at the Curragh and a reason for her last race and weren't sure about the mile,” said O'Brien. “Ryan (Moore) gave her a brilliant ride. Michael (Tabor) was very confident that this was the race for her. It's incredible.

“We came here to see if she would be a filly for the Guineas. And I heard Michael telling Ryan before the race, if she wasn't going to get the trip here, we might not train her for the Guineas. Obviously, the result was great. Ryan was very patient. He didn't have an easy draw and said he had to take his time the first half. Delighted for everyone.

A good-looking debut winner at the Curragh in April, Meditate reeled off three more wins after that, taking the G3 Naas Fillies Sprint S. on May 15, Royal Ascot's G3 Albany S. on June 17 and the Curragh's G2 Debutante S. on August 20. Her hot streak came to an end on September 11 when she finished second in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. and she completed the exacta again last time in Newmarket's G1 Cheveley Park S. on September 24.

Violence's Forte sweeps to Breeders' Cup Juvenile win

Mike Repole and Vinnie Viola bought 43 yearlings for more than US$16 million (AU$24.76 million) to top the sheets for the first of two straight years at the 2021 Keeneland September Sale.

'TDN Rising Star' Forte (USA) (Violence {USA}), a US$110,000 (AU$170,200) purchase out of that auction, made good on the duo's significant investment in the industry by capping his 2-year-old season with a championship-worthy performance for trainer Todd Pletcher in Friday's G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

Repole Stable, Viola's St. Elias Stable and Pletcher previously teamed up to capture the 2019 G1 Breeders' Cup Classic with Vino Rosso (USA).

“Having Vinnie and Teresa (Viola) as partners, it's extended family,” said Repole, who, of course, also won the 2010 Juvenile with leading sire Uncle Mo (USA). “Winning a race with them is always more fun. We're very blessed.”

Forte became the 13th Breeders' Cup winner for Pletcher and his third in the Juvenile. “He got a beautiful trip,” Pletcher said. “Just kept coming. I think we both got a fair run at it today. He got that two-turn experience (in the Breeders' Futurity) and it paid off today.”

Ortiz, Jr., a 15-time Breeders' Cup winner, added, “Beautiful trip. I broke good, saved some ground around the first turn and took my time down the backside. I started making my move around the turn. I hit him once and he responded. He deserves all the credit.”

Wonder Wheel slices her way to Juvenile Fillies win

D J Stable's Wonder Wheel (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}) was masterfully handled from far back beneath Tyler Gaffalione and produced a devastating stretch run to secure a year-end divisional championship in Friday's G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland. Leave No Trace (USA) (Outwork {USA}) was 3l back in second; Raging Sea (USA) (Curlin {USA}) finished third.

“There was lots of doubt, probably the entire race given the way she has run in the past,” said winning trainer Mark Casse after registering his sixth Breeders' Cup victory. “She is just a really good horse. She is just special and now she is going to be champion.”

Gaffalione, the regular rider of the Casse-trained G1 Preakness S. winner War Of Will (USA) (War Front {USA}), entered this year's Championships with a nought-for-34 record.

“She didn't break very well,” Gaffalione said. “I got pushed back a little further than I wanted to be. But when she broke her maiden, she took dirt and went in between horses and I wasn't too concerned (today). Spots kept opening up inside, so I just went forward and it just worked out.”