Saturday summary: Emotions run high as Trix Of The Trade takes the Railway

Cover image courtesy of Perth Racing

Trix bursts through to win Railway

There was not a dry eye in the house at Ascot on Saturday as the 82-year-old Colin Webster, one of the most popular and well-respected trainers in Western Australia, saddled the second Group 1 winner of his career, almost 43 years after his first, as Trix Of The Trade (Trade Fair {GB}) stormed home to win the G1 Railway S.

Bred and raced by Bill and Pat Robinson, the 4-year-old gelding finished with a flourish to soar to an impressive 1.7l victory over Comfort Me (Playing God), while Star Trade (Trade Fair {GB}) was another 0.07l further adrift in third.

Trix Of The Trade’s win was impressive, however the euphoric scenes in the mounting yard after the race are perhaps what will live long in the memory, as the owners and other racing industry participants expressed their joy for Webster.

Webster's first Group 1 winner came in 1980 in the WA Oaks (which is now run at Group 3 level) courtesy of Queen Inca (Jungle Boy {GB}) and the trainer was understandably overcome with emotion.

“He is a magnificent horse and Troy (Turner) rides him just to perfection. I am very proud of the horse. It is very special indeed,” he said.

“Bill and Pat Robinson came down today (Saturday) to watch him, they can’t come to the races much because of their age, but they came here and watched him win - they are over the moon.”

Trix Of The Trade came into the race off the back of a third-place finish in the G3 Asian Beau S. on October 29 and Webster said they had intentionally kept him fresh for the Group 1.

“We knew if we had him fresh enough he could do it. We didn’t want to run him last week because it knocks the edge off him, but we aimed at this race a long time ago and we really thought he could win it.”

Meanwhile, winning rider Troy Turner, who worked as Webster’s apprentice jockey at the beginning of his career, was effusive in his praise for the trainer.

“It’s emotional,” he explained. “We had the right horse and he was trained as a treat, it is good to get the job done. Everyone puts in the hard work and 16 horses going out there today (Saturday) all in good form, but ours was in tip-top form and trained to the minute and credit to the stable.”

This is the first Group-race win for Trix Of The Trade, who had previously tasted stakes success on three occasions.

Trix Of The Trade is one of two winners out of the unraced mare My Name's Trixie (Passenger), who died in 2020.

My Name's Trixie is out of a half-sister to the Listed winner Oxidation (Metal Storm {Fr}) and to the dam of the stakes winners Beat The Storm (Scenic {Ire}) and Like An Eagle (Oratorio).

In winning the race, the gelding becomes the second Group 1 winner for Trade Fair (GB), who died in 2018.

Amelia’s Jewel bounces back

Having surrendered her unbeaten record in the Listed Burgess Queen S., Perth's star filly Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}) returned to winning ways on Saturday with an impressive performance to win the G2 WA Guineas at Ascot.

The Simon Miller-trained daughter of Siyouni (Fr) got caught up in some mid-race traffic, but showed her typical never-say-die attitude to storm through the pack to fight her way towards the leaders. However, as she hit top gear she had Bustler (Playing God) for company, but she was able to find more and more, eventually hitting the line 0.64l in front of him.

Owner Peter Walsh said he was pleased with Amelia’s Jewel’s win and said the plan was now to have one more run in Perth, before heading east.

“I’m very proud. It's been a great job by Simon because she has been behind the eight ball right from the word go when she did not come back well,” Walsh said. “She demonstrated today (Saturday) what a great horse she is.

“She will probably have one more start before she heads east.”

Meanwhile, Miller said he was happy to snare his first G2 WA Guineas win and admitted he had been confident heading to the Group 2.

“I’m emotional because this race has dead-set been a thorn in my side,” he said. “It’s just a great result for all the staff.

“I rang Peter this morning and said, ‘We’re ready, let’s enjoy it’. He was really relaxed and he wasn't. I’m just proud. I’m lost for words. Can’t believe I won it.”

Carbery was equally delighted with the victory.

“You find an association with her, especially when you ride her everyday,” winning jockey Pat Carbery told Sky Racing.

“She listens to everything I say – I don’t think she understands, but she knows my voice.

“Full credit to the stable – there’s a lot of pressure on ourselves because this is where we want to be. And there are expectations from the public. This is so good, but it’s such a team effort.

“Everyday I ride her, and from the top to the bottom it’s a team effort.”

Amelia’s Jewel burst onto the scene last season when she won the Listed Supremacy S., before going on to land the G3 Gimcrack S. and G2 Karrakatta Plate. She opened her account this season with a victory in the Listed Belgravia S., before narrowly losing her unbeaten title when beaten by Laced Up Heels (Toronado {Ire}) last start.

In winning Saturday's Group 3, Amelia’s Jewel carved out a little slice of history, becoming the first horse to win the G2 Karrakatta Plate and G2 WA Guineas since 1978.

Amelia’s Jewel is out of Bumbasina (Ire) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}), who was purchased by Astute Bloodstock’s Louis Le Metayer for 75,000gns (AU$133,700) at the 2018 edition Tattersalls July Sale and the Irish-bred daughter of Canford Cliffs is one of only a small group of mares covered by the stallion on Southern Hemisphere time this year.

Bumbasina’s colt by Merchant Navy was purchased by Yenrise for $160,000 at the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale this year and her colt by Darley shuttler Blue Point (Ire) is catalogued for the upcoming Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in January.

Fine stakes double for Snitzel in New Zealand

Arrowfield Stud’s headline stallion Snitzel enjoyed a terrific stakes double in New Zealand on Saturday as his daughter Ethereal Star took out the Listed Challenge S. at Pukekohe Park, while a few races later the stallion was thrust into the spotlight once again as Letzbeglam triumphed in a drama-filled edition of the G3 Counties Bowl.

Trained by Andrew Forsman, the well-bred filly Ethereal Star caught a few people’s attention with a fast-finishing second-place on debut at Te Rapa earlier in the month and she appreciated the extra 100 metres on Saturday, storming to the line to beat Balance Of Power (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) by 1.8l. The pair pulled well clear of their rivals, with Luberon (NZ) (Embellish {NZ}) coming home best of the rest, another 4.8l away in third.

Forsman was impressed with the way the filly handled the wet, Heavy 10 conditions and said she will likely now be put away for the R. Listed Karaka Million 2YO, the 2023 Karaka Million Twilight Meeting will be run at Pukekohe on Saturday, January 21.

“You are always nervous when the track is the way it is and you don’t know whether they are going to handle it, but there were only seven runners and black type was up for grabs,” Forsman said.

“She was going to go for a spell whatever happened, so it was great to see her win like that.

“Provided she comes through this well, she won’t need another run before the Karaka Million.”

Rider Wiremu Pinn, who picked up the mount after Ryan Elliot withdrew from his rides on the day, said he was delighted with the way Ethereal Star found the line in the run home.

“She is a really nice horse as I didn’t do her any favours being out three wide, with no cover,” he said.

“Just from that sticky gate (six) she jumped too well to go back and get cover and going forward would have left her vulnerable, so full credit to her.

“She travelled well all the way and I think she will be even better on top of the ground, as she has won with a bit of authority today (Saturday).”

Bred by Lib Petagna under his JML Bloodstock banner, the filly was purchased by her trainer, Andrew Williams Bloodstock (FBAA) and Bevan Smith Bloodstock for NZ$600,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale at Karaka earlier this year and the 2-year-old filly is out of dual Group 3 winner Eleonora (NZ) (Makfi {GB}).

Eleonora herself is sister to two-time Group 2 scorer Supera (NZ) (Savabeel), while further back this is the same family multiple Group 1-winning mare Ethereal (NZ) (Rhythm {USA}).

Letzbeglam returns to her winning groove

A few races later, Letzbeglam added a second stakes win, and first in New Zealand, to her record when she defeated Sacred Satono (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}) by 0.8l in the G3 Counties Bowl.

There was drama at the start as Babylon Berlin (All Too Hard) knuckled over as the gates opened and dropped rider Jonathan Riddell, before tearing around to race riderless in front of the field throughout the race, but this didn’t seem to bother Letzbeglam, who hit the line in impressive fashion to win for the first time since her victory in the 2020 edition of the G2 Blue Diamond Prelude (Fillies).

Owned by Cambridge Stud’s Brendan and Jo Lindsay, the 5-year-old mare began life in Australia with Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, before being moved to the care of Tony Pike. The mare was having her first start since June and also her first run for trainer Lance Noble, who was confident she was in good shape heading into Saturday’s Group 3 contest.

“The last four weeks we have got her in a good spot where she has been nice and happy and nice and sound,” Noble said. “The conditions of this race really suited, being a handicap where she had a light weight and at her best, she is a really top-class mare.

“Last year was a bit of a learning curve with her, just to see if she would get back to her best and now, we might want to have a bit more fun with her.”

Noble is keen to tackle some of the better sprint races, including the G1 Railway S., over the summer and will make a plan with connections before making any concrete decisions.

“She is pretty good fresh, but I will have to talk to the team about our options,” he said. “I think we will just keep her fresh, give her a trial and then tackle the Railway S.”

Bred by Phoenix Thoroughbred, Letzbeglam was purchased by her owners for NZ$280,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and she is out of winning Forestry (USA) mare Miss Charming (USA), who was purchased by Blue Sky Bloodstock (FBAA) for US$180,000 (AU$270,000) at the Keeneland Breeding Stock Sale in 2014.

With Ethereal Star’s victory in the Listed Challenge S., Snitzel’s total stakes-winning tally now stands at 129 and she became his 49th juvenile stakes winner. The son of Redoute’s Choice has been enjoying a fine run of success recently and Ethereal Star and Letzbeglam become the stallion’s 10th stakes winners since August 1. Snitzel is standing at Arrowfield for a fee of $220,000 (inc GST).

The pair’s stakes wins were the headline acts of a good day for the stallion, who was also provided with a winner courtesy of Hyde’s victory at the Gold Coast, while Bonython saluted the judge at Atherton.

Sunsource books his Magic Millions ticket

Sunsource (Zoustar) produced an impressive debut performance to win the Magic Millions Ballarat 2YO Classic and he will now likely head north, with connections eyeing a tilt at the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic with the son of Zoustar.

The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained colt was slow to begin and settled in last position, but unleashed an impressive turn of foot to beat Pure Paradise (Capitalist) by 1.75l, while Dubenenko (Russian Revolution) was a further 0.1l away in third.

The win provided the training partnership a second consecutive win in the race, having saddled Cusack (Not A Single Doubt) to victory 12 months ago.

Busuttin was measured in his assessment of the win and was careful not to get carried away, but confirmed the horse would be headed for Queensland, but that the path towards the Magic Millions was yet to be mapped out.

“We'll certainly pack our bags and get up there (to the Gold Coast) but there are those big, flash Sydney colts, we won't get ahead of ourselves, but we've got a runner in the race now,” Busuttin told Racing.com. “He'll definitely have one run, maybe two (ahead of the Magic Millions 2YO Classic), he's a big, gross colt.

“Obviously, now he's in the race with the prizemoney, that takes the pressure off. He can have a little let-up now, maybe get down to the water walker, but he's got to have to go around right-handed.”

The colt was snapped up by his trainers and Group 1 Bloodstock (FBAA) for $370,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the Widden Stud draft and he is out of the winning, Group 3-placed Sebring mare Patricia Dawn, making him a brother to Dawn Of An Era, who has won three times in Japan.

Patricia Dawn herself is a daughter of Listed winner Summer Girlfriend (USA) (Forest Camp {USA}), who was brought to Australia after being purchased by Vin Cox Bloodstock at the 2007 Keeneland November Breeding Sale for US$180,000.

Summer Girlfriend herself is a half-sister to stakes-winning duo Demand Deposit (USA) (Deposit Ticket {USA}) and Confiding Winner (USA) (Confide {USA}).

Meanwhile, likely to be joining him in Queensland is the runner-up, Pure Paradise, with her trainer Lloyd Kennewell confirming she would now be trained with the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic in mind.

Like the winner, the daughter of Capitalist was also purchased by Mat Becker’s Group 1 Bloodstock at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and she had already showed good form prior to Saturday’s run having finished second to King’s Gambit (I Am Invincible) in the Listed Debutant S. on October 8. Kennewell said he was confident heading to Ballarat on Saturday, but was unsure whether the filly handled the wet conditions.

“I was really keen on her today,” Kennewell said. “She's a good filly, she struggled to pick up in the going. It was really wet at that time of the day and Zac (Spain) said that her wheels were spinning the whole way up the straight, when we've seen her at home quicken up nicely.

“As long as she comes up okay, the next couple of days she'll be off to the Gold Coast next week and head up there for the Magic Millions and have a lead-up run. I think it would be a great idea to get an early running filly like that on top of the ground would be good.”

Pure Paradise will likely be joined in the north by her stablemate Direct (Siyouni {Fr}), who booked his ticket to Queensland with a victory in the Magic Millions 3YO and 4YO Classic later on in the afternoon.

Bankers Choice lands Ballarat Cup

The Mike Moroney-trained Bankers Choice (NZ) (Mongolian Khan) gained his first victory in Australia when he took the Listed Ballarat Cup on Saturday and in doing so also handed Johnny Allen his third win in the race.

A Group 3 winner in his native New Zealand, Bankers Choice came close to winning his first stakes race when finishing second in the G2 Crystal Mile last month, but he finally got his head in front when it mattered, scampering away to beat last-start G2 Matriarch S. winner Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel) by 2.25l.

“He's a very smart horse,” Moroney said. “He's a bit quirky but he's got real ability and it's just been a matter of getting things right.

“He's a really tough horse and you have to treat him that way. I was worried about him in the early part of the spring. He just wasn't looking right and working a bit below average for him, but he did turn the corner later in the spring like a few of my team.

“He'll go to the paddock now and he can go to Sydney again for the autumn, all going well. He ran sixth in the Doncaster, so we'll map a program for him in Sydney, I would think.”

Bankers Choice provided Moroney with his first win in the Listed Ballarat Cup, but the victory provided Allen with his third win in the event in five years, having ridden Kiwia (Reset) to victory in 2018 and 2019.

“He had the form on the board. I was confident coming here that he was going to run well,” Allen said. “It went to plan early, he began really well today (Saturday), relaxed well, which was the main thing. When I started to improve at the 600 metres, his wheels started to paddle a little bit and I was worried there for a little bit.

“But once I got stuck into him and asked him to respond, he really did pick up for me. He got out on the better ground and was too strong.”

Proisir’s fine run continues

Rich Hill Stud-based sire Proisir can seemingly do very little wrong this season and on Saturday he enjoyed another lucrative success when his son Riodini (NZ) landed the $1 million The Gong at Kembla Grange.

The 5-year-old gelding began his career in New Zealand with Nigel Tiley for whom he won four races, headed by a victory in the 2019 G3 Bonecrusher S., while he was also among the placegetters in the G2 Auckland Guineas and G1 Levin Classic.

However, he has failed to salute the judge since joining the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable, but that is not to say he hasn’t gone close on a couple of occasions, including finishing second behind Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) in last year’s G1 George Main S., while he also finished third in the G1 Epsom H. in 2020. He has also filled the placings in the G2 Shannon S. and G2 Chelmsford S.

But there was no mistaking the winner on Saturday, with the gelding able to sweep past his rivals, eventually beating Hope In Your Heart (Dundeel {NZ}) by 0.5l. Old Flame (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) was the same distance back in third.

“It was a real target race, third-up over the mile, and he got in really well at the weights,” winning jockey Tim Clark said.

“He had a good lead-up to this race with his two runs. He covered a bit of ground there, but I guess today that hasn't been the worst thing, and he toughed it out really well at the end there.

“Hope In Your Heart is a mare I've had a little bit to do with, I know how talented she is and how well she's going, and I just felt that inside the last 100 metres he really responded when he felt her coming.

“It's a great result for this horse, he's been a long time out of the winner’s stall but it's good to see him back in form and getting a win because he's been very honest.”

Bred by Rich Hill Stud co-owner Alan Galbraith QC, Riodini has now accrued $1,167,928 in prizemoney with five wins and six placings from his 24 starts to date.

Proisir is enjoying a career-defining season at stud, with his talents as a stallion perfectly advertised by his son Pier (NZ), who landed the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas, while his daughter Legarto (NZ) matched his exploits with a victory in the fillies’ equivalent, the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas earlier in the week and the stallion is also the sire of fellow Group 1 winner Levante (NZ) and Dark Destroyer (NZ).

Standing at Rich Hill Stud in New Zealand, Proisir is currently sitting atop of the Champion Sires’ table in New Zealand.