Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Race-Day Recap
Widden Stud's first-season sire Trapeze Artist secured his first winner at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday afternoon, courtesy of the Bjorn Baker-trained Disneck in the opening 1100-metre event.
The Listed Merson Cooper S. was taken by the Ben and JD Hayes-trained Little Brose (Per Incanto {USA}), after a smart piece of riding from the in-form Michael Dee, topping off a five-timer for his Little Avondale-based sire.
Second-season sire Satono Aladdin (Jpn) gained another juvenile winner in New Zealand when Tokyo Tycoon (NZ) led home a Te Akau trio at Te Rapa.
The Gold Coast Turf Club 2YO Plate was won by odds-on favourite Mighty (Spirit Of Boom). The filly is trained by Tony Gollan, and is a half-sister to Isotope (Deep Field) one of his stable stars.
Trapeze Artist gains first winner
Saturday’s juvenile action began at Rosehill Gardens, kicking off with a first winner for Widden Stud's first-season sire Trapeze Artist. Making his second start for Bjorn Baker, Disneck showed an excellent turn of foot in the final stages to take the win in the opening 1100-metre handicap convincingly, showing a vast improvement on his first-up eighth when he showed inexperience in the Golden Gift earlier this month.
There was plenty of early pace in the race and Rachel King settled Disneck well off the speed, set by Baker’s other runner Wild Beau (Brazen Beau), with a keen-going Zoukerette (I Am Invincible) to his outside.
With just one horse behind him, Disneck stalked pre-race favourite, Godolphin’s Diabeli (Fastnet Rock) into the home straight and started to extend with 200 metres to run. Running on well into second, to finish 1.35l away was Kimochi, a second Australian starter for another first-season sire, Brave Smash (Jpn). Diabeli finished a further 1.2l away in third.
“He pinged the gates but everyone held their spot,” said winning rider Rachel King. “He showed a really good attitude, he came back underneath me relaxed, I knew I was following the right horse into it and he showed that good turn of foot late.”
Pointing to the experience he gained in his first start, King added: “It’s huge, his first start he nearly went up the fence halfway through the run. He was still a little green in behind them today but he showed that when he got that bit of clear air he really knew how to let down.
“The improvement he made from his first start to today was massive and I think he’s going to do that again,” she summed up.
“The improvement he (Disneck) made from his first start to today was massive and I think he’s going to do that again.” - Rachel King
Trainer Bjorn Baker was delighted with the win, and was immediately reminded of Bert Vieira’s Trapeze Artist bonus offer, “Is it for the first stakes race or first Group race - or Saturday winner?” Baker joked.
“Unfortunately, I came off worst against Trapeze Artist and this guy’s got many of the same traits, and he’s only going to get better and better going forward.
“It was a good ride today (Saturday) from Rachel (King), she summed it up saying there’s a bit of speed on and he was able to relax and switch off, which is a sign of a good, natural horse.”
Trapeze Artist | Standing at Widden Stud
Baker pointed to a host of races on offer as appealing options for the Inglis graduate, who was a $200,000 purchase for his trainer alongside Clarke Bloodstock (FBAA) at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale earlier this year. He has an American pedigree, being out of Lindisfarne (USA) (City Zip {USA}), a three-time winner over sprint distances in the States, including a Listed event.
Godolphin denied by Hayes brothers in Merson Cooper
In the race that launched Anamoe’s (Street Boss {USA}) career, Godolphin sent three into the Merson Cooper S. (1000 metres) at Caulfield but were denied by the Ben and JD Hayes-trained Little Brose (Per Incanto {USA}) who came home best of all on his second start, having placed second in the G3 Maribyrnong Plate at the start of the month.
Led along at a brisk early pace by interstate raider Fludway (Exceed And Excel), Little Brose was settled one off the rail in fifth, alongside the favoured Godolphin runner Cylinder (Exceed And Excel), who also had the benefit of a previous run when second in the Max Lees Classic at Newcastle two weeks ago.
Little Brose storms home to win the Listed Merson Cooper S. at Caulfield | Image courtesy of Darren Tindale
With another Godolphin runner, Remedies (Sepoy), attending to Fludway as they entered the home straight, a smart piece of race riding from the in-form Michael Dee sealed the race at the 200-metre mark.
With Cylinder looking to find a gap to the outside of stablemate Remedies, Dee closed off that option as he made his run on Little Brose, forcing Blake Shinn to delay his run aboard Cylinder, who eventually ran home well to finish a 1.25l second. Flashing late to take third by 0.2l was Gangitano (Written By).
“He gave me a really nice feel today,” said Dee. “Even going to the gates, he seemed very mature. Ben and JD said before the race that he’d come here in a much better manner today… It was pretty soft at the line.”
With his father David having won the race five times since 2005, co-trainer Ben Hayes was pleased to gain his own first win in the race.
Ben and JD Hayes after winning the Listed Merson Cooper S. | Image courtesy of Darren Tindale
“He really trained on nicely out of that good run (first-up). Even just the way he was parading, it was a much more professional performance by him.
“Thanks to (owner) Mr Young. He took the horse after the Gold Coast and luckily he’s been able to get a Listed winner before Christmas.”
Being a Magic Millions graduate, Hayes was prompted to consider restricted races for his exciting juvenile, but instead showed a preference for an elite-level option closer to home.
“We’re probably going to have to resist the temptation to go to Queensland, because we do feel like he’d really hold his own in a race like the (G1) Blue Diamond (S.),” he said.
“We’re probably going to have to resist the temptation to go to Queensland (for the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic), because we do feel like he’d (Little Brose) really hold his own in a race like the (G1) Blue Diamond (S.).” - Ben Hayes
Bred by Mr D Wallace, Little Brose was picked up by his trainers for $200,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale earlier this year. He becomes a first stakes winner for his dam Mohegan Sky (USA) (Straight Man {USA}), whose five wins in the United States included a Listed race. She is a half-sister to another Listed winner in Vous (USA) (Wild Rush {USA}).
Little Brose became a 26th stakes winner for Little Avondale’s Per Incanto (USA), a sire enjoying a stellar season highlighted by Roch ‘N’ Horse (NZ), who added a second elite-level victory to her CV when taking the G1 VRC Champions Sprint on November 5.
Per Incanto enjoyed four further winners on Saturday, courtesy of 3-year-old filly Inca Belle (NZ) and 3-year-old gelding Platinum Sixty Six (NZ) (both at Wanganui), 5-year-old mare Faithful Feat (NZ) at Te Rapa and 4-year-old gelding Eamonn's Memory (NZ) at Wagga.
Te Akau’s juveniles on show at Te Rapa
Te Akau’s tangerine and blue stars dominated the single 2-year-old race at Te Rapa on Saturday afternoon with the trio from the Mark Walker stable filling the first three placings, and it was the son of Satono Aladdin (Jpn), Tokyo Tycoon (NZ), who prevailed the best of those in the 1100-metre maiden.
The single filly of Te Akau’s trio, She Turns Heads (Headwater) strode into an early lead, closely attended by Talisker (NZ) (Embellish {NZ}), with Tokyo Tycoon tracking them in fourth, one off the rail.
As the field fanned out round the home turn, She Turns Heads had a 2l advantage with 300 metres to run, but was soon reeled in by her stablemate. Ridden by Michael McNab, Tokyo Tycoon registered a 0.5l victory over She Turns Heads, with Talisker resigned to third 0.5l away, showing signs of immaturity in the closing stages.
Tokyo Tycoon is out of All About The Coin (Starcraft {NZ}), a three-time winner and half-sister to both Group 2 winner Messene (Lonhro) and Listed winner Cordero (Gio Ponti {USA}), from the extended family of Hallowed Crown.
Tokyo Tycoon (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
He was bought at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, knocked down for NZ$125,000 to David Ellis.
Standing at Rich Hill Stud (who also bred Tokyo Tycoon), Satono Aladdin was registering a 23rd 2-year-old winner on Saturday, and is represented by a single stakes winner, Grand Impact (NZ), from his first crop, who took out the G3 Blue Sapphire S.
Mighty doesn’t disappoint
Justifying odds-on favouritism in the Gold Coast Turf Club 2YO Plate (1100 metres), the Tony Gollan-trained Mighty (Spirit Of Boom) showed the toughness of her half-sister and stablemate Isotope (Deep Field) to deny the late challenge of Sydney raider Tango Fever (More Than Ready {USA}).
Tracking Bertinelli (Snitzel) through the opening stages, Mighty moved up as they entered the home straight, and gradually began to assert under James Orman. However, nipping up the inside to challenge, Tango Fever looked dangerous, drawing to within a 0.5l of the favourite.
However, Mighty dug deep as Tango Fever made a late lunge, holding on to score by a head, with Bertinelli 2l further away in third.
Mighty is out of the three-time winner Great Dansaar (Choisir), a sister to multiple Champion Yankee Rose (All American). Bred by Daandine Pastoral, she was bought at the 2022 Magic millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA), Yes Bloodstock and Black Soil Bloodstock for $300,000, with Yes Bloodstock and Black Soil Bloodstock now sharing the ownership with Ozzie Kheir.
Mighty becomes a 19th stakes winner for her Eureka Stud-based sire Spirit Of Boom, a leading sire of juveniles who finished fourth in the 2-year-old sires' table last season by earnings, and second by winners.
