Cover image courtesy of Racing Photos
Race-Day Recap
La Danseuse Rouge became stakes winner number 18 for her sire Manhattan Rain when the 3-year-old filly landed the Listed Lightning S. at Morphettville, giving a boost to Geisel Park who secured the sire ahead of this year's breeding season.
Zac Lloyd secured the Sydney apprentice title aboard Michael Freedman's in-form 3-year-old gelding Insurrection (Russian Revolution) at Randwick, after a great battle with Dylan Gibbons in recent weeks.
Second-up after a long absence, the Ben and JD Hayes-trained The Summit (Fr) became a fifth Southern Hemisphere winner for Coolmore shuttler Wootton Bassett (GB) at The Valley.
Mark Walker finished off a record-breaking season in New Zealand, winning the last at Te Rapa to bring his total domestic victories to 203.
Geisel Park given boost with fresh stakes winner
Mornington handler Cliff Brown completed a successful raid on Morphettville on Saturday to secure Australia’s only stakes race on the final day of Metropolitan racing for the season, as the 3-year-old fillies featured in the Listed Lightning S. (1050 metres).
He sent out La Danseuse Rouge (Manhattan Rain) under Jake Noonan, who picked up smartly in the final 200 metres to beat home three of Will Clarken and Niki O'Shea’s four runners in the race.
The daughter of Manhattan Rain finished 0.7l ahead of Sweetened (Zoustar), and became stakes winner number 18 for her sire, who will stand the upcoming breeding season at Geisel Park Stud in Western Australia for $8800 (inc GST), having been sold from his former home of Blue Gum Farm.
Out of the winning Exceed And Excel mare Margaux (Ire), La Danseuse Rouge was co-bred and now owned by Imperial Racing Stable. She’s long shown promise for her connections, having placed in both the G3 Thoroughbred Club S. and the G3 Red Roses S. last spring.
“She was good in the spring,” said winning trainer Cliff Brown. “She ran a couple of good races then in her last start she ran last but the horse next to her went off in the gates.
Cliff Brown | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“I just thought she was starting to overdo things and I didn’t want her to overdo things,” Brown added in reference to Saturday’s addition of a barrier blanket to her pre-race routine.
“No game plan,” he added. “She’s now Group 3-placed, a Listed winner - it’s great for a filly.”
Lloyd lands apprentice title
Late-season suspensions for both parties added some intrigue to Sydney’s Apprentice Jockeys' Premiership title race, with both in with a chance heading into Saturday’s meeting at Randwick. Starting the day with four favourites amongst his book of rides, it appeared in favour of Godolphin’s Zac Lloyd over his rival Dylan Gibbons.
Zac Lloyd | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
However, Lloyd was made to wait until he climbed aboard the fourth of those favourites to land the decisive blow. Riding in-form 3-year-old gelding Insurrection (Russian Revolution) for Michael Freedman in Race 8, a BM88 handicap, Lloyd also brought home a 100th seasonal winner for the colours of Darby Racing, and a 74th for himself.
It was a third win on the bounce at his local track for Insurrection - all of them earned under Lloyd - who tipped his total prizemoney haul just over the half-million mark on Saturday. Kicking from the front, he never looked in danger and scored by 1.18l over Chris Waller’s Kir Royale (I Am Invincible).
“It’s a very surreal feeling,” Lloyd said in the wake of his achievement. “I’ve got to thank this horse, he’s really kept me alive these last few weeks. He’s given me three winners on the bounce.
“A big thank you to everyone who’s supported me this year. I wouldn’t have expected it coming here only a year ago. It’s a massive thrill and I’m very proud of myself.
“It’s a very surreal feeling (winning the apprenticeship premiership). A big thank you to everyone who’s supported me this year. It’s a massive thrill and I’m very proud of myself.” - Zac Lloyd
“Full credit to the team, he (Insurrection) is honestly flying. He just builds so nicely in his races, he’s the strongest to the line every race. It’s hard to believe it with the sectionals he runs early. Massive credit to Michael for keeping him so fit, I’m sure he’s got some better races in him.
“There’s still a lot to achieve in this game, I’m very excited for the journey and hopefully I can just stay grounded… Godolphin (has) been really good to me this season and I hope to build a good connection with them in the future.”
Lloyd also paid tribute to both his mother and father, the latter former Champion Jockey Jeff Lloyd. In celebrating his victory, Lloyd's father (and manager) released some remarkable statistics on Twitter on Saturday afternoon, including that his son's 21.3 per cent strike rate is the highest of any jockey or apprentice in New South Wales.
Picked up at a sale from which Darby Racing has sourced so much of its success, Insurrection was a $150,000 purchase by the syndicator in conjunction with Will Johnson Bloodstock (FBAA) at the 2021 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
He’s out of four-time winner Marple Miss (Not A Single Doubt), a three-quarter sister to Fimatino, the dam of crack juvenile Shaquero (Shalaa {Ire}), and a half-sister to Shamus Award.
Freedman told TTR AusNZ that Insurrection will now enjoy a short freshen up for his efforts, before returning in the spring with some as-yet-undetermined black-type targets in mind.
Insurrection winning at Randwick | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Crowned Champion First Season Sire last term, Russian Revolution enjoyed a breakthrough Group 1 winner this season courtesy of Communist, also trained by Michael Freedman. Russian Revolution stands at Newgate Farm for $88,000 (inc GST) in 2023.
Wootton Bassett climbs another rung
The Summit (Fr) became a fifth Southern Hemisphere winner for Coolmore shuttler Wootton Bassett (GB), whose eldest locally bred progeny are foals. The son of Iffraaj (GB) has been kicking goals in the Northern Hemisphere, whilst this season also saw his first Australian stakes winner landed via Protagonist (Fr) in the G3 Sky High S.
Trained by Ben and JD Hayes, the 6-year-old The Summit was having just his second start in Australia and he'd made little impression when eighth in The David Bourke last month, but that run came after a two-year absence.
Formerly in the care of the Hayes brothers' father David in Hong Kong, The Summit has returned to racing after bowing a tendon there, with Ben Hayes crediting the facilities at the brothers' Lindsay Park Racing training grounds near Euroa in Victoria.
“He was purchased in England to race in Hong Kong,” co-trainer Ben Hayes commented. “He came back to us, and it’s been a really long, slow build to get him back to this stage.
“It was a big thrill because he’s a horse that has some very good international form and if we can get him back to his best, which he showed glimpses of today, he could be a horse that pops up in some nice races in the spring.”
“... he’s (The Summit) a horse that has some very good international form and if we can get him back to his best he could be a horse that pops up in some nice races in the spring.” - Ben Hayes
On a day in which many of The Valley’s winners were ridden from the front, winning jockey Michael Dee received a ‘10/10’ commendation from the trainer after he ran down Junipal (Reset) on the line.
“We actually planned to be in the box seat but he didn’t jump and show his hand as well as I wanted early,” Dee said. “He really attacked the line, it was a great effort today.”
Returning for his third season at Coolmore Australia, Wootton Bassett will stand for $93,500 (inc GST) in 2023.
Wootton Bassett (GB) | Standing at Coolmore
Walker closes record-breaking NZ season
New Zealand’s Champion Trainer has been in little doubt for some months, but the extent of Mark Walker’s record was laid bare on Saturday.
After he became the first Kiwi trainer to record a double century of domestic wins in a season at Awapuni during the week, he brought his record to 203 on Saturday.
Mark Walker | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
In winning the last race at Te Rapa with Hero Worship (Xtravagant {NZ}), he finished the season with 43 more wins than the previous record.