Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Race-Day Recap
Joe Pride and Proven Thoroughbreds' Think About It (So You Think {NZ}) won the seventh running of the $20 million The Everest at Randwick on Saturday, with Waikato Stud's I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel) chasing him home with credit.
Griff (Trapeze Artist) handed Sean Griffiths the perfect start as a new owner when he took the G1 Caulfield Guineas, and was also a first stakes winner for Widden Stud's second-season sire Trapeze Artist.
Four-year-old entire Attrition gave Churchill (Ire) his first Southern Hemisphere Group 1 winner to close the card on a brilliant day of racing in the Toorak H. at Caulfield. Amelia's Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}) ran her first disappointing race, finishing midfield.
Fangirl (Sebring) proved too much of an obstacle for Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) in Saturday’s G1 King Charles III S. at Randwick.
Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) silenced his doubters when running out a strong 2000 metres with a dominant victory in Saturday’s G1 Might And Power S., a seventh elite-level victory for the gelding.
Vienna Princess (Snitzel), booked her place in November’s $10 million Golden Eagle with a tough victory in the $1 million Silver Eagle on Saturday.
The Allan Sharrock-trained Ladies Man (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) won his maiden Group 1 victory in Saturday’s Livamol Classic.
The Matthew Dale-trained Front Page (Magnus) defended his title in the $2 million The Kosciuszko.
Think About It climbs all the way in Everest
The steady rise of Joe Pride’s near-unbeaten Think About It (So You Think {NZ}) culminated in claiming the seventh running of the $20 million The Everest on Saturday. In the adjusted Proven Thoroughbreds colours - Sam Clipperton’s red cap on Saturday reflecting Newgate Farm’s Everest slot - the son of So You Think (NZ) has now won 11 of his 12 starts, the $7 million haul tipping his lifetime earnings into eight figures.
After finishing off last season with a duet of devastating Queensland Group 1 wins in the Kingsford-Smith Cup and Stradbroke H., Think About It only got the better of Hawaii Five Oh (I Am Invincible) by 0.16l in his Everest prep race, the G2 Premiere S. However, punters’ judgement that he had plenty left in the tank that day saw him edge out I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel) for favouritism ahead of post time.
Finding a dream run three back, he was given plenty of room in the straight to make his charge, and was chased home by a surging I Wish I Win, the toast of New Zealand running for owner/breeder Waikato Stud.
In a remarkable feat for Joe Pride and Jamie Walter's Proven Thoroughbreds, diving home for third was their Private Eye (Al Maher). One of three ‘returners’ from last year’s renewal - alongside Overpass (Vancouver) and Mazu (Maurice {Jpn}) - he was denied only by Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) last year and will have done his syndicate no harm in netting the $2 million third-place prize this time round.
“That is unbelievable,” Pride said. “They both ran terrific. I was pretty confident coming into the race that not only my two would run well but Moody’s was the only danger.
“That is unbelievable. They both (Think About It and Private Eye) ran terrific. I was pretty confident coming into the race that not only my two would run well but Moody’s was the only danger.” - Joseph Pride
“It is going to be a really interesting journey with Think About It and where we go from here. I am a bit lost for words but it’s an incredible performance for him to win at 1200 metres, because after the Stradbroke win if it wasn’t for The Everest being what it is, I would have never aimed him at a 1200-metre race.
“I’m glad I did. I honestly love training for Jamie Walter, he takes all the pressure off me. We buy horses from various budgets, these two are some cheaper ones but we buy more expensive ones too.”
Saturday’s result was also a strong statement for Proven Thoroughbreds’ business model. As a $70,000 2020 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale purchase for his trainer/syndicator duo, it’s hard to say that Think About It was expensive, and nor was Private Eye, himself a $62,500 2019 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale purchase for the same combination.
If there’s a theme emerging in the short history of the world’s richest race on turf, it’s the success of older males in the race. Think About It is now the third 5-year-old gelding to win the race, following the first of Redzel’s (Snitzel) two wins in the inaugural running of the race and Classique Legend (Not A Single Doubt) in 2020. Chris Waller’s Yes Yes Yes remains the only non-gelding to win the race, his win in 2019 duly launching a stallion career at Coolmore Stud.
New gun Griff in Guineas romp
It was a dramatic finish to the G1 Caulfield Guineas as long-time leader Griff (Trapeze Artist) veered violently right with just a few strides to run, impeding his closest pursuer, Veight (Grunt {NZ}), who was at his heels. After a short delay, Veight’s co-trainer Calvin McEvoy revealed that he and connections had elected not to protest, feeling that the interference occurred too close to the line to be decisive.
Griff wins the G1 Caulfield Guineas | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
With the order unchanged, it was a 1.75l margin between Griff and Veight, whilst Steparty (Artie Schiller {USA}) was 1l further away in third. It was a huge result for Widden Stud’s second-season sire Trapeze Artist, who, by holding off his contemporary Grunt (NZ) in such a rich 3-year-old feature, is now the highest-earning sire in his category.
A promising first crop of juveniles last year included not only Griff - a debut winner in June - but three stakes performers. However, it was Griff himself who broke the black-type duck for the young sire with victory in the Listed Exford Plate last month, and came to Caulfield having backed that up by winning the G2 Stutt S.
Griff, running in the emerging colours of Sean Griffiths, was unfancied at $31, reflecting a hot renewal with the likes of G1 Golden Rose winner Militarize (NZ) (Dundeel {NZ}) and the formerly unbeaten Steparty leading the market.
“He’s just kept improving and improving,” Griff’s co-trainer David Eustace explained. “He’s had three starts in Victoria for three wins.
“He’s (Griff) just kept improving and improving. He’s had three starts in Victoria for three wins.” - David Eustace
“It’s great to win the race for Sean Griffiths who’s very, very new - he only started buying horses in this (horse's) year.”
The victory was also a milestone for jockey Ben Melham, who took the initiative from barrier 15 and has now won 20 career Group 1s.
“Every time there’s a Group 1 race I seem to draw the outside gate so I’ve got pretty good at riding them now,” Melham said.
“He nearly threw the race away, but he was an absolute gentleman until then… it’s unusual for him because he’s got such a good brain.”
“He (Griff) nearly threw the race away, but he was an absolute gentleman until then… it’s unusual for him because he’s got such a good brain.” - Ben Melham
Sourced from the 2022 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Griff was an $80,000 purchase, co-bred and sold by Widden Stud. Out of the Group 3-placed Sebring mare Chateau Griffo, it was clearly meant to be for nascent owner Griffiths, who now has a stallion prospect running, quite literally, in his name.
Jewel fails to shine as Attrition wears them down in Toorak
Churchill (Ire) landed his first Southern Hemisphere Group 1 winner courtesy of Attrition to close the card on a brilliant day of racing in the Toorak H. at Caulfield. The 4-year-old entire was mighty tough as he picked off Amenable (Lonhro) with 100 metres to run before holding back the challenge of Antino (NZ) (Redwood {GB}), who finished just a nose behind.
Beaten only a handful of times in her career, star of the west Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}) left her connections searching for answers after she posted the first below-par run of her career, throwing into doubt her high-profile choice of targets in the Golden Eagle and G1 Cox Plate.
The 143rd running of the Toorak provided landmark wins for trainer Mitchell Freedman and jockey Beau Mertens, with each claiming their first Group 1 title thanks to Attrition.
“Obviously, with Dad’s passing earlier in the year, all he wanted to do was see me ride a Group 1 winner… unfortunately he can’t be here, but I know he was right with me every step of the way today,” said an emotional Mertens.
Mitch Freedman with his children after Attrition wins the G1 Toorak H. | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Aptly, Attrition was bred by Harry Perks’ The Toorak Thoroughbred Breeding Trust, and was sold to his trainer for $180,000 through Mill Park Stud’s draft at the 2021 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.
Despite multiple stakes-placings for his progeny, including Attrition’s own second in the G1 Australian Guineas last season, Churchill was still in want of a stakes winner until Saturday. Coolmore Stud will be delighted that they kept the faith in shuttling the former European Champion 2-Year-Old and dual Guineas winner into his sixth season this year, in which he is available for $22,000 (inc GST).
McDonald and Waller get The King's crown
After a sensational victory aboard the Chris Waller-trained Fangirl (Sebring) in the $5 million G1 King Charles III S, Champion Jockey James McDonald was joyful.
Fangirl and James McDonald | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“I wanted The King's crown (trophy),” a pleased McDonald told 7HorseRacing.
“She’s been trialling with those Everest horses, and she’s been going that well she could have probably got a slot; that’s how good she’s been going.
“Her ears were pricked, and she had an eagle eye on her. She’s been such a good horse; she’s very hard to beat when she gets the conditions.”
“Her (Fangirl) ears were pricked, and she had an eagle eye on her. She’s been such a good horse; she’s very hard to beat when she gets the conditions.” - James McDonald
The inaugural running of The King Charles III, under a new moniker and time slot, provided a worthy albeit upset victress when Fangirl streaked away from the hugely popular Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars), while My Oberon (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) ran third.
Fangirl is homebred for Ingham Racing and was winning at the elite level for the third time, having claimed the G1 Vinery Stud S. and the G1 Winx S. earlier in her career.
Alligator Blood in a class of his own
Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) silenced his doubters when running out a strong 2000 metres with a dominant victory in Saturday’s G1 Might And Power S.
The 7-year-old gelding, trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, was winning at the elite level for the seventh time.
Deny Knowledge (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai) set a strong pace, as she often does, bowling out in front before tiring with Tim Clark in the saddle of Alligator Blood, ready to pounce.
There was 2l spare on the line between the son of All Too Hard and the 2019 Melbourne Cup hero Vow And Declare (Declaration Of War {USA}) in second, while Duais (Shamus Award) ran into third.
“Alligator just said, ‘See you later, Alligator’,” a jubilant Waterhouse said.
“He just did it so easy; he’s joyous. Alligator Blood is special and tough; we are very privileged to witness a horse like him.”
“He just did it so easy; he’s joyous. Alligator Blood is special and tough; we are very privileged to witness a horse like him.” - Gai Waterhouse
Winning rider Clark added, “I was able to ride my race and get Alligator Blood comfortable and relaxed; he was very strong late.
“I think he’s had an ideal preparation and seasoned from 12 months ago when he encountered some great weight-for-age runners, and hopefully it holds him in good stead in the Cox Plate.”
Princess en route to Golden Eagle
The Chris Waller-trained Vienna Princess (Snitzel) upset a competitive field to win Saturday’s $1 million Silver Eagle.
Ridden by Kerrin McEvoy, the 4-year-old mare flew from the back of the field to win from a game Strait Acer (Headwater) and Pericles (Street Boss {USA}).
The mare is the first foal from the Street Cry (Ire) mare Graciousness, and is a half-sister to the G1 Chipping Norton S. hero Casino Prince.
Bred by Gerry Harvey, Vienna Princess sold through the draft of his Baramul Stud at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $400,000 to the bid of Magic Bloodstock and Associates.
The Silver Eagle carries a ballot exemption for the winner, and placegetters in the $10 million Golden Eagle, held at Rosehill in November.
Ladies Man takes out the Livamol Classic
The Allan Sharrock-trained Ladies Man (NZ) provided Zed (NZ), the sire of the superstar Verry Elleegant (NZ), with his third individual Group 1 winner when the 6-year-old gelding won the G1 Livamol Classic at Hastings on Saturday.
The gelding was ridden by Ryan Elliott, Ladies Man won by 0.8l from Platinum Invador (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) and Pearl Of Alsace (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), while the race favourite Mustang Valley (NZ) (Vanburgh) was fourth over 3l away.
Ladies First, albeit not winning at the Group 1 level until Saturday, has been a consistent performer for Zed, winning the G3 Trentham S. The gelding is a half-brother to the G1 Auckland Cup winner Ladies First (NZ) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}).
Ladies Man was a NZ$60,000 purchase by SA Sharrock from the draft of Grangewilliam Stud at the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale.
Front Page wins The Kosciuszko, again!
Front Page (Magnus) stamped his dominance in the $2 million The Kosciuszko, winning the feature for the second time.
After the 7-year-old gelding won his first The Kosciuszko under the care of the now-retired Geoff Druyra, he was subsequently transferred to the care of the Goulburn-based Matthew Dale with the intention of defending his title in The Kosciuszko.
Front Page, ridden by Tyler Schiller, put a 1.86l margin between him and the race favourite Opal Ridge (Rubick), while the classy Far Too Easy (All Too Hard) ran on to secure third.
