Race-Day Recap
The blinkers worked a treat for Dublin Down (Exceedance), who returned to form to win the G3 Pago Pago S. at Rosehill on Saturday, and may now be aimed at the G1 Golden Slipper S.
Two-year-old filly Drifting provided Widden Stud's first-season sire Zousain with his first stakes winner in the G3 Magic Night S. at Rosehill on Saturday. Having only her third start for trainers Peter and Paul Snowden, Drifting has now qualified for the G1 Golden Slipper next weekend.
The connections of Lindsay Park-trained favourite Bold Bastille (Brazen Beau) will reassess whether to push on to the G1 Golden Slipper after the 2-year-old filly won the Listed Redoute’s Choice S. by 1.75l at Flemington on Saturday.
Can’t Recall One (Reliable Man) posted a very smart 4.8l victory in handicap company at Eagle Farm, having made a winning debut just two weeks ago at the same track.
Savabeel gained a new 2-year-old winner on Saturday, his fifth of the current season, when Empress Of Japan (Savabeel) won on debut at Gosford, part of a four-timer for the Waikato Stud resident.
Dublin Down may gatecrash Slipper after Pago Pago win
Dublin Down (Exceedance) returned to form for the application of blinkers on Saturday at Rosehill when he won the G3 Pago Pago S. in fine fashion by 0.44l. A winner of the G3 Maribyrnong Plate in the spring, the colt could only manage 12th in the G1 Blue Diamond when first-up this campaign at his last start.
He took the fitness from that run to head off a strong field in the Pago Pago and left co-trainer Calvin McEvoy considering a challenge of the G1 Golden Slipper S. next weekend.
“We know he’s a really good colt, he’s a Group-winning colt,” McEvoy said. “But the way Tim rode him, he rode him positively, blinkers on first time. We didn’t really think he’d have the speed to do that, but he took control of the race.
“We will see (about the Slipper). We weren’t sure whether he was more of a Sires’ (Produce S.) horse, so we will keep all of the options open. But he’s up here, he’s earned his way into the Slipper so we will give it great consideration.”
“We know he’s (Dublin Down) a really good colt... We will see (about the Slipper). We weren’t sure whether he was more of a Sires’ (Produce S.) horse, so we will keep all of the options open.” - Calvin McEvoy
Now a winner of two races, both at Group level, from five starts, Dublin Down is from the first crop of G1 Coolmore Stud S. winner Exceedance. He was sold by Edinburgh Park at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $370,000 to McEvoy/Mitchell Racing and Belmont Bloodstock Agency (FBAA), and is out of the dual-Listed winner Dublin Lass (O’Reilly {NZ}).
Drifting gives Zousain first stakes winner in Magic Night
Two-year-old filly Drifting (Zousain) provided her first-season sire with his first stakes winner in the G3 Magic Night S. at Rosehill on Saturday. Having only her third start for trainers Peter and Paul Snowden, Drifting has now qualified for the G1 Golden Slipper next weekend.
“We'll see how she goes,” co-trainer Paul Snowden said in the immediate aftermath of the race. “We never make a decision on game day. Obviously, you only get a chance once and she's a very tough filly so it wouldn't be beyond her. We'll give her every opportunity.
“(Saturday’s win) wasn't a shock, it was just a matter of how easy we were going to get across and how much juice we were going to use, if she was going to relax and switch off, all that type of thing.”
“Obviously, you only get a chance (at the Golden Slipper) once and she's (Drifting) a very tough filly so it wouldn't be beyond her. We'll give her every opportunity.” - Paul Snowden
Despite trialling back in October, Drifting only made her debut in mid-February, when she won a maiden at Hawkesbury. She is the fourth foal of a half-sister to G2 Magic Night S. winner Downhill Racer (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), so the win keeps it nicely in the family!
A full sister to Drifting was passed in at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by vendor Murrulla Stud, who sold Drifting at the 2023 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale where she was purchased by Snowden Racing and William Johnson Bloodstock (FBAA) for $160,000. Bred by Baddock Bloodstock, Drifting now has earnings over $198,000 from her three starts.
Zousain | Standing at Widden Stud
Widden Stud sires were responsible for the trifecta of the race with Fly Fly (Trapeze Artist) in second and Chateau Miraval (Zousain) in third.
Bold Bastille connections to reassess Slipper option
The connections of Lindsay Park-trained favourite Bold Bastille (Brazen Beau) will reassess whether to push on to the G1 Golden Slipper after the 2-year-old filly won the Listed Redoute’s Choice S. by 1.75l at Flemington on Saturday.
“Off that win today (Saturday) I don’t think I’d hesitate to go to 1200 (metres) and with the form being franked in Sydney today with Drifting winning, it gives you a lot of confidence,” co-trainer Ben Hayes said, referring to the Listed Furphy Trophy a fortnight ago in which Bold Bastille beat Drifting into second place.
“We now have to make a decision on what we do with her. We’re going to have a nice discussion with the owners over the next 24-48 hours and decide what we’re going to do.”
Bold Bastille has emerged as a Slipper contender for the Hayes team despite their initial disappointment that she had to miss the G1 Blue Diamond S., and she now has three wins from four starts with earnings of over $530,000.
Mark Zahra and JD Hayes with Bold Bastille after winning the Listed Redoute's Choice S. at Caulfield | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Lindsay Park Racing and Group 1 Bloodstock (FBAA) purchased her for $270,000 from the Blue Gum Farm draft at the 2023 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Can’t Recall One makes it two
Trainer Stuart Kendrick’s 2-year-old gelding Can’t Recall One (NZ) made it look easy in the first at Eagle Farm on Saturday when running out a 4.8l victory in handicap company. Having made a winning debut just two weeks ago at the same track, the son of Reliable Man (GB) returned to post an even more impressive winning margin this time.
The exciting type was purchased by Kacy Fogden Racing at the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale for NZ$90,000 from The Oaks Stud draft. Can’t Recall One is a three-quarter brother to G1 New Zealand Oaks winner Miss Sentimental (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) who is a half-sister to his winning dam, Recollect (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}).
New juvenile winner for Champion Sire Savabeel
Waikato Stud's Savabeel gained a new 2-year-old winner on Saturday, his fifth of the current season, when Empress Of Japan (NZ) won on debut at Gosford. Trained by Michael Freedman, Empress Of Japan emerged from the pack, winning by a nose from Marias (Capitalist) under Keagan Latham.
A $150,000 purchase at the 2023 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale by Michael Freedman Racing, Gandharvi, and Mick Wallace, Empress Of Japan was sold by Little Avondale Stud. She is the fourth winner from a sister to Listed winner and Group 1-placed Spurcent (Flying Spur). Group 1 winner Glorious Days (Hussonet {USA}) and Listed winner Bangalore Bullet (Hussonet {USA}) are also half-siblings to the dam of Empress Of Japan.
Savabeel enjoyed a four-timer on Saturday, his other notable winner being 3-year-old gelding Wymark, also trained by Freedman and with ownership shared by Gandharvi, who was winning his third-straight start.
