Saturday Summary: Waller's Group 1 hat-trick steals the spotlight as Airman shakes up Everest picture

Cover image courtesy of Sportpix

Quinella for Waller and Fastnet Rock in soggy G1 Turnbull Stakes

The rain came down at Flemington between race three and four, with the track downgraded to Soft, and it was the perfect conditions for Chris Waller-trained mare Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) to win her third Group 1 race for owners Yulong, and fourth career Group 1.

Ridden by Damian Lane, who made it 33 career Group 1 wins, Via Sistina sat near the rear of the field and pealed out wide for the run down the Flemington straight to chase down the leading pair of Duke De Sessa (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and favourite Eliyass (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}). Stablemate Buckaroo (GB) (Fastnet Rock), ridden by Joao Moreira, tracked alongside Via Sistina and the pair made steady in roads to the lead, hitting the line together with Via Sistina winning by 0.2l. Eliyass was 1.5l further back in third with Duke De Sessa holding on for fourth.

Fifth last start in the G1 Makybe Diva S. Via Sistina took her record to eight wins and six placings from 18 starts with earnings over $3.7 million. This was her fourth Group 1 win, the others being the G1 Pretty Polly S., G1 Ranvet S. and G1 Winx S.

A 2.7 million gns (AU$5.4 million) purchase by Evergreen Equine for current owner Yulong Investments at the 2023 Tattersalls December Mare Sale, Via Sistina reversed her lack of form from her last start.

“She was fantastic today. Her run last start was so far away from her true form that you could do nothing else other than put a pen through it,” said stable representative Charlie Duckworth.

“So, we were confident that she would bounce back today, and she was tough. Obviously, Buckaroo is the man on the scene at the moment. He was going for three wins in a row and he's dug deep and still been narrowly denied. So fantastic for the whole team. To perform like that, it's pretty special for everyone involved with her.

“Fantastic for Yulong because they really stump up every time and they've got an absolute diamond.”

When asked if they changed anything after her last start disappointment, Duckworth said, “We didn't really panic because we knew it was so out of the ordinary. Obviously, we did all the normal things with getting her checked out thoroughly to make sure that there is nothing amiss.

“But ultimately, we knew we had a happy and healthy horse leading into today and that was the difference. I know everyone was sort of worried about the track and blamed it potentially on the track last start. But I think the tempo of the race and the time in which the rain fell made it into a real shifty track rather than a genuine Soft track.”

On last start G1 Underwood S. winner Buckaroo, Duckworth was asked about the G1 Caulfield Cup. “It is a tricky one. Obviously, Ozzie Kheir and Qatar with Sheikh Fahad and David Redvers will make a decision whether they want to rematch around The Valley. He did make it pretty tough for her, or whether we step up to a mile and a half. We won't worry about that today. We'll just enjoy the win and enjoy the placings.”

Gallery: Images courtesy of The Image Is Everything

The quinella for Fastnet Rock came from his time shuttling to Coolmore in Ireland, and Via Sistina adds to the record Fastnet Rock has with Galileo (Ire) mares with the cross having produced Group 1 winners Age Of Fire, Intricately (Ire), Magicool, Personal, Pizza Bianca (USA), Qualify (Ire), Rivet Delight (Ire), Unforgotten, Zhukova (Ire), and of course, Via Sistina.

A big price-tag comes with a big pedigree and Via Sistina’s unraced dam Nigh (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is a half-sister to Champion 3YO Sprinter in GB and dual Group 1 winner Kingsgate Native (Ire) (Mujadil {Ire}) who beat War Artist (Orpen {USA}), Sir Gerry (USA) (Carson City {USA}), and Takeover Target (Celtic Swing {GB}) in the G1 Royal Ascot Golden Jubilee S.

History repeats in the Epsom with another 4-year-old winner

Seven of the last 10 G1 Epsom H. have been won by 4-year-olds and Ceowulf (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) added to that record on Saturday for trainer Joseph Pride. Ridden by Chad Schofield, he swooped down the outside and flew past the field to win by 1.17l to give punters one back as the $4 favourite. In second was the strong finishing Tom Kitten (Harry Angel {Ire}) for Godolphin, with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Royal Patronage (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) third as part of a three way go for the third-place prizemoney.

“That was fantastic. We knew he had the right sort of profile coming into it and to see him let down like that, it's very, very satisfying. He's just a good horse on the rise. He's just going to keep getting better with age and he's so exciting. That was a real buzz,” said Pride.

Now the winner of three of his 13 starts, with earnings over $1.6 million, Ceolwulf came into the race off a last-start second in the G3 Kingston Town S. over 2000 metres. Brought back to a mile did the trick giving him his first black type win, so he becomes the 51st stakes winner for his sire who now has 11 Group 1 winners. Ceolwulf is from Tavistock’s (NZ) last crop.

“He's got a great engine. I see it every time he runs, the way he recovers from races and track gallops. He's an amazing athlete, and as I say, the best is yet to come. He'll run a little bit further than that but no need to toy with that too much at the moment. We'll enjoy that one today and think about where we go next.

“Yet to discover that (what his best distance is). He could well back up in the Hill Stakes next week, but I haven't ruled out, you could come back here for the King Charles. There's a lot of options. Let's just sit on it for now and enjoy that.”

Purchased by his trainer from the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale of 2-year-olds for NZ$170,000 from Riversley Park, Ceolwulf is out of imported unraced mare Las Brisas (GB) (Shamardal {USA}). He is her only runner to date, and she is a half-sister to Listed winner Nantyglo (GB) (Mark Of Esteem {Ire}). Ceolwulf’s third dam, stakes-placed winner Solo De Lune (Ire) (Law Society {USA}), is responsible for Group 1 winner Cerulean Sky (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}) and G1 Irish Oaks winner Moonstone (GB) (Dalalkhani {Ire}) and two other stakes winners. She is the ancestress of a multitude of stakes winners including Champion Hong Kong Sprinter Wellington (All Too Hard).

Gallery: Images courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Legend lands the Metropolitan Handicap after surviving protest

Jockey Reece Jones secured his first Group 1 victory in a dramatic G1 Metropolitan H. after surviving a protest. Riding Chris Waller-trained Land Legend (Fr) (Galileo {Ire}), Jones navigated the bend on the outside, with James Cummings’ Zardozi (Kingman {GB}) close on his inside. Struggling to straighten his mount, Jones worked hard to keep Land Legend on track, and once he did, the pair surged ahead of the field. In a thrilling duel down the straight, Land Legend just edged out Zardozi, winning by a mere 0.05l.

Zac Lloyd immediately protested, telling Racing NSW stewards, “He has laid on my mare quite significantly and given me a good bump. My mare has pegged back that margin and unfortunately gone down in a head-bobber.”

“He's had the whole straight to get in front of me… I've actually had to claw back that margin he had put on me over the concluding stages and I was able to do so,” Jones said in his reply to the claim, and the stewards agreed with chief stipe Steve Railton saying, “The stewards aren't comfortably satisfied that's the case, so we dismiss the objection.”

On his first Group 1, Jones said, “It's a little bit surreal. I've been waiting for this day for a while. I'm just really thankful to (owner) Bon Ho and the Waller team for keeping their faith in me and letting me ride him today. I've kind of waited my turn… I'm not the emotional type, but this is fantastic.”

Waller-trained lightweight, and favourite, Unusual Legacy (NZ) (Unusual Suspect {USA}) was over 3l further back in third.

Waller reflected on the victory, stating, “We picked this race out, I guess six months ago and said, we'll do it third-up and make sure we've still got something left for the rest of the spring as well.” He added, “When it was a hard-fought finish, I just wondered whether his condition would hold out because he's actually quite a gross horse, he's a bit of a bulldog. And he was tough the last 100 metres.”

The 5-year-old gelding was a winner from eight starts in Europe and arrived in Australia last spring to win the ATC St Leger on his Australian debut in October 2023. After almost a year away from the track, he resumed this August running last, before a sixth in the G3 Kingston Town S. leading into Saturday’s win. This was his first stakes win, giving super sire Galileo (Ire) his 101st Group 1 winner and his 382nd lifetime stakes winner.

Gallery: Images courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Only his third career win from 12 starts, Land Legend took his earnings over $760,000. The third foal and third winner for beautifully bred winning mare Landikusic (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), who is a full sister to Group 1 winner and sire Zoffany (Ire), and a half-sister to Group 2 winner and G1 Irish Derby-placed Rostropovich (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and Group 3 winner Wilshire Boulevard (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}).

Shock in G2 Premiere Stakes with Airman on top

All the pre-race talk about potential The Everest runners in the G2 Premier S. came to nothing as $41 outsider Hawkes Racing-trained Airman (I Am Invincible) clung to the rail for jockey Zac Lloyd and clung on for a tight 0.15l victory over Mazu (Maurice {Jpn}) with favourite Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) overcoming some traffic issues to dive late but miss by 0.3l from the winner for third.

Less than a length covered the first four home with the Australian Turf Club’s The Everest choice Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) in fourth, while last year’s The Everest winner Think About It (So You Think {NZ}) tried to run home from the rear of the field off the strong pace. The result leaves The Everest picture unclear with only a couple of slots unannounced.

“I've got to give Zac credit. Before the race we talked about it, and as cocky as he is, he just said, 'Listen, we'll win this and get in The Everest'. I said, 'Mate, go and do it'. So, you know what, I've got to give Zac credit. He rode the perfect race. The horse has been knocking on the door, we just changed a few things up and here we are,” said Michael Hawkes.

As for The Everest, Hawkes said they hadn’t heard from any slot holders yet. “To be fair because he's been a bit out of form. But you know what, this is the best of the best of what's around and he's put paid to them. We've always known he's had the ability but to do what he did today, he's beat some creditable horses, and he's a good horse on his day.

“He's actually pretty easy to do anything with. But like most males, I suppose, when they get a bit older, they get a bit long in the tooth. He's only young but in saying that he's always shown ability. It's great.

“Young Zac, we've been a great supporter and he's been a good supporter of ours, he's mixing with the best and that's what it's about.

“Talk to us. We've got no problems in talking to anybody. You know what, that's what he's just beaten. He's up there with them. He's proven he can do it. Why not?”

Airman, a 5-year-old gelding, took his record to six wins from 15 starts with earnings over $1.3 million, and was coming off two sixth placings in both his starts this campaign in the G3 Show County and G3 Bill Ritchie H. A $500,000 purchase by Hawkes Racing from Segenhoe Stud at the 2021 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Airman becomes the 109th stakes winner for I Am Invincible and Vinnie’s second Premiere S. winner after 2020 winner Libertini.

Airman is the second foal of stakes-placed winner Zara Bay (Fastnet Rock) who is a full sister to Group 1 winner and sire Merchant Navy, Listed winner Setana, as well as Group 2 winner and G1 Coolmore Stud S.-placed Jolie Bay who is the dam of Group 1 winner Joliestar (Zoustar). Merchant Navy et al are out of Group 3 winner Legally Bay (Snippets).

Revolutionary Miss set for G1 Empire Rose after strong Group 2 win

Having her second start for Ciaron Maher, after being previously trained by Peter Snowden, Revolutionary Miss (Russian Revolution) tracked the leader Legacies (Justify {USA}) down the straight at Flemington in the G2 Rose Of Kingston S. to take the lead with 100 metres to run. The fast finishing pair of Miss Aria (Zoustar) and Skybird (Exosphere) nabbed the fading Legacies to pick up second and third with Legacies in fourth and only 1l covering the first four home.

“She came to us in very good order. Probably came to Victoria six weeks ago from Sydney where Joe had a handle on her and she's returned really well. Obviously Caulfield was fantastic next to A Little Deep of ours and today she showed that again,” said Maher referring to her last start where she ran third to Kundalini (I Am Invincible) and Maher trained A Little Deep (Deep Field).

When asked if she would go to the G1 Empire Rose S. next, the answer from her trainer was emphatic. “One hundred per cent yes. That's her goal. Arguably she's her best at a mile but she's very effective at seven furlongs. It's just very pleasing to see us get a few runs on the board for Triple Crown, new clients, and hopefully we can go on into the spring.”

Purchased at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by Triple Crown Syndications for $195,000 from Sledmere Stud, Revolutionary Miss was an excellent juvenile for Peter and Paul Snowden winning the G2 Blue Diamond Prelude (Fillies) and placing in the G1 Blue Diamond S. At three she won the G2 AV Kewney S., and at four, she was a triple Group 3 winner. Saturday’s G2 Rose Of Kingston S. win took her record to seven wins and as many placings from 28 starts with earnings over $1.7million.

One of 11 stakes winners for Russian Revolution, she is a half-sister to Listed Canberra Guineas winner Equation (Press Statement), out of Listed Ryder S.-placed juvenile winner Purcentage (Onemorenomore). Purcentage is a daughter of Listed Gimcrack S. winner and Group 1-placed Spurcent (Flying Spur) who is a half-sister to G1 Hong Kong Mile winner Glorious Days (Hussonet {USA}) and dual Listed winner Bangalore Bullet (Hussonet {USA}).

Just Fine leads all the way to get into the Cup

Sent to the front by jockey Jordan Childs, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Just Fine (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire})’s fitness held on as he galloped four lengths clear at the Flemington turn in the G3 Bart Cummings S. With the rest of the field closing in, Just Fine had to dig deep to cling on to victory by 0.2l from Anthony and Sam Freedman trained Point King (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) with Philip Stokes trained Amade (Ire) (Casamento {Ire}) also only 0.26l from the winner.

“Jordan, that's Jordan at his best. When Jordan gets going on a front runner, he's very effective,” said co-trainer Waterhouse.

The win gives Just Fine a ballot free entry to the G1 Melbourne Cup, and he is part-owned by a MyRacehorse micro-share syndicate. “They're going to have a lot of fun running in our biggest race. What a wonderful thing. It happens nowhere in the world, I can tell you, where people from all different walks of life can have a share in a horse for not much money and be able to come here on the first Tuesday in November and maybe win a multi-million-dollar race.”

Just Fine hadn’t troubled anyone in his last three starts, running 10th in the G3 Naturalism last start, with a fifth in the G2 Chelmsford S. before that. “Often, they can peak and then they can lose the plot. You know, they're not machines, they're animals and he just trained off,” said Waterhouse.

“Then we just kept tapping away and when I saw him the other day and he raced at Caulfield, I wasn't happy with him so we just sort of gave him a little bit more work and just did different things. I just knew today that you really have to try hard to beat him. So has it just been a matter of getting his fitness level right there. And he's got lovely cruising speed.”

A 300,000 gns (AU$608,000) purchase by McKeever Bloodstock and his trainers at the 2022 Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training sale, Just Fine took his record to seven wins from 24 starts with earnings over $1 million. Last spring, he won his first three starts in Australia in succession including the G1 Metropolitan H. but hadn’t won since.

His sire, Sea The Stars (Ire), has sired 133 stakes winners globally, and while he has never shuttled down under, he has enjoyed the fruits of several imports with Just Fine leading a trio of Group winners here, with the other two being G1 Australian Cup winner Fifty Stars (Ire), and G1 Sydney Cup winner Shraaoh (Ire).

Just Fine is one of five winners for Bint Almatar (USA) (Kingmambo {USA}) who won three times in Europe. She is a daughter of Listed winner and G1 Longchamp Poule d'Essai des Pouliches-placed Firth Of Lorne (Ire) (Danehill {USA}) who is the dam of four stakes winners led by triple Group 1 winner Master Of The Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Listed winners Latharnarch (USA) (Iffraaj {GB}) and Etive (USA) (Elusive Quality {USA}) and G3 UAE Oaks winner Falls Of Lora (Ire) (Street Cry {Ire}) who is the dam of dual G1 Australian Cup winner Cascadian (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) who also won the G1 Doncaster Handicap and G1 All-Aged S. among his 12 wins and $10.6 million earnings. Cascadian’s half-sibling is G1 Woodbine Summer S. winner Albahr (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) while his full sibling is Group 2 winner Isle Of Jura (Ire).

The Hottie caps special week for connections

A special week got even better on Saturday for trainer Robbie Patterson and owner-breeders Eddie and Nicola Bourke and Allan Piercy as their mare The Hottie (NZ) (Swiss Ace) won Saturday’s G3 Thoroughbred Breeders’ S. at Hawera. They won Wednesday’s G1 Arrowfield Plate with One Bold Cat (NZ) (The Bold One {NZ}) and another race at Hawera on Saturday with Belles Beau (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}).

“I thought any win here today would top the week off nicely, but two wins including a Group 3 is even better,” Patterson said. “And the Breeders’ Stakes is a very cool race to win for us as well, being Taranaki kids. It’s fantastic. She’s been hard work all her life, this horse. She’s always had a lot of issues. She bled in her last start at Riccarton. For her to come back and win this today is a massive effort.

“I haven’t done a lot with her, actually. I just gave her a quiet trial on Tuesday, and that’s about all she’s done. She always goes well fresh, so I tried to leave her in that state. She’s just a really good horse, and when she’s right, she’s lethal.”

Ridden by Courtney Barnes, The Hottie missed the start and sat in fourth, before finishing over the top of the field to win by 1.25l from Roydon Bergerson trained 2023 winner Town Cryer (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) with Andrew Forsman trained Wessex (NZ) (Turn Me Loose {NZ}) only a nose behind in third.

“There’s a Group 3 mile coming up in a few weeks’ time that we can have a look at, and then there are some nice races for fillies and mares through the late spring and summer as well. She could even be competitive in a Group 2 or Group 1 mile somewhere.”

With the win, The Hottie took her record to six wins from 16 starts with earnings over NZ$195,000 and she became the 20th stakes winner for Swiss Ace. The homebred filly is the first foal of The Countess (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}) who didn’t trouble the judge in three starts. The first stakes winner in three generations, this is a weaker branch of the famous ‘The’ family of New Zealand which includes Group 1 winners The Jewel (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}), The Chosen One (NZ) (Savabeel), La Diosa (So You Think {NZ}), The Perfect Pink (NZ) (Savabeel), He’s A Doozy (NZ) (Zacinto {GB}), The Phantom Chance (NZ) (Noble Bijou {USA}), The Phantom (NZ) (Noble Bijou {USA}), and Irish Chance (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}).