Juvenile Summary: Inglis Millennium form to the fore as Golden Slipper takes shape

Cover image courtesy of Sportpix

Shaggy bubble bursts as Rivellino remains unbeaten in Skyline Stakes

After a scintillating all the way win at long odds in the $160,000 Pierro Plate last start, Shaggy (Sandbar) failed to back up that performance as the $2.45 favourite in Saturday’s G2 Skyline Stakes, fading to finish a disappointing fifth, while Rivellino (Too Darn Hot {GB}) swept down the outside to remain unbeaten and secure his place in the G1 Golden Slipper Stakes on March 22.

Jason Collett allowed Rivellino to find his feet early in the race, snagging the colt to the rear of the field, while Shaggy sat outside the leader Valedictorian (Zoustar) at a very steady tempo. However, Shaggy was beaten soon after straightening, laying in under pressure and badly checking Skyhook (Written Tycoon), who was beginning to loom as a big winning chance. Collett and Rivellino made the most of the situation and swept down the outside to snatch a 0.14l victory over the desperately unlucky Skyhook, with a further 0.14l back to Quietly Arrogant (Capitalist) in a close third.

“It has been a while but he’s a proper horse, this bloke, I’m looking forward to getting him to the Golden Slipper,” Kris Lees said.

“He’s pretty versatile, I think off a really hot speed, you will see a better product again. He was good today. He got a lovely ride off Jason, he let him slide up into the three wide line which was the winning move. Without looking at the times it looked a pretty even type of race. He let down really well.”

Lees shared that he believes going into the Golden Slipper three weeks between the runs will suit the horse perfectly.

Gallery: Images courtesy of The Image Is Everything

“He’s gone three weeks into this today,” Lees said.

“He appears more a 1400-metre horse in time, so three weeks into a fast run Golden Slipper will sit alright. He’s one of the few going into the Slipper undefeated, they are all taking their turn – they mightn’t get another one.”

Jockey Jason Collett was particularly pleased, considering the challenges Rivellino had to overcome in the run.

“It was impressive,” Collett said. “He was pretty unassuming going around to the start. He was very casual going around to the start, he got ponied but once the gates open he’s sharp. Kris was a little worried that if he didn’t get cover, he could fall in a hole so we were pretty neutral early, knowing that we going to give a big lead away to Shaggy, who looked to have it pretty easy.

“If he had a gate, he can hold a spot, he does have barrier speed, he has race sense. He’s a pretty good package.”

Jockey of Shaggy, Adam Hyeronimus was disappointed with the performance but said he would leave it up to the trainer Allan Kehoe as to what to do next.

“He probably wasn't the same horse today,” Hyeronimus said. “He didn't have the spring in his step today. Maybe he’s had enough, but I'll leave that to the team to see how he pulled up. He's obviously a talented horse."

Rivellino was a $180,000 Inglis Classic Sale purchase by Lees and Bahen Bloodstock from the draft of Lime Country Thoroughbreds and has now earned over $1.46 million in three career starts. He is the first foal from three-time winner Intrinsic (So You Think {NZ}), from the family of triple Group 3 winner Winter Bride (Not A Single Doubt). Intrinsic has a yearling colt by Written By, a colt foal by State of Rest (Ire) and is now in foal to Pride of Dubai.

Rivellino continues the winning run for Darley shuttler Too Darn Hot (GB), who is the leading second season sire by earnings, winners, and stakes-winners.

Within The Law breaks through in open company in Sweet Embrace

In her first test outside of restricted grade, Within The Law (Lucky Vega {Ire}) has landed a valuable Group victory, mowing down race favourite Bellazaine (Zousain) to nab the G2 Sweet Embrace Stakes in the final stride at Randwick on Saturday. Having raced exclusively in events for Inglis sales graduates, the $30,000 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale purchase has now built upon her previous $500,000 earnings from the R. Listed Inglis Banner and R. Listed Inglis Nursery with $172,000 towards securing a place in the Golden Slipper.

A strong tempo was set by Bellazaine and debutante Wootton Lass (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who raced ungenerously under Nash Rawiller. Meanwhile, Jason Collett snagged the filly to the rear, where she was momentarily posted three wide over the first few furlongs before finding cover third last. Coming round the home bend, Collett began a wide searching run, while Bellazaine booted clear at the head of proceedings. It appeared the race was all but over, but a late surge saw the electrifying filly snatch victory from the Tulloch Lodge-trained favourite by 0.01l, with 0.76l back to Snitzel Miss (Snitzel) in third.

“That was phenomenal,” Bjorn Baker’s racing manager Luke Hilton said.

“In the run, nothing went right. She couldn't have got any further off the track and to just see her keep coming, I still didn't think she was going to get there halfway down the straight. She's been like this the whole time through, she's got so much heart and she doesn't know how to run a bad race.

“It’s exciting for her, she's a really lovely filly. And to put her hand up today and get a run in the Slipper, before today she had zero prize money (for the Slipper) unfortunately, but now she goes there as a live chance.”

Darby Racing won the 2017 Golden Slipper with $20,000 filly She Will Reign (Manhattan Rain) and were heaped with praise post-race.

“Darby Racing are phenomenal,” Hilton said. “They just back up all the time finding these horses. They just do a wonderful job and she was just a $30,000 purchase.”

Collett made it a juvenile feature double in the saddle, and now has some decisions to make regarding who he will stick with in the G1 Golden Slipper on March 22.

“It's nice to be in that position,” Collett said.

“They're a couple of nice horses and she just keeps lifting the bar. She had a lot of work to do there and nothing went right from the get-go, really, but she still managed to come out on top.”

Gallery: Images courtesy of Georgia Young Photography

Bred and consigned by Yulong for the 2024 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Within The Law is the first foal of Contract Signed (Dundeel {NZ}), who is a granddaughter of the multiple Group 2 winner So Gorgeous (Brief Truce {USA}) and belongs to the family of Kementari (Lonhro). Contract Signed was acquired in 2021 for $30,000 through Inglis Digital by Yulong's alias Chatsworth Farm. She has a yearling colt by Tagaloa and returned to Lucky Vega (Ire) last year after slipping to Written Tycoon.

Within the Law has marked a remarkable commencement for the stud career of Lucky Vega, a Group 1-winning son of Lope de Vega (Ire), who stood at a modest fee of $16,500 last season.

Lindsay Park all Shining Smiles after juvenile stakes win

Shining Smile (Spirit of Boom) made it four wins on end to continue a stellar record for Lindsay Park Racing in the Listed TAB 2YO Plate on Saturday.

The Lindsay Park team has won the event five times in the past nine years, including the previous two editions with Princess Duhallow (Shalaa {Ire}) and Bold Bastille (Brazen Beau). This year it was Shining Smile who, after leading all the way to dead-heat in the Listed Talindert Stakes last start, took cover mid-field early before storming home over the top of his rivals to win by a comfortable 0.75l to debutant Prestige Forever (Ole Kirk), with a further 1.25l back to Marsept (Written Tycoon) in third.

“That was quite impressive,” JD Hayes said.

“He got a bit of cover, which was great to see. He settled beautifully in behind, it was a great ride by Daniel (Stackhouse), he had a bit of wind protection there and presented to the middle of the straight and he was very strong late. It was a very polished performance and a good effort by the horse to win four in a row now.”

Hayes indicated that the colt, who has now had six starts since October, had put the writing on the wall in trackwork.

“He has a great constitution and just licks the bin every time,” JD Hayes said.

“Tom Ryan does a lot of work on this horse back home and he said after his last bit of work (that) it was as good as he has ever worked, so we were quietly confident going into today. We were very happy to see him coming back in first place.”

Gallery: Images courtesy of the Image Is Everything

Jockey, Daniel Stackhouse says the change in tactics to ride more conservatively made a significant difference.

“He was a lot more relaxed today through the run, he switched off well,” Stackhouse said.

“He did a good job, I had to get going a little bit earlier than I wanted to but he picked up well and really accelerated late. I think that’s particularly the way to ride, he’s just a lot stronger in the finish.

“The boys have done such a fantastic job and placed him very well. He keeps ticking all the boxes and winning races, so you can’t ask more than that.”

A $160,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale purchase for Boomer Bloodstock from the draft of Robyn Wise, Shining Smile has earned over $400,000 across his four victories. Bred by G1 Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Scott Seamer, he is the best of four winners from Nataya Rose (Canny Lad), an unraced half-sister to stakes-placed Gold Anthem (Made of Gold), the dam of Champion Sprinter and Group 1-producing sire Starspangledbanner, as well as the granddam of Group 1 winner Amicus (Fastnet Rock).

Her yearling colt by Zousain sold for $80,000 at Inglis Classic this year, and she has a colt on the ground by Profiteer. She was covered by Pinatubo (Ire) last spring.

Shining Smile is the eighth juvenile winner this season for Eureka Stud’s Spirit of Boom.

Farnan’s Profoundly impressive at Eagle Farm

Kia Ora Stud's Golden Slipper-winning stallion Farnan is enjoying a promising start to his stud career, in part thanks to Profoundly’s (Farnan) remarkable win at Eagle Farm on Saturday, placing him alongside Woottton Bassett (GB) atop the first-season sire’s winners table.

After failing to fire on debut, the 2-year-old filly was quick to make amends, initially settling last, but swiftly making up the ground under Damien Thornton to glide on by for a dominant 2.62l win over Nottington Prince (Whittington), with a further 0.82l back to Mr Worthington (Worthy Cause) in third.

Profoundly was acquired for $65,000 by DLF Racing Services from the draft of Sledmere Stud at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale. She is the fourth winner from four foals to race out of Profound Wisdom (Al Samer), making Profoundly a half-sister to Group 3 winner Sebonack (Capatilist). Profound Wisdom is a half-sister to Group 2-winning stallion Santos and Group 3-winning filly Melagrana (Fastnet Rock).

This year, her yearling by Stay Inside was purchased by Bjorn Baker Racing and Clarke Bloodstock for $360,000 at the Gold Coast Magic Millions Yearling Sale. Last season, she foaled a colt by Anamoe, before revisiting Stay Inside.