Saturday summary: Femminile's South Australian Derby strike scores first filly Group 1 for Dundeel

Cover image courtesy of Inglis

First Group 1 filly for Dundeel as Femminile takes Derby

He has always delivered superb colts, but as he ages, Dundeel (NZ) is beginning to prove his fillies are just as good; none better at the moment than his daughter Femminile, who stole the G1 South Australian Derby at Morphettville on Saturday away from ante-post favourite Statuario (D’Argento).

Previously a Listed winner as a juvenile and placed at Group 3 level in the spring, the 3-year-old filly had the confidence of trainer Phillip Stokes that she would deliver in the 2500-metre contest. The turning point came at the 600-metre mark, where Statuario drifted away from the fence and jockey Lachlan Neindorf directed Femminile to pounce on his spot, launching herself to a 0.73l victory. Statuario was forced to take the long way round and made a play for home, but was unable to make up the margin.

It was a second career Group 1 for Neindorf, who called the moment “magical”; he secured his first last year when guiding Climbing Star (NZ) (Zoustar) to glory in the G1 Robert Sangster Stakes for Stokes.

Stokes’ assistant Tommy Stokes praised the efforts of the operation’s teams at both Pakenham and Morphettville for the preparation that led to Saturday’s win.

“The team puts in a lot of work, mum and dad, she spends a lot of time on the farm there,” Stokes said. “She's (Femminile) just been prepped up to a tee, and the back-up really suited, stepping up in trip. We were doing a bit of a rain dance before today, but she didn't need it. Lachie gave her an absolute peach.

“It was quite an effortless watch in the end. I'm just very proud, especially another winner for (majority owners) OTI being a Group 1.”

Femminile becomes the ninth Group 1 winner for her Arrowfield Stud-based sire, and his 10th individual Australasian stakeswinner of the season.

When offered by Vinery Stud at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Femminile was a $150,000 purchase for her trainer and Rick Connolly Bloodstock. She is the first foal of seven-time winner Femme Fireball (Pierro), a Listed-placed full sister to Rock, who won the G3 Cameron Handicap twice. Femme Fireball has a weanling filly by So You Think (NZ) to follow, and was served by Anamoe in the spring.

Derby favouritism for Queensland Guineas victor Depth Of Character

Annabel and Rob Archibald-trained gelding Depth Of Character (Deep Field) teamed up with late change Noel Callow to nab victory in the G2 Queensland Guineas on Saturday at Eagle Farm, providing Callow with a double for the meet.

Patiently ridden in the centre of the pack into the home straight, the gelding unleashed when halfway home and proved too good for an improving Churchill’s Choice (Churchill {Ire}), winning by 2.35l. It was Callow’s second ever ride for the 3-year-olds trainers - a chance he didn’t think he would get after a poor ride last year, but the absence of James McDonald due to his Hong Kong suspension played in the former Victorian hoop’s favour.

“I’ve never sat on this horse, and I watched him in Sydney when Schofield rode him and I watched him when Maloney won on him the other day, and there is a tendency when the pace comes out for his head to go up, but it didn’t happen today,” Callow said. “I just had to count to 10 and then let him rip away.”

Annabel Archibald praised the ride; "It was a lovely ride by Noel. He did his research and knew he could get a bit fired up. I was a bit worried he was travelling too well, but once he peeled him out at the top of the straight, it was just a matter of holding him together and pressing the button at the right time.”

The G1 Stradbroke Handicap may be a possible destination for the 3-year-old, who has also firmed into favouritism for the G1 Queensland Derby.

"We'll see where we go now,” Archibald said. “There's no real mile races. It is whether you go up or down (in distance). I'm not sure you go up."

The Chase offered Depth Of Caricature at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where his trainers secured him for $180,000. He is the second foal and second winner from stakes-placed Caricature (NZ) (Power {GB}), who was fourth in the G1 New Zealand Oaks. She is a half-sister to three stakeswinners, led by G2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes winner Pussy Willow (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}).

Matthew Smith Racing and Randwick Bloodstock Agency (FBAA) secured her Zoustar yearling for $475,000 at Inglis Easter this year, and she returned to the Widden Stud flagbearer in the spring.

Libertad bounces back with shock Victory Stakes win

It was a Group 2 double for newly weds Annabel and Rob Archibald at the Eagle Farm meeting, when - the race after Depth Of Character’s Guineas victory - stable stalwart Libertad (Russian Revolution) defied long odds to score in the G2 Victory Stakes. The 4-year-old entire, who was unbeaten in his first three starts, including two Group 3 victories, was sent out at $71 after running near the tail of the field at his last start.

Punters were unforgiving of the run, despite his year-long lay-off due to injury, but Libertad evidently couldn’t see any betting slips. It was only at the 300-metre mark that Libertad started to move, with Jamie Mott threading a path to the front of the pack and putting his foot on the gas. Jedibeel (NZ) (Savabeel) was breathing down the entire’s neck - the only runner to join him as he pulled clear by the 100-metre mark - and matched him stride for stride to the line.

But it was Libertad who prevailed in the photo finish, earning his victory by 0.05l, with Golden Mile (Astern) a further 1.64l back in third.

“It is great to get him back on track,” Annabel Archibald said. “He's had a couple of setbacks with a septic joint. He is lucky as they can be nasty. Then he had a little stress fracture when he came back from that.

“Looking back through his form, he's won some good races and placed behind Joliestar in the Arrowfield, so I knew he had the form on the board, but I thought he may be a run short.

“I originally had Jamie Mott booked on Lady Laguna and I said this morning, ‘sorry, she's gone to Hawkesbury instead'. I'm sure that when Jamie looked at the price of Libertad, he didn't think he was in with a chance.”

Maybe so, but now jockey Jamie Mott is of the belief that the G1 Doomben 10,000 was a viable option, as the entire should come on again from this run.

“Today he hit the front and got very lost, and was like a drunken sailor for a time there, until the second horse (Jedibeel) joined him and kind of headed him,” he said. “To his credit, he fought hard and was able to get him on the line.”

Libertad was a $210,000 Inglis Ready2Race graduate when purchased by Annabel Archibald, then Neasham, and she nabbed his half-sister by Prague at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale this year for $180,000 from the draft of Blue Gum Farm. Russian Revolution will stand for $33,000 (inc GST) at Newgate Farm this season, as his eldest crop turn six.

Media World snatches up first stakes win in Hawkesbury Guineas

A winner at this meet last year in the $160,000 Clarendon 2YO Stakes, smart 3-year-old colt Media World (Written Tycoon) collected his first stakes victory in the G3 Hawkesbury Guineas on Saturday. Prepared by Peter Snowden, the colt threaded his way to the front of the pack over the first 400 metres of the 1400-metre event and held his lead around the home turn.

Just Party (Justify {USA}) was among the strongest who attacked the colt’s lead in the home straight, but ultimately Media World, urged by Tyler Schiller, was able to get his head in front and deny the Justify (USA) gelding by 0.05l. It was Snowden’s fifth win in the event - all achieved since 2012.

“This is a very good race meeting and I like to target it with the right type of horse,” Snowden said post-race. “We deliberately held Media World back with the Hawkesbury Guineas in mind for him.

“It's great that he can come here and win another nice race.'”

Media World was almost gelded following the spring, but majority owner Yulong opted for one last shot with him as a colt.

“Already it's paid dividends,” Snowden said. “He's won a Group race here today, and I hope he can go on further. I will take him to Brisbane for the Fred Best (Classic) next.

“I'm hoping he could emerge as a Stradbroke Handicap (prospect), he's heading in the right direction, that's for sure.”

Yulong paid $1.4 million for Media World, son of Champion Sire Written Tycoon, at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale from the draft of Fairview Park Stud in 2023. Breeders Francis and Christine Cook have been able to retain a share in the colt.

“This colt was Meryl's first foal ,and it was Written Tycoon's last service at Arrowfield and we got it at a good price there before he went down to Yulong,” Francis Cook said. “We ran second with Dalchini beaten a nose, but to get across the line with a horse we bred, I'm a bit teary.”

He is the first foal from dual Group 3 winner Meryl (Epaulette), whose next two foals were also Easter graduates. Randwick Bloodstock Agency (FBAA) paid $330,000 for her filly by Pierata in April this year

Winx sister breaks through with Hawkesbury Crown win

Hawkesbury’s metropolitan meeting had been within the sights of Joseph Pride for a while, and he was vindicated in his decision to aim City Of Lights (Deep Impact {Jpn}), a half-sister to the incomparable Winx (Street Cry {Ire}), at the G3 Hawkesbury Crown when the 5-year-old mare took out the event on Saturday.

Finding the perfect spot midfield under the steerage of Chad Schofield, City Of Lights was able to travel economically into the home straight, despite being edged off the rails by a rapidly advancing Roots (Press Statement) into the turn. On straightening, the mare quickened down the middle of the track and managed to fend off the valiant Tashi (Sebring) to capture victory by 0.11l.

The maiden stakes win was of extreme importance to Pride.

“I have never had a horse with a pedigree like hers,” Pride said. “It's a pedigree made in heaven, a half-sister to Winx by one of the best stallions to stand on the planet.

“It's pretty amazing and that doesn't guarantee they are going to be good horses, but she is a good horse. It's nice to see her coming good as an older mare, which she was probably bred to do, but (it’s) a massive win to add to her CV today.”

Pride confirmed the intention was to head north to chase more black-type.

Gallery: Images courtesy of Georgia Young Photography

“After winning a race like that, we could give the Dane Ripper a go, because there is no use winning a Listed race after a win like that,” he said. “If she is racing, she needs to be racing in better class races than she has won before, otherwise she shouldn't be racing.”

Bred and retained by Fairway Thoroughbreds, City Of Lights’ pedigree needs little introduction. She becomes the third stakeswinner for the late Vegas Showgirl (NZ) (Al Akbar).

Jenni back on top in the Vase

Ciaron Maher’s tactical plan of dropping back to a weight-capped quality race worked like a charm, and champion mare Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) rocketed to a 2.25l victory in the Listed Anniversary Vase at Caulfield on Saturday, carrying 7kg more than second place.

Her lighter weighted adversaries were keen to give the star 7-year-old a challenge throughout the run, but Pride Of Jenni still found clear air halfway down the straight and confidently charged home, with Scheelite (Real Steel {Jpn}) in second.

Owner Tony Ottobre was delighted to see his mare’s return to form, saying post-race, “this girl here, she’s just a superstar. They took it up to her and she just kicked and went.

“She’s fantastic, isn’t she? To see the horse do what she has just done - I am glad that she’s back.”

He confirmed the G1 Doomben Cup was her next big target on May 24.

“She’s got a little bit more condition, but obviously there’s more to come in the Doomben Cup and we’re looking forward to that race,” Ottobre said. “The Doomben Cup is the one, then it’s Ciaron’s call. I am more a passenger than anything. Once Ciaron has the horse, he’s in full control.”

Jockey Craig Newitt felt flickers of the Jenni he knew emerge early in the race; “I sensed there was something there straightening, and I thought, ‘today’s the day we find out what is there’, and she really kept her gallop right to the line.”

Pride Of Jenni's dam Sancerre (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}) lost her filly foal by Hello Youmzain (Fr) in the spring, and was served by the shuttle stallion again afterwards.