Saturday summary: 25 Group 1 winners for Snitzel as Transatlantic takes out Toorak

Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything

New Group 1 winner for Snitzel as Transatlantic scores Toorak

The late Snitzel maintained his incredible stakes strike rate for another weekend thanks to his 25th Group 1 winner Transatlantic, who emerged victorious in the G1 Toorak Handicap at Caulfield on Saturday. The 5-year-old gelding was sent south by Tony Gollan, who also took home the trophy last year courtesy of Antino (NZ) (Redwood {GB}), and he was made to work for his win, scoring by a short head over Evaporate (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}).

It was a seventh career victory and a significant step up in quality from the gelding, whose ownership includes Segenhoe Thoroughbreds and the Australasian Thoroughbreds Racing Trust, and was a reversal of fortune from his last start in the G2 Sandown Stakes, where Evaporate got the better of him.

“We bought him as a yearling, we've had some ownership changes along the way, (but) it's just terrific,” Gollan said. “We've had a bunch in and out of him, and it's just a great story, really. He's been a nice horse to get going, and to win a Group 1 with him, it's just a great result.

“There's something in the water in Brisbane at the moment.”

Mark Zahra was aboard for the victory, and he gave the gelding a positive ride in the lead to hold on and win.

“I knew I had a really nice time in front, and when I kicked, I knew I kicked good,” Zahra said. “He thinks a bit, and I switched (the whip) to the left, and I was hoping I wouldn't see anyone coming at me late. Then I knew it was Evaporate - I didn't have to look - and he showed good fight in the last 50 metres to dig in and win.”

Sales info: Bred by Go Bloodstock, Transatlantic was a $360,000 purchase from Segenhoe Stud’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale draft for Tony Gollan Racing, Harbour Equine, and John Foote Bloodstock.

Pedigree info: Transatlantic is the second foal from G1 Australian Oaks winner Gust Of Wind (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}), whose two other foals to race are also winners. She is closely related to Listed-winning, Group 1-performed Starbourne (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells {USA}). Her 2-year-old Stay Inside colt was purchased for $220,000 by Irwin Racing at Easter this year, and will be offered at the Inglis Ready2Race Sale next week.

Gust Of Wind also has a yearling filly by Dundeel (NZ) and missed to the late Wootton Bassett (GB) last spring.

Globe has Might And Power to deny Treasurethe Moment

Treasurethe Moment (Alabama Express) may have left the gates the short-priced favourite, but it was Globe (NZ) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) who had more in the tank on Saturday, surging away to win the G1 Might And Power Stakes at Caulfield. The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained gelding had a peach of a run on the inside, hugging the rails into the home straight before accelerating away to put three lengths on the Group 1-winning mare, with Buckaroo (GB) (Fastnet Rock) chasing to capture third.

“It was a heist, wasn't it?,” said Price after the race. “But you know it's a horse race, not a mathematical formula. So we get up every day and dream these dreams, and you know it's fantastic for the owners, big bunch, and the horse has spent his whole life earning $600,000, and he just earned another $600,000 in two minutes.”

On the decision to have a punt at the top level, bearing in mind it was the gelding’s first attempt at a Group 1, Price said, “it was never at the start of this preparation for me to say I'll win the Might And Power, but two races I've watched over, one's the Underwood, and one is this race, and they can both turn up funny results.

“So I thought, ‘well, it's going to be a small field, and he did get beaten in a Ballarat Cup over 2000 metres as an immature horse’. It's just one of those days where, like I said, it's not a mathematical formula. It's a horse race.”

Owned by the Roll The Dice Racing syndicate, the gelding was posting a sixth career win in 15 starts, and was taking a significant step up from his early spring runs in city grade handicaps.

“I knew it had to be right to beat Treasurethe Moment, and obviously, Buckaroo got the utmost respect for them, and realistically, he's not a proven weight-for-age horse until today,” said jockey Blake Shinn. “So, we were going in a bit of the underdog, but as we've seen time and time again in these small fields, it's quite tactical, and an upset can happen more often than not.

“We went in there with no pressure as the obvious leader, and look, I knew potentially the other riders were going to be more worried about themselves, and Globe's a natural front runner, and what a thrill to be able to pull it off.”

Sales info: Mr J Naito paid $22,000 for Globe when offered by Cambria Park at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale.

Pedigree info: Globe is one of three winners, and the first stakes winner, for Bonnie Doon (NZ) (Don Eduaro {NZ}), an unraced full sister to dual Group 1 winner Booming (NZ). She has a 2-year-old colt by Ace High, who passed in at this year’s Karaka sale, and slipped the following season.

Giga Kick bounces back to best in Schillaci sizzler

Seen fleetingly in the autumn and winter, when he was third in the G1 Goodwood Handicap, G1 The Everest champion Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) proved he was back in form on Saturday when sweeping home to win the G2 Schillaci Stakes at Caulfield. As the pack fanned out in the straight, it looked like the race might fall in the favour of Tropicus (Too Darn Hot {GB}), but the 4-year-old entire stalled as Giga Kick loomed to his outside. The 6-year-old gelding ultimately sprinted home to beat Tropicus by a length, with a further three quarters of a length back to third.

It was a first victory in two and a half years for the Pinecliff Racing-owned galloper - much of which was lost to injury - who last scored in the G1 Doomben 10,000 in 2023.

“It's a relief, to be honest, I'm going to get emotional,” trainer Clayton Douglas said. “It's good to have him back. I'm really happy.

“He's had a lot of hard work. We've copped a lot of flack for this horse for bits and pieces, and they all said he was fat and not ready first-up and all that sort of stuff, but good horses do good things.”

Just one spot remains in this year’s Everest after the withdrawal of Private Harry (Harry Angel {Ire}) from Yulong’s slot, and Douglas wouldn’t immediately pass up the opportunity for a third crack at the race. Last year, Giga Kick finished second, beaten a short head by champion sprinting mare Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai).

“We'll have a chat anyway,” Douglas said. “He's just a good horse. You've got to remember, I think he had $4 million more than the whole field (on Saturday) put together, that's what he's done in his career, so to think that he was a 7/1 chance in a race like that, as easy a race as he's seen, and it was good to see him blow them away.

“Give me a call, surely they know my number.”

Sales info: Giga Kick was bred by GSA Bloodstock and was withdrawn from sale to be retained to race.

Pedigree info: Giga Kick’s best known relatives are Alabama Express, who is out of his half-sister Lago Ovation (Encosta De Lago), and his dam’s multiple Group-winning half-brother Rekindled Interest (Redoute’s Choice). Rekindled Applause (GB) (Royal Applause {GB}) has only had one foal since Giga Kick; 4-year-old Pantoja (Pariah) is a winner from five starts.

Lindermann vindicated in Hill Stakes victory

Ever-consistent and always hard-working, Lindermann (Lonhro) came out on top again on Saturday when winning the G2 Hill Stakes under familiar race partner Nash Rawiller. It was a satisfying result for the Waller team and the gelding’s connections Woppitt Bloodstock after he had the $1 million 7 Stakes snatched away from him by Fangirl (Sebring) last start.

There was no Fangirl on Saturday to catch the front-running 6-year-old, who strode away from the pack with ease in the home straight to win by two and a quarter lengths, with Attrition (Churchill {Ire}) next across the line.

Rawiller praised his mount, saying, “his biggest asset is not just his heart but also his attitude. He never gives up. He probably knew he was more in front than I did, to be honest, because I wasn't sure, but he's just a horse that keeps coming through for you.

“I started to lose a bit of faith in him on wet tracks. But he's smarter than me. He was just looking after himself and thankfully for that reason, he's been able to bounce out of them and put in his heart and soul like he normally does.”

Darren Beadman, Waller’s stable representative, described the horse as a stable favourite.

“We were competing against Lindermann when I was with Godolphin, but to see him, he's such a dude of a horse,” Beadman said. “He's big, strong and powerful and gets the job done. He has stood the test of time, ever since he was a 3-year-old running here in a Rosehill Guineas.

“He is a pillar of the stable.”

Sales info: Lindermann was bred by Woppitt Bloodstock, who retained the gelding to race.

Pedigree info: Lindermann is one of four winners from stakes-placed Self Esteem (Stratum), who was fourth in the G1 Vinery Stud Stakes. His close family includes G3 Red Roses Stakes winner Aitch Two Oh (Headwater) and the top racehorses from the turn of the century, Assertive Lad (Zeditave) and Assertive Lass (Zeditave). Woppitt Bloodstock have retained all of Lindermann’s siblings, including the 2-year-old Iommi (Written By) and a yearling filly by Pierro. Self Esteem is empty this season.

Brayden Star books Caulfield Cup berth with Herbert Power victory

Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young struck early at Caulfield on Saturday with 7-year-old gelding Brayden Star (GB) (Twilight Son {GB}) in the G2 Herbert Power Stakes, downing the equal favourites Plymouth (The Autumn Sun) and Whisky On The Hill (GB) (Ribchester {Ire}) to claim his first stakes victory. Jumping well under Craig Williams, the gelding let Smokin’ Romans (NZ) (Ghibellines) take the lead before working his way up the inside to win by a long head over Plymouth.

It was third time lucky in the race, much to co-trainer Natalie Young’s delight.

"It's finally gone our way!,” she said. “He just jumped brilliantly, and going down the straight here, I said, ‘oh, don't lead, don't lead, Willo, don't lead!’ And Smokin' Romans managed to get up, following him forward.

“He just had a beautiful run in transit, and I love the way he really stuck his head out that last 150 metres and really fought. We took the blinkers off. He just over-raced a touch his last few runs, and it's just great. It's great for the team, we needed this win.”

Busuttin shared that an extended spell since last spring had done the gelding the world of good; “He had the better part of probably six months off after the spring last year. He's a 7-year-old, he's taken a while to get to things. I thought he went great last start. He got taken on from the 1200 and just knocked up. I thought this could be his race today.

“He's a genuine horse. He's been thereabouts and it looked a nice race for, he was good to kick back, the other horse had him cold, but he was strong.”

With an ownership headed by Seymour Bloodstock and his trainers, it was Brayden Star’s first win since the $125,000 Benalla Gold Cup in the September of 2023, but the gelding has been boxing on in Group grade since, running fourth in last year’s Herbert Power and the subsequent G2 Moonee Valley Cup. He now has ballot-free entry into next week’s G1 Caulfield Cup, if he comes through the run well.

“I'd say he will be (backing up into the Caulfield Cup),” Busuttin said. “It's a big step up. It's a $5 million race or whatever it is. And he's still keen enough in the first half of the race, we pulled the blinkers off him because of that. So it's a seven-day backup, it'll knock the edge off him and he'll run all right.”

“Obviously he'd have to come through the race really well, it's all about the horse,” Young said. “So if he comes through it well, possibly, we'll have a talk to Seymour Bloodstock.

“He'd have to come through it well, there are options. You've got the Geelong Cup, you've got the Moonee Valley Cup, or you could just go straight into maybe a Melbourne Cup.

Sales info: Bred by Hungerford Park Stud, Brayden Star most recently publicly changed hands at the 2021 Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale, where he was bought from The Bloodstock Connection (Ireland) by Chris K Racing for 80,000 gns ($170,000).

Pedigree info: Brayden Star is the second stakes winner out of Desert Liaison (GB) (Dansili {GB}), who is a daughter of Listed winner Toffee Nosed (GB) (Selkirk {USA}). His half-brother Wentwood (GB) (Pour Moi {Ire}) won the G3 Bendigo Cup. Desert Liaison delivered a full brother to Brayden Star in 2024.