Saturday summary: Cosmic Crusader clinches Northerly in Group 1 breakthrough

Cover image courtesy of Western Racepix

Seventh Group 1 winner for Maurice as Cosmic Crusader nabs Northerly

Fortune - and the punters - may have favoured the unbeaten King Of Light (Earthlight {Ire}), but it was the Michael Grantham-trained Cosmic Crusader (NZ) (Maurice {Jpn}) who prevailed in the G1 Northerly Stakes at Ascot on Saturday to add a seventh individual Group 1 winner to his sire’s tally. It was a third Group 1 winner in Australia for Maurice (Jpn), with his sons collectively striking at the top level in four states.

It was Eastern seaboard raider Osipenko (NZ) (Pierro) who controlled proceedings as the pack turned into the home straight, but Cosmic Crusader swept round wide under the urgings of Clint Johnston-Porter, taking the spot of a flagging Depth Of Character (Deep Field).

Hitting the front with a furlong left to travel, the 5-year-old gelding could feel Watch Me Rock (Awesome Rock) breathing down his neck and dug deep to prevail by a head, with a near five-length gap back to Western Empire (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) in third.

Breeder Bob Peters was trackside to watch his homebred clinch his maiden Group 1.

“It’s really good to see, makes you wonder what might have happened in the previous race,” he said. “He had an injury (in 2024) and I gave him the 12 months off to recover, and I think that was the making of him. He was a bit fine before, but he’s developed well and he’s a big, strong horse now.”

It was Peters’ first Group 1 with a horse in Grantham’s stable.

“Michael’s great,” Peters said. “He does what I ask him to do and everything goes pretty smoothly. Everyone works well together and it’s a very pleasant atmosphere there.”

It was a second successive Northerly for Johnston-Porter, who steered Annabel and Rob Archibald's raider Port Lockroy (Better Than Ready) to victory.

"It's always special winning your first Group 1, but the opportunities I get from Bob and Michael is quite special," Johnston-Porter said. "(My) grandad passed away last night and I knew he was carrying me over the line."

When asked if he felt Watch Me Run coming hard in the final furlong, he said, "I did, but that's why I carried on so much after the line. He (Cosmic Crusader) just gritted his teeth - he just found something I didn't know he had."

Sales: Cosmic Crusader is a homebred for Bob Peters’ Peters Investments.

Pedigree: He is the second foal out of G3 La Trice Classic victress Cosmic Storm (Street Sense {USA}), who also won three Listed contests for breeder Bob Peters. Cosmic Storm is one of four stakes winners out of dual Group 3-winning West Australian mare Stormy Nova (Metal Storm), who has also produced G1 Cantala Stakes winner Superstorm (Sebring).

After losing her Maurice (Jpn) filly last year, Cosmic Storm visited the Arrowfield Stud shuttle stallion again in September.

Caballus on song in George Moore offensive

The Darby Racing-owned Caballus (I Am Invincible) came out on top in the G3 George Moore Stakes at Saturday’s Doomben meet to collect his second Group 3 of the season, after capturing the G3 Rising Fast Stakes at Flemington a month ago.

The 5-year-old gelded Bjorn Baker trainee brought career win number six carrying five kilos more than second-placed finisher Pereille (Fastnet Rock), who couldn’t close the margin to anything less than three lengths. It was an easy watch for the team, with Tommy Berry taking the gelding to the front before home and rolling him forward, with the gap still widening at the line.

"It didn't work out exactly the way we envisaged," said bloodstock agent Jim Clarke, representing Baker in his absence."I think Tommy (Berry) wanted to follow a couple (of runners) but he jumped well and found the lead fairly easily.”

The Baker team now want to aim high again with the gelding and take him back to top flight company. Caballus has shown glimpses of potential to strike at the top, having been beaten just three and a half lengths in last year’s G1 Moir Stakes.

"He won at Flemington during the carnival and I think Bjorn has pretty big aspirations for him possibly in the autumn and back here in the winter. Maybe even a race like the Stradbroke Handicap would be ideal for him."

A city winner at two for previous trainer Chris Waller, Caballus now has four stakes wins on his record, including taking out the G3 Eskimo Prince Stakes in 2024 and now is within spitting distance of $1 million in earnings, most of which has been for Darby Racing, who purchased the gelding as an entire online.

Sales: Initially a $1 million Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale graduate from Bhima Thoroughbreds, when selling to Tom Magnier, Caballus was offered in an Inglis Digital auction in October 2023, where Scott Darby’s syndication company purchased him for $315,000.

Pedigree: Caballus is the best of five winners out of Group 3-performed Calming Influence (Commands), a daughter of Listed Liz Davenport Classic winner Calming (Zeditave). Another of her daughters is the granddam of R. Listed Inglis Nursery victor Saltaire (Star Turn), and the close family also boasts the presence of Listed Rosebud Handicap winner Sebring Sun.

Calming Influence has an Ole Kirk yearling filly yet to appear in a sales catalogue, and delivered a filly by Zoustar this spring.

Berkeley Square goes back-to-back in Ballarat Cup

He came back for round two, and Berkeley Square (Territories {Ire}) was yet again the start of the Listed Ballarat Cup on Saturday with a two and three-quarter-length victory over Cadmus (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}). Dan O'Sullivan’s 6-year-old had been the victor by a far slimmer margin in last year’s edition of the race, but he wasn’t to be caught this time, despite settling deep in the field behind the eventual runner-up.

Jockey Luke Nolen took the gelding wide as the pack turned for home and revved his engine to pass the leaders with 100 metres left to run, proving too powerful in his final burst for the others to catch. Statuario (D’Argento), who hit the front as they turned, held on for third.

“We weren't under pressure but it's good to see him do it,” said O’Sullivan. “With the blinkers on and how he was travelling at the half-mile, I thought, 'this is going to be beautiful', and to see him win so comfortably, it's really, really good.

“I've been reluctant to put the blinkers on for a while as I thought he might over-race, but Luke got it perfect today. He's just a bloody good horse and he won over $2 million in prize money now too."

While the wide draw of 13 in a pack of 14 was far from ideal, O’Sullivan was pleased to see the run pan out as it did.

“I was paranoid about him settling, but he jumped a little bit slow, which he can do,” he said. “I was happy to see Craig's horse (Saint George) go forward and apply a bit of pressure to Air Assault. We knew he would be strong late in the race and to see him win by a couple of lengths there is great."

Nolen was supposed to partner the gelding in last year's edition, but missed out due to injury. The pair have been reunited this spring, while last year's winning rider Jaylah Kennedy has been sidelined with injury herself.

“He's two-for-two at the 2000 metres here, so might as well go for a three-peat and it'll be between Jaylah (Kennedy) and me as to who rides it," Nolen said. "It is a swings and roundabouts sort of thing. I was supposed to ride this horse in this race last year but I had a fall.

“Jaylah did a marvellous job and I was happy to take the reins again. It is one of those things. You take the rough and the smooth. These things turn around quickly."

Sales: Berkeley Square was retained to race by breeder David Peacock and a large syndication.

Pedigree: The third stakes winner for his dam, Berkeley Square is a half-brother to three-time Group 3 winner Senor Toba (Toronado {Ire}) and G2 Autumn Stakes winner Angel Capital (Harry Angel {Ire}). His dam Bahamas (Teofilo {Ire}) is a G1 SAJC Oaks-placed half-sister to G2 Matriarch Stakes winner Affair To Remember (Toronado {Ire}).

Bahamas has a yearling colt by Blue Point (Ire) and visited City Of Troy (USA) this season after missing.

Provence claims epic G1 Mufhasa Classic in three-way photo finish

In one of the most thrilling finishes of the season, Provence (NZ) (Savabeel) produced a dramatic victory, driving along the inside rail to snatch the G1 Mufhasa Classic at Trentham.

The judge’s decision took what felt like an eternity to confirm, with Waitak (NZ) (Proisir) and La Crique (NZ) (Vadamos {Fr}) coming late from the back of the field, swinging wide around the home turn and finishing strongly.

The three hit the line locked together however, ultimately it was Provence who was able to hold off the late challenges, securing her third Group 1 win and handing jockey George Rooke his first New Zealand Group 1. The 6-year-old mare has now had 19 starts for seven wins and over $1 million in stakes.

The drama on track was mirrored in the stands, as stable representative and bloodstock agent Dylan Johnson described the rollercoaster of emotions.

“There is nothing quite like the theatre of horse racing,” Johnson said. “You go through a range of emotions! Anyone that knows us, knows that you don’t go early and we probably did a little bit in the stands – it kind of looked like we got it, then we didn’t.

"But what a great race – to have those class of horses, 5 Group winners in the field – it was a great finish. It was befitting of that field – it was an amazing finish and nice to win one in that fashion."

“She has won three Group 1s now, big Group 1s. She’s part-owned by Tony Rider, who also bred her. He puts so much into the industry and there’s a massive group of owners in the Social Racing group as well. She will join the Milan’s Park broodmare band now and be a very special mare for him.”

Johnson was also full of praise for the ride, which required a lot of nerve and resulted in a few anxious moments for connections as Rooke waited for the runs to appear.

“I’m thrilled for George Rooke – it’s his first Group 1 winner here in New Zealand,” Johnson said. “He has turned into one of our premier riders. I said, just hold her up and almost look unlucky – that’s when she has been at her best. He did find a bit of bad luck but just managed to come through. He deserves it, George!”

Provence had resumed with a late-finishing second behind Qali Al Farrasha (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) in the G2 Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes over 1400 metres at Pukekohe 10 days ago. The step up to the mile under weight-for-age conditions proved ideal and she has now all but cemented her status as one of New Zealand’s elite mares.

Sales: Provence was not offered for public sale and is part-owned by Tony Rider, who also bred her, along with the Social Racing Ellerslie Winners’ Circle Syndicate.

Pedigree: Provence is by Savabeel out of the winning Flying Spur mare Sombreuil, making her a sister to Damask Rose (NZ), winner of the R. Listed Karaka Millions 3YO Classic and the $3.5 million NZB Kiwi.

Milan Park will offer the half-brother by Super Seth to Provence and Damask Rose at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale next year as Lot 138.