Cover image courtesy of Victoria Racing Club
Race-Day Recap
Naifah (I Am Invincible) led all of the way in the hands of Emily Lang to claim the Listed Gai Waterhouse Classic for trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr.
Emily Lang picked up a stakes double as she also led all of the way on Kaluakoi (Zoustar) to pick up the Listed Ipswich Cup for trainers Chris and Corey Munce.
Midnight Dynamite (Pierata) was a dominant winner of the Listed Civic Stakes at Randwick for jockey Jason Collett, owners Darby Racing and trainer Bjorn Baker
The Michael Freedman-trained Soothsayer picked up her first black type win, storming home to take the Listed Eye Liner Stakes in the hands of Daniel Moor.
Naifah too slick at Ipswich
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained filly Naifah (I Am Invincible) added a second stakes victory to go with her Group 3 success in Adelaide earlier this year, delivering in style to win the Listed Gai Waterhouse Classic at Ipswich.
She was ridden by Emily Lang, who completed a stakes double after also taking out the Listed Ipswich Cup aboard Kaluakoi (Zoustar) roughly an hour earlier in similar front-running style.
Lang sent Naifah straight to the front and crossed comfortably from a wide barrier. Give Giggles (NZ) (War Decree {NZ}) settled outside the leader for Ben Thompson, while Spring Lee (Zoustar) enjoyed the trail, albeit racing keenly for Ron Stewart.
Unusually, there was not a great deal of speed for a Listed sprint, and Mark Du Plessis aboard the well-backed Silver Wedding (Zoustar) recognised this, making an early move from midfield to try and circle the field before straightening. However, Lang had already stolen a break, and Naifah kicked clear to score by just over a length.
Manolo Bling (Grunt {NZ}) stuck on gamely for second, while Silver Wedding ran on strongly also against the pattern to fill the placings.
Stable representative Shari Jamie was delighted with the performance from the well-bred filly.
“It was great to see her win like that. She got a nice, easy lead in front and was able to put them away.
“It was great to see her (Naifah) win like that. She got a nice, easy lead in front and was able to put them away.” - Shari Jamie
“I came up with her from Melbourne, she flew up four weeks ago. She won a Group 3 two starts back, so it was very pleasing to see her back in the winner’s circle today.
“It’s my first time travelling with her, so it’s nice to get the win. She’s a beautiful horse to deal with, so I’m very lucky. We’ll be heading home after this, so I don’t think we’ll be staying for any other races up here.”
“It’s my first time travelling with her, so it’s nice to get the win. She’s (Naifah) a beautiful horse to deal with, so I’m very lucky.” - Shari Jamie
Winning jockey Emily Lang capped a memorable day.
“I couldn’t have pictured a better day. It started off a little bit tricky early on, but I have to thank my manager for helping me pick up this ride.
“It’s hard to get those opportunities, but when you do, you hope to keep the ball rolling. Hopefully I can get a few more now. I thought I might have fired her up a touch too much, as she was a little keen. But at the end of the day, she had the class edge and was just too good.”
Sales info: Offered at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale by her breeder Emirates Park, Naifah was a $400,000 purchase for Silverdale Farm and Andrew Williams Bloodstock (FBAA).
Naifah as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Pedigree info: Naifah is a three-quarter-sister to dual Group 1-winning sprinter Charm Stone (I Am Invincible), being a daughter of Charm Stone’s metropolitan-winning half-sister Najmah (Snitzel).
Another half-sister to Najmah is dual Listed winner Najmaty (I Am Invincible), and Naifah’s grandam Najoom (Northern Meteor) is a dual Group 3 winner from the family of the four-time Group 1 winner Criterion and Group 2 winner Bittercreek (Snitzel).
Najmah, in recent times, has produced a Harry Angel (Ire) yearling filly named Nigwah, a Tassort weanling filly, and is currently in foal to Ole Kirk.
Kaluakoi goes all the way in the Ipswich Cup
A front-running horse around the tight Ipswich circuit with a light weight in a Cup often shapes as a strong chance, and so it proved as the Chris and Corey Munce-trained 4-year-old Kaluakoi (Zoustar) led throughout to dominate the Listed Ipswich Cup under Emily Lang.
Lang sent Kaluakoi forward from a wide barrier, while Taylor Marshall aboard The Drover (Bon Hoffa) worked hard early to cross and sit outside the leader.
Encoder (Encryption) enjoyed a soft run in transit for Boris Thornton. Interestingly for a Cup, the tempo steadied mid-race and the field remained relatively unchanged approaching the home turn.
Thornton angled off heels and chased strongly, but could not reel in Kaluakoi, who held on to score by just under a length. Encoder finished second, while the Matt Cropp-trained Sun Worshipper (Sun City) was the best of the chasers in third, just ahead of the Todd Pollard-trained Speycaster (GB) (Highland Reel {Ire}).
Co-trainer Chris Munce now boasts the rare feat of both riding and training winners of the Ipswich Cup.
Chris Munce | Image courtesy of Inglis
“Oompala was a very good galloper - he won the Caloundra Cup and ran third in a Melbourne Cup. To have ridden a winner of this race and now trained two, including my first with Corey, is a big thrill.
“He was well in at the weights, which helped, and we targeted the race. My only concern was the 2000 metres, but he’s a tough stayer.
“I said to Corey that once he went past the post the first time, I thought we were in business. His ears were pricked and he relaxed beautifully.
“I don’t mind whether I train sprinters or stayers - I just like training winners.”
Lang was quick to credit the instructions.
“It helps when you get guidance from someone like Chris Munce, it gives you a lot of confidence.
“He told me not to ride the horse pretty. We didn’t know how much pressure we’d face, but it was great to see him tough it out.
“I hadn’t ridden him before, he’s just the coolest horse. He felt like he was going out for a trackwork canter.”
“I hadn’t ridden him (Kaluakoi) before, he’s just the coolest horse. He felt like he was going out for a trackwork canter.” - Emily Lang
Sale info: Kaluakoi was passed in short of his $200,000 reserve at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Pedigree info: Kaluakoi is one of 10 winners out of the four-time winner and Listed-placed American mare Fantasy Gal (USA) (In Excessive Bull {USA}). He is her first stakes winner, with additional Listed-placed progeny in Palani (Zoustar) and Ala Moana (Lean Mean Machine).
This is a deep American family that includes three-time Group 1 winner and sire Authentic (USA).
Since producing Kaluakoi, Fantasy Gal has left a 2-year-old named Kona Heat (Lean Mean Machine) and was served by Spirit Of Boom last September.
Midnight Dynamite lives up to his name at Randwick
The Bjorn Baker-trained 4-year-old Midnight Dynamite (Pierata) was a dominant winner of the Listed Civic Stakes at Randwick.
Sporting the Darby Racing colours also carried by stablemate Overpass - who chases Group 1 success overnight at Royal Ascot in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes after running a brave third in the G1 King Charles III Stakes on Tuesday.
Midnight Dynamite produced a powerful display after Jason Collett settled him in a perfect position one-out in about fifth as Winchat (Russian Revolution) set a strong tempo, pressured by Cool Jakey (Pierro) on his outside.
Travelling sweetly off the strong speed, Collett peeled out at the top of the straight and Midnight Dynamite quickly put the race beyond doubt, surging clear at the 200-metres to win by just over a length and a half. Winchat and Cool Jakey boxed on well for second and third after setting a srong pace.
“We’ve got a pretty special horse here,” trainer Bjorn Baker said.
“We’ve got a pretty special horse here.” - Bjorn Baker
“He’s putting together a terrific record for Darby Racing and was dominant today.
“He’s surprised us with how well he’s progressing. If he strikes a wet track in better grade, he’ll be very hard to beat.”
Bjorn Baker | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Collett agreed the gelding is still improving.
“He’s only getting better. This preparation he’s gone to another level. He ticks a lot of boxes and is working through the grades nicely.”
Sales info: Midnight Dynamite was purchased for $100,000 by the Redwall Syndicate from Rheinwood Pastoral Co at the 2022 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale.
He was later passed in at $80,000 at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, before being secured by Darby Racing for $48,000 at the 2023 Inglis HTBA Yearling Sale from the Widden Stud draft.
Midnight Dynamite winning the Listed Civic Stakes | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Pedigree info: Midnight Dynamite became his sire Pierata’s third stakes winner and is one of three winners out of the dual-winning Al Maher mare Talented Miss.
Talented Miss is a full-sister to Listed-placed Acouplamas (Al Maher), who has produced outstanding performers including G1 Australian Derby winner Quick Thinker, Group 3 winner Seasons (Sebring), and multiple winner and Group 3-placegetter The August - Sengon Soloman (Mal.) (I Am Invincible).
This is also the family of G1 Victoria Derby winner Blackfriars and Group 1-winning filly Larrocha (Danehill {USA}).
Talented Miss has recently produced a 2-year-old named Lachsatalent (Portland Sky), a yearling colt by Kermadec (NZ), and was served by Celestial Legend last September.
Soothsayer storms late to take the Eye Liner
The Michael Freedman-trained 6-year-old Soothsayer (Divine Prophet) claimed his first stakes victory with a strong finish in the Listed Eye Liner Stakes at Ipswich under Daniel Moor.
A fierce tempo was set early by Rockribbed (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), with pressure from Restonica (Exceed And Excel) and Regal Zeus (Zoustar) ensuring that the pace was brutal, and as the field fanned wide turning for home, it set the race up for a late closer.
Soothsayer and La Roja (I Am Invincible) produced powerful runs down the outside, but Soothsayer proved just too strong, edging clear late, with Esjay (Rothesay) finishing third.
Stable representative Lee Freedman explained the change in tactics.
“I changed how we were going to ride the horse today, because I knew John McArdle’s horse would go hard. I was worried about this horse trying to make up ground on this track, so I said to Daniel who knows me very well, to just ride a quiet race.
"I didn’t want him to go too wide but when he pulled wide the only thing in my mind was that the horse must be going well for him, because he wanted to get out and get going.
Soothsayer winning the Listed Eye Liner Stakes | Image courtesy of Trackside Photography
"I’m a bit flabbergasted to be honest, because he’s gone from a Benchmark 85 to a Group 3. He may have come back this prep better than ever, especially as the ground was a bit of a worry.”
Moor acknowledged his long association with Freedman.
“Lee and I go back a long way, I’ve copped a few sprays from him and at the 600-metre mark I thought I might be copping another one from him. All our plans went out the window because of the pace and the shape of the race.
"So I just focused on getting him nice and relaxed, which he did. He’s flying this horse, and what an achievement by the team to get him back in such good order. It’s a great team effort and I’m delighted to be on him. Michael and Lee have got a few tricks up their sleeve.
“It was actually quite a soft win on the line. He got to them and went past them pretty easily, so it was pretty soft.”
“It was actually quite a soft win on the line. He (Soothsayer) got to them and went past them pretty easily, so it was pretty soft.” - Daniel Moor
Sales info: Soothsayer was purchased for $20,000 by Dream Thoroughbreds and Lee Freedman Racing from the Alexia Fraser draft at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale
Pedigree info: Soothsayer is one of two winners from the five-time winning mare Eight Below (Sebring), and remarkably both are now stakes winners. The other is Encoder (Encryption), a Group 3 winner who ran second in the Listed Ipswich Cup also on Saturday.
This is also the extended family of three-time Group 1 Oaks winner November Rain (Estaminet {GB}), South African Group 2 winner Stormy Hill (Danehill {USA}), and Group 2 and dual Group 3 winner Stormhill.
