Saturday Summary: Splash Back nails Tatt’s Tiara

Cover image courtesy of Racing Queensland

Splash Back lives up to Group 1 promise

At her fourth Group 1 start, imported mare Splash Back (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) won at the highest level in Saturday’s G1 Tatt’s Tiara over 1400 metres on a soft surface. The huge field spread wide across the track and jockey Jordan Childs took the Grahame Begg-trained mare along the rails where she scooted clear to win by 1.25 lengths.

Second place went to Tony Gollan-trained Savagery Vibe (Brutal {NZ}) with Chris and Corey Munce-trained Gerringong (Blue Point {Ire}) in third. The victory takes Splash Back’s career tally to nine wins from 23 starts with earnings over $1.1 million.

“It's always been a race that I really love,” Begg said of his 16th career Group 1 victory. He’s previously won this race with Bonanova (NZ) (Star Way {GB}) in 1999 and 2000 when the race was held at Group 3 level. It was upgraded to Group 1 in 2007.

"She's been a beauty, this horse. Since we got her to train, she's been outstanding. She's all heart, she just goes out and goes to war for you.”

Imported as a yearling in November 2021, Splash Back has done all her racing in Australia.

“I gave him (Childs) licence and said, 'If you've got to go back to the inside because there's nothing wrong with it today,” Begg said.

“The track's played beautifully… they've done an amazing job and they've absolutely looked after us a treat. We've had a good number of horses here and it's just great.”

Sales: Splash Back was sold by Auge at the 2021 Arqana Deauville October Yearling Sale to Arthur Hoyeau and John Foote Bloodstock for €100,000 (AU$165,000).

Pedigree: Splash Back is the eighth foal of G2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein winner Tamazirte (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) who has also produced G3 Prix de Guiche winner Chachnak (Fr) (Kingman {GB}) and Listed winner Into The Mystic (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

Into The Mystic is the dam of two stakes winners being G2 Doncaster Park Hill Stakes winner Nakheel (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Listed winner Moshdi (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}).

Splash Back’s sire Le Havre (Ire) has 74 stakes winners and Splash Back became his eighth Group 1 winner.

Grima closes the gap in apprentice race

A treble at Rosehill for apprentice jockey Siena Grima has closed the gap on the Sydney Apprentice Jockey Title to two behind leader Braith Nock.

Nock extended his lead early on the card with a win on Mack Griffith-trained 3-year-old gelding Portofino (I Am Invincible) before Grima hit back with a double for Chris Waller on Tarzing (NZ) (Tarzino {NZ}) and Surf’s Up (Flying Artie).

“She is making a good go of it. It's great for racing to have a bit of competition like this over the last month,” Waller's assistant trainer and former champion jockey Darren Beadman said.

He was most impressed with the ride on Surf’s Up.

“I told her to bang her out and copy-paste last ride, just in behind the lead, but when she elected to let (jockey) Anna Roper cross her and be three pairs back on the fence, that was the winning move,” Beadman said.

“She could have kept holding her spot and using gas all the way. A ride beyond her years of riding, and she was strong at the finish.”

She made it a treble on Matthew Smith-trained Ready To Shine (NZ) (Better Than Ready).

“It's going to be really exciting. He's a great opponent,” Grima said.

Yellow Brick hits the $4 million mark

Jockey Tommy Berry paid attention to the rails ride by Jordan Childs in the G1 Tatt’s Tiara and mimicked the strategy in the G3 WJ Healy Stakes one race later aboard tough campaigner Yellow Brick (The Mission), who flew home along the rails to win by 0.2 lengths over 1200 metres.

Chris and Corey Munce-trained Payline (Shooting To Win) was second with Tony Gollan-trained Pereille (Fastnet Rock) in third. Yellow Brick took his record to 11 wins and nine placings from 32 starts with earnings over $4 million.

“I go on holiday in three days and I was like, it'd be really nice if Bricky could give me a good going away present, and that's what he's done,” co-trained Maddy Sears said.

“I wouldn't be able to do it without the team behind me. My mum, my dad, all their staff.

“He's (Berry) just a star, and we had a good talk before the race, and Splash Back came up the fence (Tatts Tiara), and he was a little bit hesitant to sort of go up the rail, like he did, but I was like, come on boy, you can do it.”

Sears, who trains with her dad Tony, has been riding Yellow Brick at the beach.

“He's been going to the beach a lot. It's the only time that I can ride him. So when I get to take him to the beach, it's quite special, because I can't ride him work anymore. I've got a pretty nice Beemer (BMW) thanks to him.”

Sales: Tony Sears Racing and Paul Moroney Bloodstock paid $20,000 at the 2021 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale for Yellow Brick from Waylon J Stud’s draft. They also sold Perth juvenile winner Farnova (Farnan).

Pedigree: One of three stakes winners for Magical Mist (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}), Yellow Brick’s Group 3 winning siblings are Ballistic Boy (Smart Missile) and Splendiferous (Pride Of Dubai).

A four-time winner Magical Mist has an unnamed 2-year-old colt by Maurice (Jpn), a yearling filly by Alabama Express and is in foal to Alabama Express.

Magical Mist is a half-sister to G1 Levin Classic winner Distill (NZ) (Volksraad {GB}) and dual Listed winner and G1 Sydney Cup-placed Mr Tipsy (NZ) (Montjeu {Ire}).

First stakes winner for North Pacific

A strong front running ride by Ashley Morgan in the Listed Gold Crown for fillies and mares over 2100 metres was the key to victory for Todd Pollard-trained 3-year-old filly Zuleika (North Pacific) who became her second season sire’s first stakes winner.

Unplaced last start in the G1 Queensland Oaks, Zuleika had 1.47 lengths on the line over second placed 4-year-old mare Sun Worshipper (Sun City), trained by Matt Kropp. In third was Brad Widdup-trained 4-year-old mare Hyperbolic (NZ) (Proisir).

Zuleika took her record to four wins from 10 starts with earnings over $220,000.

"It's remarkable. It's all coming pretty quickly to us, so we're very happy with that. She ran in the Oaks and she's actually up with Henry Dwyer and he's obviously done a terrific job with her,” Pollard said.

“She hasn't had much luck her last few runs and to get to the spelling paddock she came down to my stable first and then she was going to a paddock. I said this horse doesn't look like it went around in the Oaks on Saturday, like, it's just such a lovely type.

“So we put her out for a couple of days and had a crack at this race.”

There are potentially big plans for her next season when she’s four with Pollard hinting that she’ll get the two miles of the big Cups, such as the G1 Sydney Cup.

“She just needs to lead and she was happy out in front. She's very one-paced and she'll keep going. She'll be a 3200m horse in time. She heads to the paddock now on a winning note and I think we'll have a lot of fun with her next time.

“She just keeps going and I've only had to gallop her twice and both times they've struggled to pull her up. They could almost go another lap. So, yeah we'll be mapping out some nice races, hopefully, in the summer for her.”

Sales: World Wide Bloodstock and Wahha paid $20,000 for Zuleika from Twin Hills Stud’s Inglis Sydney Weanling Sale draft.

Pedigree: The third winner for Epic Emirates (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) who was sold by Twin Hills Stud in 2023 at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for $100,000 to Yarramalong Park. She has a yearling and weanling pair of colts both by Better Than Ready but sadly died in May this year.

A winner over 1900 metres in France, her first foal is G3 Ascot Sagaro Stakes-placed Divine Comedy (Ire) (Le Havre {Ire}). Epic Emirates is a full sister to Listed winner Best Of Times (GB) and a half-sister to G2 Prix Hocquart winner Nocturnal Fox (Ire) (Farhh {GB}).

Asterix takes advantage of class drop in Cup

The G3 Tattersall’s Cup launched the career of G1 Caulfield Cup winner Incentivise (Shamus Award) and the last two outings went to G1 Victoria Derby winner Manzoice (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) and G1 Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare (Declaration Of War {USA}).

This year’s 2400 metre event went to Chris Waller-trained 7-year-old gelding Asterix (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) who was stepping back in grade from the G1 Doomben Cup two starts ago. Peter G Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained Pounding (Exceed And Excel) was 0.43 lengths back in second with the winner’s stablemate Etna Rosso (Ire) (Decorated Knight {GB}) two lengths further back in third.

“Obviously he was brilliant for the start of the preparation and then obviously took a massive step up grade going to Group 1 level in the Doomben Cup, and then obviously last start in the Q22. So a drop back in grade and that's all I think he needed,” stable representative Charlie Duckworth said.

“It was aided by a lovely ride. Tim (Clark) didn't panic early and he just let it all unfold in front of him. He was strong late. It's been a race and it's been pretty good to Chris over the years. So hopefully he can win a few more.”

Asterix won the G3 JRA Plate and Listed Gosford Gold Cup at his first two runs this preparation, and this victory took his record to eight wins from 29 starts with earnings over $1.4 million. He won the G1 New Zealand Derby at his fourth start before heading to the Waller stable.

Sales: Sold by Curraghmore at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale for NZ$450,000, Asterix was bought by Bruce Perry Bloodstock.

Pedigree: One of 54 stakes winners for Tavistock (NZ), Asterix is one of four winners for Listed Prix de Thiberville-placed Mourasana (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}). She has a weanling filly by Chaldean (GB) and was served him again in 2025.

Mourasana is a half-sister to G2 Prix de Royallieu winner Mouramana (Ire) (Kahyasi {Ire}) who is the dam of G1 Sydney Cup winner Mourayan (Ire) (Alhaarth {Ire}) and Listed winner Mourilyan (Ire) (Desert Prince {Ire}).