Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Phantom Major storms home to salute in style
It was the Chris Waller-trained Snitzel 4-year-old entire Phantom Major who produced a visually impressive performance to score in style with a slashing finish in Wednesday's opener at Canterbury in the hands of James McDonald.
There was an abundance of speed early. Initially, the well-backed favourite Lava Flow (Too Darn Hot {GB}) led before Reece Jones aboard Yoshida (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) elected to press forward and take a share of the lead.
The genuine tempo soon had the field stretched across the track and, approaching the home turn, the early leaders were beginning to feel the pressure. It was out wide where the race unfolded, with McDonald producing Phantom Major at the right time to charge home and score by a length and a half from Queen's Gamble (Anders), who again performed well, with Piedmont (Pinatubo {Ire}) finishing third.
Video: Watch Phantom Major's race replay at Canterbury, video courtesy of Racing NSW
The victory was another reward for a patient approach, with Waller explaining there had never been any temptation to rush the imposing entire.
“He's a big, strong, imposing type of horse and it was a bit of a risk bringing him to Canterbury. His first-up run at Newcastle was great and James (McDonald) just let things unfold and he was dominant over the last part,” said Waller.
That patience has been central to Phantom Major's development, something Waller was happy to expand on.
Chris Waller | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“He is a big horse, he has an interesting group of high-profile overseas owners and they entrusted him to us and said take your time with him, there's no rush and see how things play out, he has just progressively got a little bit better with time, so it's exciting.
“I will keep trying to build his value, it's the right time of the year to be joining in.”
“I will keep trying to build his value, it's the right time of the year to be joining in.” - Chris Waller
James McDonald also believes there is plenty more improvement to come from the four-year-old as his distances increase.
“He is a lovely horse. Chris said before the race that he has come on since his first-up run and he is a horse that will probably be better at 1400 metres as well,” said McDonald.
Sales info: Phantom Major was originally purchased for $60,000 by Sweat Equity Bloodstock from the Segenhoe Stud draft at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. He was then offered by KB Bloodstock at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale where Blandford Bloodstock and Andrew Williams Bloodstock paid NZ$480,000.
Phantom Major winning at Glissando | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Geography
Pedigree info: Phantom Major is the second live-foal out of the juvenile winner Hard As (All Too Hard), who is a half-sister to the dual Group 2 and Group 3 winner Thump (Red Ransom {USA}) and the seven-time winner Snoopy (Lope De Vega {Ire}) who was also Listed placed.
This is also the family of the G3 Frank Packer Plate winner Mongolian Wolf (Pluck {USA}).
Hard As, in recent times, has left a 3-year-old colt by Aclaim (Ire), a 2-year-old colt by Pierata, a yearling filly by Hawaii Five Oh and is due to foal to Prost in October.
Glissando dominates from the front
Chris Waller and James McDonald completed an early race-to-race double as the well-bred Godolphin bred-and-raced Glissando (Too Darn Hot {GB}) dominated from the front to score by two lengths.
Waller saddled five of the six runners, with Bjorn Baker represented by the only other starter, Namaste (NZ) (Savabeel). McDonald sent the favourite straight to the lead and effectively took luck out of the equation.
Saloon Passage (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}) and Viva Mauricio (Maurice {Jpn}) settled just behind the leader, while Siena Grima had no favours after being caught three-wide aboard Viva Mauricio.
McEvoy settled Namaste into the trail and, shortly after straightening, it became obvious McDonald was travelling strongly. Glissando quickly put the race beyond doubt, with Namaste running on into second without ever really threatening and Kumbaya (North Pacific) placed third another length and a half behind the runner-up.
All honours belonged to the well-bred, just turned 4-year-old mare, who improved her record to two wins from only three starts and continues to shape as a mare with considerable upside.
Waller admitted stepping her up in trip carried a degree of risk, but felt the race presented the ideal opportunity.
Glissando winning at Canterbury | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
“Yeah, it was good, it was a bit of a gamble stepping up in distance, but it just looked a nice race for her, providing she got the distance, which she did.
“So I think she can build off that. She's getting confidence from that last start win and again today and yeah Godolphin have been good supporters. It's good to see them getting some good results they're patient just great to train for.
“The beauty of having James on he gives you great feedback as well, so I'll learn more about the horse when he gets off and tells me a bit about her.”
“The beauty of having James on he gives you great feedback as well so I'll learn more about the horse when he gets off and tells me a bit about her.” - Chris Waller
As for where Glissando heads next, Waller isn't overcomplicating the task.
“Finding races for horses that are winning is easy. It's the ones that aren't winning that are the problems.”
McDonald felt there was still improvement to come despite another polished display.
“She probably raced a little bit gassy in the wind down the back, but apart from that she's good tenacity, a good will to win and she's a nice strong mare,” said McDonald.
“She (Glissando) probably raced a little bit gassy in the wind down the back, but apart from that she's good tenacity, a good will to win and she's a nice strong mare.” - James McDonald
Comparisons with her Group 1-winning half-sister Flit (Medaglia D'Oro (USA)) were inevitable, although McDonald did not see much similar traits.
“No, not really,” said McDonald. “Flit was quite fine.
“This one's a bit of a nugget, but Flit was a Guineas winner at three, so she's got a lot to go, but this one's a bit chunkier. Probably a bit more strong, but hopefully she'll get there in the end.”
Glissando after winning at Canterbury | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Sales info: Glissando was bred and is raced by Godolphin.
Pedigree info: Glissando is very well-related, being one of five winners out of the 2-year-old winner and Group 3 placed Glissade (Redoute's Choice). The best of her progeny has been the four-time winner and G1 Thousand Guineas heroine Flit and the stakes-placed six-time winner Flow (Street Cry {USA}).
Another half-sister is Speedway (Street Cry {USA}), who is the dam of the outstanding Champion 2-year-old and now sire, and son of Too Darn Hot (GB) in Broadsiding, he was a winner at the elite level in the G1 Champagne Stakes, G1 Golden Rose, G1 Rosehill Guineas and the G1 JJ Atkins Plate, so obviously Too Darn Hot nicks very well with the family.
Glissade, in recent years, has left a 3-year-old filly named Boston Glide (Palace Pier {GB}), a 2-year-old colt named Helpmann (Victor Ludorum {GB}), a yearling colt by Pinatubo (Ire) and she is due to foal to Traffic Warden in early November.
Well-bred Had It All earns deserved maiden breakthrough
When a filly or mare is out of a stakes winner, closely related to a stallion and carries a price tag approaching $1 million, there is always an expectation she will eventually deliver. While not every expensive yearling fulfils that promise, a maiden victory is an important step in building at least future broodmare value.
The just turned 4-year-old mare Had It All (Zoustar) may have disappointed during the early stages of her career in the Michael Freedman stable, but she has rediscovered consistency for Gold Coast trainer John Wallace. On Wednesday, she capped four encouraging metropolitan performances with a determined maiden victory over 1350 metres at Doomben in the hands of apprentice jockey Jace McMurray.
Kuia Ma (Pierata) showed the early speed, while McMurray bounced Had It All away cleanly before working across from a wide draw to settle outside the leader. Meanwhile, the well-backed Moscow Mule (NZ) (Eminent {Ire}) settled second last.
The race developed into a genuine contest in the straight, with Had It All taking until the 100-metre mark to edge to the front. She then dug deep to hold off the fast-finishing Moscow Mule, ridden by Ben Thompson, by a neck, while Cautionary Tail (Xtravagant {NZ}) filled third.
The victory was a deserved reward after a string of honest metropolitan performances and, importantly, adds a valuable win to what is already an outstanding page.
Sales info: Had It All was purchased for $950,000 by Andrew Williams Bloodstock (FBAA) from the Sledmere Stud draft at the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Had It All as a yearling | Image courtesy Inglis
Pedigree info: Had It All is the first living-foal out of the Listed winning Exceed And Excel mare Invictus Salute. She is very well-bred being a half-sister to the G2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint, G2 Bobbie Lewis Handicap and G3 Hall Mark Stakes-winning sprinter and young sire Splintex and the 3-time winner and Listed-placed filly Acqume (Sepoy).
This is the classy extended family of the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes winner and sire Ozzmosis, the Champion 2-year-old filly and Group 2 winner Learning To Fly (Justify {USA}) and the Group 2 winner Hips Don't Lie (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}).
Invictus Salute, in recent years, has left a 3-year-old filly named Home And Dry (Home Affairs), a 2-year-old filly by I Am Invincible and unfortunately slipped to Ole Kirk last season.
