Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Love Story makes a statement
Adrian Bott and Gai Waterhouse-trained 4-year-old mare Love Story (Justify {USA}) led all the way at Kensington on Wednesday and powered further clear on the line to break her maiden in impressive fashion. Sent out the $1.45 favourite after an encouraging first-up run, Love Story dictated proceedings and put the race away at the top of the straight before extending her advantage late.
Iminastate (Sword of State) boxed on well along the rails after settling third in the run to finish second, just over three lengths from the winner, while Memorise (Ghaiyyath {Ire}) was another three lengths away in third as the field strung out in the finish.
Video: Watch Love Story's race replay at Kensington, video courtesy of Racing NSW
Co-trainer Adrian Bott was pleased to see Love Story take the expected improvement from her first-up effort.
“She showed that improvement off that first-up run. I felt she just waited for them a little bit over the 1200m last start but today she was just able to find that nice rhythm over the 1400m and was able to keep building into it. She put the race away at the top of the straight.”
Bott said patience from Coolmore and her partners had been rewarded, with Love Story still having plenty of maturing to do despite being a 4-year-old.
“Coolmore and their partners have been very patient with her. She did show plenty of ability early days but she did have a set back which meant we had to give her time. Even though she is four, she still has a lot of maturing to do and when she continues to strengthen up, there is still plenty of nice races for those older mares. I'm sure she can get to a good level in time but it is just one step at time for her at the moment.”
Love Story winning at Kensington | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Jockey Adam Hyeronimus was delighted to see her secure a city victory after a lengthy development process.
“It is very important for her to get a city win. She has been a work in progress for a long time and has always shown a lot of ability. I never thought she'd run past 1100 metres but in the last six weeks she had that third trial and progressively harnessed that ability, which allowed her to win over 7 furlongs today.”
Pedigree: Love Story is out of former NZ Bloodstock Filly of the Year Fix (Iffraaj {GB}), who won three races at Group 2 level and finished second in the G1 New Zealand Derby. She has had six to race for five winners. Fix was purchased by Tom Magnier at the 2015 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale Select Session for $1.25 million and visited Switzerland last season.
Punxsutawney Phil keeps unbeaten record intact
John O’Shea & Tom Charlton-trained 3-year-old colt Punxsutawney Phil (Ole Kirk) maintained his unbeaten record at Kensington on Wednesday with another impressive performance, leading all the way under jockey Zac Lloyd to score comfortably by just over a length. Sent out the favourite, Punxsutawney Phil was pushed forward from the gates to find the lead and raced clear in the straight.
Roughie Aladdin's Girl (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}) finished off strongly into second, while Sky Deck (Written Tycoon) was another three-quarters of a length away in third.
Video: Watch Punxsutawney Phil's race replay at Kensington, video courtesy of Racing NSW
Co-trainer Tom Charlton was delighted with another strong performance from the homebred.
“That was another good performance and I'm really please for owner/breeder Neil Werrett who is a big supporter of the stable.
“He maybe wasn't best suited to leading over that trip today but he is versatile and he is learning. John and Neil have always had the plan to potentially go to the Brian Crowley from here, so that is two and a half weeks and probably the likely target.”
Punxsutawney Phil winning at Kensington | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Lloyd has been impressed with Punxsutawney Phil from the outset and said his professionalism makes his job straightforward.
“He's always shown a lot of potential in all of his trials and he is just so bomb proof. He is just so well educated which makes a jockey's life very easy.”
“He's (Punxsutawney Phil) awlays shown a lot of potential in all of his trials and he is just so bomb proof. He is just so well educated which makes a jockey's life very easy.” - Zac Lloyd
Ole Kirk continued his strong start to the new season with his 10th winner, just days after siring his first stakes winner of the season when Michael Freedman-trained 2-year-old Shraddha won the G3 Gimcrack Stakes.
Sales: Punxsutawney Phil is a homebred for Neil Werrett.
Pedigree: Punxsutawney Phil is the first foal of Heroess (Snitzel), a winning daughter of dual Group 1 winner Srikandi (Dubawi {Ire}). Heroess has a colt and filly to follow by Ole Kirk and is back in foal to the Vinery-based sire again.
Alabama Fox ready to take next step after Kensington win
Alabama Fox (Alabama Express) continued her strong progression this preparation with a determined victory at Kensington for trainers Annabel and Rob Archibald. Settling third along the fence behind Superfabulistic (Super Seth), the mare was pulled to the outside in the straight and chased down the leader to score by close to three-quarters of a length.
Sing Your Song (Snitzel) worked home strongly from back in the field to finish a further half-length away in third, while Alabama Fox made it two wins from her last three starts.
Jockey Zac Lloyd was full of praise for the mare’s attitude and the job done by the Archibald stable.
“She’s a beauty! She is another one that's super easy to ride. She has a great attitude. Rob and Annabel have done a great job with her because after her second trial I was scratching my head a bit about why she went so ordinary. I suggested maybe a third trial and they said, 'No she is going well, she is working well' and they sent her to the races and she did just that. She is in for a good prep.”
“She’s (Alabama Fox) a beauty! She is another one that's super easy to ride. She has a great attitude.” - Zac Lloyd
Lloyd believes Alabama Fox would not be out of place stepping into stakes company.
“She wouldn't be out of place in some listed races, she would definitely compete and she does everything right so she will give herself every chance to.”
Alabama Fox winning at Kensington | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Sales: Alabama Fox was offered by Yulong at the 2023 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale and was purchased by Annabel Neasham Racing Pty Ltd / Mitchell Bloodstock for $300,000.
Pedigree: Alabama Fox is the first foal to race for Group 1-winning mare Foxplay (Foxwedge), who was sold privately to Yulong Stud in 2018. Foxplay has a yearling colt by Pierata and was sent to Growing Empire last season.
Blueblood Ladhar back in winning form at Geelong
Godolphin-owned filly Ladhar (Exceed And Excel) bounced back to winning form at Geelong, overcoming a small field to record a dominant victory for trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman. Settling outside leader Shaadrille (Shalaa {Ire}), Ladhar quickly worked her way to the front on turning and put the race away, holding off a game Turbo Saint (Zousain) by a length and a quarter.
Turbo Saint had to make his run from the back after bungling the start but finished strongly to close the gap, while Home Tomurra (Home Affairs) worked home into third, a further length away.
Ladhar had been tested in stakes company at her first two career starts without firing before breaking through at Pakenham for the Freedman stable. She resumed as a 3-year-old when sent out a $3.70 favourite at Mornington but failed to deliver, however Wednesday's performance suggested she is back on track and could be heading towards the city again.
Jockey Craig Williams reunited with the filly for the first time since riding her in stakes company on debut and indicated she may have had some issues earlier in her career but is now maturing nicely.
“When she went to the races for the first time she just wasn't ready for that big occasion," Williams said.
"She is extremely well bred and is one of Godolphin's. You look at her now and you can see she is not a weak or immature horse. She has obviously had some management challenges they have had with her because she is quite highly strung and wants to get on with the job but they have that under control - once she trotted around with the pony behind the barriers she was so sweet, and did everything right and she was very dominant in her performance today.”
"You look at her (Ladhar) now and you can see she is not a weak or immature horse." - Craig Williams
Pedigree: Ladhar is the second winner produced from Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes winner Lyre (Lonhro). It is a family that traces back to top filly Mnemosyne (Encosta De Lago), who also produced three stakes winners including Group 1-winning stallion Impending.
