TAB Australian Cup (Group 1)
DELIVERING on the promise he has always shown, the Irish-bred Fifty Stars landed his maiden Group 1 win in the Australian Cup over Flemington’s 2,000 metres on Saturday.
Dropped out early by Johnny Allen, the Sea The Stars horse was ridden patiently before swooping late over the top of the Pierro gelding Regal Power with the Lexus Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare third.
“It’s great to get a big winner for Gerry Ryan in these colours as he’s been a huge supporter of mine,” said Allen celebrating an eight Group 1 win. “It was messy early when I got caught wide, but the runner-up popped out and we got on his back and he gave us a good cart into the race.”
For the Hayes training dynasty, started by father Colin, the win brought up a 10th Australian Cup success. “To win the 10th, it is a fantastic effort from everyone for over 50 years so I’m just thrilled,” said David Hayes, who co-trains with son Ben and nephew Tom Dabernig.
“It is just a race which comes along at the right time. You basically have to have a high quality horse and he is that.”
The Hayes team has also not ruled out dropping Fifty Stars back to 1,600 metres for today’s A$5 million All Star Mile, noting how that tactic worked so well for Magic Wand in the spring.
Bivouac wins
The James Cummings-trained Exceed And Excel colt Bivouac redeemed his straight-track credentials taking out the Newmarket Handicap over 1,200 metres. The Golden Rose winner went down to Exceedance in the Coolmore Stud Stakes in the spring but on Saturday he proved his class, blowing away his opposition to win by a widening two and a half-lengths.
Jockey Glen Boss said of the Godolphin colt: “He broke beautifully, he got into a lovely trail and that was ridiculous how easily he won. It is very rare against that quality of opposition you walk away with a victory that easily.”
Mostyn Copper Randwick Guineas (Group 1)
BACK to his best that produced a win in the Spring Champion Stakes, the Mark Newham-trained Shadow Hero made it a second Group 1 win in Saturday’s Randwick Guineas over 1,600 metres.
Ridden by Josh Parr, the Pierro gelding stormed through runners late to win by a length over Exceed And Excel colt Microphone and the Burgundy gelding Brandenburg. He will follow a traditional path into the Australian Derby.
Newnham commented: “He can come back for a QE (Queen Elizabeth) next year. He’s a gelding, he’s here to race and I’ve got no worries about him staying the (Derby) trip. He reminds me so much of his father, he just pins his ears back and wants to win.”
Second was the I Am Invincible filly Loving Gaby with the Oakleigh Plate winner Gytrash, by Lope De Vega, third.
The Bostonian in Canterbury
Heineken 3 Canterbury Stakes (Group 1)
LAST year’s Doomben 10,000 winner The Bostonian landed a second career Group 1 taking out Saturday’s Canterbury Stakes over 1,300 metres at Randwick. Ridden by Nash Rawiller for Tony Pike, the Jimmy Choux gelding defeated Street Cry mare Savitano and the Irish-bred Amadeus Wolf gelding Sea Wolf.
The win was Nash Rawiller’s first Group 1 since returning from Hong Kong. The Bostonian now looks likely to tackle the George Ryder Stakes over 1,500 metres on March 21st. “Probably the George Ryder is where we will head but there is another horse (Te Akau Shark) from New Zealand we’ll run into,” said Pike. “I did beat him with an old horse, Endless Drama, but he looks exceptional.”
Strip heading to Ascot
NATURE Strip took out the Group 2 Challenge Stakes over 1,100 metres at Randwick on Saturday and will continue his path towards the King’s Stand Stakes.
A strong winner by three lengths, defeating Redzel, the Nicconi gelding will progress towards the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes before starting quarantine.
“We didn’t really have a tactic to harness how much speed he has and when you’re burning that much gas, the gas runs out,” said Waller of Nature Strip’s poor Lightning Stakes run two weeks earlier. “Here today he was a little more relaxed and the horse was in a good comfort zone.”
Ambition back on track
SHARED Ambition bounced back to the winner’s circle on Saturday in the Listed Randwick City Stakes over 2,000 metres. The Born To Sea gelding, sent out ‘in the red’, defeated the High Chaparral Queensland Oaks winner Youngstar and the Sebring gelding Wu Gok to complete a Chris Waller trifecta.
“He has a bright future but I think he is six months away from being fully furnished,” said Waller. “By northern hemisphere standards he is still a young horse and six months younger than our horses. So I am not sure about the autumn.
“There will be some serious weight-for-age horses in the Ranvet,” added Waller about the prospect of a start in the March 21st Group 1.
O’Brien’ stable heartbroken as rider killed
THE stable of Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Danny O’Brien was devastated on Monday following the death of one of their track-riders near their Geelong stable.
Police told a local paper that a car travelling along the Thirteenth Beach road at about 6.45am collided with a horse and rider as they were crossing the road having completed a beach session.
“Our thoughts, prayers and support are with the family of our friend and colleague and all our team. We are completely heartbroken,” said O’Brien via a statement.