Flight sealed with a Kiss

Darley Flight Stakes (Group 1)

GAI Waterhouse and Adrian Bott ambushed punters at Randwick with Never Been Kissed, a 40/1 winner of Saturday’s Group 1 Darley Flight Stakes over the Randwick mile.

Going around in the colours of Waikato Stud, the filly, by Tivaci, a son of High Chaparral, had failed in the Hill Stakes despite winning her first two.

“Getting out to the mile is what she needed and a nice soft draw helped her today, she was excellent,” said Bott. “Being bred out of New Zealand and off such a great farm she was always going to have that great constitution and great foundation to come here and run a strong mile.”

Ridden superbly by Regan Bayliss, Never Been Kissed left the rail on straightening to hit the front and hold off the Worthy Cause filly Hinged with the race favourite Startantes, by Star Turn, third.

Never Been Kissed will now follow the path made successful by Montefilia 12 months earlier, winning the Flight then onto the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes.

Pattern

“It is proving the right pattern to get to the Spring Champion, especially with a strong filly like her,” added Bott. “I think she will love the step-up to 2,000 metres, and we wouldn’t be scared of taking on the colts. It’s another Group 1 for her on her home track and could be the best path to the (Victoria) Oaks.”

REGAN Bayliss, new to the scene in Sydney, stamped his credentials with a Group 1 double in consecutive races following his thrilling win on the Joe Pride-trained Private Eye in the A$1.5 million Epsom Handicap.

Over the Randwick mile, Private Eye swung into the straight as the widest runner and near last on the bend.

Under urgent riding by Bayliss, the Al Maher gelding kept finding to storm down the outside and hit the line locked together with Aramayo and Dalasan.

Just a head separated the trio as the Poet’s Voice gelding Aramayo had to settle for second ahead of the Dalakhani horse Dalasan.

“Unbelievable,” exclaimed Bayliss.

“I just love this horse Private Eye. He’s been set for the Epsom and Joe (Pride) knows how to get them to peak on the day.

“I’ve been in Sydney for 12 months and it was a massive move for me.

Hong Kong

“I had been in Melbourne my whole career before going to Hong Kong but then I decided to come to Sydney and try to re-establish myself.

“It’s been a lot of hard work and I wouldn’t be where I am today without Joe Pride.

“He is one who really backed me in Sydney from an early age.”

Bought for $62,500 at the Adelaide Magic Millions Sale, Private Eye, out of the Shamardal mare Confidential Queen has now won eight from 13 over $1.4 million in stakes.

‘Mighty’ Montefilia right on track in Metropolitan

HAVING reset since a middling autumn campaign that delivered a third in the Rosehill Guineas, fourth in the Australian Derby and fifth in the Australian Oaks, Montefilia looked back to her best, winning a third Group 1 in the 2,400-metre Metropolitan Handicap at Randwick.

Trained by David Payne, the Kermadec mare had the services of Hugh Bowman who was able to find the middle of the track in fight to the line that saw Montefilia battle with the Dundeel gelding Entente, a half head the winning margin, with the Irish-bred Harpo Marx, by Galileo, third a further length away.

“Montefilia is a mighty mare. Entente kept kicking back hard but this mare kept fighting hard, she wanted to win so much,” said Bowman following his 100th Group 1 in the saddle.

“I must admit I am very proud to have achieved it. Obviously one horse (Winx) was involved in a quarter of those 100 victories which is amazing.”

Montefilia will now head to the Caulfield Cup on October 16th where she sits on the third line of betting. “She did it a bit tough three wide most of the way,” said David Payne.

“Lovely filly. She’ll go to the Caulfield Cup, why not? She gets the trip I think and she’ll have less weight.”

Montefilia drops 3.5kg to 52kg for the Caulfield Cup.