TAB Verry Elleegant Stakes (Group 1)
STAR filly Autumn Glow progressed her record to 10 from 10 at Randwick on Saturday, winning her second Group 1 in the Verry Elleegant Stakes over 1,600 metres.
Ridden by James McDonald, The Autumn Sun filly pounced quickly at the top of the straight. A seemingly easy win was declined as her stablemate Aeliana refused to lie down.
The Castelvecchio filly was beaten by a half-length as the pair cleared out by four lengths to the Frankel horse Sir Delius in third, he was having his first start since being scratched as favourite for the Melbourne Cup in October.
“She does everything right, simple as that,” said trainer Chris Waller. “Doesn’t matter where she draws, what the track conditions are, or distances, she puts herself in the race.
“A different type of horse to some of those good horses I’ve trained when they get back and they have your heart in your mouth, but I still have my heart in my mouth. But, yeah, she’s up on the speed. She puts herself there, that’s the difference.”
Waller nominated the George Ryder Stakes on March 21st over 1,500 metres as Autumn Glow’s next assignment.
“I’d love to try her at 2,000 metres, but she’s got to be dominant in her next win to give us that ultimate satisfaction that she can run the 2,000 metres, otherwise it’s probably the (1,600 metre) Doncaster.”
The Chase Surround Stakes (Group 1)
THE Street Boss filly Tempted, third in last year’s Golden Slipper Stakes and a runner-up in the A$20 million Everest in October, landed her maiden Group 1 win in Saturday’s Surround Stakes over 1,400 metres for three-year-old fillies at Randwick. Having cruised up to the leaders under Chad Schofield, Tempted had to really fight to get past the Hellbent filly Savvy Hallie. The pair were split by a half-head on the line as the Ole Kirk filly Ole Dancer took third.
“Quality, you know, she’s got so much of it,” said Ciaron Maher. “I’m just thrilled to be able to train for Godolphin, her record speaks for itself, so to be able to tick off a Group 1 for her is very, very special.”
With six wins and four placings from 11 starts, the $5.1 million earner becomes the 13th Group 1 winner for her sire Street Boss. Maher nominated the Group 1 TJ Smith in open company as a possible next target.
“Originally, I thought that would be the plan, but I’ll sit down with the team and ask them and we’ll work it through, they’ve managed it well so far,” added Maher of Godolphin’s planning.
TOM Sherry landed himself an important win as Sydney gears up for its Autumn Carnival with victory in the Group 3 Liverpool City Cup aboard King Of Roseau at Randwick on Saturday.
Riding for Peter Snowden, Sherry was well back on straightening in the 1,300 metre sprint. Angled out and the widest runner, the Capitalist gelding swept to the front, dropping his rivals at the 100m mark to win with ease.
“He had 54 (kgs) today, so he tested me a bit this morning. I was glad it all worked out OK. We had the right run in the race today. He quickened extremely well,” said Sherry, who won the A$2 million Magic Millions Cup on King Of Roseau at his previous start in January.
The Chase Surround Stakes (Group 1)
THE Ghaiyyath colt Observer, the Victoria Derby winner in November, completed a Godolphin - Ciaron Maher Group 1 double with a hard fought win in the Australian Guineas at Flemington on Saturday.
Like Tempted 20 minutes earlier at Randwick, Observer was sent out as an odds-on favourite and was given the run of the race by Ethan Brown. Tracking the leader, Observer slipped through on the rail at the top of the straight to take the shortest route home. Pressured all the way, the pair had enough in hand to win by a half-length from the Admire Mars gelding Planet Red and the Flying Artie colt Sixties.
“He found again today, second-up at a mile and I’m pinching myself,” said Brown.
“The main thing with him is getting him to relax and settle. That meant having to go down to the fence and riding a cool, patient race on him.
“From there on in, the track is fair, we stuck to the fence an then he did the rest. He’s a superstar.”
THE former Jessica Harrington-trained Birdman has catapulted into Group 1 Australian Cup (March 28th) calculations following his impressive Group 2 Blamey Stakes win at Flemington on Saturday.
The five-year-old Irish-bred Free Eagle gelding came with a decisive run down the centre of the track to land his second win in Australian from 14 starts.
“I feel that he will go to a new level this preparation,” said jockey Ben Melham. “I love the feeling when he let down today. He’s a master, (trainer) Chris Waller.
“This horse has really come into his own this preparation and he’s a gentleman to deal with and he’s got a motor to boot.”
THE co-owner and managing director of The Thoroughbred Report, 39-year-old Vicky Leonard is being sued for defamation by the Racing New South Wales chief executive Peter V’landys, who is also the chairman of the Australian Rugby League Commission.
The case centres around an article published in The Thoroughbred Report last November by journalist Kit Gow which weighed the pros and cons of whether the racing industry needed term limits on CEOs given that V’landys has been in that role at Racing NSW since 2004, as well as his potential constraints due to being chairman of the Australian Rugby League Commission since 2019.
Leonard has enlisted some high profile legal ‘silks’ to defend her with a gofundme established to help support the case.
“This is all about principle,” said Leonard. “Our industry is full of people who are too afraid to speak up because of the fear of retribution. They are licensed participants, and their licence is controlled by Racing NSW. Their fear of repercussions is enormous.”
WAYNE Lordan has picked up a nice trip down under for today’s big Flemington meeting.
Tom Magnier has revealed via www.skyracingworld.com that Derby-winning jockey will make the trip down under to ride crack Coolmore colt Wodeton in the Group 1 $2 million Newmarket Handicap (5.55am).
Magnier was forced to seek a replacement rider with Hong Kong-based Karis Teetan currently stranded in Dubai due to the Middle East conflict.
Wodeton has only 50kg in the Newmarket and Magnier wanted a lightweight jockey who could make the colt’s weight.
“With Karis unavailable, we thought about it and I reached out to (trainer) Aidan O’Brien to get Wayne,’’ Magnier said “I told Aidan to find Wayne and get him on a flight to Melbourne as soon as possible.
“Because of what is happening in the Middle East, Wayne is going to have to go to America first and then get a flight to Melbourne.’’
Lordan has ridden in four Melbourne Cups including his second placing on Goodie Two Shoes behind Half Yours last year.