Coolmore Classic (Group 1)

THREE-wide in the back third of the 14-horse Coolmore Classic field over Rosehill’s 1,500 metres, the Snitzel filly Lazzura, has produced a well-timed run to charge down the middle of the track, denying those on her inside to win by a neck.

With James McDonald in the saddle for Chris Waller, Lazzura won her maiden Group 1 at her sixth attempt, consigning the Frosted mare Arctic Glamour, with Tom Sherry on board, to second ahead of the Hellbent mare Vivy Air.

“She tries,” said James McDonald of Lazzura who carried 58kgs under the race’s handicap conditions, the most since Sunline in 2002.

“It wasn’t me, it was her just really biting down on the mouthguard and having a really decent crack. I thought she was all out with 100 metres to go, but just that will to find the line, it’s something you just can’t teach them, you can’t train in them.

“They’ve either just got it and we’re lucky we’ve got a few mares like that. She had to break a weight carrying record, obviously Sunline. She’s no Sunline but she tries.”

Waller record

Purchased for A$500,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by B2B Thoroughbreds, Lazzura, a winner now of six and a touch over $1.59 million, completes four consecutive Coolmore Classics for the Chris Waller stable.

The win also completed four on the day for James McDonald who has won 10 metropolitan races the past two Saturdays.

Lazzura, the 26th individual Group 1 winner for her sire Snitzel, holds nominations for both the Doncaster Mile and Queen Of The Turf Stakes during The Championships on April 4th and 11th with Chris Waller imparting some timely wisdom; “I’ve got a philosophy that horses don’t just win one Group 1. If they’re good enough to win one, they normally win two or three.”

Big Wigs salutes

in famous colours

TONY Santic the owner and Tuna fisherman, synonymous with the three-time Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva, who carried colours representing Santic’s Croatian heritage and new home of Australia, was back in the winner’s circle at Caulfield just two weeks since news of Makybe Diva’s passing from a bout of colic. Wearing Santic’s eponymous colours, Big Wigs, landed a narrow win in the A$1 million TBV Platinum Showdown for juveniles.

Last approaching the bend at Caulfield in the 1,200 metre sprint, Big Wigs, brought down the middle of the track by Lachlan Neindorf, finished like a steam train as only Miss Chanel could match motors with the Gold Standard colt.

Hitting the line, a nose separated the pair with the Tagaloa filly Miss Chanel denied, but five-lengths clear of the Brazen Beau gelding Knurl.“This means a lot, especially after losing the mare,” said an emotional Tony Santic after the race. “It’s special to me because it brings back a lot of memories. Good memories. My partner’s done it pretty tough. We all miss her.”

Emotional

A home-bred for Makybe Racing and Breeding and trained by Phillip Stokes, this was Big Wigs first win at his third start.

“It’s super,” said Neindorf. “It almost makes me a little bit emotional, really. It’s been such a big couple weeks for these colours, obviously, with the passing of the great mare. It’s just a privilege whenever you put colours like these on and to go out there and get the job done on a nice two-year-old makes it that extra special.”

Waller-trained Birdman is still flying higher

THE Chris Waller-trained Irish-bred Birdman is now favourite for the Group 1 Australian Cup after his second consecutive Group 2 win.

Landing the Peter Young Stakes over 1,800 metres at Caulfield, 14 days after winning at Flemington, the Free Eagle gelding settled third in the seven-horse field. Ridden quietly with cover by Ben Melham, Birdman rolled off the heels of the leader as the field swung into the straight to have a clear sight of the line at the 300 metre mark.

Accelerating away under the hands and heels riding of Melham, Birdman looked to have plenty in hand on the line. In arrears by two lengths, the Fiorente horse Apulia took second ahead of the Mongolian Khan gelding Bankers Choice.

“He’s a different horse this prep,” said foreman Lizzie Collett. “His three runs have shown that. He’s absolutely on song.

Magnificent horse

“These imports do take a while to adjust. This prep, he has turned into a magnificent horse, and each run has been outstanding. In the straight today, he didn’t ask him until he had to and he put them away very easily.”

Birdman now has a 14-day break before heading back to Flemington for the 2,000 metres of the Australian Cup.

“I’ve had a bit to do with him this preparation and I thought early doors the way he was going he was heading in the right direction to be really competitive in an Australian Cup and the more I have to do with him, the more I think he can win it,” said Ben Melham.

ON Cheltenham week, there was a familiar name on the Rosehill winners’ list when the former Willie Mullins winner Vauban struck again for trainers Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott

The eight-year-old, in the colours of Australian Bloodstock, took the Group 3 Asahi Super Dry Sky High Stakes over 10 furlongs, a race he also won last year.

He beat Soul Of Spain by a length after getting himself on and even keel at the top of the straight to challenge under Tim Clark, and he was on top in the final half-furlong. Just Fine was another length away in third, while favourite Wootton Verni had every chance but faded to finish fifth.

Connections are working backwards from the Melbourne Cup while the immediate target is the Group 1 Tancred Stakes over 12 furlongs on March 28th.

Vauban was third in the contest last year behind the William Haggas-trained Dubai Honour, who is expected to line up again.

“I’m not sure about the Sydney Cup this autumn but we will definitely go for the Melbourne Cup again,’’ Bott said.

“I would like to go through the Tancred like we did last year. Arguably he’s come back better this year and it looks to be a lovely race for him. We might also look at Brisbane [for the Queensland Winter Carnival] too.’’

Winning rider Clark said last year’s Tancred might have been a missed chance.

“It just went a bit wrong last year, it might have been one that got away,” he said.

“Hopefully in two weeks’ time we can redeem ourselves. He feels like a spring three-year-old. I think that was a better win than this time last year.”