Doncaster Mile (Group 1)

THE Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained Sheza Alibi produced one of the greatest Doncaster Mile wins since Sunline ruled the turf with dual wins in 1999 and 2002.

One of just four three-year-olds in the race, and the only filly in the field like Sunline in 1999, she was sent out in the red at $1.90.

Rolling out of the gates with Jamie Melham on board, the Saxon Warrior filly settled at the rear to be second last at the 1,000m mark. Held there until the bend, Melham took Sheza Alibi wide as the field fanned into the straight.

In the middle of the track and with clear galloping room, the filly motored through her gears to sweep to the front 200m from home.

As none made ground, Sheza Alibi was in a different class, running away to win by over four lengths to be the first three-year-old filly since Sunline to win the Doncaster. Second was the three-year-old colt Autumn Boy, by the Autumn Sun, with the Dundeel gelding Militarize taking third.

Goosebumps

“What a horse,” said Jamie Melham. “I trialled her the other day and she gave me a nice feel, but with blinkers on today, Jesus Christ, I’ve never sat on a horse that has given me goosebumps like that before.

“I got pushed a bit wide and got back a bit too far, but we got there in about a few strides and she just sailed away from them. They have a very, very special horse on their hands. I’ve sat on some very special horses before, but I don’t think any come close to the feel she just gave me then. I’m very happy to be hungry to be riding a horse like this.”

Purchased for just $10,000 as a weanling from a 2023 Inglis Digital June sale, and beaten at her first start in Rockhampton in central Queensland a year ago, Sheza Alibi was transferred to Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman after running second at her fourth start in the Group 2 Tatts Tiara at Eagle Farm.

Phenomenal

“That was breathtaking, the second colt is a super colt and what she does is just amazing,” said co-trainer Peter Moody. “Quite phenomenal and she’s so nondescript, she doesn’t stand out at home in training, she’s just a tradesman, she’s got a great hip, a big deep girth and a hell of a lot of ability.

“I’ve been blessed to train one of the greatest we’ve ever seen in Black Caviar and this filly is just amazing. I’m not saying she’s Black Caviar but that was just so good. It’s pretty emotional, just a special horse. Where’s the ceiling? You don’t know.”

Two days later Peter Moody confirmed that Sheza Alibi will be spelled for the spring. “She’ll resume in Melbourne in something and we’ll work her way towards maybe the ($10 million) Golden Eagle (Randwick, October 31st), and then back to Melbourne for Champions Day.”

Asahi Super Dry T J Smith Stakes (Group 1)

AN ambitious plan is being hatched for the now five-time Group 1 winner Joliestar after her win in the A$3 million TJ Smith Stakes over Randwick’s 1,200m on Saturday.

The Chris Waller-trained Zoustar mare sat fourth in the run, tucked in on the rails, with the field keen to drift out in the slow ground as they swung through the bend. Slipping underneath the leader Mazu as the field of nine hit the top of the straight, Joliestar with James McDonald up established a clear advantage before the Scissor Kick gelding Giga Kick and the Exosphere mare Skybird closed late to reduce the margin to a half-length to fill the placings.

A winner of five of her past seven starts since June last year, Chris Waller now believes Joliestar is ready for the next step.

“I would go to Royal Ascot and bring her back for The Everest, she has just started to mature as a racehorse,” pointed out Waller who won the 2022 King’s Stand Stakes with Nature Strip.

Trip planned

“I think we will probably go for the Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot. We had the trip planned well before today but we wanted to see her run well in the TJ to cement her place for England. As a three-year-old she won the Guineas and has been a model of consistency since.

“She’ll have a little bit of down time now and then work our way back from Royal Ascot. We’ll do our usual jump-outs and trials and get her on the plane. She goes so well fresh and no doubt will represent Australasia very well on the grand stage.”

Owned by Sir Brendan and Lady Jo Lindsay, and racing in their Cambridge Stud colours of black and gold checks, the Lindsays’ purchased Joliestar at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter yearling sale for $950,000. The five-year-old mare has now returned 10 wins from 21 starts and just over $9 million in earnings.

Green Spaces paints Derby blue

ATC Australian Derby (Group 1)

THE Bjorn Baker-trained Green Spaces has delivered Godolphin a first ever win in the Group 1 Australian Derby. The home-bred by Street Boss, settled mid-field as the more fancied Godolphin runner, Observer, the Victoria Derby winner, took up the running.

Leading the field into the straight, Observer didn’t have a lot more to give as Storm Leopard quickly took over as Rachel King on Green Spaces was quickly onto the scene. Challenging for the lead at the 300m mark, Green Spaces was clearly much stronger at the business end of 2,400m as the colt began drawing clear.

Home by over three lengths, the So You Think colt Dezignation took second as the Ghaiyyath gelding Storm Leopard was third. As Godolphin celebrated their first win in the event, so too it was for Bjorn Baker and Rachel King, with Baker being the son of former New Zealand trainer Murray Baker who won the Derby five times.

“So special, what a great watch, when they are in the zone like that, his trackwork has been in the zone, I was very confident, I couldn’t have him any better going into today,” said Bjorn Baker.

“I spoke to Murray a lot this week. I asked him what would you do, he said don’t leave him short son, the rain came this morning and I was very confident he was fit enough.

“She’s (Rachel King) done so much work for our stable and she delivers, she delivers on the big stage, she rode him perfectly today, it was an exceptional ride. Melbourne Cup – bring it on!”

Out of the Redoute’s Choice mare Outdoor, whose dam Serenade Rose won the 2005 Victoria Oaks and 2006 Australian Oaks, Green Spaces has now won four of his 10 starts with Rachel King being on board for seven of those.

“He’s a beautiful horse and it set up perfectly for him today,” said King. “I was very confident it would, he just relaxed so well, did everything I asked, a very satisfying win.

“Bjorn is a massive supporter of mine, especially when I disappear for a month to ride in Japan, but he’s always there for me when I come back.”

Campione D’Italia is ‘sensational’ in Sires’

Inglis Sires’ (Group 1)

THE second leg of Sydney’s juvenile Triple Crown, the Group 1 Inglis Sires’ was won by the fourth placegetter from the Golden Slipper Stakes a fortnight earlier, the Snitzel colt Campione D’Italia.

Third last once the field jumped, Campione D’Italia was going so well he worked himself forward before James McDonald had to switch off heels to get into clear running as the field straightened at the 400m mark.

Six lengths from the lead at the 300m mark, the Snitzel colt got to business and swept to the front at the 200m mark. Ridden right out, he defeated a pair of backmarkers the Tagaloa filly Miss Chanel and his stablemate Fireball, another colt by Snitzel.

“He’s a sensational horse, he’s been a work in progress,” said McDonald. “He’s beautifully bred and is a horse with a real future, I’m sure he’ll run the 1,600 metres (of the Group 1 Champagne Stakes) right out. Great to see him put it together today, we’ve always had a big opinion of him.

“Chris and the team have done such a good job to keep him improving with each start.”

Second win

Sold for $500,000 at the Gold Coast Magic Millions after initially passing-in, this was Campione D’Italia’s second win at just his fourth start.

“He’s just a lovely colt,” said Chris Waller. “He’s got so much raw talent and a lot of energy but when you can harness it, he can deliver big things and we saw that today. His run in the Golden Slipper was amazing. He just got too far back. It was no-one’s fault, and the horse is just learning all the time.

“At his first start he did everything wrong and just wanted to get the race over so we’ve had to teach him along the way and the end product of that is what you saw today.”