Sportsbet Blue Diamond Stakes (Group 1)

TRAINER Clinton McDonald won his second Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes in three years when Streisand took out Caulfield’s A$2 million 1,200 metre juvenile feature by nearly a length.

Ridden by Ben Melham, the Magnus filly sat on the hip of Closer To Free, the race favourite, who pushed forward and hit the front 300 metres out. Not done, Streisand kept improving to work over the Street Boss colt Closer To Free, relegating him to second as the Home Affairs colt Guest House got home well for third.

“It was a long-range plan with this filly,” said jockey Ben Melham. “She showed exceptional ability from day dot. She’s just had a faultless start to her career.

“Two lovely runs before Christmas, she went out, had time to have a little break, she’s come back and she’s just furnished every day. She’s a ready-made racehorse. Clinton and the team have done a great job.”

Purchased for $100,000 from the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, session one of which begins on Sunday, by McDonald Racing and Shane McGrath Bloodstock, Streisand has now won twice and placed second twice, earning $1.5 million since October.

“What a filly,” enthused McDonald. “I just thought she was the most seasoned horse in the race, her fifth start, the way she walked around the mounting yard it was like she’s done it her whole life and she raced that way.

“There’s a big bunch of owners, it’s fantastic, it’s what racing needs, there’s kids, mums, dads. It’s always great when you win but I’ve been down at the horse stalls today and the vibe here in Melbourne racing is fantastic.”

Sportsbet Oakleigh Plate (Group 1)

CRAIG Williams completed a Group 1 double at Caulfield on Saturday after guiding Tropicus to an Oakleigh Plate win in the second last of the day.

Trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman, the Kia Ora Stud-owned colt by Too Darn Hot, did his future value no harm by leading around the bend in the 1,100 metre sprint and holding off all rivals to win by nearly two lengths.

Second was the Capitalist gelding Hedged two lengths ahead of the Written Tycoon colt Gallant Son. It was Tropicus’s fourth win from 12 starts, all of which have been at Caulfield.

“He’s a proper horse, he deserves that,” said Sam Freedman of Tropicus. “As a three-year-old he raced against some of the best, Broadsiding and a few really proper colts.

“He’s got better as an entire and one of those horses that just trains on and on and on, we’ve seen him get better this prep, you wouldn’t rule out him going to another level again. We’ll chat to the team at Kia Ora, they’ve been great supporters of ours for such a long time. I’d say we may end up in a (Group 1) William Reid (March 21st), something like that, but we’ll have a chat and let the dust settle.”

Henley Homes Futurity Stakes (Group 1)

WELL placed to pounce in the 1,400 metre Group 1 Futurity Stakes at Caulfield, the Bjorn Baker-trained Pericles bided his time as the star filly Treasurethe Moment made the running.

Eased off the heels of Evaporate once straightened around the bend, Craig Williams got to work on the Street Boss gelding who began to shrink the margin. With Treasurethe Moment hitting her peak about 30 metres from the line, Pericles claimed a maiden Group 1 following six placings at the highest level.

Second was the Fastnet Rock gelding Buckaroo who just shaded the Alabama Express filly Treasurethe Moment.

Fabulous horse

“Amazingly satisfying. He’s been a fabulous horse,” said Godolphin’s Andy Makiv. “For him to achieve Group 1 glory is wonderful for so many people and he’s just been a great horse. I had a feeling he’d suit Bjorn. I just loved what Bjorn had done with that Vancouver horse (Overpass) he’s got and travelled around.” Pericles improved his record to eight wins from 28 starts and just over $7 million stakes. His next assignment looks to be the All Star Mile at Flemington on March 7th.

New Zealand

Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (Group 1)

IT was an Ocean Park-sired double in the New Zealand Oaks, as Ohope Wins led home Autumn Glory, both of whom had been recently bought into by Yulong Stud and carrying their ubiquitous jade green colours.

Settled near the tail in the 17-horse field and ridden by Irishman Joe Doyle, the pair had plenty of work to do being 12 lengths from the leader rounding the bend. Forced wide for opportunity, Ohope Wins, once balanced, was clearly a class above.

Into her stride, the race was quickly swept away from her rivals as she hit the line by a widening two and a half lengths to Autumn Glory. Third was the Vanbrugh filly Single Red.

“When you get to ride a horse that good, nothing compares,” said Doyle. “We were a long way back, but when you are riding one that good, they can just overcome all those things. She still feels like she has got so much left, I couldn’t even pull her up. She is absolutely exceptional, I have not ridden a three-year-old like her.”

Bred and raced by Gary and Mark Gartshore of Gartshore Bloodstock until a deal was brokered with Yulong after her Group 2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes victory, Ohope Wins will miss the New Zealand Derby and goes to join Chris Waller in Australia to be aimed at the Vinery and ATC Oaks.

“She is a proper horse, that is the best way to describe her after watching that performance,” said trainer Lance O’Sullivan who co-trains with Andrew Scott. “When Joe came from the outside I thought she has got a long way to make up but she did it and did it with some sort of ease. She is just going to go from strength to strength, she is certainly going to be winning more big races. She wouldn’t look out of place in Australia.”

Otaki Maori WFA Classic (Group 1)

JAARFFI, which is her sire’s name Iffraaj spelt backwards, landed a maiden Group 1 at Ellerslie on Saturday, taking out the Otaki Maori WFA Classic over 1,600 metres.

The Cambridge Stud home-bred, trained by Lance Noble, was stuck wide most of the trip and looked a place chance at best at the top of the straight.

Not until the 150 metres out did she really start to motor as jockey Warren Kennedy got the best out of the six-year-old mare to mow down the Proisir gelding Pier to win by a long-neck. Third was the Savabeel mare Provence,

“She is not an easy mare to train and to achieve this after all the work the staff have put in over the last few years, along with Warren, and for Sir Brendan and Lady Jo, it is just brilliant,” said Noble, Cambridge Stud’s private trainer.

“She has always been a big, gangly and aggressive horse on the training track, so we don’t do a lot of galloping with her, and while she is a six-year-old she is still learning. The plan is to go onto the Bonecrusher Stakes (Group 1, 2000m) in a fortnight (March 7th) and all being well we will.”

SUPER Seth, a Caulfield Guineas (2019) winning son of Dundeel has been purchased by Coolmore to stand at their Hunter Valley base having stood six seasons at Waikato Stud in New Zealand and producing four Group 1 winners from his first two crops to race.

“Super Seth has been on our radar for a while now,” said Coolmore’s Tom Magnier. “For a young horse, the trajectory that he is on is something that is very rarely seen.

“To produce three Group 1 winners in Australia from his first crop including two Guineas winners (Feroce and Linebacker) and follow it up with a Champion Two-Year-Old (La Dorada in NZ) in his second, is an amazing achievement.

“Justin Carey and I went over to see him and his young stock at Waikato this week.

“He is going to be ideal for so many Australian mares, both physically and on pedigree.”