Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (Group 1)
FIRST-UP since taking out the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes over the Melbourne Cup Carnival, Tentyris returned to Flemington’s straight track on Saturday to blitz the Group 1 Lightning Stakes.
Ridden by Damien Lane, the Street Boss colt rolled out of the gates, rounding out the eight-horse field on settling. Into the final two furlongs, Lane improved his position before letting the colt rip. Sweeping up to the leaders at the 75-metre mark, Tentyris powered away to win by a length in a fashion that had Royal Ascot written all over it.
“He’s an incredible talent,” said Damien Lane. “We just only had the one play with him with how he steps out of the barriers, it was just a risk whether the 1,000 (metres) was going to be too short.
“Mid-race I had to ask him to pick up the bridle and, when he did, he really joined in well and, as has become his trademark, that last bit of his race was outstanding - incredible.”
Trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman, the three-year-old colt races in the Godolphin blue and his second Group 1 win, elevates his record to five wins and two placings from eight starts, having comfortably banked his UK airfare with over A$2.58 million in earnings.
“He (Anthony) has been in the game for so long and he said to me at the end of the spring campaign, this might be the best horse you ever train,” said Sam Freedman, Anthony’s son. I would love to come to the (Group 1) Newmarket (Handicap, March 7th) if he was not heavily penalised for the victory. It’s not easy for a three-year-old to carry a big weight like that. We’ll have to have a chat about where he goes, but it’s a very good problem to have.”
AUTUMN Glow improved her record to nine from nine, preserving her unbeaten career with a smart win in the Apollo Stakes at Randwick on Saturday. Sent out a $1.40 favourite in the 1,400 metre Group 2, the Chris Waller-trained four-year-old daughter of The Autumn Sun cruised away from her rivals to give her jockey James McDonald little cause for concern.
“It’s very special,” said McDonald. “Just the way and the ease with which she’s doing it. You’ve got to remember, there were a lot of stayers in the race. But I’m riding a very good horse in Hong Kong (Romantic Warrior) and she’s on a trajectory where she is improving all the time, she is lightly raced, and let’s just say, the world is her oyster.”
Home by nearly three lengths, Autumn Glow led home a Chris Waller trifecta with the Castelvecchio filly Aeliana taking second, ahead of the Lonhro gelding Lindermann.
“She has come back well,” said Waller. “It was a great ride by James; he put her into a nice position. She is a really fool-proof horse. She’s quite remarkable.”
Having been initially purchased for A$600,000 as a Gold Coast Magic Millions weanling, Autumn Glow then changed hands for $1.8 million to top the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, with her nine starts to date earning just shy of $7 million.
Next on the agenda for Autumn Glow looks to be the Group 1 Verry Elleegant (formerly the Chipping Norton Stakes on February 28th) followed by the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (March 21st).
RACING in the gold and black checks of the Lindsay’s Cambridge Stud, Joliestar made an impressive return to racing at Randwick on Saturday. Albeit in a field of six, the five-year-old Zoustar mare had plenty of work to do at the top of the straight in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes over 1,200 metres.
With three in front of her and spotting Caballus a four-length start, Joliestar overpowered her opposition to win going away by a length ahead of the I Am Invincible gelding Caballus and the Snitzel filly Lady Shenandoah.
“She is a mature horse now. Simple as that,” said Chris Waller of the three-time Group 1 winner. “Last year, she needed to settle and relax and do the little things right and she does that now.
“James (McDonald) put her into a beautiful position. Tactically, that was great. It was a sprint home. Tommy (Berry on Caballus) just about pinched the race. James didn’t go around them. He just stuck to the basics and rode her like a jockey should.”
THE 2024 Caulfield Cup winner Duke De Sessa has been retired after sustaining a leg injury. Initially trained by Dermot Weld and bred by Newtown Anner Stud, the Irish-bred Lope De Vega gelding transferred to Ciaron Maher and David Eustace in 2022, having logged dual Group 3 wins across 11 starts.
Ridden by Harry Coffey, Duke De Sessa took his moment in the spotlight, breaking the A$5 million Group 1 Caulfield Cup open to hit the front 600 metres out and win by two lengths.
“He’s retired, he’ll go back to Ireland where he started his career,” said Ciaron Maher’s assistant trainer, Johann Gerard-Dubord. “He doesn’t owe anything to anyone, so we just want to make sure he’s got a happy life now. He deserves to be looked after.”