Furphy Canterbury Stakes (Group 1)

INTERNATIONAL racing fans should have found the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes over 1,300 metres at Randwick easy pickings on Saturday.

With quality Platinum Jubilee and July Cup form behind him, Artorius, first time out since the Prix Maurice de Gheest last August, was sent out at a luxurious $9.50 with the services of Hong Kong’s leading jockey Zac Purton.

The Kiwi filly Imperatriz was all the rage and the I Am Invincible filly looked to have the race in the bag, though Purton picked his way through traffic before Artorius let down with a withering run.

The Flying Artie colt won by a nose over Imperatriz with the Declaration Of War mare Electric Girl third.

“It felt good. I just had to wait a little bit for the right opportunity,” said Purton. “The last 150 metres he launched, he just jumped out of the ground. He’s just a bit tricky, he comes with a little bit of baggage, but he’s obviously very talented.”

Trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman, the win was Artorius’ second Group 1 after the Blue Diamond Stakes having been purchased for AUD$120,000 at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

The Agency Randwick Guineas (Group 1)

THE Freedman brothers struck again 40 minutes later with brother Michael saddling up Communist to win the Group 1 Randwick Guineas over 1,600 metres. The Russian Revolution gelding proved to be a decisive winner making it a pair of Group 1s for Zac Purton.

“He hasn’t been the easiest horse so far, he’s been a bit quirky, but I think he’s got a bit of a future,” said Michael Freedman.

“I think maybe just having Zac here, not too many preconceived ideas.

“We just said ‘ride him how you feel he’s travelling.’ He is a better chaser, I‘ve always felt that there’s this sort of run in him.”

Communist won by over a length with the Lonhro colt Lindermann second ahead of the Zoustar colt Zou Tiger.

Golden Slipper favourites

The top two elects for next Saturday’s AUD$5 million Golden Slipper Stakes affirmed their support, both winning their respective Group 2 juvenile events at Randwick on Saturday.

The Godolphin-owned Exceed And Excel colt Cylinder took out the Todman Stakes while the Coolmore-owned Justify filly Learning To Fly maintained her unbeaten run in the Reisling Stakes.

“She is tactical, she’s very versatile, she is very professional,” said trainer Annabel Neasham of Learning To Fly. “It’s so exciting having a filly like this going into the Golden Slipper.”

STAR New Zealand filly Legarto has become the first New Zealand-trained winner of the Australian Guineas, having taken out the 37th running of the 1,600 metre Group 1 at Flemington on Saturday.

While the race was marred by the fall of Maximillius and Holymanz at the 250-metre mark, none could deny the Proisir filly who produced stunning acceleration over the final 50 metres to catch the Churchill colt Attrition as Satono Aladdin gelding Japanese Emperor took third.

“To Legarto’s credit, wow, she’s got a very, very good turn of foot. To get out when she did and finish over the top of them was an amazing effort,” said jockey Micheal Dee.

“She’s still on the way up, that’s for sure. She’s only lightly raced and should arguably be unbeaten. I think she can come back in the spring and could be anything.”

Only defeat

Trained by Ken and Bev Kelso, Legarto’s only defeat in seven starts came in the Karaka 3YO Classic in January, having been purchased for NZ$90,000 from the 2021 Karaka Book 2 Sale. The win was also Kelso’s first Group 1 in Australia.

“She’s just an amazing filly,” said Ken Kelso. “Probably 100 (metres) out you thought you were gonna run fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth to be lucky. She does things that other horses can’t do.

“Every time she races, I stand there with my mouth open, saying how the hell did she do that. We’ll chat to the owners, but we think as far as we’re concerned, she should have a bit of a break and then come back and dream about Cox Plates, Caulfield Cups, that sort of thing.”

Auckland Thoroughbred Racing New Zealand Derby (Group 1)

ON a dry track at Te Rapa Sharp N Smart took hold of the NZ$1 million New Zealand Derby at the final bend to claim his third Group 1 win in 11 career starts.

Sent out as blazing hot $1.40 favourite, the Redwood gelding, trained by Graeme and Debbie Rogerson, having settled midfield, stretched his lead to three lengths in the straight before the 100/1 Almanzour gelding Andalus ran home gamely to reduce the margin to three-quarters of a length as the Puccini gelding Full Of Sincerity claimed third.

“This is good for the team as he is not an easy horse,” said Graeme Rogerson.

“I said to (jockey) Ryan (Elliot) to watch him as he can switch off, as he did it in the VRC Derby (second placed). I think potentially he could be the best horse we have had in New Zealand for a long time. I’m hoping he’ll learn a bit more about how to be a racehorse, and then us and the other owners can look forward to a big spring in Australia and then potentially a trip to Hong Kong after that,” added Rogerson who highlighted December’s Hong Kong Vase as a target for this year.

Sydney

In the meantime, Sharp N Smart will be readied for a return trip to Sydney where he won the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes in the spring.

“That is our plan, the (Australian) Derby (1st April) into the AUD$5 million Queen Elizabeth (seven days later),” says co-trainer Graeme Rogerson.

“He is a freak this horse, he has bounced out of the Derby no problem and Hugh Bowman has sought permission to come down from Hong Kong to ride him in the ATC Derby.”

“He is obviously a super star jockey and has won races all over the world and he is very keen to come out and ride him,” said trainer Anabel Neasham.

Excited

“It will be a quick visit and with some of the original Irish owners still in the horse I think they were pretty excited at the thought of him coming to ride him.”

The 2021 Prix Jean Prat winner has had 14 starts in Australia without a win but has placed twice in Group 1 races.