Australian Cup (Group 1)

THE evergreen Godolphin nine-year-old Cascadian has spoiled the Cinderella story of Pride Of Jenni to claim his second consecutive Group 1 Australian Cup over Flemington’s 2,000 metres last Saturday.

Having surprised and captured the public’s imagination with her bold front-running dual Group 1 wins over the Melbourne Cup carnival, Pride Of Jenni was the second elect behind Mr Brightside.

As expected, the Pride Of Dubai mare led on settling with Declan Bates allowing her to roll away from the field. Leading by six lengths at the halfway, Ben Melham kept his cool, sitting last on Cascadian, 15 lengths away.

Mr Brightside did the ‘donkey work’ closing the gap to the top of the straight but his race was run, as Pride Of Jenni refused to yield.

Clear by four lengths, the believers believed, but Cascadian, last into the straight, had a head of steam up and began to close. With no hint of weakness Pride Of Jenni emptied the tank, only to be claimed by the New Approach gelding in the final three strides.

Third was the Savabeel mare Atishu, winner of the Group 1 MacKinnon Stakes over the same distance on Champions Day in November.

“I tell you what, if you could ever declare a horse on the way to the barrier, this is him,” said Ben Melham of Cascadian.

“James (Cummings) and the Godolphin team have done a tremendous job with this horse. He couldn’t have been in better order which gave me the confidence to ride him like I wanted to.

“He loves pinching runs and sneaking around the place. He’s just too good for them. It’s massive feat for him to win two in a row.”

A winner of 15 from 53, Cascadian has now banked over A$10.6 million in stakes prize money.

Vinery Stud Stakes (Group 1)

FEW New Zealand horses have debuted in Australia with the reputation of the Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained Savabeel filly Orchestral.

Unbeaten this year and a last New Zealand Derby winner, James McDonald took the ride for for the Group 1 Vinery Stakes for fillies and mares over Rosehill’s 2,000 metres.

Sent out in the red at $1.60 and settled mid-field in the run, Nash Rawiller on Tutta La Vita played his hand early, stealing a break on the field before the turn and making them chase. Grinding away, Orchestral brought the margin back with her class shining through in the closing stages to draw away and win by a half-length. The Autumn Sun filly Tutta La Vita held second with the Kingman filly Zardozi third.

“I haven’t had this much confidence going into a race since I was riding Anamoe, when I knew he was just unbeatable,” remarked McDonald.

“I thought she was unbeatable today. I thought she would win a little bit easier, but she was a little bit ring-rusty. .

“On fast ground, she had to really dig deep and it wasn’t to our liking, and the slowly run race wasn’t really to our liking. Stepping up in trip next start is just going to be perfect for her.”

Back-to-back wins

The win also made it back-to-back wins in the Vinery Stakes for James and Wellwood who won last year’s edition with Prowess.

“We’re a small stable from New Zealand and to do it with horses we’ve bought ourselves and to then bring them across and win this race two years in a row is thrilling,” said Wellwood.

Tempted by the Derby, the team have setttled with the Oaks for Orchestral. “The Vinery Stud Stakes was her hardest run although she has bounced through it very well. I feel the two weeks between runs will be better for her,” added James.

Kia Tancred Stakes

(Group 1)

THE Irish-bred War Command gelding Kalipour, who started his career with Michael Halford at the Curragh, won first Group 1 and his fifth race in Australia when he saluted in the Tancred Stakes over 2,400 metres at Rosehill last Saturday.

In a field of eight that comprised only horses bred in Ireland, France and Great Britain, Kalipour defeated the Irish-bred Churchill gelding Scriptwriter, who races in Australia as More Felons, with the French-bred Authorize gelding Ashrun third.

Trained by Kris Lees in Newcastle, leading Sydney apprentice Dylan Gibbons, who is attached to the Lees stable, took the ride.

Support

“This means so much to me,” said Gibbons. “My long-time goal has been to do something like this for Kris. If you go back through my whole career and every step along the way I’ve made with his support. So, to give him a Group 1 on the biggest stage means a hell of a lot.”

The flop of the race was the William Haggis-trained Post Impressionist who was so impressive seven days earlier.

The $2.50 favourite was well beaten in last. “He raced a bit flat today, I just don’t think he handled the back-up,” said stable foreman Isabella Paul.

THE Galileo gelding Serpentine has won back-to-back races for the first time since his Epsom Derby win in 2020.

Successful three weeks earlier at listed level, the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained seven-year-old won the Group 3 Sellwood Stakes over 2,000 metres at Rosehill.

“He runs the same style of race, and that’s the pattern we know from him,” said Adrian Bott. “We’ve got to try to ride him accordingly. You’ll see Tim (Clark) went for him a long way from home. There’s never an immediate response, it’s a long, sustained run.

“Once he got up level at the furlong there, I thought it’s going to be awfully hard for them to sustain that run that he can.”

JUST 55 minutes after celebrating Orchestral’s Group 1 win in Sydney, New Zealand trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood qualified the New Zealand-bred Shocking gelding Mark Twain for this year’s Melbourne Cup.

With a ballot-free Melbourne Cup entry available to the winner of the Listed Roy Higgins over 2,600 metres at Flemington, Mark Twain came into the race off the back of a third in the 3,200 metre Auckland Cup.

Winning by a half-length he defeated a pair of Irish-breds, the Rock Of Gibraltar gelding Strawberry Rock and the Harzand gelding Mostly Cloudy, having stormed home from near last with 300 metres to run.

“I can hardly believe what this horse did today,” said James. “At the 600 metres, I had all but given up hope.

“The big expanses at Flemington helped him. The fact that we’ve got the golden ticket into the Melbourne Cup now makes it so much easier to plan his spring campaign. It was such a dominant staying effort today.”

New Zealand

New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (Group 1)

THE Lisa Latta-trained Belclare has claimed consecutive Group 1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes wins.

Ridden by Sam Spratt, the Per Incanto mare was a comfortable winner over the Tavistock mare Town Cryer and the Belardo mare Blissful Belle.

“It’s been a really nerve-racking day, considering it’s likely to be her last race for us,” said Latta. “I’m proud of her. I didn’t think there’d be a whole lot of speed today, and I thought Town Cryer would be it. She got into a good spot on the outside of that runner, and the rest is history.”

Set to be offered as part of the Bhima Thoroughbreds draft at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale on the Gold Coast in May, Belclare has won 11 of her 36 starts for just under NZ$1 million in stakes.

“She’s not a huge mare, she’s a great style of horse; strong, muscly, a typical Per Incanto, they are nicely made horses.” said David Woodhouse her breeder part-owner.

“Belclare is a beautifully natured horse and she will look good come sale time on the Gold Coast.”

THE Inglis Australian Easter Yearling sale begins this Sunday and concludes Monday, with 250 lots catalogued on both days.

The media spotlight will shine brightest on lot 391, Winx’s first foal, a filly by Pierro, who will be offered as part of Coolmore’s draft on Monday. With the progeny of 65 individual sires to be sold, I Am Invincible dominates with 44 entries, followed by Snitzel (40), Zoustar (36), Written Tycoon (31) and Wootton Bassett (27). The sale can be followed at inglis.com.au.