Newmarket Handicap (Group 1)

THE James Cummings-trained In Secret, with Dean Holland substituting for the injured Jamie Kah, was an impressive winner of the A$1.5 million 1,200 metre Newmarket Handicap at Flemington last Saturday.

Kept away from the early pace, In Secret was irresistible in the final 300 metres taking full advantage of her 51.5 kgs under the Group 1’s handicap conditions to win with ease, posting a length over the second-placed Snitzel colt Lofty Stride and the Savabeel race-favourite, I Wish I Win.

“The last thing I wanted to do was carry on today, win, lose or draw,” said Dean Holland. “It was very unfortunate what happened to Jamie and Willo (Craig Williams) and my thoughts go out to them.

“I’m just the lucky one that was able to ride light today and picked up the ride on one of Australia’s best sprinters.”

A A$900,000 Magic Millions yearling buy for Godolphin, the I Am Invincible filly has now won two Group 1’s down the Flemington straight, having beaten her own age-group in the Coolmore Stud Stakes last spring.

“She’s proven to be absolutely top-shelf again. She’s two from three this preparation and she can head straight to the TJ (Smith Stakes) in three weeks and look like not only a competitive chance but a big force in that feature,” said Cummings.

MELBOURNE’s leading jockey Jamie Kah took a heavy fall at Flemington in Saturday’s Sires’ Produce Stakes after clipping the heels of the horse in front of her near the 1,000 metre mark.

Craig Williams’ mount was also brought down with the pair transferred to hospital. Williams sustained a broken collarbone, two broken ribs and was discharged the following day.

Kah remains in hospital having been in and out of consciousness for some time after the fall. Doctors cleared Kah of any skull fractures or a brain injury but sedated her on Saturday evening to allow her body time to cope with the symptoms of a heavy concussion, describing her condition as stable.

She woke 48 hours after the fall and was reported “awake and speaking” by Wednesday. It’s the second nasty fall in two weeks at Flemington after Ethan Brown and Mark Zahra came down in the final furlongs of the Australian Guineas.

Coolmore Classic (Group 1)

THE Chris Waller-trained Espiona broke through for her first Group 1 win taking out the Coolmore Classic over 1,500 metres at Rosehill on Saturday.

Micheal Dee rode for luck saving ground on the rail before setting after Sheeza Belter who had broken clear of the field.

Finishing the strongest the four-year-old Extreme Choice filly won by a nose from the Pride Of Dubai mare Pride Of Jenni with the Gold Standard filly Sheeza Belter third. “It’s a special win for Denise Martin (Star Thoroughbreds), a huge supporter of our stable. She’s just a pleasure to train for,” said Chris Waller. “It was good to see her get back to winning form last start. Obviously, she could be a bit better in Melbourne, but we had to have an opportunity on her home track. Thrown in at the weights and a lovely draw and a lovely ride from Michael Dee.” Espiona, a A$190,000 Magic Millions purchase by Star Thoroughbreds, has now won five of 12.

WILLIAM Haggas has struck early in his Sydney campaign with the French-bred Wootton Bassett gelding Protagonist winning Saturday’s Group 2 Sky High Stakes over 2,000 metres.

“Delighted with him,” said stable representative Isabella Paul. “They’re only out of quarantine today. It’s a tough ask to do two weeks quarantine after a long flight and come straight out on ground we weren’t sure he was going to love and do that.”

WHILE Oisin Murphy will be in Melbourne to ride Laws Of Indices in the A$5 million All Star Mile at Moonee Valley, Ryan Moore will also fly in to Australia, picking up the ride on the Coolmore syndicate-owned Shinzo in the $5 million Golden Slipper Stakes for two-year-olds.

Shinzo, winner of last week’s Group 3 Pago Pago Stakes, is the second runner for Coolmore who will also be represented by the Justify filly Learning To Fly, unbeaten in three starts and already an earner of $1.47 million.

New Zealand

Sistema Stakes (Group 1)

THE Karaka 2YO Million winner Tokyo Tycoon improved his unbeaten record to five from five in taking out Saturday’s Group 1 Sistema Stakes over 1,200 metres at Pukekohe Park. Trained by Mark Walker with Opie Bosson in the saddle, the Satono Aladdin gelding had way too much class for his rivals, breaking clear in the straight to cruise to a three-length win.

The results gave Opie Bosson a remarkable 10th victory in the race, to tally 90 in the saddle.

“This race has been good to me and to Te Akau Racing over the years,” said Bosson. “He actually made me feel nervous going out there, but he is a top horse and when he jumped out of the barriers, I felt like there were only two of us in the race.”

Temptation

Te Akau, will resist the temptation of Sydney for now with the NZ$125,000 Karaka Book 1 yearling with Tokyo Tycoon becoming the first Group 1 winner for the Rich Hill Stud-based son of Deep Impact, Satono Aladdin.

“He is all class but not the biggest horse yet but I had a really good look at him yesterday and I think he will grow with a break, especially at this time of the year when it is a great time to spell horses,” said Te Akau’s David Ellis.

Taking on the older horses in the Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes over 2,050 metres at Pukekohe Park, the Proisir filly made the most of her weight advantage to take a forward position before sprinting clear in the straight to hold out the Contributer mare Campionessa as the Vadamos filly La Crique placed third.

Having drifted out in the straight, Prowess had to then win the race a second time once stewards had dismissed the protest from Campionessa.

Impressive

“Any Group 1 victory is important and especially for a filly and that was pretty impressive,” said Roger James.

“It doesn’t get any better and it wasn’t easy at all as we were going to the Derby 10 days ago and we made the decision not to, which was definitely the right thing to do.

“She was hand-picked (from the yearling sales) and she is doing the job for her connections.”

James and Wellwood went to NZ$230,000 for Prowess as a Karaka yearling with her programme now looking towards the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes in Sydney on March 25th.