Group 1 Blue Diamond, Caulfield
Race Results:
Lyre (Lonhro) may have got further back in the running than trainer Anthony Cummings or rider Luke Currie may have wanted, but it mattered not.
The filly picked up the lost ground with ease and finished off strongly in the straight to account for Lankan Star (Nicconi) and Free Of Debt (Unencumbered).
Lyre has now won two of her three starts and progressed impressively since winning her maiden at Sale and bridging the gap to stakes company, culminating in Victorian’s feature 2-year-old prize.
Pedigree Notes :
A three-quarter sister to the two-time Group 1 winner Impending, Lyre is out of the Street Cry (Ire) mare Erato.
She is a daughter of the former top race mare Mnemosyne (Encosta de Lago, a dual Group 1 winner during her time on the track, and also the dam of Impending’ stakes winning brother Forget.
Group 1 Oakleigh Plate, Caulfield
Race Summary:
Booker (Written Tycoon) had a tough barrier draw to overcome, but the 4-year-old did it in some style for trainers Matt Ellerton and Mark Zahra.
Rider Dean Yendall gave the mare a fine ride and she rounded off willingly to beat the 3-year-old Encryption (Lonhro) with the sparingly-raced Eduardo (Host {Arg}) a gallant third in his resuming run.
Pedigree Notes :
Booker is out of the Flying Spur mare Noondie and is a half-sister to the stakes winner and Group performer Tranquility (Redoute’s Choice).
Their dam Creartrix (Umatilla {NZ}) was successful at Listed level and she is a three-quarter sister to the two-time G1 Toorak H. winner Umrun with the G3 Danehill S. winner Tan Tat De Lago (Encosta De Lago) also featuring on the pedigree page.
Group 1 Yulong Futurity S., Caulfield
Race Summary:
They call it "winning ugly" and while punters wouldn't want the race run again, Godolphin will be thrilled Alizee (Sepoy) was able to grind out a third career G1 with her fourth straight win.
The barrier had a tough look to it and jockey Hugh Bowman was never in a comfortable spot throughout the G1 contest at Caulfield, sitting three-wide no cover up the hill and then pushed even wider around the tricky turn.
Alizee has already proven she is a fighter though and when it came down to a dogfight with Malaguerra (Magnus) there was only going to be one result.
Flashing home for third from back in the field was Alizee's stablemate Hartnell (GB) (Authorized {Ire}) with a run that augurs well should the veteran find a place in the All-Star Mile field on March 16.
Pedigree Notes:
Alizee is All-Star Mile bound and is from an all-star Darley family.
The 4-year-old mare is a half-sister to 2016 G1 Golden Rose winner Astern (Medaglia d'Oro), who also won the G2 Silver Slipper in 2016.
Not only is Alizee's dam Essaouira (Exceed And Excel) a proven, top-producing mare, her second, third and fourth dams were also high quality race mares.
Alizee's grand dam Alizes (NZ) (Rory's Jester) won the 2004 G2 Magic Night Stakes, her third dam La Baraka (Euclase) won the 1998 G1 The Galaxy and her fourth dam is champion racemare Triscay (Marscay).
Triscay was a G2 Silver Slipper winner herself that went on to capture five wins at top level including the G1 Champagne Stakes, G1 AJC Flight Stakes, G1 AJC Oaks, G1 Queensland Oaks and G1 VRC Australian Guineas.
Group 2 Autumn Classic, Caulfield
Race Summary:
Global Exchange (Dundeel {NZ}) put himself strongly in contention for some of the top races the second half of the season after an impressive victory at Caulfield.
The 3-year-old colt took his place in the back of the field with just one beaten during the early stages of the race, looking comfortable with his position. At the 450 metre mark, Ben Melham swung his mount wide and called on him to make his move with the colt swinging into gear quickly.
Circling the field, at the 200 metre mark Global Exchange made an impressive run to take the lead and pull away. Despite ducking in after clearing the field, he extended his margin to win comfortably. The race for second was a tough one with Godolphin’s Cossetot (Epaulette) edging out stablemate Aramayo (Poet’s Voice {GB}).
Pedigree Notes:
Global Exchange was the second half of a cross-Tasman Group double for his sire, who has had a top month of results around the world.
The colt is the first from the winning Incredulous (Keep The Faith), who was purchased at the 2017 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for $200,000. She is a half-sister to Group 2 winning Faith Hill (Danehill {USA}), who is the granddam of Listed winning So Si Bon (So You Think {NZ}).
Global Exchange was a NZ$130,000 purchase at the 2017 Karaka Yearling sale with his Press Statement half-sister sold for $340,000 at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. The mare’s 2018 More Than Ready foal died and she was served by new stallion Invader this year.
Group 2 Angus Armanasco S., Caulfield
Race Summary:
Running in many of the biggest races during her career, Qafila (Not A Single Doubt) broke through at the Group level on Saturday at Caulfield.
Taking up the last spot in the spread out field, the 3-year-old bided her time early in the race. When they hit the 500 metre mark, she began picking off those near the rear of the field when swinging wide. She still had a lot of work to do at the 200 metre mark but it was a challenge she relished. She swallowing up the leaders with less than 100 metres to go with Angelic Ruler (Universal Ruler) coming with her from the back and finishing second. Zoubo (Zoustar) rounded out the top three.
Pedigree Notes:
Sold to Shadwell Australasia for $450,000 at the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Qafila is the second foal from Zighy Bay (USA) (Tapit {USA}) and the only runner to-date for the placed mare.
Zighy Bay is a three-quarters sister to Group 3 winner Sacristy (USA) (Pulpit {USA}) and from the family of Group 1 winner's Purge (USA) (Pulpit {USA}) and Jersey Town (USA) (Speightstown {USA}).
The mare has a 2-year-old Zoustar (Northern Meteor) colt named The Ladies Man, a 2018 filly by So You Think (NZ) (High Chaparral {NZ}) and was bred to I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit {IRE}) in 2018.
Group 2 Peter Young S., Caulfield
Race Results:
Already an impressive winner last year, Avilius (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) looks to have stepped up to another level in 2019, recording his second group win here.
Avilus ran in midpack throughout the majority of the 1800 metre race, looking as though he couldn’t be more relaxed. Trapped behind horses it looked like he may be in trouble at the 400 metre mark but when a hole opened with 300 metres left, he took advantage and used a strong kick to propel himself to the leaders.
He toyed with the leading Trap For Fools (Poet’s Voice {GB}) for a few strides before getting down to business and starting to pull away at the 100 metre mark. Barely touched with the stick, Avilius made easy work of the strong field to give Godolphin four wins on the card with a further four placings.
Trap For Fools wasn’t letting any other horses pass him, finishing second while Ace High (High Chaparral {IRE}) came on for third.
Pedigree Notes:
Avilius is by England’s evergreen sire Pivotal (GB) (Polar Falcon {USA}) and from top broodmare Alessandria (GB) (Sunday Silence {USA}).
Alessandria’s granddam is the dam of Group 1 winner and sire Lycius (USA) (Mr. Prospector {USA}) and the granddam of Eddington (SAF) (Model Man {SAF})
Alessandria is the dam of three stakes winners from four winners with her two Group winners by Pivotal. Her four winners have combined for 22 wins with Avilius just one behind his full brother Herculanus – the mare’s only non-stakes winner from her four winners.
After foaling seven colts, Alessandria had a Shamardal (USA) (Giant’s Causeway {USA}) filly in 2016 named Vercelli before having two more colts – one by Oasis Dream (GB) (Green Desert {USA}) and one by Dubawi (GB) (Dubai Millennium {GB}) the past two years.
Group 3 Mannerism S., Caulfield
Race Summary:
A winner of over half her starts, Jamaican Rain (Manhattan Rain) skipped the Group 2 Millie Fox at Rosehill for this race, a move that proved to be the right one by connections.
The six-year-old mare got right to business from the start, pushing the leader from her spot on the rail before taking over by a head when the pace was slowed down. At the 350 metre mark, the mare had a clear lead and she wasn’t giving it up.
She stayed at least a length ahead of the rest of the field down most of the straight before Naantali (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {IRE}) closed the margin to three quarters of a length at the end with Teleplay (Written Tycoon) in third.
Pedigree Notes:
A $90,000 purchase as a yearling at Magic Millions in 2014, Jamaican Rain is from the Redoute’s Choice mare Heriz, giving her 2 x 3 inbreeding to the legendary mare Shantha’s Choice (AUS) (Canny Lad).
Jamaican Rain is the second foal from Heriz, whose first foal is a winning Encosta de Lago (Fairy King {USA}) mare with her next three foals by Reset all unraced.
This is the family of Turkey Horse of the Year Ribella (IRE) (Revoque {IRE}) and Group 1 winners Almushtarak (IRE) (Fairy King {USA}), Asi Siempre (USA) (El Prado {IRE}) and Outstrip (GB) (Exceed And Excel).
Group 3 Zeditave S., Caulfield
Race Results:
In a small field, all eyes were on Zousain (Zoustar) but in the end, it was Terbium (Terango) who not only won but kept his undefeated streak alive.
The gelding was three off the rail, sitting just behind the pace once the field settled into a rhythm. By the 300 metre mark, he was tired of being behind horses and in just a few strides had the lead. While race favourite Zousain gave chase in an attempt to catch the leader, Terbium showed that his win record wasn’t a fluke by continuing to pull away with his ears pricked.
It was a battle for third behind Zousain with Yulong January (King of Prussia) winning the battle to give Ciaron Maher and David Eustace their third placing on the star-studded card.
Pedigree Notes:
The fourth foal from Serene Lass (Not A Single Doubt), Terbium provided Not A Single Doubt a stakes double of sorts with the stallion siring an earlier winner while also siring Terbium’s dam.
Serene Lass is the dam of two winners from three to race with those two winners combining for eight wins. She is from the family of Group 1 winner Easter (Imperial Prince) among 11 stakes winners listed under Terbium’s first four dams.
Serene Lass has four live foals from Terango, including a 2-year-old colt named Neodium and a yearling filly by the stallion. She visited a new stallion for the first time since 2013 this year when she was covered by Dundeel (NZ) (High Chaparral {IRE}).
Listed Mornington Cup Prelude, Caulfield
Race Summary:
Third in a Group 1 earlier this season, this is the first stakes victory for Sikandarabad (Ire) (Dr Fong {USA}).
The gelding settled in second behind Call Me Handsome (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), sitting just off the rail. At the 500 metre mark, the race kicked into gear as horses from the back of the pack made their move on the leader and Sikandarabad went with them.
While he was willing to pull even with Call Me Handsome with 300 metres left, he had his work cut out to get the lead. Call Me Handsome finally yielded in the final 50 metres to give the winner a slight advantage. Midterm (GB) (Galileo {IRE}) was flying at the finish, to just miss taking second with European-breds sweeping the top three spots.
Pedigree Notes:
Bred by the Aga Khan, Sikandarabad is a half-brother to Group 3 winner Marie’s Diamond (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) and two other winners for his winning dam Sindiyma (Ire) (Kalanisi {Ire}).
The mare is a sister to Listed winner Sindirana, who is also the dam of two stakes horses and this is the family of champions Sinndar (Ire) (Grand Lodge {USA}) and Silwana (Ire) (Peintre Celebre {USA}).
Sindiyma has a 2-year-old full sister to Marie’s Diamond.
