A dream result was savoured on Saturday by Mill Park Stud, who will present a half-brother to Booker by Starspangledbanner on the opening day of the auction at Oaklands on Monday week.
Lot 348’s value was significantly boosted by the Mat Ellerton and Simon Zahra-trained 4-year-old, who now has the full set of stakes victories on her resume.
She had previously been successful at Group 2 and 3 level and the final piece of the puzzle was locked in at Caulfield.
“It’s a great result and she was certainly deserving of a Group 1,” Ellerton said.
“It’s a great result and she was certainly deserving of a Group 1.” – Matt Ellerton said.
Booker was returning on Saturday after a light preparation through October and November when she picked up a couple of Group 3 placings, the last of them in the Furphy Sprint after which she was spelled.
“She had a chequered spring and she had a minor throat problem, but she’s come up trumps now,” Ellerton said.
“She’s a quality mare and this is her time to shine. She’s had a faultless preparation this time around.”
Booker settled in the body of the field before rider Dean Yendall weaved his magic and picked a winning patch through the field.
“She’s a quality mare and this is her time to shine. She’s had a faultless preparation this time around.” – Matt Ellerton.
“It was a good ride and he cut the corner and that saved a bit of ground,” Ellerton said.
Booker is the only foal of the Flying Spur mare Noondie to race and the dam, who won one modest event, is a half-sister to the Listed La Trice Classic winner Tranquility (Redoute’s Choice).
The headline act on the pedigree page is Umrum (Umatilla (NZ), who won two editions of the G1 Toorak H. and the G3 Danehill S. winner Tan Tat De Lago (Encosta de Lago).
For jockey Yendall, one of the naturally lightest jockeys in the country, it was a ride to devour and a rare opportunity for Ellerton and Zahra’s Flemington stable and he duly cashed in at 52kg.
“My weight obviously helps me a lot to pick up these rides,” he said. “I haven’t had a lot of rides for Matt and Simon and it was great to pick up the ride on this big mare.”
“I haven’t had a lot of rides for Matt and Simon and it was great to pick up the ride on this big mare.” – Dean Yendall.
Yendall said he had few worries aboard the 4-year-old, who had a year earlier finished fourth in the race, beaten less than half a-length behind the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Russian Revolution (Snitzel).
“She began well and I was there, but Linda Meech’s horse Bons Away wasn’t travelling as well so I came to the inside.
Dean Yendall aboard Booker in the Oakleigh Plate
“When I did that, my horse let down really well. I was feeling confident at the top of the straight – I had plenty of horse underneath me.”
“The horse has turned in a magnificent effort from that barrier.” – Sarah Zschoke.
Booker finished off the race powerfully to beat the 3-year-old Encryption (Lonhro) by three-quarters of a length and the lightly-raced Eduardo (Host {Arg}), in only his sixth appearance, turning in a grand resuming run from a wide gate.
“I’m just feeling relieved after that,” Eduardo’s trainer Sarah Zschoke said. “The horse has turned in a magnificent effort from that barrier.
“It’s just fantastic and it is onwards to the Newmarket now.”
“It’s just fantastic and it is onwards to the Newmarket now.” – Sarah Zschoke.
Eduardo stamped himself in the spring as a prodigious sprinting talent when he won the G2 Caulfield Sprint at just his fifth race day appearance.
The disappointment of the race was Nature Strip (Nicconi), who ran a warm favourite off the back of his effortless first-up victory in the G2 Rubiton S. on the track a fortnight ago.
The Chris Waller-trained 4-year-old led easily under rider Damian Lame from his inside alley, but punctured badly in the straight to finish 10th.
