The Queensland winter carnival has been a rewarding one for Rosemont Stud and its G1 Cox Plate winning stallion, who produced the G2 The Roses winner Etana and that was topped by Mr Quickie with a deserved success in the Channel 7-sponsored Classic.
Anthony Mithen’s Rosemont Stud remained in the ownership of Mr Quickie following his $115,000 purchase at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by Dalziel Racing.
“They loved him, Peter Moody loved him and so did we,” Rosemont’s Anthony Mithen said. “He’s just a winner, he’s beaten the older horses a couple of times and he was unlucky in the South Australia Derby.”
Trained by Phillip Stokes, Mr Quickie finished third in the Morphettville feature and turned his fortunes around to win at Eagle Farm.
The race was marred by the fall in the straight of the New Zealand visitor Lord Arthur (Camelot {GB}), a half-brother to the former top mare Bonneval (NZ) (Makfi {GB}) and he was euthanised due to injuries suffered. Rider Corey Brown, who was conscious after the fall, was sent to hospital.
Jockey Johnny Allen with trainer Phillip Stokes and Rosemont's Anthony Mithen
Mr Quickie, who has now won nine of his 13 starts, was tardily into action at barrier rise and he settled well back in the field on the fence.
No panic ride
Rider John Allen didn’t panic and, with a willing partner, he was able to weave his way through the field and rounded off powerfully in the run home to beat Vow And Declare (Declaration Of War {USA}).
The drama didn’t end there either with the connections of the runner-up firing in a protest on grounds of interference, but it was subsequently dismissed.
Vow And Declare’s rider Damien Oliver told stewards he was forced to ease off the heels of Mr Quickie, which he said impeded his momentum in the run to the line costing him more than the three-quarters of a length margin between the two horses.
"I lost significant ground at that point and if that interference hadn't occurred I felt my horse would've won the race. I've been able to pull a lot of ground off him in the run to the line."
Allen disputed that, telling stewards Vow And Declare had taken minimal ground off Mr Quickie.
"I've held a length and-a-half margin on him the whole way up the straight and to say it cost him the race is very ambitious," he said.
Let the games begin
After a brief deliberation, the protest was dismissed signalling the start of celebrations for the Mr Quickie team.
"Johnny gave him a great ride," Stokes said. "We stuck with him and he wove his magic."
"It's a big thrill to get a good winner for Wylie Dalziel, Rosemont, Peter Moody and all the boys in it - they're big supporters of our stable."
Johnny Allen and Phillip Stokes
It was also the biggest result for Stokes since he set up a base in Victoria.
"It's a big thrill to have my first Group 1 winner out of Pakenham. All credit to him, he's a serious horse."
After getting buried back in the field, it was a first class performance from Mr Quickie and his rider.
"It's a big thrill to have my first Group 1 winner out of Pakenham. All credit to him, he's a serious horse." – Phillip Stokes.
"We had to take a few tight gaps, but he accelerated well when he got them,” he said. When he got to the front he had a bit of a look around, but we always had it up our sleeves.”
Mr Quickie is a son of Special Favour (General Nediym), who won up to 2200 metres, who is a daughter of the three-time Group 2 winner My Tusker (NZ) (Volksraad {GB}). The third dam is the multiple Group 1 winner Horlicks (NZ) (Three Legs {GB}), dam of the G1 Melbourne Cup winner Brew (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}).
Mr Quickie was a $115,000 yearling purchase from the Gold Coast Magic Millions Sale
The G1 Australian Derby and G1 Hill S. winner Fiumicino (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) and the G1 JJ Atkins S. winner Sacred Elixir (NZ) (Pour Moi {Ire}) also feature in a rich pedigree.
The filly Aliferous (Hinchinbrook) gave a strong account of herself by finding the line strongly for third ahead of the well-supported Nobu (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}).
