Saturday summary: Elleegant mare does it again, Sue delivers perfect birthday present

12 min read
Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) was again at her Group 1 best at Randwick while Sierra Sue (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) handed an emotional Daniel Moor the first top-flight riding success of his career on his 37th birthday, and Nash Rawiller was at his brilliant best claiming four wins at Randwick.

Race-Day Recap

Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) was again all class when she drove home to claim the G1 George Main S.

Sierra Sue (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) had no luck at her previous start and turned her fortunes around in the G1 Sir Rupert Clarke S., while Callsign Mav (NZ) (Atlante) claims back to back G1 Tarzino Trophys at Hastings

Four Moves Ahead (Snitzel) bags another Group 2 title in the Tea Rose S. for the Sydney 3-year-old fillies, while in Melbourne, Bon’s A Pearla (Bon Hoffa) handles a rise in class with aplomb to land the G2 Thousand Guineas Prelude.

Top sprinter Eduardo (Host {Chi}) makes a statement ahead of The TAB Everest with victory in the G2 The Shorts.

Lightsaber (Zoustar) appreciated a step up in trip when he returned to his best form in the G3 Ned Caulfield Guineas Prelude.

NZ syndicator Go Racing celebrates black-type victories with Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel) at Randwick and Art De Triomphe (NZ) (Vadamos {Fr}) at Riccarton.

Class rises to top again

Trainer Chris Waller was again left to marvel at the class and determination of his star mare Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) at Randwick where she collected her ninth Group 1 title with victory in the George Main S.

Verry Elleegant looked in a touch of trouble with 250 metres to run when Riodini (NZ) (Proisir) had a good break, but the mare pinned her ears back and charged home along the fence to nail the pacemaker.

Verry Elleegant (rep and blue cap)

“She’s just a very good horse, it’s as simple as that. The team do a wonderful job with her and it’s an honour to train a horse like her,” Waller said. “She has strengthened as an older mare and mentally she is a lot better as well.

“At the half-mile, she was cruising and then she had to dig really deep in that last 200 and that’s what horse like Verry Elleegant do.”

The G1 Cox Plate is top of the spring wish list, but Waller has yet to lock in her path to the weight-for-age championship.

“I’ve yet to decide on her next run. It could be the Hill S. in two weeks, or it could be the Turnbull S. into the Cox Plate,” he said.

Riodini was game in defeat and profiles well as a G1 Epsom H. contender while Think It Over (So You Think {NZ}) is a genuine customer and again ran well to finish a close third.

Dream day for Moor

Sierra Sue (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) brought rider Daniel Moor to tears when she provided him with his first Group 1 success when they jelled magnificently to win the Neds Sir Rupert Clarke S. at Caulfield.

Emotions understandably got the better of Moor as he reined the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained mare back to scale.

Sierra Sue (NZ) | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy

“It’s a life’s work here and there’s so many people to thank. You watch people win good races and get emotional and you can think they are softies, but it hit me. I’m so proud of the mare,” Moor said.

Moor was having his first ride on Sierra Sue and he had another major reason to celebrate, as Busuttin alluded to after the race.

“It was fantastic, Daniel doesn’t say much and is a quiet guy, but it’s his first Group 1 and a great birthday (37th) present for him. I’m sure his family are rapt for him,” he said.

Sierra Sue has been in terrific form this preparation and three runs back won the G2 Lawrence S. before she was a luckless seventh in the G2 Feehan S.

“If she got a break and won she would have carried a couple more kilos today and may not have won. She’s doing plenty of racing, but she’s copping it so we may look at the G1 Empire Rose S.," Busuttin said.

Mav doubles up in Tarzino

Callsign Mav (NZ) (Atlante) earned a gold star for bravery when he produced the most tenacious of displays to win the G1 Tarzino Trophy at Hastings for a second time.

The John Bary-trained gelding had caused a major boilover in 2020 when he scored at odds of 80-1, but with the scratching of the pre-post favourite Avantage (Fastnet Rock) on Friday, he was sent out favourite.

Rider Jonathan Riddell took Callsign Mav to the front to set a solid clip and he stuck grimly to his task to hold the challenge of Spring Tide (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) at bay by 0.2l.

“He worked overtime to get there and they never made it easy for him,” said Bary, who also owns a share in the horse. “It’s a big thank you to the owners, who let me do what I wanted to do with this horse last season and to the staff at home.

“They never left him alone and he had to do it at both ends of the race. He’s a different horse now though, bigger and stronger and we got it done today.”

Bary said Callsign Mav would be back in a fortnight to contest the G1 Windsor Park Stud S. before continuing on a path to the G1 Cox Plate.

“We will be here in two more weeks, for another Group 1,” he said. “Hopefully, he can keep moving forward and it will be off to the Cox Plate after that.”

Filly moves stylishly ahead

Four Moves Ahead (Snitzel) relished the rain-affected going at Randwick to return to her best form and a confidence-boosting victory in the G2 Darley Tea Rose S. to take her to greater heights in the near future.

The filly was an outstanding 2-year-old, winning the G2 Sweet Embrace S. and finishing fourth in the G1 Golden Slipper S. on an interrupted preparation.

Four Moves Ahead was third in the G2 Silver Shadow S. in her 3-year-old debut and was then fifth in the G2 Furious S. and both runs that pleased trainer John Sargent.

Four Moves Ahead | Image courtesy of Sportpix

“She didn’t have all that much luck, but I’m not making excuses. The rain helped her today and she’s on an upward plane to be peaking for the G1 Flight S. – that’s the one we want,” he said.

“It’s great to see her back in winning form so it’s onwards and upwards with her.”

Four Moves Ahead sat in behind the leading pair under Nash Rawiller and proved too strong in the closing 100 metres for Swift Witness (Star Witness) and Mallory (Not A Single Doubt). A subsequent inquiry revered those minor placings.

“She loved the ground out there and she really dug deep for me. She’s a really good filly,” Rawiller said.

Eduardo too tough

Eduardo (Host {Chi}) returned a flawless dress rehearsal for The TAB Everest when he got the better of Nature Strip (Nicconi) in the G2 The Shorts at Randwick.

The Joe Pride-trained Eduardo was resuming in the Bowermans Commercial Furniture-sponsored dash and posted a result for Arrowfield Stud to celebrate as John Messara recently locked the chestnut speedster in as their Everest representative.

The 8-year-old led early before Nature Strip came up underneath him for rider James McDonald to lead, but when the pressure went on late in the straight it was Eduardo and Nash Rawiller who had the final say.

“It was a great effort by Joe to have the horse pull out a race like this. He was magnificent in the last 100 metres, he was very strong late,” Rawiller said.

“He can be right in The Everest. I probably did the wrong thing in jumping off him last year, but he’s a different horse now.”

Nature Strip has retained favouritism for The Everest at $4.60 with Eduardo shortening from $13 to $7.

Pearler of a filly

Bon’s A Pearla (Bon Hoffa) handed comeback jockey Jason Maskiell an outstanding result when they powered to victory in the G2 Off The Track Community Thousand Guineas Prelude at Caulfield.

Trained by Kevin Corstens, she was coming off a Sandown maiden success and was at long odds on Saturday but Maskiell was far from surprised.

Bon's A Pearla | Image courtesy of Sportspix

“Kevin has given me a lot of support and I’ve really liked this filly, even before she went to the races. She picked up so strongly in the straight and it’s a great thrill, it’s my best result since coming back,” Maskiell said.

He has battled his way back from addiction issues and said he was grateful for the backing of Corstens.

Bon’s A Pearla settled behind the leading division and she unwound strongly to down the favourite Heresy (Street Boss {USA}), who fought on well after racing three-wide from a wide gate, and Elusive Express (NZ) (Jakkalberry {Ire}) got home well from the tail of the field for third.

Go Racing in heaven

Albert Bosma’s syndication company Go Racing enjoyed a stunning 40-minute spell with three winners, both at home and away, in the space of 40 minutes and collected two black-type titles.

Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel) reigned supreme in the G3 Bill Ritchie H. at Randwick and Art De Triomphe (NZ) (Vadamos {Fr}) was successful in the Listed NZ Bloodstock Canterbury Belle S.

Go Racing’s Hasabro (NZ) (Savabeel), a brother to its G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas winner Hasahalo (NZ), had kicked off the treble earlier when he earlier won on the Riccarton undercard.

“It’s fair to say there is a nice bottle of red to celebrate with later on this evening after what has just happened,” Bosma said.

“You plan for things like this and hope they come off, but it’s not often they do."

Atishu was making her second start for Waller after two stakes wins for Stephen Marsh and she has now earned the golden ticket into the G1 Epsom H.

“I really liked the way she fought her way to the line today. She’ll get into the Epsom with a lightweight and the rough Randwick mile will really suit her,” Waller said.

Atishu kept the leaders in sight and when rider Tim Clark asked her a serious effort she knuckled down to her task to account for Looks Like Elvis (All American). It was a winning performance that saw her Epsom odds cut from $20 to $13.

Lightsaber back in business

Lightsaber (Zoustar) boosted his prospects for an upcoming Group 1 feature when he returned to his best in the G3 Neds Caulfield Guineas Prelude.

With two lead-up runs under his belt, last season’s G2 VRC Sires’ Produce S. winner bounced back to his top form for trainer Peter Moody and jockey Luke Nolen.

Lightsaber coasted along in second spot to the turn and took control of the race 200 metres from home and stayed on strongly to beat Brigantine (Astern) and the front-runner Military Expert (Redoute’s Choice).

“It was a good performance and he’s not screwed right down yet. He came back to me nicely and going to a mile in the G1 Caulfield Guineas doesn’t worry me,” Nolen said.

“It’s three weeks to his grand final and he will be right for that.”

The Guineas Prelude-favourite Alpine Edge (Better Than Ready) raced in the trail and rider Craig Williams was unable to get the colt into clear air and finished a luckless fourth.

Distance just Ideel for mare

She’s Ideel (Dundeel {NZ}) moved up to a distance she is more familiar with in the G3 TAB Kingston Town S. and duly obliged to add further momentum to her spring campaign.

The Bjorn Baker-trained mare placed in the G1 Tancred S. last season before she finished fourth in the G1 Sydney Cup and the ultimate distance is again in the sights of connections and a crack at the G1 Melbourne Cup.

Bjorn Baker

She’s Ideel was ridden by Jason Collett and they had little trouble justifying their favouritism with a 1.3l defeat of Montefilia (Kermadec {NZ}). She turned in a solid performance off the back of her resuming run in the G2 Chelmsford S.

The free-going Entente (Dundeel {NZ}) gave a bold sight and kicked on well for third ahead of Zeyrek (Fr) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who turned in the best run of his fledgling Australian career after relocating from France.

In-form Bellacontte heading south

Bellacontte (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}) added further black type to her burgeoning record when she drove home along the fence to claim the G3 Hawke’s Bay Breeders’ Gold Trail S. at Hastings.

The Chrissy Bambry-trained filly had opened her winning account at her previous start in the Listed O’Leary’s Fillies’ S. at Wanganui and the bar will continue to be lifted for the 3-year-old through the spring.

She holds a nomination for the G1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas at Riccarton and Bambry confirmed Bellacontte had earned herself a trip south.

“She is just the coolest filly to do anything with and to beat a field that that was pretty special. Her coat is still coming through as well, she just loves being a racehorse,” Bambry said.

Bellacontte is out of the Tavistock (NZ) mare Devon Doll (NZ), who recently tested positive to Windsor Park Stud newcomer Circus Maximus (Ire).

Devon Doll is from a well-performed family that includes the multiple Group 1 winner Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel) and the three-time Group 2 winner and sire Ocean Emperor (NZ).

Four for Nash, three for Savabeel

Nash Rawiller delivered four winners in a riding masterclass at Randwick on Saturday, while Waikato Stud stallion Savabeel produced a sterling three-peat at the same venue.

Rawiller's winning-run kicked off with a victory in the second event on Kiss The Bride (NZ) (Savabeel), then continued in the fourth race with another by the same sire, Savabeel, the Richard and Michael Freedman-trained runner High Supremacy (NZ).

Savabeel then delivered another winner with the smart filly Atishu delivering her third stakes victory, and while not partnered by Rawiller, he didn't take a long spell; next up was his first Group victory of the day with a win in the G2 Tea Rose S.

Four Moves Ahead's win partnered with Rawiller was followed by a brilliant victory in Race 8 aboard Eduardo.

Verry Elleegant
Sierra Sue
Daniel Moor
Callsign Mav
Four Moves Ahead
Eduardo
Bon's A Pearla
Go Racing
Bellacontte
She's Ideel
Lightsaber