Saturday summary: Historic clean sweep in Perth, Kah wins comeback Cup

9 min read
Owner-breeders Bob and Sandra Peters and trainers Grant and Alana Williams completed an unprecedented feat in Perth on Saturday, while top jockey Jamie Kah made a triumphant return in the Pakenham Cup.

Cover image courtesy of Western Racepix

Race-Day Recap

Victory in Saturday’s G1 Drummond Golf Kingston Town Classic at Ascot completed an unprecedented clean sweep of Perth’s Group 1 features for owner-breeders Bob and Sandra Peters and trainers Grant and Alana Williams.

But Saturday’s win came from an unexpected source, with Regal Power (Pierro) upstaging his stablemate Western Empire (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}).

Jamie Kah marked her comeback from a long suspension with a dominant win aboard Smokin’ Romans (NZ) (Ghibellines) in the Sportsbet Pakenham Cup.

Following the abandonment of Saturday’s eagerly anticipated meeting at Trentham, the G1 Captain Cook S. and G2 Wakefield Challenge S. have been rescheduled for Te Rapa next Saturday.

Tony Gollan had a spectacular day at Doomben, saddling four winners including a black-type treble with Tambo’s Mate (Mossman), Miami Fleiss (Spirit Of Boom) and Zoustyle (Zoustar).

Dark Destroyer (NZ) (Proisir) relished the rain-affected conditions and surged to victory in the G3 Mitchell Family Bonecrusher S. at Matamata.

Capitalist had a good day with three smart winners across three states.

Champion combination makes history in Perth

Saturday’s G1 Drummond Golf Kingston Town Classic at Ascot produced a slice of Perth racing history as Regal Power (Pierro) prevailed for owner-breeders Bob and Sandra Peters and trainers Grant and Alana Williams.

The all-conquering combination completed the first-ever clean sweep of Perth’s trio of Group 1 features in a season, having previously won the Railway S. with Western Empire (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) and last Saturday’s G1 Winterbottom S. with Graceful Girl (Nicconi).

Regal Power and connections after winning the G1 Kingston Town Classic | Image courtesy of Western Racepix

All eyes were on Western Empire again on Saturday as he started a $1.20 favourite to complete a Group 1 double of his own, but Regal Power was no ordinary second-stringer. Let rip by Patrick Carbery in the straight, he finished over the top of his stablemate for an emphatic victory.

Regal Power has now won eight of his 25 starts and more than $4 million in stakes, with previous highlights including the Railway S. in 2019 and the $5 million All-Star Mile at Caulfield in March of 2020.

Kah back in business

After spending most of the spring on the sidelines through suspension, top jockey Jamie Kah has quickly made her mark with a Listed Sportsbet Pakenham Cup triumph on the second day of her comeback.

Smokin' Romans (NZ) winning the Listed Pakenham Cup | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy

Kah was one of five jockeys handed a three-month ban for a breach of COVID-19 protocols in the early stages of this season. She returned to the saddle on Friday, and a day later guided Smokin’ Romans (NZ) (Ghibellines) to a commanding 2l triumph in Saturday’s $300,000 feature.

“It’s great – terrific to be back,” Kah said. “It’s amazing. I’ve missed it greatly. To come back and get a winner like that is very rewarding and I’m just happy to be back

“This just gives Ciaron (Maher) and Dave (Eustace) so much credit. This horse has been up so long, and I’ve never seen him look so good. He was amazing out there today and made my job easy and I got the spoils for it.

"This horse (Smokin' Romans) has been up so long, and I’ve never seen him look so good. He was amazing out there today and made my job easy and I got the spoils for it." - Jamie Kah

“He does it all himself. He could feel them coming, and he just quickened up when they got to him. He’s push-button – a really lovely stayer. He’s come through his grades perfectly. Well done to the team and the owners.”

Two out of three for White Robe stallions

Smokin’ Romans became the second Pakenham Cup winner in three years for the stallion lineup at White Robe Lodge, an esteemed thoroughbred nursery in the South Island of New Zealand owned by Brian and Lorraine Anderton.

Smokin’ Romans is by Ghibellines, while the 2019 Pakenham Cup winner Etah James (NZ) is a daughter of Raise The Flag (GB).

Smokin' Romans (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock

The Andertons also bred Smokin’ Romans, who is out of their homebred mare Inferno (NZ) (Yamanin Vital {NZ}) – the winner of 10 races including back-to-back editions of the G3 Canterbury Gold Cup. All of her three named foals have been winners.

Smokin’ Romans was offered by White Robe Lodge at the 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, where Darren Weir Racing bought him for NZ$52,500. He has now won seven of his 18 starts and more than $530,000 in stakes.

“This horse is an absolute legend,” co-trainer David Eustace said. “He’s been in work over a year and he just keeps turning up. He loves his racing and he’s just getting better and better. He’s a funny horse, he’s always had his quirks, but he was really, really good today. He got a lovely ride and he’s a favourite in the stable.”

"He (Smokin' Romans) loves his racing and he’s just getting better and better. He’s a funny horse, he’s always had his quirks, but he was really, really good today." - David Eustace

Ghibellines is now the sire of 29 winners from 81 runners, with three at stakes level. He also sired last month’s G2 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile winner Markus Aurelius (NZ). Himself the winner of the G2 Todman S. for Godolphin, Ghibellines stands for a service fee of NZ$5000 plus GST.

Trentham called off

The eagerly anticipated G1 Captain Cook S. meeting at Trentham on Saturday lasted for only one race.

After morning rain on a firm surface, Son Of Thunder (NZ) (Zebedee {GB}) slipped leaving the starting gates in the opening race on the card, while Ragazzo (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) blundered badly approaching the home turn.

Jockeys were unanimous that the slippery track conditions were unsafe for racing, and that the meeting should be abandoned.

Danielle Johnson guides Belardo Boy (NZ) to victory in the first race at Trentham | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk

Both of Saturday’s feature races have now been rescheduled for Te Rapa next Saturday. The weight-for-age Captain Cook S. had loomed as a particularly strong renewal with nine previous Group 1 performers among its 12-horse field, including last season’s G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas and G2 Hobartville S. winner Aegon (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}).

The G2 Wakefield Challenge S. drew an intriguing lineup of talented 2-year-olds, such as promising filly Wolverine (NZ) (Tivaci), whose debut victory at Otaki last month prompted Australian Bloodstock to purchase a 50 per cent share.

Gollan gold rush at Doomben

Super-talented sprinter Zoustyle (Zoustar) was the headline act in a special Saturday at Doomben for trainer Tony Gollan.

Zoustyle headed a Gollan quinella in the day’s feature race, the G3 TAB George Moore S., beating stablemate Baller (High Chaparral {Ire}) by 1.25l.

Zoustyle's connections after winning the G3 George Moore S. | Image courtesy of the Brisbane Racing Club

That was the ninth win in a 13-start career for Zoustyle, who has never been beaten in nine starts in Queensland and has now earned more than $575,000 in stakes for owner-breeders Desharon Bloodstock and Stableboard Bloodstock. This was his second stakes win, having previously captured the Listed Gold Edition Plate in 2018.

Zoustyle is making a highly successful comeback from injury, having spent more than 12 months on the sidelines after winning at the Gold Coast in September of last year. He resumed with a win at the Sunshine Coast on November 20, and now he has carried on that winning roll at Doomben.

“He is doing a great job,” Gollan said. “He broke the track record off that long lay-off at the Sunny Coast, and I always worry, when they produce that sort of run, then backing them up 14 days later. But he showed no concerns to us at home, and he just went out and did what he does well today.

Tony Gollan | Image courtesy of Gollan Racing

“He is a horse that is now relaxing so well in those mid stages. Stampe wanted to put a bit of pressure on him at the corner, but he was always going to be hard to run down.”

Zoustyle’s George Moore S. heroics completed a four-win day for Gollan, who saddled Capital Tower (Capitalist) to win the first race on the card before adding Listed successes with Tambo’s Mate (Mossman) in the Sky Racing Tattersall’s Recognition S. and Miami Fleiss (Spirit Of Boom) in the Eureka Stud Classic.

Dark Destroyer delivers

Talented 3-year-old Dark Destroyer (NZ) (Proisir) was expected to thrive in the deteriorating Matamata track conditions in Saturday’s G3 Mitchell Family Bonecrusher S., and despite a brief scare at the top of the straight, the gelding stuck to that script.

A superb maiden winner on a wet track at Taupo earlier in the spring, Dark Destroyer moved into $2.20 favouritism as persistent rain forced a series of track downgrades throughout Saturday afternoon.

Dark Destroyer (NZ) winning the G3 Bonecrusher S. | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk

Kept out wide on the track by jockey Sam Weatherley, Dark Destroyer was poised to pounce coming up to the home turn, but took a moment to respond when asked to quicken at the top of the straight.

Whiskey (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}) and La Bella Beals (Star Turn) kicked hard on the inside and threw down the gauntlet to the hot favourite, but Dark Destroyer worked through his gears and drew up alongside them, stretching out in the closing stages to score by 0.4l.

The seventh individual stakes winner for Rich Hill Stud stallion Proisir, Dark Destroyer was bred by WE Jeffries Ltd and was offered by Highline Thoroughbreds at the 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, where he failed to meet his NZ$30,000 reserve.

Dark Destroyer (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock

He has now had five starts for two wins and two placings for owners Archer Equine Investments Ltd. He finished third in the G2 Sarten Memorial at Te Rapa in late October, and his only time outside the placings was a fifth in last month’s G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas at Riccarton.

“That was good for the team and really good for David (Archer), we think he is a very nice horse,” said Lance O’Sullivan, who trains in partnership with Andrew Scott.

“Sam (Weatherley) was pretty complimentary of the horse and he actually said he felt with a set of blinkers he would be even better. I thought he showed a really good will to win on a tough track that meant the 1400 metres was probably more like a mile.

"I thought he (Dark Destroyer) showed a really good will to win on a tough track that meant the 1400 metres was probably more like a mile." - Lance O'Sullivan

“He holds a nomination for the New Zealand Derby, but we want to sit down and talk with David about what his thoughts are and we won’t be making any decisions until we’ve done that.”

Saturday Summary
Regal Power
Western Empire
G1 Kingston Town Classic
Jamie Kah
Pakenham Cup
Smokin' Romans
Tony Gollan
Zoustyle
Dark Destroyer
Lance O'Sullivan