Bell River’s Another Prophet springs surprise in Guineas
Brazen Beau filly hands all-conquering trainer Ciaron Maher a 50th Group 1 winner
Ciaron Maher’s remarkable spring continued when Another Prophet (Brazen Beau) proclaimed herself a top class filly with victory in Caulfield’s Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) on Saturday, handing the trainer his first win in the race and a 50th Group 1 success.
The daughter of Brazen Beau (I Am Invincible) was denied by the Chris Waller-trained Aeliana (Castelvecchio) last time in the Carbine Club Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) at Flemington, but put that three-length defeat firmly behind her to reverse the form in Saturday’s $1.5 million Classic.
The $31 chance held off Waller’s fast-finishing $3.20 favourite, crossing the line 0.4 lengths ahead of Aeliana under Ethan Brown, who was riding his fifth Group 1 winner and fourth for Maher. The 1,000 Guineas Prelude (Gr 2, 1400m) winner Too Darn Lizzie (Too Darn Hot) posted a game effort, another 1.61 lengths adrift in third.
We thought there was a little bit of improvement in her coming out of her last run and she actually ran a peak last start so that gave us the confidence going forward
In what was the second win of the filly’s seven-start career – her first since maiden victory at Sale in May – she became the 16th Group winner and fourth Group 1 winner this term for her stable, who achieved The Everest (Gr 1, 1200m) and Caulfield Cup (Gr 1, 2400m) across-the-card double courtesy of Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) and Duke De Sessa (Lope De Vega) on October 19. The trainer’s other elite-level win this season came courtesy of Southport Tycoon’s victory in the Manikato Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) at Moonee Valley in September.
“We thought there was a little bit of improvement in her coming out of her last run and she actually ran a peak last start so that gave us the confidence going forward,” said Maher.
“It was obviously a bit of a roll at the stumps but that was the science behind it. She’d thrived [since Flemington] and as I said going out, ‘I think we can win this’.
“[I was confident] the whole way. I was wanting her to drop her head after the first furlong or so. Once I saw her nose drop, I thought ‘we’re in business’.
“Just fantastic, Brownie. He’s a good mate, we’ve had some great wins together and hopefully there’s plenty more in store.
“The team has done a super job with her, just fantastic for the Ferguson family.
“They always said they were going to send me a good one. I bought a couple that were not so good, but how good for a family-run operation, I’m sure they’ll be thrilled.”
Ethan Brown said it all went to script.
“She’s always had good ability and certainly with the right trainer,” he said.
“I think she’s just progressed. She lobbed in a beautiful spot early, which I was a bit worried about. But as Ciaron said, once she dropped her head she travelled sweet and built into it beautifully and showed her true colours today.”
Another Prophet (3 f Brazen Beau – Set To Skelter by Reset) is part-owned and co-bred by the Ferguson Family’s Bell River Thoroughbreds and she is out of their winning mare Set To Skelter (Reset), making her a half-sister to Group 2 scorer Prophet’s Thumb (I Am Invincible) and More Prophets (Smart Missile), whose best of six wins came in Group 3 company.
Set To Skelter herself is out of stakes winner Miss Helterskelter (Brocco), whose best progeny was fellow stakes winner Module (Reset).
Another Prophet’s half-sister by Bivouac (Exceed And Excel) was bought by James Bester for $250,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale earlier this year. She produced a filly by Darley shuttler Harry Angel (Dark Angel) in September.
The day’s racing had plenty more in store for Maher as he quickly notched a 17th Group win courtesy of another three-year-old filly in the shape of Snitzanova (Snitzel), who bravely took out the Spring Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) at Newcastle.
Ridden by visiting Irish jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle, the filly entered the home bend wide and battled down the length of the straight to secure a 0.12-length win over the John Sargent-trained gelding French Ruler (Nicconi), with the closing Dame Commander (So You Think) just 0.45 lengths back in third.
Snitzanova (pictured below) was Browne McMonagle’s first Group winner in Australia, adding to the 20 he has ridden overseas.
The daughter of Arrowfield Stud stallion Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) made it back-to-back wins after breaking her maiden at Randwick-Kensington over 1400 metres on October 30.
“It’s a big step up to stakes company, but it probably wasn’t the strongest stakes race,” Maher’s assistant trainer Johann Gerard-Dubord told SKY Racing post-race.
“Although she had to do it tough – she was wide – Dylan didn’t panic. He kept her where she was comfortable. She is a filly that can travel a bit keenly, but she got into a nice rhythm and she was too tough late.
She is a filly that can travel a bit keenly, but she got into a nice rhythm and she was too tough late
“Now she is a stakes winner, I think she will have a break and she will come back much better next prep too.”
Snitzanova (3 f Snitzel – Albanilla by Galileo) was a $200,000 yearling purchase for owners Bennett Racing out of Arrowfield Stud’s draft at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
The filly is out of the unraced Galileo (Saddler’s Wells) mare Albanilla, who died in October last year. The mare’s final produce was the Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained two-year-old, Hiatus (Snitzel), a $350,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast purchase, who opened her account on debut over 900 metres at Murray Bridge on October 12.
Snitzanova becomes the tenth stakes winner sired by Snitzel since the beginning of the season, which sees him sit atop of the sires standings by this measure in Australia, five ahead of Zoustar (Northern Meteor), his nearest rival. Snitzel stands for a fee of $247,500 (inc GST).
She is the fifth filly to win the Spring Stakes since the race was moved from its former September timeslot to be added to The Hunter card six years ago.
