Coolmore Stud Stakes looms for Bittercreek
A year and two days after being passed in at a breeze-up sale, Bittercreek (Snitzel) once again paid dividends to his owners’ stubbornness while continuing a powerhouse day for his sire in taking the Red Anchor Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Moonee Valley.
Bred by Belinda Bateman, Bittercreek was bought from Arrowfield’s Gold Coast Magic Millions Sale draft last year by Baystone Farm’s Dean Harvey and trainers Troy and Leon Corstens for considerably more than their usual spend, at $375,000.
The regally-bred half-brother to expensive Group-winning Fastnet Rock (Danehill) brothers Siege Of Quebec and Bull Point was then entered for the Magic Millions 2YOs In Training Sale last October, with a reserve commensurate with his bloodlines at $750,000.
Bidding reached $700,000, but Harvey and the Corstens stood firm and held their colt.
With mega owner Rupert Legh having since bought in, Bittercreek on Saturday won his second race from seven starts – and second Group 2 event – following Doomben’s Champagne Classic (Gr 2, 1200m) in May. His three placings include a second at the top level behind the outstanding Broadsiding in Eagle Farm’s JJ Atkins (Gr 1, 1600m).
Saturday’s sterling 0.75 length win – settling behind midfield for Ben Allen, storming the turn four-wide and pulling away from his six rivals in the straight – gave the promise he’ll just as easily fly past that snubbed Gold Coast reserve in his earnings, which have now hit $574,000.
Bittercreek also contributed to a stellar day for Arrowfield titan Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice).
At Randwick two hours later, the four-time champion sire claimed another Group 2 when Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s Prost won the Callander-Presnell (Gr 2, 1600m).
The 22-year-old Snitzel also took Sydney’s third two-year-old race of the season when the Godolphin homebred Comedy took the Kirkham Plate.
And back at Moonee Valley, Team Corstens and Snitzel raised another Group 2 when Baraqiel became the stallion’s 151st black type winner in the McEwen Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m).
Troy Corstens said he’d been nervous before the race following Bittercreek’s disappointing first-up seventh in Flemington’s Danehill Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m). That rattled plans for next Saturday’s Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m), and was the reason behind the colt starting the Red Anchor as an easing $7.50 chance.
But after Bittercreek’s Moonee Valley victory, which followed the addition of a tongue-tie, Corstens said it was all systems go for a quick back-up into the Coolmore. Bittercreek shortened to $18 for that stallion-maker with bookmakers on Saturday night.
“The only little thing that we’ve changed was the tongue tie,” Corstens said.
“I was absolutely gutted after his run in the Danehill because I thought he was an out-and-out Coolmore horse, and when he ran the way that he did, it just really floored me.
“I’ve never been so nervous with a horse like I was just before today. I don’t usually get too nervous, especially with a longer shot.
“(But) a hundred per cent, he’s backing up. We’ve always thought that he’s such a classy animal. He probably just needed that run.
“The timing might not be ideal, but he’s a three-year-old colt. He’s a strong boy. He’s really, really tough. And he’s going to take his place in the Coolmore.”
Allen was immensely impressed by the power of the victory.
“He was super,” the jockey said. “He stepped well and we ended up in a nice spot. The plan was to be a little bit closer, but he can be a bit casual, but I just love how he put them away today.
“He’s a bull. He’s very proud of himself. So I just tried to keep him switched on a bit, just to make the start a bit easier for him and myself. We ended up a pair further back, but he built into it nicely and he was too good.”
Godolphin gelding Pisces (Frosted) earned his first slice of black type by taking second at $5.50, so too Nick Ryan’s fourth-starter Winnasedge (Cliff’s Edge) in third at $8. Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald’s $3 favourite Bosustow (Blue Point) was a disappointing fourth, albeit over an unsuitably short 1200 metres.
Bittercreek is out of the Ian Smith-bred Rose Of Cimmaron (Bite The Bullet) – a Sydney city-winning sister to Mica’s Pride, a Group-winning dam of two Group 1 victors: the outstanding Criterion (Sebring) and Comin’ Through (Fastnet Rock).
The three-year-old is the last foal of the 20-year-old Rose Of Cimmaron, who’s been retired and is now a nanny mare at Arrowfield.