Corniche scores impressive Gold Coast Guineas win
Godolphin homebred Corniche (3 c Fastnet Rock – Montsegur by New Approach) snapped a long losing run when he took out Saturday’s Gold Coast Guineas (Gr 3, 1200m) at the Sunshine Coast.
The son of recently pensioned Coolmore stalwart Fastnet Rock (Danehill) had not tasted victory since he defeated subsequent Golden Slipper winner Shinzo (Snitzel) in the Skyline Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) in February last year.
However, the James Cummings-trained colt made a triumphant return to the winners’ enclosure on Saturday when he defeated Cifrado (Encryption) by 0.5 lengths. Celui (Toronado) was the same distance further back in third.
“He took a while to get through his gears which may have been the track, but he showed good tenacity late to come through the gap and fight to the end so it was a good effort,” said winning rider James McDonald.
Out of the Group 3-winning mare Montsegur (New Approach), Corniche is a brother to Pereille, who landed the first race on the Sunshine Coast card on Saturday. Montsegur is also the dam of Group 3-winner Heresy (Street Boss).
Montsegur is a half-sister to Group 3 scorer Tessera (Medaglia D’Oro) and Group 1 winner Paulele (Dawn Approach), who now stands at Darley’s Northwood Park base in Victoria.
In 2023, Montsegur produced a brother to Heresy and she was covered by multiple Group 1 winner Anamoe (Street Boss) last December.