Derryn And Shoals Show Their Potential With Impressive Group Wins At Randwick
The Lindsay Park-trained Derryn settled back in tenth place in a 12-horse field in the Arrowfield 3YO Sprint (registered as the Royal Sovereign Stakes) (Gr 2, 1200m), following a good pace, before Mark Zahra took him to the centre of the track shortly after straightening.
After challenging strongly at the 100 metres, Derryn then proved too strong, going on to defeat the dual Group One–winning filly Global Glamour (Star Witness) by a length in a time of 1:12.67 on the Soft 7 track.
But it was Derryn’s sectional times that really impressed, especially his last 1000 metres, which was clocked in a fast (considering the conditions) 58.23, with his last 800 metres in 47.30, last 600 metres in 35.88 and last 400 metres in 24.02.
Derryn is raced in the colours of prominent Victorian owner Jonathan Munz and the colt’s win capped a memorable day for him having earlier taken out the Percy Sykes Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) with the two-year-old filly Shoals.
Trained by Lee and Anthony Freedman, Shoals is now unbeaten in three starts and she looks set for a bright career after beating a small but classy field of juvenile fillies.
Also ridden by Mark Zahra, Shoals was settled back in second last place, before improving from the 600 metres point.
After challenging at the 100 metres, Shoals fought gamely to score by the barest of margins from the Coolmore-raced Formality (Fastnet Rock) with the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained filly Serena Bay (Sebring) a very good third, a length further back.
Clocked from the 1000 metres (on a Heavy 8 track), Shoals ran 200 metre sections of 11.23, 11.77 (400m in 23.00), 11.98 (600m in 34.98), 11.90 (800m in 46.88) and 12.80 to give her a final 1000 metres in 59.68 – smart times in the conditions.
In the Fernhill Handicap (Listed, 1600m), the first race for two-year-olds over that distance of the season, the James Cummings-trained filly Whispered Secret (High Chaparral) showed her staying potential in securing a second win from four starts to date.
She settled in seventh place, but caught three wide, and continued to improve nearing the home turn (still deep), before getting to the lead at the 100 metres.
Whispered Secret then drew away to score a very solid win, scoring by one and a quarter lengths from the Godolphin-raced colt Toga Picta (Lonhro), clocking 61.95 (last 1000m), 48.83 (last 800m), 36.12 (last 600m) and 23.67 for her last 400 metres.
Another to impress was the fourth-placed Earth Angel (Animal Kingdom), a Lindsay Park-trained daughter of the multiple Group One winner Miss Finland (Redoute’s Choice), who was having only her second race start.
She settled near the tail of the ten-horse field and caught the eye, running on well for fourth, showing potential for longer distances than Saturday’s 1600 metre race.
Earth Angel was timed to run her last 1000 metres (on the Heavy 8 track) in 62.07, last 800 metres in 48.82, last 600 metres in 36.15 with her final 400 metres in 23.89. She looks to have the makings of a quality staying filly.
In the feature race, the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Winx yet again displayed her champion qualities with a brilliant five and a quarter length victory with dual Group One winner Hartnell (Authorized) back in second place.
The amazing mare has now won 17 races in succession since May 2015, the Queen Elizabeth Stakes being Winx’s 12th at Group One level which took her prize money to $12,893,425, earned from 27 starts to date.
She settled well in fifth place, behind a slow pace, before Hugh Bowman made his move nearing the 600 metres. Winx then raced effortlessly to the front at the 200 metres and then drew right away to score brilliantly in a moderate overall time of 2:07.22 on the Soft 7 track.
Winx was clocked to run her first 1000 metres in a steady 66.05 with the tempo of the race only increasing from that point with her closing sectional times being: 61.04 (last 1000m), 48.51 (last 800m), 36.52 (last 600m) with her final 400 metres in 24.61.
The Chris Waller-trained champion was subsequently spelled, scheduled to return for a spring campaign that is aimed at a third successive Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) at Moonee Valley in October.
In another of the features on the second and final day of The Championships, the New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) winning filly Bonneval (Makfi) stamped herself as a horse with Cups potential with an impressive staying performance in taking out the ATC Australian Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m).
After being settled well back in the 13-horse field by Hugh Bowman, Bonneval started a long run from the 700 metres, going to a distant fourth on straightening.
She only went to the front at the 100 metres, yet raced away to win by four a half lengths from the Ron Leemon-trained filly Perfect Rhyme (Poet’s Voice), who ran a great race for second, with the VRC Oaks (Gr 1, 2500m) winner Lasqueti Spirit (Beneteau) third after setting a fast mid-race tempo.
Bonneval was timed to run her first 1400 metres of the race in a moderate 1:34.36 (13.48 200m rate) with the pace coming into the race from that point after Lasqueti Spirit reached the lead.
That saw Bonneval clock a very good last 1000 metres (on the Soft 7 track) in 61.77 (12.35 200m rate).
The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained filly has now raced eight times for five wins and Bonneval clearly looks to have the ability to progress towards the Caulfield Cup (Gr 1, 2400m) in the spring.