Electric Estriella on a Manikato mission
Progressive mare out to shine as the stars line up at The Valley
Having left The Valley with ‘a black eye’ after Estriella (I Am Invincible) finished fourth in the Moir Stakes (Gr 1, 1000m), owner Kevin Payne is convinced a fitter version of his electric mare will come out on top in Friday night’s mouthwatering renewal of the Manikato Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m).
Payne and his wife Vikki parted with $750,000 to secure the Arrowfield-bred filly at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, and everything she has done since then has vindicated their belief that they bagged a bargain that day.
In partnership with his long-term friend Kevin Kelly, Payne also handed Arrowfield $300,000 for another filly from their draft that week, with Tutta La Vitta (The Autumn Sun) subsequently bought by US businessman John Stewart’s Resolute Racing for more than ten times that fee when selling for $3.2 million at this year’s Inglis Chairman’s Sale.
Given that Estriella is by I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) and her dam Madrigals (Lonhro) is a sister to Pierro (Lonhro), her potential value as a broodmare prospect would be equally stratospheric if she were to add a Group 1 victory to an already impressive CV.
from barrier ten we should be able to get clean air and hopefully she can accelerate more powerfully than she did in the Moir
Payne is confident it is a matter of when, rather than if, she makes her breakthrough at racing’s highest level, and his belief is growing that Estriella will return to her brilliant best when she heads back to The Valley for its revamped Grand Final Eve program.
His confidence wasn’t dented after selecting barrier ten at Tuesday’s draw, particularly as it gives Blake Shinn the option to avoid an early speed battle and lay in wait before pouncing in the straight.
“At first I wasn’t too happy when I drew the barrier, but the more I analysed it the more I liked it,” Payne told ANZ Bloodstock News.
“Some horses drawn inside her probably won’t have any option but to go forward, which might not suit their racing pattern. Either that or they will have to ride for luck, which isn’t ideal in a 13-runner field at The Valley, whereas from barrier ten we should be able to get clean air and hopefully she can accelerate more powerfully than she did in the Moir.
“I must admit I thought she would win that race quite comfortably, so I came away with a bit of a black eye that night. Looking at her in the mounting yard, I could tell there was a fair bit of improvement to come and she just didn’t let down in the straight as well as we know she can.
“She was second at the 50-metre mark, so I would have expected her to win or finish top three at the very least given how electric her finish usually is. But I think you will see that turn of foot on Friday night. To my eye she looks a lot fitter and her coat has really come out, so all the signs are that she’s ready to run a massive race.”
Were she to down the likes of I Wish I Win (Savabeel) and Yulong’s boom colt Growing Empire (Zoustar), Payne fully expects his phone to be ringing off the hook with several slots still to be filled for The Everest (1200m).
However, whilst he has no doubt Estriella would be highly competitive in the world’s richest race on turf, given her two performances at Flemington earlier this year – which included an emphatic defeat of Lindsay Park’s smart sprinter Arkansaw Kid (Harry Angel) in the Sunlight Classic (Listed, 1100m) – Payne is of the view that she might be even better suited to the Champions Sprint (Gr 1, 1200m) on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
“We’ve already had some conversations around The Everest, but we wanted to get through the Moir, and particularly the Manikato, because if she didn’t perform up to her standards, I didn’t want anyone to be stuck with a horse they didn’t want,” he said.
“But The Everest isn’t the be all and end all, because there are plenty of other options for her including a Group 1 worth $3 million at Flemington [Champions Sprint]. I think that would suit her down to the ground, because she has proved that she loves racing down the Flemington straight.
“She’s still only very lightly raced, and I believe she’ll be an even better horse next year which is very exciting because I think she’s pretty special now.”
Just how special remains to be seen but, having experienced racing’s heady heights through his association with three-time Group 1 winner Hitotsu (Maurice), Payne is well equipped to judge equine excellence.
He certainly saw Estriella’s potential when he first clapped eyes on Lot 270 at the Inglis Riverside Stables precinct two years ago but, in light of her appearance and premium pedigree page, didn’t circle the filly in the sales brochure purely because he was convinced his budget wouldn’t stretch that far.
Needless to say, however, he was very happy to be wrong.
“I thought she would sell for well over $1 million, so when the bidding slowed down at half a million I was gobsmacked,” Payne said.
“I think I was cleaning my teeth in my room at the time, so I rushed down the stairs to the sales ring and told [Ciaron Maher Racing bloodstock manager] Will Bourne to put his hand up, because we were buying her.
“I couldn’t believe she went for three-quarters of a million, she’s out of a full-sister to Pierro so at the start of the week I didn’t really have it in my mind to buy her, because I honestly thought she would go for twice what we paid for her. So I knew I’d bought value, but obviously at that early stage we didn’t know to what extent.
“We also bought Tutta La Vita at the same sale, so it’s fair to say that was a pretty good week. She had been passed in, so we picked her up for $300,000 and sold her for more than $3 million at the Chairman’s Sale. She was an outstanding race mare for us and with a bit more luck she would have won at least one Group 1, but I do think Estriella has more brilliance.
“I would be surprised and even more disappointed if she didn’t win a Group 1 at some point in her career, and if she did then obviously she would become a very valuable broodmare. Hopefully we can get the first one on the board on Friday night, but it’s a strong field and as we know they don’t give them away.”
Estriella will form part of a four-pronged attack on the Manikato by Maher with stablemates Growing Empire, Southport Tycoon (Written Tycoon) and Recommendation (Shalaa) all set to line up.
Australian Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Southport Tycoon resumed last month, finishing fifth in the County Quality (Gr 3, 1200m) at Randwick, and the $20 chance will attempt a second Group 1 win from barrier three.
Five-year-old gelding Recommendation, rated a $12 chance, scored first-up this term when claiming the Vale Black Caviar Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) at Caulfield, and has since won an 800-metre trial at Cranbourne on September 16
The Manikato will be integral to the foreseeable plans for burgeoning three-year-old and $4.80 favourite Growing Empire.
“To have an opportunity at a Group 1 this early in his career is priceless and we’re obviously trying to make him a stallion,” Maher’s assistant Jack Turnbull said.
“He has rated very well and his best to date has him in line with what’s in this race. He’s got to take that step and it’s going to be high pressure, but he’s had experience here. It works well into his program as to where he may head after as the Coolmore [Stud Stakes] is his Grand Final, but The Everest is a possibility.”