Espiona delivers on talent to land Coolmore Classic thriller

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Espiona (4 m Extreme Choice – Dahooil by O’Reilly) fulfilled her elite-level potential in landing yesterday’s Coolmore Classic (Gr 1, 1500m) after a gripping three-way challenge for the winning post. 

The Chris Waller-trained and Star Thoroughbreds-owned Espiona burst onto the scene with a wide-margin display of brilliance when winning the Desirable Stakes (Listed, 1400m) at Flemington in November 2021, on what was her second career start, and was subsequently anointed the next queen of the turf after the performance rated highly with analysts. 

However, the filly earned just one victory in her next eight starts, including a well–beaten eighth-placed finish as the $3.10 favourite in last year’s Coolmore Classic, as such lofty ambitions had seemingly evaporated. But Espiona has returned this autumn with renewed gusto, and followed up a last-start victory in the Mannerism Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m) at Sandown with her maiden Group 1 success at Rosehill Gardens yesterday. 

Ridden by Mick Dee for the first time in her 12-start career, Espiona was settled in midfield, as Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) set an honest pace in the lead. 

The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained mare made her bid for home in the straight, but Espiona came with a powerful late run along the fence to deny her an all-the-way victory, winning by a nose, while Sheeza Belter (Gold Standard) just failed in her attempt to collar both rivals when charging on the outside, finishing third, a neck behind the winner.  

Waller admitted post-race that he had ‘lost faith’ in the mare after two indifferent campaigns, but was delighted to see Espiona deliver on her clear talent and claim a fifth career win. 

“We did lose faith in her a bit,” Waller said. “But that happens, that’s sport, but you don’t give up. 

“They retain their ability, you just have to find the key again. It’s super rewarding when you can turn their form around and win a big race like this.” 

Espiona becomes the third individual Group 1 winner for her flourishing Newgate sire Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt), who is operating at a stakes-winners-to-runners ratio of 14.1 per cent. 

Purchased by Star Thoroughbreds in conjunction with Brett Howard of Randwick Bloodstock Agency for $190,000, Espiona is the first foal out of the winning O’Reilly (Last Tycoon) mare Dahooil, herself a sister to Listed winner and Group 2 placegetter Bonny O’Reilly and a half-sister to Listed winner Pretty To Sea (Ocean Park). 

Torryburn Stud, who sold Espiona at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, will present a yearling colt by Capitalist (Written Tycoon) at the Inglis Easter sale next month. The colt is the final foal out of Dahooil, who died in September last year.

 

In Secret shows brilliance as three-year-olds dominate Newmarket

In Secret (3 f I Am Invincible – Eloping by Choisir) put an exclamation mark on her undoubted ability as she defeated a field of elite sprinters to claim the time-honoured Newmarket Handicap (Gr 1, 1200m) at Flemington.

The Godolphin-owned filly exploited a gap that presented itself in the closing stages of the straight six–furlong contest to launch clear and win by an untroubled length ahead of the closing Lofty Strike (Snitzel), who came home best of the smaller group of horses on the stands’ side. I Wish I Win (Savabeel), the $4.60 favourite and also on the nearside, finished a length and a quarter adrift of the winner in third. 

In Secret, who was stepping into open-age company for the first time in her nine-start career, earned her second Group 1 success down the Flemington straight, having landed the Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) in the spring. 

The filly was ridden by Dean Holland after booked rider Jamie Kah suffered injuries resulting from a fall in the VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) earlier on the card. Kah and fellow rider Craig Williams were taken to hospital after the incident, but initial scans have revealed no fractures or brain damage to Kah. Williams has suffered a broken collarbone. 

While In Secret became the fifth three-year-old filly in the last 25 years to win the Newmarket, joining the likes of Sunlight (Zoustar) and Alinghi (Encosta De Lago), Godolphin struck for their second Newmarket triumph in four years after the 2020 victory for Bivouac (Exceed And Excel). 

Trainer James Cummings’ first thoughts were with the stood-down rider, Kah. 

“We really feel for Jamie and we hope she’s alright and that’s the most important thing of all,” Cummings said. 

“Then you’ve got to press on. It’s a business trying to find who is available at 51.5 (kilos) and it’s not an easy thing because the Victorian limit weights have raised to 54 (kilograms) and it’s pretty rare for riders to regularly be available to ride at such a light weight.

“He’s a pretty bullish guy, he didn’t seem phased at all for any minute with me and he rode her accordingly. 

“I’ve got to give him credit for filling big shoes there and doing the job.” 

Cummings confirmed In Secret will next step up from Group 1 handicap conditions to weight-for-age and take on the TJ Smith Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) at Randwick on April 1. 

“She steps up to weight-for-age in three weeks against the best sprinters in the country, but she’s a very, very good horse and we’re grateful as a team to have her,” Cummings said. 

“For his Highness Sheikh Mohammed to win another Newmarket here – the second in the last four years – is a big result.”

In Secret was a $900,000 buy for Godolphin from the Segenhoe draft at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. She is out of dual Group 3 winner Eloping (Choisir), whose yearling filly by Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) was purchased by GW Racing Bloodstock and James Bester Bloodstock from the Longwood Thoroughbreds draft at this year’s Gold Coast sale. 

Eloping has a weanling filly by I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) and was placed back in foal to the Yarraman Park Stud stallion last year.