Golden Slipper awaits for Profiteer after Inglis Millennium romp
Newgate Farm’s new acquisition takes rich feature as Capitalist jumps to head of first season sire and two-year-old tables
A highly–anticipated clash between star juveniles Profiteer (Capitalist) and Enthaar (Written Tycoon) is likely to be on ice until next month’s Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m), with Profiteer set to bypass the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) after his exceptional win in yesterday’s $2 million Inglis Millennium (RL, 1100m) at Randwick.
On the back of a big Flemington win in December at his first start, in which he finished just 0.65 seconds outside the 1100-metre track record, the Mick Price and Michael Kent jnr-trained Profiteer (2 c Capitalist – Athena Lass by Snitzel) was acquired midweek by Newgate Farm, joining Roll The Dice Racing in the ownership. That decision by Newgate supremo Henry Field paid off handsomely at start two as Profiteer produced arguably the two-year-old win of the season.
Sent out as the $1.75 favourite, Profiteer bounced straight to the lead from gate five. The son of Newgate Farm resident Capitalist (Written Tycoon) was ridden with confidence by Hugh Bowman, who allowed his mount to record some blistering sectionals in front.
From the 1000 metres to the 600 metres, Profiteer recorded a 21-second split; fast for a genuine Group 1 sprinter, let alone a two-year-old having his second start.
By the 400 metres, the colt had established a four-length break on his rivals, demonstrating his superior cruising speed. However, even his most ardent fans would have had concerns that he had simply done too much, too soon.
Approaching the Randwick rise, second favourite Ashema (I Am Invincible) had closed the gap to two lengths and for a moment, it appeared that Profiteer was set to be challenged in a matter of strides. It was only a fleeting moment, though, for Ashema came under a heavy drive from Tommy Berry while Bowman sat statuesque on Profiteer.
A flick of the whip and a shake of the reins later, Profiteer strode clear. Far from fatigued from his lightning-quick first 500 metres, he had instead broken the hearts of his rivals. Ridden out to the line, the chestnut had five and a quarter lengths on his nearest pursuer, 100-1 hope Baranof (Hinchinbrook), with a head back to Pegasi (Star Turn) in third.
Three of the first four across the line were by first season sires, with Nice For What (Shalaa) closing into fourth.
Price has had his fair share of top two-year-olds, including Newgate Farm stallions Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) and Flying Artie (Artie Schiller) as well as the likes of Samaready (More Than Ready), Seabrook (Hinchinbrook) and Perfectly Ready (More Than Ready). While he entered yesterday’s contest confident, he admits that there were a few moments of doubt mid-race.
“I’ve watched a lot of good two-year-olds and I was hoping,” he said. “It was worth $2 million, how could you not head here? I must say I was a bit concerned though when the sectionals came up and he was breaking 11 seconds. I did think to myself in all those races where they break 11, the query is whether they finish off. But I thought he was still brilliant.
“Look, these two-year-olds don’t hold up forever. You can’t ask them to go and go and you don’t know how much petrol is in the tank after today but you saw the horse and how brilliant he was.”
While the initial plan was a return to Melbourne for the Blue Diamond on his home track at Caulfield, Price is inclined to leave the colt in Sydney and head straight for the Golden Slipper instead.
“He’s just got to win the Slipper, doesn’t he?” Price mused. “You’ve got to win the Slipper. And I think it would be very difficult with what we’ve done with him to take him back to Melbourne for the Blue Diamond Stakes. It’s only two weeks away and it would then be four weeks to the Golden Slipper.
“You’ve got your horse up here, more or less set for today. I have a concern in the back of my head that if we take him back to Melbourne and then bring him back there, how much horse are you using? I think we have to pick between the two races and if I had to have a pick now, it would be the Golden Slipper.”
Earlier this season, Bowman was suspended for failing to give last season’s champion two-year-old Farnan (Not A Single Doubt) every possible chance to win the Run To The Rose (Gr 2, 1200m). That day, he adopted similar tactics to his ride on Profiteer and, while the suspension was overturned, it was still at the forefront of his mind yesterday.
“I hope I don’t get booked for speeding today,” Bowman said drily. “I would’ve thought he was going very fast in the middle stages and even before the 600-metre mark, in the middle stages, he wanted to go with me.
“If anything I think I’d like him to harness that energy a little bit more mid-race, especially as he steps up against one, better horses and two, a little bit further. But I think on what we saw today, the world is his oyster as far as two-year-old racing goes and he’s probably the benchmark this season so far.
“He’s just got that natural athleticism that good two-year-olds possess. By a great sire in Capitalist, who was a champion two–year–old himself of course, he just brings it all to the table. He’s certainly got an exciting six months ahead of him and he can only improve on that too I’d think.”
Purchased for $165,000 from the Newgate Farm draft at last year’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Profiteer is the first stakes winner for the stud’s freshman sire Capitalist (Written Tycoon), who landed the Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) – Golden Slipper double in 2016.
Capitalist is just the second of the first season sires to produce a stakes winner, joining Arrowfield Stud’s Shalaa (I Am Invincible). Yesterday’s win for Profiteer also took Capitalist past Shalaa on both the top first season sire and the leading two-year-old sire tables, ensuring it was a profitable day for Newgate Farm all around.
Profiteer is the first foal out of Athena Lass (Snitzel), who finished third to I Am A Star (I Am Invincible) in the 2016 Quezette Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m).
Athena Lass herself is a half-sister to stakes winner Euryale (Lonhro), with both out of Meduesa (Fusaichi Pegasus), a daughter of Group 1 winner Danglissa (Danzero).
Profiteer is a traditional Australian two-year-old with mostly colonial roots, with his family tracing back to Elsie (St Simon), who was imported from the UK in the early 1890s. Elsie’s daughter Red Streak (Wallace) and granddaughter Redshank (Thrice) both won the VRC Oaks, with Profiteer tracing from that line.
The most notable aspect in his lineage is the presence of Dark Jewel (Star Kingdom), who herself produced a Golden Slipper winner in Baguette (Rego) among three Group 1 winners. A terrific blue hen, she continues to make her influence felt to this day.
Athena Lass has a yearling sister to Profiteer who was sold for $375,000 to Laurel Oak Bloodstock at last month’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, while she produced another filly by I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) last year and is back in foal to the Yarraman Park stallion this year.
Godolphin to lead Diamond charge against Enthaar
With Profiteer likely to skip the Blue Diamond Stakes, yesterday’s two Blue Diamond Preludes at Caulfield were critical in uncovering any potential challengers to unbeaten filly Enthaar, who remains a $2.30 favourite for the $1.5 million feature.
And while Godolphin may have only won one of the two lead-ups, with Arcaded (2 f Street Boss – Gloriette by Lonhro) an impressive winner of the Blue Diamond Prelude (Fillies) (Gr 2, 1100m), they are left with two top contenders after Anamoe (Street Boss) just fell short of catching General Beau (2 c Brazen Beau – Phosphorescence by Lonhro) in the Blue Diamond Prelude (Colts & Geldings) (Gr 3, 1100m).
The fillies were first to take to the track with Arcaded a $2.70 favourite on the strength of her runaway midweek win at Caulfield last month. Ridden patiently midfield by Damian Lane, the James Cummings-trained filly arrived quickly on the scene, dashing away for a two and a half–length success over Scorched Earth (Nicconi). Wolves (Wolf Cry) boxed on for third, a further length and three-quarters away.
“Two starts, two wins now and she’s attacked the line like a really good filly,” said Godolphin’s Melbourne representative Sean Keogh. “There are no doubts in our minds at the moment that she will see out a strong 1200 metres.
“Once again Damian got into a lovely rhythm and flow through the race with this filly so he was able to unleash that punch that she has. She put them away in good style. She has a bit of a tricky side to her but for the most part she’s pretty good.
“She’s got that bit of stuff in here to show that she’s a good horse and she doesn’t mind letting you know.”
Lane was impressed with the improvement that Arcaded showed and hopes that he may be able to retain the ride in two weeks.
“That’s what you want to see from the two-year-olds at this time of year,” he said. “You want them to take another step forward and she certainly did that today.
“She’s a very unassuming character. She just goes about her business pretty quiet but once the barriers open she’s all business. She jumped a bit better today and I was able to be tactical with her and all good signs going forward.
“The way she ran out the 1100 metres today I wouldn’t think the 1200 (metres) would be a concern. She’s going to meet stiffer competition there but she’s up for the challenge. She’s going the right way so we’ll see after the rest of the day.”
Arcaded became the 45th individual stakes winner for Street Boss (Street Cry), who is enjoying a purple patch this year, particularly with his two-year-olds. Arcaded became his first Group 2-winning juvenile in Australia, with Hanseatic and Tris both Group 3 winners. However, Hanseatic and Street Rapper, who raced in Hong Kong as Rapper Dragon, were both placed at Group 1 level.
Arcaded is the first foal out of Gloriette (Lonhro), who finished third in the 2015 Maribyrnong Plate (Gr 3, 1000m). Gloriette herself is out of Group 3 winner Viennese (Redoute’s Choice), a sister to Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) and a three-quarter sister to Hinchinbrook (Fastnet Rock).
The strength of Arcaded’s win saw her firm into $13 for the Blue Diamond, on the fifth line of betting.
A race later, General Beau became the fourth horse in the last five years to complete the Blue Diamond Preview (Colts & Geldings) (Listed, 1000m) and Prelude double, joining Property (Starcraft), I Am Immortal (I Am Invincible) and Hanseatic.
The unassuming General Beau left his Preview rival Extreme Warrior (Extreme Choice) behind upon straightening and did just enough to hold off Anamoe in the tightest of finishes. The highly-touted Jigsaw (Manhattan Rain), a big winner over another Blue Diamond contender in Artorius (Flying Artie) at start one, finished third, a length and a quarter behind the runner-up.
While the Preview-Prelude double is fairly common, the Preview-Prelude-Blue Diamond treble is far more elusive, with only Sepoy (Elusive Quality) and Bel Esprit (Royal Academy) able to win all three races.
The Mat Ellerton and Simon Zahra-trained General Beau is likely to be given his chance to join that pair, although owner David Moodie will have to stump up a late-entry fee. Moodie is renowned for not paying early nomination fees, instead allowing his horses to prove they have earned their spot in any given race.
The late-entry fee is $55,000 and will need to be paid by next Monday.
“We’ll have that conversation during the week and see how he pulls up,” Ellerton said. “He was very good today. I thought he might’ve been in behind the speed, but he ended up sharing the lead. He’s a horse that can float a bit. He’s probably got a bit tired in the end, too.
Rider Jamie Kah added: “When I saw the (camera) car kept pulling up towards Ollie (Damien Oliver on Anamoe) I thought ‘damn it’. I’d really thought I’d got it, so coming back, I was relieved to see that I did.
“He just needs pace because he’s got so much left and he was just idling and pricking his ears. I’d love for them to push on to the Diamond. I think they’ll get what they need, they’ll get some pace and I think he’ll be a different horse chasing. I still think he’s got a lot more to give and he’s just doing enough at the minute.”
Bred and raced by David and Jenny Moodie’s Contract Racing, General Beau comes from one of the operation’s most prolific families with a number of familiar horses among his close relatives.
Third dam Palace Glow (Palace Music) was stakes-placed, producing both Nediym’s Glow (General Nediym) and the Group 1-placed Red Colossus (Testa Rossa) as well as the unraced Royal Glow (King’s Best), who herself produced Danehill Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) winner Kinglike (Exceed And Excel) and Manfred Stakes (Listed, 1200m) victor Royal Haunt (Hard Spun).
General Beau’s dam, Phosphorescence (Lonhro), has produced four foals to race for two winners. She has a Nicconi (Bianconi) yearling filly, a Shamus Award (Snitzel) colt foal and was served once more by Brazen Beau (I Am Invincible) in October.
Following yesterday’s races, General Beau held his position as an $11 fourth favourite for the Blue Diamond. Anamoe is now into $9 with only Enthaar and the unlikely Profiteer ahead of him.
First Group 1 win for Spain as Avalon prevails
It may not have been the strongest running of the C F Orr Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m), but Zac Spain is unlikely to let that worry him after he partnered Streets Of Avalon (6 g Magnus – Kamuniak by Black Minnaloushe) to victory in the time-honoured feature yesterday.
The 24-year-old was having just his tenth ride at the highest level, but there was little sign of inexperience as he guided the Shane Nichols-trained Streets Of Avalon with aplomb.
Making the most of his mount’s tremendous will to win and his tenacity, as well as the fact the six-year-old had race fitness on his side after taking the Australia Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) a couple of weeks ago, Spain punched Streets Of Avalon to a half-length victory over Imaging (Oasis Dream) with three-year-old Crosshaven (Smart Missile) a further two and a quarter lengths away in third.
“I don’t think it has sunk in yet,” an excitable Spain said. “I celebrated a bit after the line and was calling out a fair bit. He’s just been a super horse to me. Career changing, really. He was my first Listed winner, then Group 2 and now a Group 1. I can’t thank Shane, Phil Warren and the whole ownership group enough. They’ve stuck strong with me and to repay them with a Group 1 win is fantastic.
“Hopefully Mum and Dad were watching. They’d be shedding a few tears. I hope I made them proud and even my two brothers, Johnno and Adrian, they’d have been watching. I’m just so overwhelmed.
“It’s so hard and competitive in Melbourne. So hard. It’s just all about opportunities. I don’t ride in town much but when you ride these good horses in town you need to capitalise and to get the job done is fantastic.”
Spain continued: “I was 15 when I had my first ride on a horse and I learnt how to ride at TAFE in South Australia. I appreciate everyone that has been behind me from then right through to today. Especially my manager, Dave (Barry), and Winksy (James Winks) – he’s on board now as well. I’ve just found that having Winksy as a mentor I’ve kept stepping up and going to that next level. I just can’t thank everyone enough behind the scenes.”
Nichols had originally planned to send Streets Of Avalon straight to the Futurity Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m), a race he won last year, but instead opted for the Orr with tremendous results.
“The heart was racing,” he said. “I gave the heart a test and it came through in flying colours. I don’t know whether mine works as good as his (Streets Of Avalon) but when Imaging came to him I thought we were in a bit of strife but he just came again. He found and was holding the other horse on the line. It was a remarkable performance by a tough horse.
“I’m in admiration of this horse. He’s a warrior. For a horse that has had as many runs as he’s had to still be fronting up winning Group 1s is a remarkable performance. Not only from the team at home but also the track at Mornington. They present up great stuff and it enables us to keep this horse sound.
“He’s racing well. I’m beside himself. I was pretty emotional after the Australia Stakes and now I’m just pumped.”
Streets Of Avalon is one of four Group 1 winners and 22 individual stakes winners for the ever-reliable Magnus (Flying Spur).
His dam Kamuniak (Black Minnaloushe), an unplaced sister to champion New Zealand two-year-old Jokers Wild, missed to Magnus in 2019 but produced a colt by the Sun Stud stallion in 2020. She was again served by Magnus in September.
Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) winner Sir Dragonet (Galileo) started $2.70 favourite in a market that confounded many ratings experts, especially given he had given no indications that he would have the speed to prevail at 1400 metres. Off the bit before the turn, he plugged home dourly to finish seventh of the nine runners, ten lengths from the winner.
“I was surprised when the sprint came on, he came off the bridle a bit,” rider Glen Boss said. “He was very dour with me. But we’ve learnt a valuable lesson today. He’s obviously going to be better on soft ground but I’m not going to blame the track at all. The track is in great condition and his action was fine.
“We just found that he hasn’t got the speed to win over seven (furlongs).”
Stellar day for So You Think as Rocket takes Sprint
Few stallions can boast a single day in which they have two stakes winners, a stakes runner-up and winners across three states and four tracks, but that was So You Think’s (High Chaparral) achievement yesterday as he brought up winning doubles at Caulfield and Randwick as well as a winner each at Eagle Farm and the Gold Coast.
In total, the Coolmore stallion had 17 starters across Australia yesterday for six winners. Among them were Autumn Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) victor Poland (3 c ex Sun Song by Desert Sun); the returning Peltzer (3 c ex Miss Otto by Elusive Quality), triumphant in the Eskimo Prince Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m); and Rocketing By (3 c ex Across The Moon by Stratum), who made the leap from a Nowra Class 1 to a seven-figure feature in three starts when taking out the $1 million Inglis Sprint (1200m) at Randwick.
Rocketing By, a $22,000 purchase by trainer David Pfieffer and Ferguson Bloodstock from the Middlebrook Valley Lodge draft at the 2019 Inglis Scone Yearling Sale, took his earnings to $722,115 with his fairytale win over last year’s Inglis Millennium winner Prime Star (Starspangledbanner), Golden Rose Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) and Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) hero Ole Kirk (Written Tycoon) and dominant Sydney filly Dame Giselle (I Am Invincible).
The colt was cheered home by a large group of owners and by an emotional Pfieffer. The trainer struggled to keep his emotions in check post-race, reflecting on an incident in which a stable trackwork rider suffered a serious injury during the week.
“It’s been a bit of an emotional week so it helps a bit,” he said. “It’s outstanding. We’ve got a horse who’s in great form and he got a beautiful ride with a very vocal team of owners. I don’t know how many there are and I don’t want to know. They’re boisterous and a lot of fun and if I can guarantee one thing, it’s that they’ll have one heck of a night tonight.
“It’s great for the game, it’s great for the stable. Great for all the team at home. Every good win is a great win. Sometimes they are few and far between. You really appreciate them when they come. It’s great for the team.”
He continued: “The X-rays weren’t presented at the sale so as a result of that we got a So You Think colt for $22,000. I took him home, gave him a few months in the paddock and then got him X-rayed myself and he was perfect.
“Look at him now – he’s a proper horse. He’s won almost $750,000, today he’s beaten a colt worth tens of millions of dollars and one of the best fillies in the land and he’s done it convincingly.”
Middlebrook Valley Lodge offered the colt on behalf of Segenhoe Stud and Middlebrook’s Verna Metcalfe could be heard from miles around at Riverside Stables yesterday ahead of today’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
“This is so great for Middlebrook, it’s so good to win a big Inglis race and I just couldn’t be any happier,’’ Metcalfe said.
“I want to give credit to Peter O’Brien at Segenhoe, he’s been a huge supporter of ours for a long time so I’m just thrilled for him and his team as well.
“It’s been another busy day here at Riverside and we’ve got some absolute crackers in our Classic draft, so we can’t wait for the next three days for buyers to find their next Rocketing By in our draft.’’
Middlebrook has 21 yearlings catalogued for sale over the next three days.
Winning rider Kerrin McEvoy was thrilled to add the Inglis Sprint to his list of big-race victories and was full of praise for Pfieffer.
“Full credit goes to Dave. I’d obviously watched his runs but hadn’t sat on him until today,” he said. “Dave’s a great fella. I’ve had a bit of luck with him along the way, he’s a nice chap to ride for. I’m really pleased he was able to do this today and I was able to get the job done for him and his big team of loud owners.
“It’s always good to come back to happy, cheering owners – a good buzz. He was out there with a cheeky chance but he put them away quite easily so it was good. A great win.”
While the likes of Ole Kirk and Dame Giselle have Group 1 targets in their sights, Rocketing By is instead likely to target another Inglis feature: the $500,000 Inglis Dash (1100m) at Flemington on February 27. It is a race that includes Nature Strip (Nicconi) and Hellbent (I Am Invincible) among its short honour roll.
Rocketing By is the fourth foal to race out of the Listed-placed Across The Moon (Stratum), a three-quarter sister to top mare Melito (Redoute’s Choice).
Across The Moon has a Dissident (Sebring) yearling filly scheduled to go through the belated Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale, catalogued as Lot 257, while she produced a Dissident colt last year. She was served by Rubick (Encosta De Lago) in October.