Palaisipan delivers Munce first Group 1 triumph in Tatt’s Tiara
Consistent mare hands Coolmore sire So You Think an 11th victory at Group 1 level
Talented mare Palaisipan (So You Think) finally had her day in the sun when she produced a thrilling performance to win yesterday’s Tattersall’s Tiara (Gr 1, 1400m) at Eagle Farm, handing trainer Chris Munce his first elite-level winner.
The five-year-old mare had not tasted victory since her win in the Dane Ripper Stakes (Gr 2, 1300m) last year, a performance she followed up with a third-placed finish in the 2022 edition of Tattersall’s Tiara. However, while not being able to get her head in front, the mare has performed admirably, hitting the frame at stakes level on three occasions. She signalled she was back to something like her best when finishing fourth in the Stradbroke Handicap (Gr 1, 1400m) 15 days ago.
Ridden by Kyle Wilson-Taylor, who was also enjoying his first win at the highest level, Palaisipan fought tenaciously to defeat Roots (Press Statement) by half a length. Chaillot (Testa Rossa) was a further quarter of a length away in third.
This first Group 1 win for Munce comes amid fresh investigations against the trainer by Queensland Racing Integrity Commission (QRIC). The former jockey turned trainer, who landed 39 top-flight victories in the saddle, cut an emotional figure following yesterday’s triumph.
“It’s been the ride of a lifetime with a mare like her,” Munce said. “We paid nothing for her, she’s been up and down the East Coast for us and performed at the top level in every race she has competed in.”
Following her fourth place finish in the Stradbroke, Palaisipan was purchased privately by Japanese bloodstock powerhouse, Katsumi Yoshida and yesterday’s race is likely to be her swansong before embarking on a career as a broodmare.
“She’s come back here, and the Yoshida conglomerate liked her and wanted to buy her, so reluctantly, we accepted their offer.
“I said to all the owners ‘she’s at the right age, she’s been a wonderful mare, she’s had a fantastic career’.
“She’s going to have a great life as a broodmare with the top stallions and studs all over the world.”
Despite her $14 starting price, Munce said he was confident Palaisipan would prove tough to beat and had excuses for her last-place finish in the Kingsford-Smith Cup (Gr 1, 1300m) last month.
“I knew whatever won the race today would have to be good to beat her because she improved out of sight from the Stradbroke,” he said.
“She was basically pulled up in the Kingsford Smith when she pulled a shoe, so she missed a very crucial run there and she was only half fit going into the Stradbroke, and she still ran fourth.
“I watched her work here on Tuesday morning and I went home and said, ‘I don’t care what’s in the race, they’d want to be good enough to beat her on Saturday’ [yesterday].”
Wilson-Taylor described yesterday as the ‘greatest moment’ of his life.
“I can’t believe it. I’m on top of the world. I just can’t believe it,” he said. “I can’t thank Chris and the connections enough. This is the greatest moment of my life so far.”
Purchased by her trainer for $40,000 at the 2020 Magic Millions Gooree Stud Reduction Sale after the passing of Eduardo Cojuangco, Palaisipan (5 m So You Think – Touch Of Red by Fastnet Rock) is out of Fastnet Rock (Danehill) mare Touch Of Red, an unraced three-quarter sister to Group 2 winner turned Twin Hills Stud-based sire Smart Missile.
Touch Of Red is out of Listed winner Kiss From A Rose (Encosta De Lago) and hails from the same family as Group 1 winner and late stallion Northern Meteor (Encosta De Lago).
The victory hands Coolmore Stud resident So You Think (High Chaparral) his 11th individual top-flight winner. This season, the stallion has sired 13 individual stakes winners this season. He has now moved above Savabeel (Zabeel) in Australia’s leading sires table by earnings and is sitting in second behind I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit).
So You Think will stand the upcoming breeding season for a fee of $99,000 (inc GST), a slight increase on last year when we commanded a fee of $93,500 (inc GST).
Zoukerette snares stakes success
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Zoukerette (I Am Invincible) added valuable black-type to her record when she took out the Tattersall’s Life Members Stakes (Listed, 1400m) at Eagle Farm, delivering Yarraman Park’s champion sire I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) his 96th individual stakes winner.
A maiden winner at Canterbury last month and then a last start fourth the Oxlade Stakes (Listed, 1300m) on June 10, Zoukerette, who was ridden by John Allen, relished the step up in distance, beating Right To Party (Zoustar) by a long-neck. Infancy (Wandjina) was another two lengths away in third.
“It was good. She had it tough last start and she was good late. She is a tough filly. Obviously very fit,” said stable representative Johann Gerard-Dubord.
“The plan wasn’t to lead today, but once she was left alone in front she had it her own way and that was a big plus. Great to get another win at two and now we look to the spring.”
Zoukerette (2 f I Am Invincible – Walk With Attitude by Hussonet) was bought by her trainers and Suman Hedge Bloodstock for $800,000 from the draft of her breeders Milburn Creek at the 2022 edition of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
The filly is one of five winners out of Listed-winning mare Walk With Attitude (Hussonet), who is also the dam of Listed scorer Zoukerino (Snitzel) and stakes-placed gelding Spend (Snitzel).
Being out of a daughter of Hussonet (Mr. Prospector) and by I Am Invincible, Zoukerette is one of 13 winners from 16 runners bred on this cross, becoming the third stakes winner, joining Group 2 scorer Pure Elation and stakes winner Kobayashi, who is standing at Aquis Farm.
Zoukerette becomes the 25th individual stakes winner of the season for I Am Invincible and sixth juvenile black-type scorer since August 1. The stallion is on track to land his second successive Champion Sire title.
He will stand for a fee of $302,500 (inc GST) in 2023, up from the $247,500 (inc GST) he stood for in 2022.