Private Harry proves he’s the real deal for Doyle
Harry Angel colt remains unbeaten with scintillating success in inaugural running of $3 million Sunlight
Private Harry (Harry Angel) scorched the Sunshine Coast turf to maintain his unbeaten record in dominant style when he proved to be too good for his rivals in Saturday’s inaugural running of The Sunlight (1100m).
It was a fourth straight win for the Nathan Doyle-trained three-year-old colt, who posted his first two victories at Newcastle and Hawkesbury in November with similar ease before making his city debut last month at Rosehill, where he claimed a Benchmark 72 by 1.19 lengths on December 7.
Saturday’s $3 million contest however marked the first time Private Harry has not started favourite, the Sunlight market headed by Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon), with impressive last-start Gold Coast winner Arabian Summer (Too Darn Hot) challenging Private Harry for second favouritism.
While the favoured fillies showed up late in the piece, it was Private Harry who put on a show. After sitting on the fast pace, the colt sauntered up to the leading Spicy Martini (Justify) off the home bend and quickly lengthened stride, putting two lengths on the field in the hands of regular rider Ashley Morgan.
The colt left his main rivals in the wake of his own gunsmoke, with Lady Of Camelot overcoming slight trouble in running to finish second under Blake Shinn, 2.34 lengths behind the winner, as Arabian Summer ran on from the back and finished just 0.24 lengths behind the runner-up in third.
“I don’t know what to say, someone pinch me,” Doyle said post-race.
“It means so much. When we first went out training, I had three horses that we owned ourselves, you have to prove yourself and it takes time.
“It has been so hard to get here, taking our time, proving ourselves, getting the staff and the horses.
“He is such a beautiful horse, and what about Ash? They ask why do you stick with him? He’s a mate, he rides work and hasn’t done anything wrong.”
Reflecting on the effort of the winner, Doyle said: “He’s so bombproof – I was confident in him at the 500 [metre mark]. You shouldn’t be confident at the 500. I thought if he extends like the horse I think he is it’s all over. When they were travelling so quickly and he was going three-quarter pace, [I was thinking] ‘is this happening?’
“You have to remember that he is doing it at his first racing preparation. Where does he go from here?”
A son of Darley shuttler Harry Angel (Dark Angel), Private Harry was a $115,000 purchase out of Rheinwood’s draft for his trainer and Kurrinda Bloodstock at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale in 2023.
Being the fourth foal out of the winning Congrats (A.P. Indy) mare Happy Pilgrim, the colt is a half–brother to multiple winners First Crusade (Nicconi) and Lucky Lilly (Santos). Happy Pilgrim has gone on to produce an unraced two-year-old colt by Anders (Not A Single Doubt), a yearling filly by Captivant (Capitalist) and a colt by Zousain (Zoustar) this season.
La Bella goes Boom in Gold Pearl
Private Harry wasn’t the only winner on the transferred Sunshine Coast card who looks to have a bright future as the track played host to promising juveniles La Bella Boom (Spirit Of Boom) and Quietly Arrogant (Capitalist), who both put their Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) credentials on full display.
Tony Gollan’s La Bella Boom made her task look a simple one when she notched back-to-back wins in the Aquis Gold Pearl 2YO (1100m) under Craig Williams. The Spirit Of Boom (Sequalo) filly led home a one-two for her Eureka Stud-based sire, with the Scott Morrisey-trained runner-up Forgotten Spirit 2.45 lengths adrift of her opponent. Don’tdoubthelady (Dubious) was a close third, only 0.12 lengths further behind.
The $3 favourite laid her claim for Saturday’s $3 million Classic at the Gold Coast, for which she is now rated a $10 chance behind BJ McLachlan Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) winner Icarian Dream (Blue Point), who heads the betting at $4.60 ahead of Invincible Woman (I Am Invincible), Gallo Nero (Wootton Bassett) and Memo (Capitalist).
Gollan confirmed the winner, who is part-owned by Icarian Dream’s trainer Ciaron Maher, will take her chance next weekend. “A seven-day backup’s a good plan for her, she’ll do nothing else all week now, head’s up to Brisbane and has an easy week and we’ll see her up on the Coast next Saturday,” the winning trainer said.
La Bella Boom is first foal out of the winning Not A Single Doubt (Redoute’s Choice) mare La Girl, who herself is a half–sister to Listed scorer Oughton (More Than Ready). The filly was an initial $200,000 purchase for Alice Berry from the Magic Millions Strawberry Hill Stud Dispersal Sale, and was then bought for $300,000 at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by her trainer, John Foote Bloodstock and Blacksoil Bloodstock from the Sledmere Stud draft.
La Girl has since produced a yearling colt by St Mark’s Basilica (Siyouni), who will be offered by Yulong Stud at next week’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale as Lot 576, and a filly foal by Diatonic (Lord Kanaloa) and was served this season by Pierata (Pierro).
Quietly Arrogant strikes Gold on the Sunshine Coast
Lining up against La Bella Boom in the Classic could be Quietly Arrogant who opened the Sunshine Coast card by breaking his maiden in the Aquis Gold Nugget 2YO (1100m).
The Peter Snowden-trained colt was ridden patiently by Blake Shinn and the pair won with good authority, pulling away from $1.55 favourite and last-start Magic Millions The Debut (1000m) runner-up Torque To Be Sure (Shamus Award). First and second were split by 1.2 lengths, while Better Than Ready (More Than Ready) colt Earn To Burn was third, another half-length behind.
Quietly Arrogant improved from a debut fourth behind Pallaton (Wootton Bassett) at Randwick on December 21, and is now rated a $13 chance to claim a first stakes success at the Gold Coast next week with Snowden saying it is “more than likely” the colt will chase the rices on offer.
Explaining the tactics deployed against his five rivals on Saturday, Shinn said: “We just wanted to ride him patiently as he over-raced a bit at his first start and got a few things wrong which two year-olds can do, but today he did everything right and won with good authority.”
A son of Newgate stallion Capitalist (Written Tycoon), who won the Classic in 2016, Quietly Arrogant was a $400,000 purchase out of Newgate Farm’s draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale last year for China Horse Club, Newgate and Go Bloodstock and Trilogy.
The third winner and third foal out of dual winner Single Sapphire (Not A Single Doubt), the colt is a brother to the Group 3-placed Customized. Single Sapphire has also produced a yearling colt by Home Affairs (I Am Invincible), who will be offered as Lot 944 by Newgate at the Gold Coast Yearling Sale next week, and a colt by I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) last spring. The mare was covered by Anamoe (Street Boss) this season.