‘Proper horse’ Veight produces emphatic performance in McNeil
The son of Grunt makes big Guineas statement at Caulfield
Star colt Veight returned to winning ways in dominant fashion with victory in yesterday’s HDF McNeil Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) at Caulfield, as he continued to fly the flag for his up-and-coming Yulong sire Grunt (O’Reilly) and also furthered his own stallion potential.
The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained Veight was a stunning six-length debut winner at Pakenham in February before backing up to win the VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) a month later.
He lost his unbeaten record when defeated into fourth in Sydney’s ATC Sires’ Produce (Gr 1, 1400m), but made no mistake in his return first-up as a three-year-old, powering through a gap between rivals to run away a convincing three-quarter-length winner.
The Rosemont Stud-owned Legacies (Justify), the only filly in the field of nine, ran on for second but never posed threat to the winner, with Little Brose (Per Incanto) snaring third on the line, a length-and-a-half from Veight, ahead of the early pacesetter Hedged (Capitalist), a flashing late Scheelite (Real Steel) and the weakening Coincide (Invader) in sixth.
Veight, who was sent off the $5.50 fourth-favourite in a tight betting market, had failed to flatter in two jump-outs leading into yesterday’s return, but the McEvoys retained an air of confidence in their talented colt, whose ownership interests include his pinhookers Sledmere Stud, the Queensland-based Telemon Stud and Wayne Mitchell’s Pipeliner Bloodstock, and that confidence proved justified.
Post-race Tony McEvoy said the manner of the win built an excitement among connections as to what might be to come during this preparation, with the Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) on October 14 the colt’s ultimate goal.
“We’ve never once doubted how he’s been going this preparation. I think many people read a little bit too much into the jump-outs,” McEvoy said.
“He did as much as we wanted him to do [in the jump-outs], and what’s exciting today about his win is we’re six weeks from his grand final. There’s plenty of improvement, which makes the win even more special.
“Beautiful [ride] from Frosty [Damian Lane]. He drew a nice gate, we thought we might be able to get one out, one back. Unfortunately, we got stuck on the rails, but it never looked like he wasn’t going to get a run and the way he let down, he’s a proper horse.
“The plan we’ve been comfortable with all the way through is today, three weeks to the (Caulfield Guineas) Prelude, then three weeks to the Guineas.
“I think he’s going to come on leaps and bounds from today, and at this stage, that’s the plan.”
The HDF McNeil Stakes has in recent years proven a fruitful springboard for colts seeking to stake their stallion claims during their three-year-old year, with last year’s winner Jacquinot (Rubick), who was also ridden by Lane, going on to win the Golden Rose Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) and CF Orr Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) before taking up a place on the Widden Stud roster. Fellow Widden inmate Bruckner (Snitzel), Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) scorer and Waikato Stud stallion Super Seth (Dundeel) and subsequent Royal Ascot-winning sprinter Merchant Navy (Fastnet Rock), who is standing at Kooringal Stud this year, also feature on the race’s roll of honour.
Damian Lane believed Veight to be a ‘different style of horse’ to last year’s winner Jacquinot, but who nevertheless possessed at least an equally as promising future.
“I think Jacquinot was probably a little bit sharper, whereas this guy is giving me the feeling of a real Guineas type,” Lane said.
“I think he’s going to love getting to 1400 and then a mile.
“He’s grown up and filled out. He’s a big, strong boy now, a man, and I was probably a little bit surprised at how well he went today off the back of his jump-outs.
“I thought he might need the 1400 before we saw him winning, but as good horses do, they can often exceed your expectations once they get to race day. He’s certainly done that again, and it’s three from four now, so he’s a real winner.”
Veight (3 c Grunt – Neena Rock by Fastnet Rock) was a $100,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale purchase when selected by Catriona and Royston Murphy’s Sledmere Stud, who more than doubled their money when the colt was resold for $220,000 to the McEvoys and Damon Gabbedy’s Belmont Bloodstock at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
From the first crop of breeding goliath Yulong’s foundation stallion Grunt, the Australian Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) and Makybe Diva Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m)-winning sire who offered three juvenile winners from 19 runners last term, Veight is the fourth foal and second winner out of dual Group 3-winning mare Neena Rock.
A daughter of Fastnet Rock (Danehill), Neena Rock was one of the first broodmare purchases by the big-spending Yuesheng Zhang-owned operation when selling for $500,000 to the Victorian-based stud at the 2015 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale.
Grunt, who this year will stand for a fee of $22,000 (inc GST) sire whose second crop of yearlings averaged $71,139 at sales this year, with his first crop having sold for an average of $47,463 in 2021.
Fifteen-year-old mare Neena Rock produced a sister to Veight in 2021 and is in foal to Yulong-based sire Tagaloa (Lord Kanaloa), having last year missed to the same stallion.
Tiz Invincible roars to Furious victory
Tiz Invincible (I Am Invincible) preserved her unbeaten three-year-old record when producing an impressive display to win yesterday’s Furious Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Randwick.
Backing up her victory in The Rosebud Stakes (Listed, 1100m) a fortnight ago, Tiz Invincible was ridden by Bart Cummings medal award winner Zac Lloyd, pouncing inside the final 100 metres and post a three-quarter-length win.
Kimochi (Brave Smash), who finished third in the Percy Sykes Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) and filled the same position last time out in the Silver Shadow Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m), added more black–type to her CV in finishing second, while Mumbai Muse (Zoustar) battled well to finish a further neck back in third.
Autumn Ballet (The Autumn Sun), winner of the Silver Shadow Stakes two weeks’ ago and the $3.70 favourite, disappointed in finishing eighth, beaten three and a quarter lengths in a tightly bunched finish.
Trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace elected to place Tiz Invincible against her male counterparts in the 1100-metre The Rosebud on her return this preparation, a decision that proved inspired as she raced away to victory under James McDonald. That form proved too strong when back competing against her own sex, as she asserted her authority close to home under Lloyd, who ended Chris Waller’s 12-year stranglehold on the Bart Cummings Medal when awarded the coveted prize at Thursday night’s NSWROA Racing’s Night of Champions.
Maher said Tiz Invincible would continue on a path contesting the final two legs of the Darley Princess Series, with the Tea Rose Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) on September 16 followed by the Flight Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) two weeks later, but did not rule out a tilt at the Golden Rose (Gr 1, 1400m) on September 23.
“She’s very good and keeps coming on with each start,” said Maher.
“I thought Zac rode her very well, he’s only been on her once in trackwork and it was a very cool ride from him, the horse was great and the team have done a super job.
“I think she’ll get out to a mile as the best part of her race is the last bit and she’s strong through the line.
“We’ll sit down and work out how good she actually went and how good she needs to be to win that sort of race (the Golden Rose). But certainly timing-wise it would be ok.”
Tiz Invincible, who finished fourth in the Black Opal Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) on debut and runner-up in the Percy Sykes Stakes and as a juvenile, took her career record to two wins from four starts.
She is closely related to champion racehorse Anamoe (Street Boss), being the second foal out of British-bred mare Amuletum (New Approach), herself a sister to Godolphin’s nine-time Group 1 winner and now Darley resident.
Tiz Invincible (3 f I Am Invincible – Amuletum by New Approach) was purchased for $550,000 by Bahen Bloodstock, Ciaron Maher Racing, Eric Lucas and Astute Bloodstock from the Segenhoe Thoroughbreds draft at last year’s Inglis Easter yearling sale.
Amuletum has a two-year-old colt by Pierata (Pierro) and a yearling brother to Tiz Invincible, while she is due to foal to Aclaim (Invincible Spirit) this year.
First Group 1 for Will Hayes as Brightside continues winning streak with Memsie success
The enigmatic Mr Brightside (Bullbars) stretched his unbeaten streak to four with a sensational win in yesterday’s Memsie Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) at Caulfield, and in the process provided newly added co-trainer Will Hayes with his first Group 1 win as a trainer.
In a star-studded line-up which included six individual Group 1 winners, the Lindsay Park-trained Mr Brightside burst to the front with 100 metres remaining, and held off all challengers to win by a half-length. Seven-year-old mare Princess Grace (Karakontie) was denied her first elite-level victory in finishing second, while the fast-finishing TJ Smith Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner I Wish I Win (Savabeel) had to settle for third. Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) finished three-quarters of a length from the winner in fourth.
Having successfully defended his PB Lawrence Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) crown on his return two weeks ago, Mr Brightside was sent off the $2.70 favourite to claim a third Group 1 win and add to autumn victories in the All-Star Mile (1600m) and a second consecutive victory in the Doncaster Handicap (Gr 1, 1600m) to continue his sparkling form.
His career record now reads 13 wins from 25 starts and almost $9 million in prize-money.
Will Hayes joined his brothers Ben and JD at the helm of the Lindsay Park training operation at the beginning of this season, after his AFL dream came to an end when he was released by Calton in September last year.
“I’m so indebted to my brothers and my family for giving me the opportunity to pursue my dream in AFL, but it’s a blessing now that they [Carlton] gave me the tap on the shoulder because it’s pretty unbelievable,” Will Hayes said.
Mr Brightside will now likely progress to the Makybe Diva Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) in a fortnight.
“From the barrier, I thought it was a great ride when we ended up where we were, just how it panned out,” Ben Hayes said.
“When I Wish I Win peeled off his back and was there to go past him, I was glad he had a run under his belt. It just showed his fighting qualities, why he’s a star, and really lengthened and attacked that line.”
“For Will’s first Group 1 winner, we wouldn’t be anywhere without this son of Bullbars, so I have to thank Wayne Ormond, he’s the one that found him and he’s done enormous things for us and for the team back home.”
Mr Brightside’s (6 g Bullbars – Lilahjay by Tavistock) unraced dam Lilahjay (Tavistock) produced a filly by Darci Brahma (Danehill) in 2021, who was purchased by Busuttin Racing and First Light Racing for NZ$70,000 at the New Zealand National Yearling Sale earlier this year. She produced another filly by the same sire in 2022 and was covered by Rich Hill Stud’s exciting young sire Satono Aladdin (Deep Impact) on Friday.
The 11-year-old mare was purchased for NZ$3,000 by Edwin Sheather on Gavelhouse in 2020.