Shamus’s Incentivise claims Makybe Diva to continue relentless rise
Rosemont stallion bags a fourth Group 1 winner as former Queenslander shows he’s the real deal
Cast our minds back to April this year when, on the 11th of the month, the Steve Tregea-trained Incentivise, a thrice-raced four-year-old maiden of uninspiring form turned up at the Sunshine Coast, and was sent off a pessimistic $17 chance to break his duck in an equally uninspiring mile race.
One minute and 37 seconds later, that low-key maiden and subsequent three-and-a-quarter-length victory had proved to be the springboard for one of the most devastating and meteoric rises to the top of Australian racing, which yesterday reached the dizzying heights of a dominant success in the Makybe Diva Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) at Flemington.
Since his maiden victory just a handful of months ago, Incentivise (5 g Shamus Award – Miss Argyle by Iglesia) has gone unbeaten in seven, recording winning margins of seven and a quarter, nine, nine and a half and, most recently in the Tattersall’s Cup (Gr 3, 2406m), 12 lengths, obliterating his way through Toowoomba, Ipswich and Eagle Farm in his former home of Queensland.
But, although on this occasion the second home remained visible within camera shot, in dismantling a high-class field possessing eight Group 1 winners of 13 Group 1 races, he has surely banished any final dissidents questioning his elite-level quality as Incentivise underlined his status as favourite for next month’s Caulfield Cup (Gr 1, 2400m) with a front-running, long-neck defeat of the surging Winx Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) winner Mo’unga (Savabeel) and last year’s Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) hero Sir Dragonet (Camelot) who flew home for a half-head third.
Yet that of Incentivise’s is not the only dramatic rise, or resurgence, in recent months associated with this win.
Back on April 11, 2021, Rosemont Stud’s Shamus Award (Snitzel) had just first-crop flagbearer Mr Quickie, winner of the Queensland Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) the year earlier, to his Group 1 resume, but that very same weekend the signs were planted for a blossoming of future elite-level talents.
Duais won the Adrian Knox Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) at Randwick the day prior on her way to winning the Queensland Oaks (Gr 1, 2200m) in June, while another filly, Media Award, had broken her maiden just two weeks earlier, ahead of her crowning triumph in the Australasian Oaks (Gr 1, 2000m) on May 1.
For trainer and jockey this very much represents a reincarnation back to the pinnacle of the sport.
Peter Moody may never get another Black Caviar (Bel Esprit) in his stable, but since returning to the training ranks last year after retiring in 2016, this marks the esteemed handler’s first Group 1 win, while for Brett Prebble, it continues a fairytale return to the top ranks in recent weeks for the former champion jockey, who just a fortnight earlier steered Behemoth (All Too Hard) to victory in the Memsie Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) for his first Group 1 win in Australia since 2015.
“It was a very good effort, but he didn’t look comfortable at any stage,” Moody said in the aftermath of the race. “There’s nice improvement to come and, as we’ve seen the further he gets into a race he builds nicely so, even though they got to him, you know he was going to keep going.”
Incentivise was transferred to Moody after prominent owners Ozzie Kheir and Brae Sokolski bought into 50 per cent ownership of the horse ahead of his win at Ipswich on June 19 in the Winter Provincial Stayers’ Final (2500m).
“I really haven’t had a lot of time with him, he’s been with us seven or eight weeks, but he’s a no-frills type of horse. Steve Tregea and his team have done a tremendous job and all credit to Steve. He’s bred this horse and had him since day one and now remained in the ownership with the boys – well done for Ozzie (Kheir) and Brae (Sokolski) for identifying him – and thankfully I’ve been the beneficiary of it,” Moody said.
“He’s a very good horse. I’m yet to see him have a blow, he’s got a great set of lungs on him. I think when he gets to a mile and a quarter and is allowed to step and roll, and has a bunny rather than him being the bunny, I think you’re going to see a pretty exciting stayer.
Moody said his charge was likely to take in the Turnbull Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) on October 2, before the Caulfield Cup on October 16.
“It’s very encouraging. At this stage we’ve got one more run between now and the (Caulfield) Cup which will probably be the Turnbull, so time to build on it,” he said.
“He looked tremendous today. Probably my main concern is having him in the same condition in six or eight weeks’ time. But the great heart I take is that Steve says the further he gets into a campaign the more he thrives and he’s deadset thrived at this point, so look out.”
Prebble was the beneficiary of the ride on Incentivise after big-race jockey Glen Boss was ruled out of contention due to Covid restrictions and, after a double on the card with Ranch Hand (Fastnet Rock) saluting in the Poseidon Stakes (Listed, 1100m), with six weeks of the season gone and ten wins on the board, he now leads the Melbourne jockey premiership from Craig Williams’ nine.
“I asked him for a little bit of speed from the barrier, but that’s totally understandable because he’s been coming back from longer trips,” Prebble said.
“I had to bear in mind there was no leader, so I was keen to get to the front and I saw Craig (Williams, on Tofane) come up alongside me and I didn’t think we’d gone quick sectionals.
“I thought he had a nice time of it out in front and then it was game over. Once I had him on his right leg, today he was really balanced and he’s a nice and relaxed sort of horse which is a real bonus. You can dig him out of the gates and he just floats along and he’s underneath you but he’s not aggressive.
“I tried to give him as soft a run as I could, just because I thought we’ve got a long way to go … I asked him for an effort and he dug deep and he won.”
Prebble rode Green Moon (Montjeu) to win the Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) in 2012, and he believes Incentivise is up to the task of reclaiming victory in the race for the host nation this year.
“He has (given me the feel of a horse that can be competitive in the Melbourne Cup). The figures will tell you that,” he said. “There’s a long way to go and I’ve been in this position before and you’ve got to be in the same form on the first Tuesday in November … but I believe he’s good enough to win it.”
Bred by Tregea’s Windermere Stud, Incentivise is the eighth of nine foals out of the deceased mare Miss Argyle (Iglesia) and is a three-quarter brother to four stakes winners, including Waikato Stud stallion Ardrossan (Redoute’s Choice) and Queensland stakes winners Bergerac (Drumbeats) and Cheyenne Warrior (Not A Single Doubt).
Anamoe reigns supreme as standout two-year-olds falter
On a day when the up-and-coming three-year-olds held the upper hand over last season’s standout two-year-olds, ATC Sires’ Produce (Gr 1, 1400m) winner Anamoe (3 c Street Boss – Anamato by Redoute’s Choice) showed he had returned a prolific force when winning an outstanding renewal of the Run To The Rose (Gr 2, 1200m) at Kembla Grange.
The Godolphin-raced colt Anamoe, who yielded figures of three wins from seven starts as a juvenile, landing the Todman Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) as well as running an eye-catching second in the Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m), cemented favouritism for the Golden Rose (Gr 1, 1400m) on September 25 with a domineering display.
Travelling in midfield and spotting eight lengths to the Newgate Farm and China Horse Club-owned colts In The Congo (Snitzel) and Stay Inside (Extreme Choice), who charged off into the lead, Anamoe was worked into clear air at the top of the straight by James McDonald and powered home to beat the gutsy In The Congo by a long neck, with the staying-on Remarque (Snitzel) closing to a one-and-a-half-lengths third.
Golden Slipper winner Stay Inside, a disappointing fifth on his return in the San Domenico Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m), filled the same spot here, while ATC Champagne Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Captivant (Capitalist) trailed home in sixth and Converge (Frankel), winner of the J J Atkins Plate (Gr 1, 1600m) in the winter, finished eighth.
Winning trainer James Cummings felt the team were justified in spelling the son of Street Boss (Street Cry) after his Sires’ Produce success, instead of pressing on to the Champagne Stakes.
“He’s a supreme athlete and the onus is on us to try to get him back to the races and be in the same sort of winning form that he left off,” Cummings said.
“We felt like we rewarded him by putting him in the paddock on such a high.
“Champion two-year-olds like him need to come back and be going just as good with the goals that we’ve got. He’s just really pleased us in the last ten days.
“These are top-class colts, every time these sorts of colts step out and run in races like these, they improve their value and their reputations as they should.”
The Godolphin handler was coy on the possibility of replicating the feats of Ole Kirk (Written Tycoon) last season, who won both the Golden Rose and Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) in the spring.
“He’s well and truly on his way. He had a pretty light preliminary in the last couple of weeks to be ready for this and what I like is that he doesn’t look like an absolutely natural 1200-metre horse,” Cummings said.
“We’re looking to go out in trip to seven (furlongs) and a mile. It was great that James was able to let the race unfold when there was speed up front, and the horse just gets mobile and gets into his gorgeous action. He savaged the line like a horse that is ready to go right on with it.”
The fourth winner from six to race out of Australasian Oaks (Gr 1, 2000m) winner Anamato (Redoute’s Choice), Anamoe is a half-brother Irish stakes winner Anamba (Shamardal), while Anamato is a half-sister to Oakleigh Plate (Gr 1, 1100m) winner Drum (Marauding) and Caulfield Guineas runner-up Port Watch (Star Watch). She is due to foal to Blue Point (Shamardal) later this month.
Anamoe’s sire Street Boss will stand in the Hunter Valley for the first time this breeding season, for a fee of $55,000 (inc GST).
Entriviere emerges from clouds to become big spring player
Te Akau Racing’s Entriviere (5 m Tavistock – Marcey’s Belt by Golan) soared home in the Sheraco Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Kembla Grange yesterday to announce herself as one of the possible shining lights of the spring.
The Kiwi mare, who had won five of her six starts in New Zealand before running second in the Sapphire Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Randwick in the autumn, ran down leaders Vulpine (Snitzel) and Written Beauty (Written Tycoon) before holding off the fast-finishing Fituese (Deep Field) by a length and a quarter, with Marboosha (Dream Ahead) third, two lengths from the winner.
“It was a very exciting win and I loved the way that she pins her ears back and has a go,” winning trainer Jamie Richards said.
“You can’t train that, and it’s rare to find a horse that has that ability and wants to be there every time.
“So, very happy and she was given a lovely ride by James (McDonald) in a race that set up perfectly for her. She tucked in, found cover, and they went a good solid tempo. She really savaged the line and it looks like 1400 metres will be no problem for her.”
Richards’ father, Paul, is overseeing the mare’s campaign in Sydney, indicated there was improvement still to come after revealing she hadn’t quite gotten over a setback that saw her miss an intended comeback in the Toy Show Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m).
“Entriviere beat some nice horses,” he said. “The top weight (Forbidden Love) is a Group 1 winner, but she got in so well at the weights (55.5 kilograms) in a set weights and penalties race. Because she hadn’t won a big race, as yet, she got in well.
“She’s still got a slight pulse in her foot, so not quite 100 per cent yet, but almost there.”
Next on the agenda could be the Golden Pendant (Gr 2, 1400m) at Rosehill on September 25, before a crack at the $2 million The Invitation (1400m).
Entriviere, the sixth foal out of Golan (Spectrum) mare Marcey’s Belt, is a half-sister to the stakes-placed Satin Belt (Power), while her dam is a half-sister to Karaka Million (RL, 1200m) winner Imperial Win (Iffraaj).
Further back in the pedigree is Maldivian (Zabeel), a three-time Group 1 winner of the Cox Plate, C F Orr Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) and Yalumba Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m).