Traffic Warden kicks off golden day for Godolphin
Street Boss (Street Cry) brought up a “happy 21st” Australian stakes-winner courtesy of Godolphin’s colt Traffic Warden dominant triumph in yesterday’s VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) at Flemington.
Sent out a $5 third-favourite after a fair two-and-a-half length eighth from near-last when drawn wide in the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m), Traffic Warden was this time sent to the front from another outside gate.
Despite the rigours of such a move onto Flemington’s broad bend from its 1400-metre start, the hulking colt was well rated by Jamie Kah, kicked two lengths clear at the 300 metres, and won by a length-and-a-quarter from favourite Rue De Royale (Per Incanto).
Amelia’s Jewel’s (Siyouni) $900,000 half-brother Bosustow (Blue Point) gained his first dash of black type at his third start with the minor third placing.
It was a poignant win for Kah, coming in the same race as her life-threatening fall last year aboard Flyball, and as the middle peg of a winning treble for the jockey highlighted by Cylinder’s Newmarket Handicap success.
“Lost for words, it’s a much better result than last year,” an emotional Kah said in her post-race interview. “I didn’t think it would hit me, but it’s hit me.”
The win in Victoria’s time-honoured two-year-old Group 2 was also significant for Street Boss, a year after Darley returned their US shuttler to the state at their Northwood Stud, as his most famous son Anamoe began duties at their Kelvinside farm. Street Boss covered 82 mares at $66,000 (inc GST) fee last year, after serving 100 at $77,000 (inc GST) in his final spring in the Hunter Valley.
Traffic Warden, second to the outstanding Storm Boy on debut at Rosehill in December, is now the winner of two of five starts. The Godolphin homebred became Street Boss’s 69th stakes-winner worldwide from 1,295 runners. In Australia, he has a career 329 winners from 484 runners at 68 per cent.
Godolphin’s Melbourne stable foreman Nacim Dilmi indicated Traffic Warden would be sent north for the ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (G1, 1400m) and Champagne Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) next month. He was yesterday shortened to an $11 chance for both races with bookmakers.
“He began very quickly and she [Kah] got to the front very easily, so we were quite happy with that and the horse did the rest,” Dilmi said.
“His run in the Blue Diamond looked a lot better than the record says. He was very strong late, looking for the 1400 metres, and we couldn’t be happier with that.
“He’s much more sensible mentally. He’s developed into a nice horse. He’s got a bright future.
“Credit to Jamie as well. Twelve months ago in that exact race she had terrible luck, so it’s good to see her ride a winner.”
Traffic Warden is the second foal and first runner for the winning mare Efficiently (Exceed And Excel), a daughter of Woodlands/Darley pin-up dam Dextrous (Quest For Fame), who won the 2002 Sandown Guineas (Gr 2, 1600m).
Dextrous left four stakes-winners for Darley in VRC Oaks (Gr 1, 2500m) victor Willowy (Kermadec), Champagne Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) hero Skilled (Commands), and Group 2 winners Sidestep (Exceed And Excel) and Ambidexter (Commands).
Efficiently has a yearling filly by Frosted (Tapit) named Immerse, and foaled Traffic Warden’s brother on October 3, before missing to Blue Point (Shamardal).
Tony and Calvin McEvoy’s Rue De Royale (Per Incanto) – second in Randwick’s Inglis 2YO Millennium (RL, 1100m) last month but cruelled by the outside gate in the Blue Diamond – was gallant in defeat yesterday.
Bosustow’s strong-finishing third served notice that the $900,000 paid at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for Amelia’s Jewel’s half-brother by Rosemont Alliance, Suman Hedge and the colt’s trainer Annabel Neasham may have been money well spent.
James Harron colts syndicate’s Aardvark (Capitalist), an impressive previous start winner of Flemington’s Talindert Stakes (Listed, 1100m), was a $4.40 second-favourite for the Sires’ but could manage only seventh.