Verry strong win by Elleegant mare in Winx Stakes
Waller-trained mare on track for spring majors after hard-fought first-up Group 1 victory
Verry Elleegant (Zed) is poised to be a dominant force in the spring after the star mare won her fourth top-level race with a tough first-up victory in the Winx Stakes (1400m), defying a long, wide run to take out the first Group 1 race of the new racing season at Randwick.
Her trainer Chris Waller, who also prepared runner-up Star Of The Seas (Ocean Park), now has the dilemma of how best to manage the tough, but slow-maturing mare’s campaign in order to ensure she is in peak condition for the “majors”.
Before Verry Elleegant, a dominant H E Tancred Stakes (Gr 1, 2400m) winner at Rosehill in the autumn resumed this campaign, Waller and connections outlined the Caulfield Cup (Gr 1, 2400m) and Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) as her primary targets.
After yesterday’s performance, however, Waller pondered whether the Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) would be a better lead-up race for the mare who had never previously won first-up.
“I think we have the right horse for the Melbourne Cup but if the weights ‘kill’ us we will go to the Cox Plate,” Waller said.
“She hasn’t changed her physique but mentally she is coping so much better with her racing.
“She puts so much into her races and I think that might have disadvantaged her a bit in the early days.
“She would show a bit of stress and negative body language but now she has the confidence in herself and it is showing in her racing.”
Ridden by James McDonald, Verry Elleegant fought strongly late to defeat stablemate Star Of The Seas (Ocean Park) by a nose.
The Matthew Smith-trained Fierce Impact (Deep Impact) was a long head away in third while the Waller-trained Imaging (Oasis Dream) was an eye-catching fourth.
McDonald said Verry Elleegant was “without a doubt an absolute star”.
“Her forte is her long, sustained sprint and it wasn’t stopping today. It got stronger as the race went on,” McDonald said.
“For a horse that is a mile-and-a-half horse and being set for a Melbourne Cup, it’s just incredible.
“She would have to be the toughest mare I’ve ever had anything to do with.”
The one possible disappointment of the race for Waller was last season’s Epsom Handicap (Gr 1, 1600m) and Golden Eagle (1500m) winner Kolding (Ocean Park) who finished 13th, seven lengths behind Verry Elleegant.
Waller said: “(Jockey Glen Boss) said he doesn’t feel quite right – just not there yet. He didn’t tow him into the race as he would have hoped. I said, ‘stick with me and we’ll try to get him right’.”
Master Of Wine (Maxios), the $6 equal favourite who is high up in betting markets for the Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup, finished a neck in front of Kolding in his return.
His jockey Tommy Berry said the Hawkes Racing-trained six-year-old “just grinded home”.
“Second-up last preparation he went to 2000 from 1400 (metres) and that’s what he felt like he needed today,” Berry said.
In contrast, Jason Collett was pleased with the return of third placegetter Fierce Impact.
“It was a good run. He settled nicely, got into a good rhythm and he really quickened well and finished off nicely,” Collett said.
A private purchase by Andrew Williams Bloodstock out of New Zealand as an early season three-year-old after she had raced just three times for two restricted victories, Verry Elleegant (5 m Zed – Opulence by Danroad) has since won a further seven races, four of them at the highest level, for $3,421,700 in prize-money earnings.
Very Elleegant is a half-sister to two other winners but is the only stakes performer in the first two dams, although her third dam Chalet Girl (Imposing) is a half-sister to high-class Australian three-year-old of the mid-1990s Danewin (Danehill), a five-time Group 1 winner, and the late successful stallion Commands (Danehill).
Opulence has an unraced two-year-old who was purchased by John Chalmers Bloodstock on behalf of leading Western Australian owner Bob Peters at this year’s New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale for NZ$140,000. She also has a yearling colt by Zed (Zabeel) but she was not covered last year.
Dame Giselle to the fore in Silver Shadow Stakes
Quality filly Dame Giselle (I Am Invincible) has landed the first leg of the Darley Princess Series for three-year-old fillies, benefitting from a positive Tommy Berry ride to take out the Silver Shadow Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) in her first run back from a solid juvenile career.
The valuable Peter and Paul Snowden-trained filly, who was taken to the lead after jumping better than expected, was able to hold off the challengers in the final stages, which was headed by Godolphin’s Thermosphere (Exosphere).
Dame Giselle, the Reisling Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) winner last March who was ridden by Tommy Berry, defeated Thermosphere who ran home gamely to finish a long head second.
Miss Canada (Exceed And Excel), a last-start maiden winner at Newcastle, was one and three-quarter lengths away in third place for Kris Lees and Australian Bloodstock, securing the filly a valuable stakes placing.
The first two home in the Silver Shadow Stakes, at the very least, are likely to clash again in the Furious Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Randwick on September 9.
“It wasn’t our intention to be that far forward. Obviously there was quite a lot of speed that was inside us, but when she jumped as well as she did Tommy had every intention of going forward and she had a really nice run in front,” Paul Snowden said. “It’s not her go, but she was just too good in the end and her class rose to the top.
“She’s got a good campaign in front of her and she’s definitely not screwed right down yet, but just that easy section we were afforded mid-race certainly helped in the end.”
The Silver Shadow Stakes was turned on its head before the race when pre-race favourite See You Soon (Siyouni) was scratched at the barriers after refusing to load, continuing the headaches for trainer Jean Dubois with his talented filly.
Berry, who won the Silver Shadow Stakes last year on Libertini (I Am Invincible), said Dame Giselle was “definitely stronger” this preparation.
“She hasn’t got a brilliant turn of foot on her but she really stays out the ground quite well. I always felt that even when Kerrin (McEvoy, on Thermosphere) was coming at me late that I had the race won,” Berry said.
“I guess we had it won in the first 150 metres once she jumped so well. I was meant to take cover on her, but I took advantage of a good start, got across quite comfortably and had a few cheap sectionals mid-race.
“Today was only a stepping stone for her and she had a decent blow (afterwards). Her first trial was very quiet and her second trial we didn’t do a heap on her either, so there was always going to be plenty of improvement out of today.”
Dame Giselle’s stablemate Stellar Pauline (Not A Single Doubt), who resumed earlier this week to break her maiden with an impressive victory at Hawkesbury, is also likely to head towards the Furious Stakes.
“(Dame Giselle) has always been one of our top quality fillies, along with Stellar Pauline,” co-trainer Paul Snowden said of Dame Giselle.
“It’s a relief when they return as three-year-olds and win. It is good to see them train on after tough two-year-old seasons.
“They will probably clash again next start and we’ll see where they go after that.”
Dame Giselle (3 f I Am Invincible – Ballet Society by Stravinsky) won the $1 million Golden Gift (1100m) at Rosehill last November before returning for an autumn campaign which yielded her important Group 2 juvenile success and a third placing in the Lonhro Plate (Listed, 1000m). Following yesterday’s Silver Shadow win, the Go Bloodstock and China Horse Club-owned filly has won three of her seven starts and $973,550 in prize-money.
A daughter of the four-time Group-winning, Group 1-placed Ballet Society, who was bought for $350,000 by China Horse Club at the 2017 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale carrying the Silver Shadow winner, Dame Giselle is a half-sister to the Group 3-placed The Fairy’s Kiss (Elusive Quality).
She was purchased by Sir Owen Glenn’s Go Bloodstock for $500,000 at the 219 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale from the Sledmere Stud draft. China Horse Club also retained a share in the well-bred filly.
“It was a good tough win first up, she was pretty strong, her trial looked great and it’s good to see her back in form and to see her frank her two-year-old form too,’’ Sledmere’s Royston Murphy said.
“She always had plenty of scope about her and I thought what she did as a two-year-old was great because I didn’t think she’d be such an early two-year-old.
“She’s matured now and thickened up and I think she’ll definitely make a really nice three-year-old and hopefully she can grab that Group 1 this prep. I always thought she’d get a mile so the Flight Stakes looks like a great target for her now.
“China Horse Club are our biggest supporters and they’re delighted, so we’re delighted.’’
Ballet Society has a yearling colt by Pride Of Dubai (Street Cry) but did not get in foal last year.
Dame Giselle’s sire I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) will stand for $209,000 (inc GST) at Yarraman Park Stud this year.
Boomer’s Sweet Deal keeps on delivering
A brilliant track gallop last week had John Thompson oozing confidence about the prospects of Sweet Deal (Casino Prince) ahead of her first-up test in the Toy Show Quality (Gr 3, 1100m) and the consistent mare delivered, albeit the manner of the victory raised the Randwick trainer’s heart rate higher than normal.
Sweet Deal, who took out the Triscay Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) in February, was finally declared the winner, with the judge finding a nose margin between her and that of the closing runner-up Zaniah (Zoustar), while Seasons (Sebring) was a head away in third to round out the busy finish.
Thompson believes Sweet Deal’s win augurs well for the remainder of her spring campaign.
“She galloped here on Tuesday and worked very well. It was what we’d call a winning gallop. We were quietly confident,” the winning trainer revealed after the race.
“I thought the 1100 metres might be a bit short, but as it turned out it was a little bit too long.
“We needed it shorter. Chatting to a few trainers this morning, I was worried about the big weight as well. Talking to Les Bridge he said good mares win these races and she is a good mare.
“There are nice mares races coming up from now on. The next race for her is set weights and penalties so she will probably meet these mares a lot better off at the weights. She is going well and in for a good prep.”
For Sweet Deal’s jockey James McDonald, the Toy Show Quality was the turning point of the meeting for the prominent rider after what had “been a frustrating day”.
“This was pretty good on a tough mare who has carried the top weight of 59 kilograms against horses well down in the handicaps and she toughed it out and got there on the line,” McDonald said.
“Credit to John and his team who have prepared her very well. Off that, she showed great speed, travelled well and under that weight she was entitled to get tired but it was a great effort to fight on.”
A terrific money-spinner for connections after being selected by Boomer Bloodstock’s Craig Rounsefell at the 2016 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale where she made $67,500, Sweet Deal (6 m Casino Prince – Dorothy Evelyn by Royal Academy) has won nine of her 33 starts and $759,639 in prize-money.
“She was a big powerful type as a yearling with a beautiful head and eye and she has one of my favourite brands on her shoulder, Edinglassie Stud (a brand also carried by the runner-up). My budget was $65,000 and, thankfully, my client Calie Stone gave me the nod to have one more bid which got her,’’ Rounsefell said.
“She showed plenty of ability from the start, running third on debut in the Widden Stakes as an early two-year-old and has been very well handled by John Thompson developing her into a top-class sprinting mare.
“She has some nice Group 2 targets coming up like the Sheraco and the Golden Pendant in Sydney and then possibly a Melbourne campaign.’’
Sweet Deal is the best-performed of two winners out of the three-time winner Dorothy Evelyn whose second dam Food Of Love (Lunchtime) has produced eight individual 11 winners.
Sweet Deal has an unnamed two-year-old brother, the last foal out of Dorothy Evelyn before she was retired from breeding.
Race-fit Roheryn relishes sprinting campaign in Show County
James Cummings may have finally found the key to the clearly talented Roheryn (Lonhro) by keeping him fresh and focusing on sprint races, with the gelding downing his well-performed rivals in the Show County Quality (Gr 3, 1200m) at Randwick.
The race-fit Roheyrn, who has raced just once about every four weeks for the past three months, proved too good for the likes of Surround Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) winner Probabeel (Savabeel) and the dual Group 3 winner Special Reward (Demerit).
The five-year-old Godolphin-bred and owned gelding defeated the pair by a long head and a nose respectively in a field that also included Group 1 winners Funstar (Adelaide) and Le Romain (Hard Spun).
Cummings, who also won the race last year with Deprive (Denman), said determining how best to train Roheryn had taken some time, having prepared him as a miler, then a sprinter-miler and now resolving to keep him to the shorter trips.
“He’s a bit of an underrated horse. He was in a good race today. He had to make a big leap and he did that,” Cummings said,
“It was a good win and I think we can be pretty impressed with the horse. We have to be proud of his effort.”
Roheryn, who was ridden by Jason Collett, was given a soft barrier trial at Hawkesbury on Monday in the lead-up to yesterday’s race.
Collet had Roheryn in a midfield position, one off the fence, and was the first jockey to ask his mount for an effort but the gelding responded.
“In races they talk about flat spots. Roheryn hit the flat spot of all flat spots today,” Cummings said.
“Jason knew the horse. He has a bit of a connection with him but if you get him limbered up and into the race he would make an impact and once he gets going, he gets through his gears.
“He has a beautiful liquid action. He was probably lucky to hold onto the race as Probabeel really stormed home, but he was deserving of a good race. He had a bit of a boom since he debuted.”
Collett backed up Cummings’ assessment of the race.
He said: “He trialled really well on Monday. He was so much sharper, everything about him had me excited to carry the 53 kilograms on Saturday.
“He got to the right spot where we needed to be. He came off the bridle and I just had to work on him before straightening, but he was able to tough it out.”
Roheryn (5 g Lonhro – Mannington by Danehill) took his record to six wins from 14 starts and $450,150 in prize-money with his maiden stakes victory.
By Darley’s champion sire Lonhro (Octagonal), Roheryn hails from a potent female family, being a daughter of the Group 3-winning juvenile and Group 1-placed sprinter Mannington (Danehill) and a grandson of Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Bint Marscay (Marscay).
Roheryn is a half-brother to Victoria Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) winner Benicio (More Than Ready) and Group 2 winner Romneya (Red Ransom), while his dam is a half-sister to Coolmore Classic (registered as TAD Kennedy Stakes) (Gr 1, 1500m) winner Bollinger (Dehere) and Group 3-winning two-year-old Sheraton (Woodman).
Mannington died in May 2017, with Roheryn her last foal and the 89th stakes winner for Lonhro who stands for $66,000 (inc GST) at Darley’s Kelvinside property this year.