Written by Richard Edmunds
The first two horses home in last month’s Kirkham Plate rose to the top again in Saturday’s inaugural $1 million Golden Gift at Rosehill, but this time the roles were reversed.
Dame Giselle (I Am Invincible) had been forced to settle for second in the Kirkham behind See You Soon (Siyouni {Fr}), but she turned the tables on Saturday with a sparkling performance.
A $500,000 yearling purchase at the Inglis Sydney Easter Sale, Dame Giselle was unhurried by rider Andrew Adkins in the early stages of Saturday’s race as her stablemate Blaze A Trail (Criterion {NZ}) vied for the lead with Malkovich (Choisir).
Dame Giselle as a yearling
Blaze A Trail shook free of Malkovich in the straight and raced clear in a promising move, but once Adkins asked Dame Giselle to quicken, it took no time for her to swallow him up.
Dame Giselle swept past Blaze A Trail and streaked away, scoring an emphatic victory by 3.25l.
See You Soon got going late to spoil a quinella for the Snowden stable and owner Owen Glenn’s Go Bloodstock, edging out Blaze A Trail for second in a tight finish.
“We’ve always liked her from day one,” Peter Snowden said. “From the very first time she showed something and always had that good demeanour, which I love about a 2-year-old.
“From the very first time she showed something and always had that good demeanour, which I love about a 2-year-old." - Peter Snowden
“She was athletic and a great mover. The staff picked her out and the riders picked her out. She gave us a good feel early, and I thought she was stiff not to win first-up, so it’s good to get this result.
“She did a great job on debut. You can’t beat race experience, and that’s what she lacked the other day. I thought she would improve off that.”
Dame Giselle has already earned more than $600,000 for owners Go Bloodstock and the China Horse Club
Dame Giselle has already earned more than $600,000 for owners Go Bloodstock and the China Horse Club, and now the Snowdens are looking ahead to the biggest 2-year-old prize of all – the G1 Golden Slipper at Rosehill on March 23.
“She can have a well-earned rest now, poke her way back and only run in the races we need to,” Snowden said. “She might only need one run leading into the Slipper, We’ll let the dust settle and that decision will be made later on.”
“She can have a well-earned rest now, poke her way back and only run in the races we need to." - Peter Snowden
Dame Giselle is out of the Stravinsky mare Ballet Society (NZ), who won six races including the G2 A.V. Kewney S., G2 Angus Armanasco S., G3 Vanity S and G3 BTC Sprint H. She also placed in the G1 Thousand Guineas.
Ballet Society is the dam of six named foals, all winners, including the G3 Thoroughbred Club S. placegetter The Fairy’s Kiss (Elusive Quality), who is the dam of stakes winner Steal My Kisses (I Am Invincible).
Ballet Society (NZ), mare of Dame Giselle
Ballet Society is a half-sister to two stakes winners including Cent Home (NZ) (Lord Ballina), who won 12 races, headed by the G1 Kelt Capital S. and Captain Cook S.
Ballet Society had a colt foal by Pride of Dubai this spring.
A triumph for comeback jockey Adkins
In terms of prize-money, the Golden Gift was the biggest victory of Adkins’ riding career to date. But the fact that he is riding at all is a triumph in itself.
Adkins was involved in a horror fall during The Championships at Randwick in April, suffering three fractures to his back along with fractures to his sternum, ribs, jaw and nose.
“The last 10 months have been pretty torturous,” he said. “The fall set me back a long way.
Andrew Adkins
“It was a lot of preparation to get me back to the races, and to be able to receive rides like this I have had to work pretty hard. I do a lot of work for Peter and Paul, and for them to be able to return the favour and give me a ride in a million-dollar race, and to get the job done, I am very thrilled and very chuffed.
“Sir Owen is here today as well, so it’s great to be able to get the job done for them in such a high-profile race.
“She’s a magic little horse. She really let go from the 400. She was so strong.
“She’s a magic little horse. She really let go from the 400. She was so strong." - Andrew Adkins
“She put the writing on the wall last start, narrowly getting beaten, and she put up a great effort doing that. Coming here today, I was full of confidence, I couldn’t believe the price she went up.
“What a training performance. Peter and Paul had her primed. When I pulled her up, it was like she hadn’t even been around. To have a 2-year-old that fit, that ready to go, and that on the ball, is amazing. What a thrill.
“I’ll certainly put my name in there (for the Golden Slipper ride), for sure.”
