The champion trainer cajoled another win out of the 8-year-old, who gave age, weight and a beating to his rivals in the $1 million event to follow the winning lead of stablemate Kolding (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}), who won the recent first running of the $7.5 million Golden Eagle.
Mister Sea Wolf had struck early in his spring preparation when he was successful in the G2 Shannon S., but it all went wrong for the gelding in the Redzel S. when he went back from a wide gate and stayed there, beating just one runner home.
This time, he was able to keep the leaders very much in his sights from a kinder gate and was slipped more rein in the straight by rider James McDonald.
They lodged their challenge 300 metres from home and Mister Sea Wolf (Ire) was in a defiant mood to get the better of Quackerjack (Not A Single Doubt) and the winner’s stablemate Star Of The Seas (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) took third money ahead of Military Zone (Epaulette).
“You don’t have to say it too many times. The stable does a marvellous job and with 59kg on his back to out-punch one of lighter-weighted runners was a big effort,” McDonald said.
“The stable does a marvellous job and with 59kg on his back to out-punch one of lighter-weighted runners was a big effort.” - James McDonald
“He’s a tough horse and he thoroughly deserved that. What a thrill to win The Gong, it’s a great atmosphere here.
“I was happy with the spot I was in, one out and one back and he travelled really well.
“It was just a matter of timing my run because he’s not a horse that’s ever going to win by a wide margin. He was fantastic.”
James McDonald
"He was the class horse in the race and it was a pleasure to see him get the chocolates," Waller's racing manager Charlie Duckworth said. "We will be back here year in, year out, to try and win this race again."
The stable has enjoyed a remarkable spring, highlighted by four Group 1 victories on Epsom H. day and Waller was also the leading trainer at the Melbourne spring carnival, and the golden run shows no signs of stopping any time soon.
Cracking start
Mister Sea Wolf is a half-brother to Cable Bay (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who has made a flying start to his stallion career with 26 winners, including the G3 Goodwood Molecomb S. winner Liberty Beach (GB), from his first Northern Hemisphere crop.
The G2 Newmarket Challenge S. winner shuttles to Woodside Park Stud from his English base at Highclere Stud.
Cable Bay (Ire) | Standing at Woodside Park Stud
Mister Sea Wolf is a son of Rose De France (Ire) (Diktat {GB}), a half-sister to the G3 Prix de Fontainebleau winner Bowman (USA) (Irish River {Ire}) and their dam Cherokee Rose (Ire) (Dancing Brave {USA}) was a two-time Group 1 winner.
Mastery (GB) (Sulamani {Ire}), Mukhadram (GB) (Shamardal {USA}) and Kirklees (Ire) (Jade Robbery {USA}) are other Group 1 winners on the pedigree page.
