Cover image courtesy of Dan Himbrechts for AAP Photos
Masked Crusader's 3l romp on Saturday may have only been in BM78 class, but the ease of which the Team Hawkes-trained 3-year-old cruised to the line under Tommy Berry had those who witnessed it scouring their memory banks to recall such an impressive metropolitan winner.
But the ascent of Masked Crusader, who has now won three of his four starts, to late-season boom horse is no surprise to Cooke, who Hawkes Racing combined with to secure him for $340,000 at the 2018 Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale.
Masked Crusader as a yearling
He is the most expensive yearling purchased in Australia by Swettenham Stud's Toronado (Ire), with Cooke recalling the impression he made on him when he did his pre-sale inspections in Victoria's thoroughbred heartland just over two years ago.
"I went up to the farms and inspected a heap of yearlings up there. I stayed at Mitchelton Wineries and did Swettenham, Gilgai and all the farms and honestly, he was an absolute belter of a yearling. He had plenty of athleticism, there was plenty of substance with him. He was just a beautiful yearling," Cooke said.
"Honestly, he was an absolute belter of a yearling." - Cameron Cooke
Cooke was working to shortlist some possible yearling purchases for successful owner Legh. The pair had combined with trainer Mick Price to secure future Group 1 winner Grunt (NZ) through the New Zealand Bloodstock Sales at Karaka two years prior.
"I've bought three horses for Rupert to date. The first horse was one called St Henri and I paid $100,000 for him. He had one start for one win, and unfortunately he died on the operating table getting a bone chip removed," Cooke said.
Cooke has bought three horses to date for prominent owner, Richard Legh (pictured right)
"He was insured and I used that insurance money plus a little bit more to buy Grunt for Rupert. And while Grunt was running around, I jagged this fella.
"I rang Rupert and I said I think I've found you a nice horse. He's by a first-season sire, which I didn’t know a hell of a lot about at that stage, but he just had a lot of presence about him.
"I rang Rupert and I said I think I've found you a nice horse." - Cameron Cooke
"Rupert had a chat to the Hawkeses and asked them to look at the horses I had picked out because they were going to be training them, and if they didn't like them, then we wouldn't buy them. Basically, John loved him at the sales and they went pretty hard on him, they paid $340,000."
Cooke was very much aware that while he was a beautiful yearling, he would need some expert handling, because of his size.
"He was always a big solid horse. So I always thought he would have needed to be gelded and that's all John's department and he has turned him into a serious, serious racehorse," Cooke said.
"He's out of a very good mare and coming off a very good farm in Gilgai, which produces a lot of winners. He's a good breeder and he mates his mares really well to stallions, so you knew that was all going to be positive."
Bloodstock agent Cameron Cooke (right) with trainer Chris Waller
Team Hawkes are renowned for their patience with elite horses. They did indeed geld Masked Crusader and while he was beaten on debut at Wyong, they switched him to the Melbourne stables where he broke his maiden with authority at Caulfield in December.
He then finished powerfully to win at Bendigo last month before heading back to the Rosehill stables again, where he was prepared for his first Saturday metropolitan race, winning so impressively at Randwick with Berry barely moving on him in the run.
Masked story continues for Jamieson
His breeder, Gilgai Farm's Rick Jamieson, has remained in the ownership of Masked Crusader, with the son of stakes-winning mare She's Got Gears (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) leaving quite the impression on him.
"I think he was the best horse we bred that year. Rupert Legh and John Hawkes loved him and they purchased him. I was happy to stay in him because I thought he was the best and he was always a standout," he said.
Rick Jamieson, Rupert Legh and John Hawkes
Jamieson had of course bred the four-time Group 1 winner All Too Hard, which Hawkes Racing paid $1.025 million for as a yearling and Wayne Hawkes mentioned at the time that he was purchased that Masked Crusader was similarly impressive.
That's a big comparison to live up to, but Jamieson is a huge wrap for the dam, She's Got Gears, putting her in the class of All Too Hard's legendary dam Helsinge (Desert Sun {GB}).
"I think Mum is a bit of a freak really. I think she is in the league of Helsinge, who had Black Caviar. She was a similar looking mare and she throws great types," he said.
"Masked Crusader is like his mum. His mum was a terrific horse a real runner, a speed horse and he's a lot like her. Mum's a beautiful strong, balanced individual, and Toronado is a standout as a type as well. We just got a good result."
"Masked Crusader is like his mum. His mum was a terrific horse a real runner, a speed horse and he's a lot like her." - Rick Jamieson
The market agrees with Jamieson on the quality of her stock, with her yearling colt by Sebring selling for $825,000 to China Horse Club, Newgate and Stonestreet at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in January.
The 2-year-old filly by Dissident, named Miss Conduct, was retained by Jamieson and while unraced is making an impression for Anthony Freedman, while the 4-year-old called High Ratio (Fastnet Rock) is also a metropolitan winner.
Unfortunately for Jamieson, she has missed her past two seasons but she will be back to visit Toronado again in 2020.
Toronado (Ire) | Standing at Swettenham Stud
In the meantime, the journey of Masked Crusader is providing joy for both breeder and the agent who selected him, with Cooke believing the ride is far from finished.
"James Winks has done a fair bit of work with him in Melbourne and I've had a chat with James and after he rode him, he said he was a Group horse. He's a pretty good judge and I think he's on the right track to becoming that," he said.
"James Winks has done a fair bit of work with him in Melbourne and I've had a chat with James and after he rode him, he said he was a Group horse." - Cameron Cooke
"He treated them with contempt on Saturday, he jumped and led, it was like a working gallop. He was dominant and I think he'll keep raising the bar and stepping up from here.
"John Hawkes is a master trainer. He will sort it out. I would have thought he could be at his best anywhere from 1200 metres to maybe a mile. I always think when they have got that good turn of foot and that brilliance you should keep them sprinting, but I'm not a trainer. John Hawkes is the man and he's very good at what he does."
His next appearance could be the Listed Scone Guineas at Rosehill on Saturday.
