Cover image courtesy of Michael McInally
Vega One (Lope De Vega {Ire}) marked a triumphant comeback from serious injury with a barnstorming finish from near-last, snatching the lead in the shadows of the post to win by 0.5l. His stablemate Jonker (Spirit Of Boom), who had led all the way, held on for a gritty second.
“Mate, that’s so good,” Gollan said. “I didn’t know where to look late in the race. I thought Jonker might be going to hang on, while I caught sight of him (Vega One) behind a bit of a wall of horses. But then, all of a sudden, off he went.
“It’s unreal – to run one-two here, in a Group 1 race on my home track, is just fantastic.”
“It’s unreal – to run one-two here, in a Group 1 race on my home track, is just fantastic.” - Tony Gollan
It was the sixth win of a 25-start career for Vega One, who was a $75,000 purchase by John Thompson Racing at the 2017 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale.
The 5-year-old has now earned just under $1.5 million in stakes, with Saturday’s Group 1 triumph sitting alongside an earlier victory in the Listed Queensland Day S. in 2019, plus placings in the G2 Victory S. and the Listed Mick Dittman Plate, Recognition S. and Magic Millions Cup.
Vega One also finished a close fourth in last year’s G1 Stradbroke H., beaten by only 0.5l by the winner Tyzone (Written Tycoon).
But the talented sprinter’s career hasn’t always been plain sailing for Gollan. The Eagle Farm trainer took special satisfaction from Saturday’s win, which came at Vega One’s fourth start back from an injury lay-off.
The gelding had resumed with a sixth in the Listed Ascot H. on April 17, then ran second in the Victory S. and a close last-start fourth in the G1 Doomben 10,000.
“I’m just so proud of this horse, who had a major injury after he ran in the Stradbroke last year,” Gollan said.
"I’m just so proud of this horse (Vega One), who had a major injury after he ran in the Stradbroke last year." - Tony Gollan
“He was away for a long time. They did a great job of rehabbing him down there in Victoria, and when he came back into the stable earlier this year, this race and the Stradbroke were the long-range missions. So this just doesn’t get any better. It’s just a great feeling.
“We’ve had a bit of a torrid time with him this preparation, having a few little niggles and trying to get him ready. We were on a knife edge as to whether we were even going to be here this week, with the little things that kept going wrong. But I was really happy with him after his work on Tuesday morning.
“This result today is just so rewarding.”
Saturday’s Kingsford-Smith Cup is the latest in a long line of major Australian sprints won by the progeny of former shuttle stallion Lope De Vega (Ire), who stood in Australia between 2011 and 2014.
Santa Ana Lane won the G1 TJ Smith S., Stradbroke H., The Goodwood H., VRC Sprint Classic and Sir Rupert Clarke S. in an outstanding sprinting career. Vega Magic captured the G1 The Goodwood H. and Memsie S., while Gytrash has so far collected a victory in the G1 Lightning S. alongside placings such as the G1 William Reid S., Newmarket H., The Goodwood H. and The Everest.
Lope De Vega's first son to stand in Australia will be Yulong's Lucky Vega (Ire), who is joining the roster of the Victorian farm for the season.
Vega One is one of two stakes winners out of the imported American mare One Funny Honey (USA) (Distorted Humor {USA}). His older half-sister One More Honey (Onemorenomore) won the G2 Sweet Embrace S. and also finished fourth in the G1 Flight S.
Kah’s starring role
Gollan paid tribute to star jockey Jamie Kah, who won the Kingsford-Smith Cup as part of a cameo carnival appearance.
Kah is the runaway premiership leader in Melbourne and is booked to return there on Sunday. With Queensland’s borders currently closed to Victoria due to this week’s COVID-19 outbreak and lockdown, she is unlikely to be seen in Brisbane again for the remainder of the winter carnival.
Kah played her role to perfection on Vega One on Saturday, waiting patiently at the rear of the field before unleashing a perfectly timed finish in the straight.
Jamie Kah | Image courtesy of Michael McInally
“Jamie doesn’t ride up here that often, but, jeez, I hope she comes back a bit more often in future,” Gollan said. “They got it right with her in Victoria, that’s for sure.
“She’s done a great job. There were no instructions for her today – we just got her to do whatever she wanted on him.”
Vega One was the only winner on Saturday for Kah, who also finished second aboard Ayrton (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) in the G3 Fred Best Classic, second on Carif (So You Think {NZ}) in the G3 Premier’s Cup, fifth aboard Horrifying (NZ) (Shocking) in the G1 Queensland Derby and fourth with Lyre (Lonhro) in the Listed Helen Coughlan S.
