Written by Trent Masenhelder
Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
James Cummings and Godolphin claimed a clean sweep of the two juvenile races at Canterbury on Wednesday, with Mural Crown (Epaulette) scoring on debut in Race 1, before How Dare You (Zoustar) broke through at the fourth time of asking in Race 2.
Mural Crown lined up for his first start after being well-educated with four trials. He put the writing on the wall for a strong first-up showing when winning his most recent trial - a 1000-metre heat at Wyong on July 10.
With star apprentice Zac Lloyd in the saddle, Mural Crown enjoyed a lovely run beyond the speed on the fence. When the leader and race favourite Les Vampires (Pierro) wobbled around the home turn, Lloyd presented the colt and he let down in fine style, going on to win by 0.65l.
“He’s very professional; James (Cummings) and the team have given him a decent amount of time to find his feet and grow into himself,” Godolphin stable representative Darren Beadman told Sky Racing.
“He’s a little bit cheeky, being a colt still. He’s not nasty, but he’s got a bit of character about him.
“He’s (Mural Crown) very professional; James (Cummings) and the team have given him a decent amount of time to find his feet and grow into himself.” - Darren Beadman
“With the speed drawn underneath him, Zac (Lloyd) was able to work into a lovely position without doing any work.
“He was very professional and strong at the finish.
“Zac knows the horse very well, he trialled him the other day at Wyong and he was quietly confident going into it that he was going to get a good run. It’s always good that the jocks come out with a positive attitude.”
Magic (Snitzel) - a brother to the 2021 G1 Thousand Guineas heroine Yearning - was second, with Les Vampires holding on for third.
Zac Lloyd returns to scale aboard Mural Crown after winning at Canterbury | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Mural Crown is the first foal of the four-time winner and Group 2 placegetter Gongs (Dawn Approach {Ire}) and she herself is a half-sister to the Listed placegetter Mesa (Lonhro). The colt’s second dam is the former talented sprinter Belcentra (Bel Esprit) - a three-time winner who scored in Listed company and placed on two occasions in Group 3 grade.
Gongs has an Exceed And Excel colt on the ground and was again covered by that sire last spring.
How Dare You, meanwhile, was having her first start in New South Wales, having been unplaced in three runs in Victoria. She was quick to begin and held the lead momentarily, before Tautou (Zoustar) took it up. That pair squared off in the run to the line and it was the Blue Army that once again came out on top, with the Lloyd-partnered How Dare You prevailing by 0.52l. Capzinzi (Capitalist) was a further 2l back in third.
“She was fantastic. She had a good education down in Melbourne and she arrived up here looking in fine order,” Beadman explained.
“We took the nose roll off her.
“Her trial the other day at Hawkesbury was a real confidence booster for her, the way that she was able just to jump and get a feel for it on the fence, which was similar to here (on Wednesday).
“Zac balanced her up nicely and she was very strong to the line.”
“Zac (Lloyd) balanced her (How Dare You) up nicely and she was very strong to the line.” - Darren Beadman
How Dare You is out of the three-time winner Segue (Ad Valorem {USA}), which makes the filly a half-sister to the Group 3 victress Astoria (Medaglia D'Oro {USA}). Segue is a half-sister to the Group 1 hero and Group 1-producing sire Viscount, as well as the Listed victor Helsinborg (Danehill {USA}) and the two-time winner and Group 2-producing sire Dangerous. The filly’s grandam is the dual Listed winner Antwerp (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}) who is a sister to the brilliant Tristalove (NZ) - a winner at the elite level on two occasions and the dam of four stakes winners, including the Group 1 winner and Group 1-producing sire Viking Ruler. This is the family of the brilliant blue hen Diamond Lover (NZ) (Sticks And Stones).
Godolphin has How Dare You’s half-brother - Afloat - a rising 2-year-old by Astern.
How Dare You is Zoustar’s 17th individual 2-year-old winner of the season.
How Dare You winning at Canterbury | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Lloyd's double on Wednesday took his tally to 76 city winners for the season, three more than Dylan Gibbons as the pair vie for the 2022/23 Sydney apprentices' premiership. Saturday marks the final city meeting of the season where Lloyd has 10 rides and Gibbons nine.
