Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Another metropolitan race meeting, another 2-year-old winner for the juggernaut of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
At Randwick-Kensington on Wednesday, Tulloch Lodge logged their 13th individual juvenile winner of the season, and those 2-year-olds have combined for 17 wins.
It’s quite extraordinary.
The latest Waterhouse-Bott youngster to find the winners’ stall is Chateau Miraval - a daughter of Widden Stud’s freshman sire Zousain.
A trial star, Chateau Miraval, was sent out as the punters’ elect. Under Tim Clark, the filly found the front early and was never headed, although she did need to dig deep late to stave off the challenge of Ciaron Maher’s colt Growing Empire (Zoustar).
Both Chateau Miraval and Growing Empire race in the Yulong silks.
Soon after crossing the line, Growing Empire veered to the outside rail and broke through it, dislodging Jockey Jason Collett. He was later stood down from his remaining rides for precautionary reasons after sustaining pain to his neck and left leg.
Bott praised the stable’s filly after her gusty victory.
“It was a tough effort, she was on debut,” he told Sky Thoroughbred Central.
“She was excellent, she was courageous, and there’s a lot of upside off the back of that.
“She (Chateau Miraval) was excellent, she was courageous, and there’s a lot of upside off the back of that.” - Adrian Bott
“She’s a really nice filly for us going forward.”
Tulloch Lodge has an embarrassment of riches with their 2-year-olds this season.
Storm Boy (Justify {USA}), unbeaten in three starts, was a brilliant winner of the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic, and is the dominant favorite for the G1 Golden Slipper S.
Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon) was most impressive when taking out the G3 Widden S. on Saturday.
Gallery: Some of Tulloch Lodge's exciting 2-year-old winners this season
Shangri La Express (Alabama Express) is two from two and has a $1 million Golden Gift triumph on his CV.
Colts Prost (Snitzel) and Espionage (Zoustar) are both Group 3 winners, while Fully Lit (Hellbent) is yet to taste defeat in two starts and was brilliant in overcoming a wide draw to claim the R. Listed Inglis Millennium on Saturday.
Asked where Chateau Miraval sits in the pecking order, Bott said: “She’s certainly one of the better fillies we’ve got in the yard, no doubt.
“She’s (Chateau Miraval) certainly one of the better fillies we’ve got in the yard, no doubt.” - Adrian Bott
“We would like to link her into some of the fillies’ series now, the fillies lead-ups towards the (Golden) Slipper and see how she can stack up there.”
Clark, who has piloted a number of Tulloch Lodge’s juvenile winners this season, was also impressed with Chateau Miraval’s debut, and said she should derive great benefit from the outing.
“She’s a filly that’s always shown nice ability, her trials suggested she was ready to go here first-up, like most of Gai and Adrian’s,” Clark said.
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“To the second horse’s credit, he really stuck it to her and just wouldn’t go away.
“She was very brave and she will take improvement out of the run. In her action, she’s still putting it together a bit, so there’s only improvement to come from her.
“She’s very much like her sister, North Star Lass, who I had a lot to do with. Hopefully, she (Chateau Miraval) can go onto good heights as well.”
Third in the race was the Chris Waller-trained President (I Am Invincible).
Chateau Miraval becomes the second winner in two days in Australia for Zousain, following the debut victory of Drifting at Hawkesbury on Tuesday. Zousain has three winners overall, with The Victress being his other scorer - she saluted at Te Aroha in January.
Zousain | Standing at Widden Stud
A lovely family
Bred by Dissident Aurelius, Chateau Miraval realised $650,000 at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, with Yulong, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott Racing and Kestrel Thoroughbreds buying her from the Rosemont Stud draft.
The filly is from the five-time winner and Group 3 placegetter Sheila’s Star (Snitzel), herself a three-quarter sister to the six-time scorer and Listed placegetter Special Diva (Snitzel), and a half-sister to the six-time winner and Listed victress Jacqueline Rouge (Ne Coupez Pas {USA}).
Chateau Miraval as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Chateau Miraval is a three-quarter sister to the 2022 G2 Furious S. winner North Star Lass (Zoustar). She was bought by Walnut Farm (Yulong) for $1,525,000 at last year’s Inglis September (Early) Online Sale when offered by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott Racing.
“I think she can get to that black-type level, that stakes level, and that’s important to her family and for connections,” Bott said.
“That’s where we will aim her.”
“I think she (Chateau Miraval) can get to that black-type level, that stakes level, and that’s important to her family and for connections.” - Adrian Bott
Chateau Miraval’s second dam, Northeast Sheila (Keltrice), was a very good 2-year-old. She won the 1998 Listed Maribyrnong Trial S. on debut, before adding the 1999 G3 Blue Diamond Diamond Preview (Fillies) at her next start. Northeast Sheila then ran second behind Card Queen (Final Card) in the G3 Blue Diamond Prelude (Fillies), while in the G1 Blue Diamond S., she finished eighth, 6.5l behind the great Redoute’s Choice.
Northeast Sheila is a sister to the Listed victress Dashing Granada (Keltrice) and a half-sister to the Listed winner Kablammo (Marauding {NZ}).
There’s a host of other stakes winners on Chateau Miraval’s page, including Instant Celebrity (Not A Single Doubt), Celebrity Girl (Starcraft {NZ}) and Generalife (Lonhro).
