Southport Tycoon thrills in Manikato Stakes, huge night for Ciaron Maher

Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Maher dominates The Valley with Southport Tycoon’s Manikato win

Southport Tycoon (Written Tycoon) grew wings on the straight to salute by a bob of the head in a thrilling Manikato S., making it a night to remember for the Ciaron Maher stable.

Star jockey Mark Zahra somehow made up 2.5l inside the final 75 metres of the Group 1 sprint over 1200 metres, to run down stablemate Growing Empire (Zoustar).

It rounded out a sensational evening for the top Victorian stable, with Maher’s brilliant mare Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) saluting by a comprehensive 1.5l in the G2 Feehan S.

Bennett Racing purchased Southport Tycooon for $300,000 from Daandine Stud at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, and a jubilant Maher spoke about the shrewd purchase after the race.

“A month between runs, trial, he put the writing on the board in the trial – his sectionals were phenomenal late,” Maher said.

“I thought Mark (Zahra) was the perfect jockey for him because you had to have that nice waiting ride.”

Written Tycoon's 4-year-old son, still an entire, showcased brilliance on Friday night, with Zahra once again demonstrating his outstanding horsemanship.

“I just rode him for luck… Geez, he gave such a good chase,” he said.

“Me and Ciaron were quietly confident – he was going really well, and I didn’t even have a chance to pull the whip I was coming through that quick.

“I just got the shine at the right time.”

Widden Stud announced in late August that they had bought into Southport Tycoon.

Jenni turns the tables on Brightside in Feehan

Pride Of Jenni has turned the tables on arch rival Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) in stunning fashion, beating him by 1.5l to win a brilliant edition of the G2 Feehan S. at The Valley.

Without a win from two starts this preparation going into Friday night, any doubts the champion 7-year-old mare’s career was winding down were comprehensively dispelled by the fashion in which she prevailed.

This year’s The All-Star Mile and Queen Elizabeth S. winner shot out to an 8l lead at the 600-metre mark in the mile race, and had the endurance to hold off Mr Brightside, who beat her by 0.5l last start in the G1 Makybe Diva S. on September 14.

Winning hoop Declan Bates said he was happy to let his superstar mare open up such a big early lead.

“She was just on it. She was really ready for a Moonee Valley race where she could just roll along and skip away,” he said.

Gallery: Images courtesy of The Image Is Everything

“I was pretty positive on her too. A lot of the time I just like to take it easy in the first 200 (metres), but I really just let her stride from the word go today.”

Pride Of Jenni - now with over $9 million in prizemoney to her name - was purchased for just $100,000 by Cape Schanck Stud from Segenhoe Stud Australia at the 2019 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.

Owner Tony Ottobre now has his sights set on Cox Plate glory on October 26.

“The Cox Plate is the goal. I’m after the King Charles, but we want to back up with the Cox Plate, which was something we did similar last year,” he said.

“We went back-to-back in a Group 1. I don’t think she’s any different from last year, and I think she can probably do it again this year.”

Pride Of Dubai was a dual Group 1-winning 2-year-old by Champion Sire, Street Cry (Ire).

He has already produced four Group 1 winners - Dubai Honour (Ire), Pride Of Jenni, Bella Nipotina and Desert Lightning (NZ), with 23 stakes winners worldwide.

Evaporate now a clear Caulfield Guineas chance

Evaporate’s (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) impressive run of form continued, with a fourth consecutive triumph and a first stakes victory in the G2 Stutt S. (1600 metres).

The 3-year-old gelding only won at maiden level at Cranbourne on August 1, but now has his sights set on the Caulfield Guineas on October 12 after taking the lead at the 100-metre mark and going on to salute by 1l.

Lindsay Park bought the gelding for $330,000 from Sledmere Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Evaporate’s sire Per Incanto (USA) has gone on to establish himself as one of New Zealand’s elite sires. His progeny is headed by dual Group 1 winners Belclare (NZ) and Roch 'N' Horse (NZ).

Gallery: Images courtesy of The Image Is Everything

And co-trainer Will Hayes believes his 3-year-old can also be hard to beat in elite company.

“You’d be mad not to think (Caulfield Guineas),” he said.

“There was predicted to be a bit of speed and they didn’t go that quick, and for him to circle, get pushed out wide and then win quite dominantly I think he’s just going from strength to strength.

“At home he’s always shown us really nice ability. It was just a matter of the penny dropping.”

Bellatrix Star not just a wet-tracker after Scarborough Stakes win

New Zealand-born trainer Mark Walker’s advice to owner John Galvin to send Bellatrix Star (Star Witness) across the ditch has proven to be a masterstroke, with the filly saluting by 0.75l in the G3 Scarborough S.

Her improvement has been rapid since finishing fourth in the R. Listed Karaka Millions 2YO in Auckland on January 27, with this victory over 1200 metres her second successive triumph, with Michael Dee in the saddle.

“She didn’t get all favours in the Karaka Millions and ran fourth, and then she went shin sore and we didn’t run her in the Group 1 races in the autumn,” Galvin said.

“She had a quiet autumn and Mark Walker said to me, 'I think you should take this horse to Australia because she’s an out-and-out sprinter, and she’ll be better suited over there'.

“That’s what we’ve done and now we’ve won two races in a row, so we’re pretty excited.”

Gallery: Images courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Bellatrix Star was an NZ$80,000 purchase by Fortuna Racing from Phoenix Park at the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka sales.

The 3-year-old filly’s sire Star Witness has produced 20 stakes winners in Australia.

Alsephina explodes late to salute in G2 Stocks Stakes

Blake Shinn notched up his second win of the evening in classy fashion, when he urged Alsephina (Star Turn) to explode late and on the outside to win the G2 Stocks S. by 0.75l.

Shinn knew his 6-year-old mare had a strong late burst in her, before going on to defeat Lady Jones (Toronado {Ire}).

“She likes to be ridden like that. When we got out, she exploded,” he said.

“Bigger things in store coming in the spring carnival.”

Bred by G & G Bloodstock, Alsephina is the best of three winners from as many to race out of the stakes-winning Street Cry (Ire) mare Delta Gee who was second to Response (Charge Forward) in the G3 Matron S. and to Lady Lynette (Ladoni {GB}) in the G3 Tesio S.

Vinery Stud resident Star Turn has produced nine stakes winners headed by G1 Tatt’s Tiara winner Startantes.

Stoli Bolli Primed for a Strong Spring

Stoli Bolli (Deep Field) looks set for a big spring after his commanding 2l win in Race 1 for 3-year-olds at The Valley.

With Blake Shinn in the saddle, the promising gelding broke away from the outside at the turn and 200 metres from home in the 1200-metre sprint, and was not headed from there.

“It was a good pressure race. It was quick right from the start, and we had a nice cut into the race,” Shinn told Racing.com.

“We got on the back of (runner-up) Linda Meech (Written Tycoon), who was on a really promising horse. She carted me everywhere I needed to go.”

Winning trainer Ben Hayes mentored Stoli Bolli’s dam, Champagne Boom (Spirit of Boom), making the win extra special for Lindsay Park.

Champagne Boom won one of her nine starts.

“All trainers remember the horses they train. She was one. It was a great ride by Blake (Shinn),” Hayes said. “They went really hard through the middle stages, and he looked like he dropped the bit. But he picked up and cornered well. He’s raced a couple of times here, and to get this result is huge.”

Stoli Bolli’s sire Deep Field has sired 32 Stakes winners, and won his first five races by a combined margin of 24l.

The promising sprinter chased home the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Daggers (I Am Invincible) in an impressive runner-up performance at Moonee Valley on August 24.

The gelding was a bargain $70,000 purchase from Kingstar Farm after passing in 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Yearling Sale.

“We trained the mare and heard this guy was out in the paddock, so we went out and looked at him,” Hayes said.

“He went through the sales ring, but he didn’t sell and Matty (Kingstar Farm owner Matthew Sandblom) sent him our way.

“We’re very thankful. He’s got a lot of ability, and it was great to get a nice stakes win.”